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A caulkin [lower-alpha 1] is a blunt projection on a horseshoe or oxshoe that is often forged, welded or brazed onto the shoe. [1] [2] The term may also refer to traction devices screwed into the bottom of a horseshoe, also commonly called shoe studs or screw-in calks. These are usually a blunt spiked cleat, usually placed at the sides of the shoe.
Caulkins or studs improve a horse's balance and grip over uneven or slippery terrain, allowing the animal to move better and jump more confidently in poor footing. Screw in calks are most often seen in speed sports, such as eventing, polo, and show jumping, although they are sometimes used for dressage. Forged caulks of various styles are more often seen on race horses and working animals such as draft horses and some packhorses and trail horses, though in some areas they are still seen on field hunters and other riding horses that have to work in all weather and require extra traction, such as police horses.
Traditionally, the prongs of an elongated horseshoe (commonly not more than 1+3⁄4 inches or 44 millimetres) have tips bent at an acute angle opposite to the surface attached to the horses' hoof. Traditionally, a farrier employs a forge in hot-shoeing to heat the two heel prongs to red hot and bends them by hammering prongs over a right-angle to bend into an acute angle. Occasionally, another caulkin is on the toe of the shoe and integrally formed in the initial forging process. [2]
For a horseshoe built as a concave caulk and wedge shoe, the 2 prongs differ: [1] [3] one prong ends with a caulkin, and the other prong ends with a wedge (with both facing downward to the ground). That caulk/wedge horseshoe is a traditional British hunting shoe, and it has been used to provide the horse with a sure-footed grip when working at a fast pace over uneven ground. [3] The shapes of the caulkin and the wedge have been designed to provide hoof traction, meanwhile ensuring the horse's safety is not compromised. The caulk/wedge horseshoe design has been recognised by the Worshipful Company of Farriers as being an appropriate specimen horseshoe to be used for the diploma exam. [3]
Another way caulkins are applied is for borium to be brazed onto the surface of the shoe. Usually borium is placed at the heels and toe, either in small knobs for maximum grip, or in small rough patches for extra traction and to prevent wear on the shoe.
For use of screw-in calks or studs, horseshoes are "tapped", or drilled, on either heel of the shoe, so that different studs may be applied as needed and changed according to the footing conditions and the type of work performed by the horse. Therefore, a horse may have a maximum of 8 studs (2 per foot). Studs come in several sizes and types.
Screw-in calks or studs are popular in sport competition because they can be changed to adapt to different terrain. However, the size and design of stud must be carefully selected, as the wrong stud will be useless and can damage the horse's legs. Too little traction, and the horse may slip and possibly fall. Too much, and the horse is jarred, as his feet cannot naturally slip (which is a shock-absorption mechanism). Additionally, the more stud used, the greater chance the shoe may be pulled off. Usually, if there is doubt, it is considered best to slightly under-stud. In general, the faster the pace, the larger the stud will be used. Therefore, small studs are used for dressage and lower-level jumping or eventing, and larger studs are used for polo and upper-level eventing. Studs with more of a point are used for hard ground, and those that have more circumference are used in "heavier" footing, such as thick mud.
A hoof pick or horseshoe nail can help remove the plug prior to insertion of a screw-in stud. A special instrument called a T-tap is used to clean out the stud holes before the stud is screwed in, or it can be used to re-tap the stud hole if the threads are damaged. Additionally, a small metal brush can be used to help clean threads which are especially dirty. A wrench is used to tighten or loosen the studs.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Road studs | used on hard surfaces, usually 4 or 6-sided, smaller in size and blunt. Can be used front or back, on the inside of the shoe or the outside. This type of stud is fine most of the time, unless the ground is incredibly muddy or slippery. |
| Blocks | square in shape and best for soft, deep, muddy ground. |
| Bullets | best for firm ground with a layer of soft ground on top. They are large and sharp. |
| Grass studs | narrow and sharp to dig into hard, dry ground. They should only be used on the outside of the shoe, or just on the hind feet. |
| Olympic studs | used for extremely slippery ground, very long and sharp. |
Frost nails can be used in the place of studs for a few different reasons. Originally they were created to be used in icy conditions for extra traction and stability. However, they can also be used in various equine competitions for better traction on footing such as wet and slippery conditions.
The head of the nail is sharper than regular nails and is wedge shaped. [4]
Caulkins forged into the shoe which are not removable pose an increased risk of injury to handler or horse should the horse step on or kick a person, itself, or another animal. When stabled, animals wearing caulkins need extra bedding to avoid abrasion when lying down and for protection while moving about in a confined area. When working, leg protection in the form of bell boots and splint boots or polo wraps may minimize the risk of injury.
Screw-in studs are often longer and sharper than permanent caulkins and thus are removed when the horse is not working. The hole for the stud is plugged with cotton, rubber plugs, or a stud blank so dirt does not ruin the threads of the hole. Due to risk of injury, horses are not shipped in studs or left unattended with studs screwed in.
Pointed studs, such as grass studs or pointed bullets are generally placed only on the outside of the shoe, so the horse is less likely to cut himself should his foot hit one of his legs. Road stud can be used on the inside or outside of a shoe. However, the shoe should have some stud on the inside of the shoe; without it, there will be a twisting motion on the foot, which can cause a loss of shoe, and possibly strain the legs. Most riders place smaller studs on the front feet, because the horse's hind legs are stronger and generally require more traction.
A horseshoe is a fabricated product designed to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toenail, although much larger and thicker. However, there are also cases where shoes are glued.
In woodworking and construction, a nail is a small object made of metal which is used as a fastener, as a peg to hang something, or sometimes as a decoration. Generally, nails have a sharp point on one end and a flattened head on the other, but headless nails are available. Nails are made in a great variety of forms for specialized purposes. The most common is a wire nail. Other types of nails include pins, tacks, brads, spikes, and cleats.
The hoof is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits, yet the ruminants with two digits, are the most numerous, e.g. giraffe, deer, bison, cattle, goat, and sheep. The feet of perissodactyl mammals have an odd number of toes, e.g. the horse, the rhinoceros, and the tapir. Hooves are limb structures restricted to placental mammals, which have long pregnancies; however, the marsupial Chaeropus had hooves.
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills with some veterinarian's skills to care for horses' feet. Traditionally an occupation for men, in a number of countries women have now become farriers.
Laminitis is a disease that affects the feet of ungulates and is found mostly in horses and cattle. Clinical signs include foot tenderness progressing to inability to walk, increased digital pulses, and increased temperature in the hooves. Severe cases with outwardly visible clinical signs are known by the colloquial term founder, and progression of the disease will lead to perforation of the coffin bone through the sole of the hoof or being unable to stand up, requiring euthanasia.
Navicular syndrome, often called navicular disease, is a syndrome of lameness problems in horses. It most commonly describes an inflammation or degeneration of the navicular bone and its surrounding tissues, usually on the front feet. It can lead to significant and even disabling lameness.
Tendinitis/tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon, often involving torn collagen fibers. A bowed tendon is a horseman's term for a tendon after a horse has sustained an injury that causes swelling in one or more tendons creating a "bowed" appearance.
Shoe studs may refer to:
There are many aspects to horse management. Horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and other domesticated equids require attention from humans for optimal health and long life.
The frog is a part of a horse hoof, located on the underside, which should touch the ground if the horse is standing on soft footing. The frog is triangular in shape, and extends midway from the heels toward the toe, covering around 25% of the bottom of the hoof.
A horse hoof is the lower extremity of each leg of a horse, the part that makes contact with the ground and carries the weight of the animal. It is both hard and flexible. It is a complex structure surrounding the distal phalanx of the 3rd digit of each of the four limbs, which is covered by soft tissue and keratinised (cornified) matter.
A hoof boot is a device made primarily of polyurethane and is designed to cover the hooves of a horse as an alternative to, and occasionally in addition to, horseshoes. Hoof boots can also be used as a protective device when the animal has a hoof injury that requires protection of the sole of the hoof, or to aid in the application of medication. There are many different designs, but all have the goal of protecting the hoof wall and sole of the horse's hoof from hard surfaces, rocks and other difficult terrain.
In footwear, a hobnail is a short nail with a thick head used to increase the durability of boot soles.
Equine podiatry is the study and management of the equine foot based on its anatomy and function.
Nail prick or quicking occurs in a horse if the sensitive hoof structures are penetrated by a horseshoe nail being driven through the hoof wall while shoeing. The nail creates a wound on the inside of the hoof wall.
Natural hoof care is the practice of keeping horses so that their hooves are worn down naturally, or trimmed to emulate natural wear, so they do not suffer overgrowth, splitting and other disorders. Horseshoes are not used, but domesticated horses may still require trimming, exercise and other measures to maintain a natural shape and degree of wear.
The Horse Protection Act of 1970 (HPA); is a United States federal law, under which the practice of soring is a crime punishable by both civil and criminal penalties, including fines and jail time. It is illegal to show a horse, enter it at a horse show, or to auction, sell, offer for sale, or transport a horse for any of these purposes if it has been sored.
The hipposandal is a device that protected the hoof of a horse. It was commonplace in the northwestern countries of the Roman Empire, and was a predecessor to the horseshoe.
Soring, or "big lick", is defined as the application of any chemical, mechanical agent, or practice inflicted upon any limb of a horse, that can cause or be expected to cause the horse to suffer physical pain or distress when moving. This results in the horses picking up their front feet higher and faster than they would do in their natural gait. Trainers use soring to give a horse a highly animated gait in a short time period rather than spending time training them to perform this gait naturally. People who sore their horses believe that it gives them a competitive edge over other horses in the show ring. However, soring is illegal in the United States under the Horse Protection Act of 1970. Tennessee Walking Horses are not allowed to be shown without passing a USDA and HPA inspection for soring and physical inspection; they are not allowed to have scars on their pastern as it is associated with soring. Other breeds that have a history of soring including the Racking Horse and the Spotted Saddle Horse.
Simon John Curtis is a farrier, author, lecturer and horse hoof-care expert with a PhD in Equine Physiology and Biomechanics (2017). He is a 4th generation farrier; his family have been farriers and blacksmiths in the Newmarket area for at least 150 years. In over 45 years working as a farrier, he has lectured and demonstrated in more than 30 countries including the USA, Australia, India, Russia, and Brazil.
(see caulkin/wedge horseshoe photo on webpage)