Differences within pairs of feet can throw off the horse's gait. M ost farriers use a combination of hot shoeing and cold shoeing to service their varied clientele. Hot shoers use a forge and anvil to hot shape shoes to fit the foot and to forge clips and other modifications. T he use of a forge also allows the farrier to do hot fittings. This is when the farrier will set the leveled hot shoe on the hoof and sear out any minute high spots allowing for a perfect union between the shoe and the foot.
Hot fittings allow the farrier to seat clips into the hoof with greater efficiency and effect.
Cold shoers shape the shoe to the foot without the addition of heat. Cold fitting is the leveling of the hoof and shoe without heat. A few other terms that you should know relate to the style of shoeing the horseshoer offers. Some horses require special shoeing. Shoeing and trimming to assist the horse's movement or stance is known as corrective shoeing.