Tucson School of Horseshoeing
Curriculum

Anatomy of the Legs and Feet

You will learn to recognize the name of the parts of the lower leg and foot. The way the leg is formed affects the way that the horse stands and moves. Since 50% of a horse's problems occur from the knee down, they fall directly within the realm of the horseshoer's influence. The anatomy and physiology of horses' legs and feet is basic. This is our strong area of expertise.

Physiology of the Legs and Feet

You will learn how the different parts of the leg and hoof work. You will also understand how changes in normal structure can cause faulty gait, injury, and even disease. Our primary objective is to teach you to shoe "normal" and "problem" horses. This includes learning to recognize and correct traveling and lameness problems where they occur.

Equine Conformation

The way skeleton and muscles are put together varies from breed to breed. You will be able to recognize what constitutes good conformation from the different breeds and why. You will also learn how horses are judged for conformation. With this knowledge, you will be able to shoe to correct for faults and improve conformation.

Basic Blacksmithing

Our course begins at the forge. Each student learns the proper use of the blacksmith forge. You will learn how to build fires to get the proper heat from your forge in accordance with the type of job you are doing. At the forge, you will learn the use of different types of metal. We also teach forge welding and the brazing of calks and garbs. You will learn the proper use of the anvil. You will also have access to arc and acetylene welders, saws, grinders adn other facilities in the shop. These skills will enable you to do corrective shoeing.

Trimming The Foot

As soon as the class learns to make horseshoes from steel bar stock, we start instruction on trimming and corrective trimming. We cover the hand tools, name, purpose, proper use and care of each tool.

Leveling and Balancing the Foot

Much more science is involve in the proper trimming of the foot than the fitting and nailing of the shoe. To level and balance the foot, the shoer must first be able to determine when the foot is level. This is not an easy job and in cases of deformed feet, is a decidedly difficulty task.

Normal Shoeing

Having mastered trimming, you will learn to put shoes on the horses. This will not be any great feat after you learn to level the foot and make shoes that fit properly. You will learn how to choose the right size and length of bar stock to properly fit normal hooves and nail and finish your work using the right methods and tools.

Corrective Shoeing

You will learn to balance horses for soundness and performance. Some lameness can be corrected by shoeing. You will learn how to recognize them and how to determine which corrective shoe to use. You will learn about lameness caused by improper shoeing and how to change a horse's mode of travel to stop forging, interfering, scalping, crossfiring, knee hitting, speed cutting, etc. As the course progresses you will be making hand tools, swedge blacks, race plates, harness horse shoes, gaited horse shoes and a variety of corrective shoes with calks, trailers, toe grabs, rolled toes, bars, etc. The course will concentrate on the pleasure horse, because today they are by far the predominant horse.

Horse Handling

You will have many opportunities to learn the finer points of horse handling, particularly when working with colts and horses being trimmed or shod for the first time. Many of our longtime customers permit the Tucson School of Horseshoeing to work on their horses under my supervision. So students have plenty of horse to work on. Besides the large number of horses near the school, we supply student shoers for several riding stables and a riding school. One stable alone provides the school with over two hundred head of horses.

Equine Nutrition

You will learn a basic healthy diet for horses, how to feed horses according to the way they are used and dealing with those problems.

Starting Your Business

You will learn how to set up your business and conduct your relationships with your clients, veterinarians, and competitors. You will also learn why you should work closely with each of these groups. You will be briefed on doing a business plan and setting up your books.