Do not wait until the horse begins to act up to admit that the horse is afraid of shoeing. If your horse has never been hot-fit and you think the shoer will be putting a hot shoe on, tell the farrier in advance that your regular farrier shoes cold. Any farrier you hire at a show should be willing to provide you with a receipt for your payment, which should show his or her name and contact information. This is important in the event that you want to get in touch with the farrier again or if your farrier at home wants to ask where a certain type of shoe or pad used can be purchased. A distinct advantage of show farriers is that they are acutely aware of shoeing regulations and equipment limitations.
Some breeds have particular rules for toe length, pads, bar shoes, or shoe weight.
Show farriers will be aware of these regulations, and stewards will be on hand to answer any questions you have about meeting regulations for your particular division. Many riders are upset to arrive at a show or competitive trail ride to find that the show farrier insists on removing special shoes instead of resetting them. This is an issue for you to raise with your farrier before you leave home, and it is evidence of the importance of having your horse shod before you leave home. Still, if a horse throws a shoe, you are at the mercy of the event farriers, and there is not much you can do to change their minds about a product that they might not be familiar with or like, no matter how well your horse goes with that type of shoe. You should check with your farrier before you go along with the crowd.