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A clinic on shoeing the Standardbred Racehorse

On the road with Mustad Australia – A clinic on shoeing the Standardbred Racehorse. 

Earlier this year we were privileged enough to be invited to Queensland University’s Gatton Campus to conduct a clinic. This clinic was predominantly aimed at shoeing standardbred horses, an area of shoeing that Carl Odwyer and myself have vast experience in. Unfortunately, the shoeing of standardbred race horses is often misunderstood as being some type of black art!   

It is my hope that our clinic dispelled many of these myths.  Shoeing standardbred horses encompasses the same basic fundamentals you use to shoe horses in any other discipline, although the addition of gaits at high speed such as Trotting and Pacing can sometimes result in common interference issues.  

A Day at the Standardbred Shoeing Clinic 

Throughout the clinic, Carl and I explained some of the common problems associated with Trotting and Pacing, including the types and causes of interference lameness and strategies to overcome them. 

That being said, the clinic gave Carl and I, as well as the new General Manager of Mustad Australia, Liam Ryan, an opportunity to meet new and up and coming farrier apprentice’s, visit some old friends, as well as our distributers in QLD.  Thank you to John and Peter Gilchrist from Stockmans Supplies, who kindly supplied morning tea and lunch. 

We spent the morning being led on a tour of the amazing Veterinary facility at the university by our host, Craig Jones, Head Trade School Teacher. Thanks Craig. 

The group then moved to the classroom for a lecture by Carl, who shared some of the strategies of shoeing and his vast experiences in harness racing.  

After morning tea and a chance for people to interact with each other, I gave a second lecture explaining the impact of weight distribution and other common issues in Standardbreds. 

The afternoon session gave us an opportunity to work on some horses.  We spent time making shoes, while incorporating assessment and management strategies that are vital to effective shoeing or trimming practices. 

What are the benefits of attending a shoeing clinic? 

The obvious answer would be to learn something new, however there are many more benefits of clinics.  

From our point of view, at Mustad Australia, we get an opportunity to share knowledge and meet the farriers who use our products.  We enter discussions about what products people like or dislike as well as demonstrate new products that farriers may not be familiar with.  

From an attendee’s point of view, it is important to always be networking, meeting other farriers or veterinarians who we work in the same area as.  

Farriery is a difficult job, and we are often on our own with little interaction with other people working in our field. This could be another farrier whom you have never met or a veterinarian you have never worked with. Clinics like this give us all the opportunity to personalise the job and possibly meet a lifetime friend. Perhaps a colleague who can share a new skill, such as gluing on a shoe or applying a hoof cast. You never know, there may be something you can teach someone else, or a new skill you can learn that could make a real difference to someone else along the way. 

Another reason we should attend clinics is to reinforce or open our minds to new ideas and techniques. It is easy for people working alone to become stagnant and not progress. We should all constantly be evolving and improving our skills in all aspects of our job.  There is always something to learn. 

Seeing new products and keeping up to date with the latest techniques can be invaluable. You might learn how to better manage your business or schedule, or gain insights by asking others how they run their operations. Perhaps they use an app you've never seen before, such as Equinet, or know a more efficient way to use a tool you're already familiar with. All of these things can benefit you. If you've never attended a clinic, don't hesitate to give one a try. You'll be made to feel very welcome, and I can assure you the experience will be worthwhile. 

What Shoeing Clinics are up next? 

Our next clinic will be following up on this one. Carl and I will be at Dalvui Raceway Terang Harness Racing Club on the 8TH of October 2026. 

It doesn’t matter if you have never shod a harness horse or if you never plan to. The skills and anatomy are the same regardless of the discipline you shoe.  So don’t be shy, come along and meet our team from Mustad Australia. At worst, you will have a day off! 

At best you will meet some new friends, learn a new skill, see a new product, who knows you may even enjoy yourself and have a laugh. 

We look forward to seeing you there from all the team at Mustad Australia  

All the best  

Dean Lewis CJF AWCF