Shoe Studs - Friend or Foe?
Richard Stephenson
It almost seems compulsory these days to apply shoe studs when competing in cross country, polo, show jumping or even dressage competitions. But they can cause both long and short term injuries. Richard Stephenson MRCVS discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using studs and suggests that every rider should carry out a careful risk assessment on each occasion that they use them.
For as long as horses have been shod riders and farriers have looked for ways to improve grip on the ground and prevent slipping when working in wet conditions. Traditionally, during the winter all hunters and horses working at speed on grass were shod behind with calkin and wedge shoes; different parts of the country often had slight variations in shoeing style and the shoes might even have regional names such as the ‘Leicester hunting shoe’. The problem with such shoes is that they are expensive to make (often being hand forged) heavy and markedly affect the balance of the foot when it is working on firm ground or roads.
Figure 1.
A traditional hunter calkin and wedge shoe – designed to give extra grip in wet conditions.
The ‘solution’ to these problems has been the use of studs. Studs can be screwed into pre-tapped holes in the shoe and thus are only meant to be inserted when the conditions require them. They are cheap and different shapes and sizes of stud can be applied to the same shoe. When working on firm ground or roads the studs can be removed and thus should (in theory) have minimal effect on foot balance.
Why are studs needed? When horses are regularly in work the hoof wall wears away faster than it can grow and therefore most working horses require shoeing to prevent lameness. Steel shoes lack the flexibility and grip on the ground of the unshod foot so that farriers have designed shoes which increase traction. Almost all ‘sports’ horses are shod with a concave fullered shoe which has a groove running all the way around the ground surface (figure 2). This is rather like the tread on a car tyre – when working on soft ground it gives the shoe considerably more grip. However when working on slippery ground the design of the shoe itself might not be sufficient hence the need for studs. A simple analogy can be made with football and rugby players. When playing they wear boots with studs in to give them extra grip on the pitch and prevent them from slipping, however they would not dream of going on a training run in the same boots, recognising that running on a firm surface wearing studs would be both dangerous and uncomfortable.
Figure 2.
The groove around the surface of the horse shoe is called a ‘fuller’; it is NOT just a convenient place for the nail heads to rest. It is a highly engineered device to increase grip on soft ground.
The dangers of using studs are two fold. Firstly there is the risk of interference between limbs and ‘treading on’ injuries. These occur with great frequency and almost everyone who has used studs will have encountered one of these injuries in their horses. Secondly and perhaps more importantly, is the unseen damage that creating a foot imbalance can cause to the joints, cartilages and ligaments of the lower limb. Don’t forget, if your horse is known to kick, it is unwise to fit studs.
Direct trauma.
When ‘studding up’ a horse you are effectively placing dangerous sharp objects onto its feet. If it has a close action or already prone to brushing this can lead to serious injuries. One of the greatest dangers is ‘treading’ where the horse stands on the coronary band of the opposite hoof. Coronary band injuries can lead to permanent defects in hoof growth. Large studs on the front shoes can cause damage to the chest wall around the girth area when the horse is jumping.
It is vital that you use boots whenever your horse is being ridden with studs in.
Figure 3a.
This horse sustained an injury, caused by a stud to the coronary band four years ago – the damage to the growth of the hoof wall can still be seen. Fortunately the hoof wall was able to regrow despite the injury and the horse is in regular work.
Figure 3b
This horse has an old coronary band injury caused by a stud. This has led to permanent disruption of the normal growth of the hoof with a ‘false’ quarter developing. Movement between the back third of the hoof wall and the front part regularly resulting in bleeding from the coronary band area and occasional lameness.
One stud or two - foot imbalance.
Your farrier goes to great lengths to ensure good medio lateral (side to side) balance in your horse’s feet (figure 4). This is to ensure that even loading and stresses are applied to all the joints of the lower limb. Generally the solar surface of the hoof should be at right angles to the long axis of the limb. Farriers use a ‘T’ square to achieve this balance.
Figure 4.
Farriers spend a great deal of time considering the correct foot balance for each horse that they shoe – then we insert a stud that throws the foot as much as 3/4s of an inch out!
Placing one stud in the lateral (outside) branch of the shoe will cause a major foot imbalance when the horse is walking on firm ground. This will compress the joints on the outside of the limb and could cause damage to the articular cartilage. Long term medio lateral imbalance or repeated short term insults to the joints will inevitably lead to degenerative joint disease (DJD), otherwise known as arthritis in later life.
To use one stud or two is an area hotly debated by leading farriers. Using only one can create a severe foot imbalance but does mean that the horse can turn its foot on the ground. By placing a stud on either side of the front shoe the side to side balance is maintained but it may well cause too much grip. When the foot lands on the ground it may become ‘planted’ or locked onto the area of contact. If in addition to this the horse is changing direction then tremendous turning forces can be applied to the joints as the foot is unable to move. In the unshod horse there would be some movement between the ground and the foot, which greatly aids the natural absorption of concussion. This is an area which needs research but the advent of MRI scanning of horse’s feet has revealed that many of the lameness previously considered to be ‘navicular disease’ are in fact related to the collateral (side) ligaments of the coffin joint or damage to the insertion of the deep digital flexor tendon. Could some of these injuries be caused by the abnormal forces applied to the foot when using studs? It is at least worthy of consideration.
Figure 5 a,b and c
Placing large studs into one side of a shoe can cause enormous foot imbalances to develop. In this case the medial side of the foot is completely unsupported. Walking even a short distance on firm ground like this could cause damage to both ligaments and joints.
Farriers work hard to try and keep the dorso palmar balance of the feet correct. Placing studs in the shoe can have a dramatic effect.
As all horse owners know the hind limbs of the horse are the ‘power house’ that provide impulsion, whilst the fore limbs help absorb concussion and give direction to the horse’s movements. Due to this difference in function it is probably best to use two studs in the hind shoes so as to preserve medio lateral balance whilst maximising traction. The rules of individual disciplines also need to be considered. The Hurlingham Polo Association only allows one13mm cube shaped stud on the outside branch of the hind shoes. The rules of racing only permit the use of studs in the hind shoes which must be no greater than 3/8ths of an inch.
In conclusion it is safe to say that studs can be of tremendous benefit in preventing horses slipping and potentially injuring themselves. However, a rider should consider if the conditions really require their use. They are most effective when the going is ‘firm’ but recent rain has made the surface slippery. They are unlikely to have much effect in ‘soft’ going. They should be inserted immediately before being required and horses should never be left standing for prolonged periods on a firm surface with studs in. On balance it is probably best to use one stud on the outside of each front foot and two studs in the hind shoes – however the way of going must be assessed for each individual. A horse that has a very close action behind might be better with just one lateral stud. Above all remember that applying studs to a horse shoe is a serious decision and needs to be fully thought through on every occasion.
Do's:
- Consider carefully the conditions under foot. Use the smallest studs you feel will do the job. Remember a little slipping on the surface is both natural and essential to the normal function of the fore limbs in absorbing concussion. Always use two in the hind shoes and give consideration to only one in front.
- Use blunt studs on the inside branches of the shoe.
- ALWAYS put protective boots on your horse when riding with studs in.
- ’Stud up’ just before you compete and remove them immediately you are finished.
- Always select studs that will sink fully into the ground; otherwise they will unbalance the foot.
- Putting studs in is a two man job. Get someone to help you and practice at home.
- Be responsible, if your horse is known to kick at people or other horses putting in studs is not a sensible thing to do.
Dont's:
- leave your horse standing on firm ground with studs in.
- travel your horse with studs in. This is extremely dangerous.
- get stood on yourself by a horse with studs on. It will result in serious injury.
First aid following a stud induced injury.
The commonest injury is a ‘tread’ onto the coronary band of the opposite foot. These are potentially serious injuries as major damage to the coronary band will cause a permanent defect in the hoof.
- Remove the offending stud immediately.
- Clean the injured area with warm water and dilute ‘hibiscrub’. Clip away hair from around the injury.
- Apply a wound GEL such as ‘Intrasite’.
- Dress with a non adherent dressing such as melolin.
- Do NOT apply ‘blue spray’ or any ointment unless specifically approved by your vet.
- Check that your horse’s tetanus vaccinations are fully in date.
- Call your vet.
If an injury occurs higher up the leg from brushing or speedy cutting and is near a tendon or joint e.g. the fetlock or pastern call your vet immediately. Any danger of joint penetration or tendon sheath damage is very serious and your vet will want to investigate this carefully.
Types of studs.
When using studs it is important to select the correct type both for the prevailing conditions and the horse. Always use boots to protect both the coronet and fetlock when applying studs.
When working on a modern manege surface it is hard to see how the use of studs can be justified or helpful. As with many bits of equine tack there is a bewildering variety of studs to choose from. The following are the main types:-
Grass stud.
These are sharp and pointed and should be used on dry firm ground. Should never be placed on the inside branch of the shoe.
Blocks.
These are square and blunt and best used for wet muddy conditions.
Bullets.
As the name suggests these are ‘bullet’ shaped, they are large studs and relatively sharp. They are ideal for firm conditions where there is a wet slippery layer on top.
Road.
Relatively small blunt stud. Probably the most versatile and least likely to cause harm. However the name ‘road’ stud is misleading as these are perhaps most useful when out hunting. They should never be used simply to plug the stud holes.
Olympic.
These are very large studs and should only be used with extreme caution.
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