They are cleats of metal that go straight down from the shoe, usually toward the heel, into the track. The idea is to anchor the foot on the slippery track. Some trainers use them in any conditions. Like jar calks, stickers extend from the bottom of the shoe to give more traction but are not as large. Both calks and stickers are cut off the shoe after a race so they will not poke or otherwise injure the horse.
Some horses run with pads between their feet and the shoes to cushion impact.
The basic bar is formed into various shapes depending on the problem. A z-bar has a portion notched out so that one side of the heel is left untouched but protected from contact with the surface. As a farrier prepares to shoe a horse he looks at the horse's build, its conformation, how it walks and the condition of the foot, including pulse, flaking skin, dry hair and unevenness of the bulbs of the heel for breakdowns. Shoeing the horse 1. The farrier mentally divides the foot into quarters , looking for the center.