General Purpose and Standard Shoes
Plain or Regular Shoe: The basic horseshoe, typically made of steel, used for general purposes to protect the horse’s hooves during everyday activities.
Rim Shoe: Similar to the plain shoe but with a deeper groove for better traction, often used for racing, barrel riding, or other performance activities.
Clipped Shoe: A standard or corrective shoe that includes clips to provide extra stability and help the shoe stay on the hoof longer. It's commonly used for horses prone to losing their shoes or with hoof issues.
Corrective and Therapeutic Shoes
Bar Shoe: Features a bar connecting the heels, providing extra support. It's used for treating various hoof conditions such as quarter cracks, weak heels, and contracted heels.
Heart Bar Shoe: Includes a heart-shaped bar that extends under the frog, used primarily to treat laminitis by redistributing weight and providing additional support.
Egg Bar Shoe: Shaped like an egg with a rounded heel, these shoes provide extra heel support and are beneficial for horses with low or weak heels, often used in jumping.
Straight Bar Shoe: Similar to the egg bar but with a straight bar across the back. It's typically used to support cracked hooves or address cross-firing and scalping.
Rocking Bar Shoe: This shoe has a curved bar, helping to distribute pressure more evenly across the hoof, especially in horses suffering from laminitis.
Wedge Shoe: A shoe with a raised heel that helps alleviate issues related to navicular syndrome and other heel pain, by adjusting the angle of the hoof.
Navicular Horseshoes: Designed for horses with navicular syndrome, these shoes often include a wedge or heel lift to reduce strain on the deep digital flexor tendon and provide extra heel support.
Three-Quarter Shoe: A specialized shoe with part of the heel removed, often used to relieve pressure on specific areas of the hoof, such as corns.
Convex Shoe: Features a thicker inner edge compared to the outer edge, which helps horses that wear their shoes unevenly.
Toe Turned-Up Shoe: This shoe has an elevated toe and is designed for horses prone to stumbling, reducing the likelihood of tripping.
High-Heeled Bar Shoe: A bar shoe with an elevated heel, used in cases of severe tendon injuries to reduce strain.
Anti-Brushing Shoe: Designed to prevent the horse's legs from brushing against each other, minimizing the risk of injury.
Glue-On Shoe: These shoes are attached using adhesive rather than nails, making them ideal for horses with poor hoof wall quality or severe hoof damage.
Specialty and Performance Shoes
Racing Plates: Lightweight aluminum shoes used for racehorses to minimize weight and maximize speed during races.
Sliding Plates: Used on the hind feet of reining horses, these shoes are longer and narrower than standard shoes, allowing for smooth sliding stops during performance.
Rodway Shoe: A specialized shoe with ridges to increase grip, particularly useful in icy or slippery conditions.
Martin Shoe: Similar to the Rodway shoe, but with additional rubber for improved traction and shock absorption.
Tip or Half Shoe: Covers only part of the hoof, usually the toe, allowing the frog to bear some weight. It’s often used for specific therapeutic purposes.
This comprehensive list covers a wide range of horseshoe types, from general-purpose shoes to highly specialized ones designed for therapeutic or performance-enhancing purposes. Each type is tailored to address specific needs or conditions, ensuring the best possible care for a horse's hooves.
