# Just a thought! Rubber horseshoes?



## paddybar (Dec 7, 2008)

Why not rubber horseshoes?my car gets 25/30,000 miles out of the tyres so in theory a horse should get 6/8 weeks easily out of a set of rubber shoes and they should grip better than metal and offer the horse more impact protection on hard surfaces.Probably a silly idea but I'm new to horses .Has it ever been tried?
Patrick


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

They would not stay in place. Nails would rip through, and they could stretch put of shape, or at least I think they would.

Some people do put rubber pads on under shoes though


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

I think there's a such thing, or something close. I beleive there are fiberglass shoes? Agg, something weightless for racing but I'm not sure the material.


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## drafteventer (Jul 6, 2009)

I think that they would tear, because they would have to be on the thin side.Though, a horse at my lesson barn has rubber pads under her shoes for navicular I think.


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## paddybar (Dec 7, 2008)

Googled it and found thishttp://www.smoothwalker.com/
seems a good idea.Iwonder why they dont catch on


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I thought most mounted police already use rubber shoes :? I think they are metal on the inside but they have a layer of rubber on the them to help horses who are on pavement all the time.


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## paddybar (Dec 7, 2008)

and this. www.ollov.com fascinating stuff. i must ask my farrier does he do them as I ride mainly on rocky trails


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Vidaloco said:


> I thought most mounted police already use rubber shoes :? I think they are metal on the inside but they have a layer of rubber on the them to help horses who are on pavement all the time.


Exactly! Police! I think you're right!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Different surfaces would be my first bet. You're not running a horse over smooth pavement all the time


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

We use hoof boots which have a sort of rubber sole. When you look at the hoof tracks we make going down a dirt road, it looks like little horsey sneaker prints


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## AussieDaisyGirl (May 21, 2009)

I have looked into them, I've seen some and thought perhaps easyboots might do a similar thing.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I have the Easyboot Epics. I think they get better traction than a metal shoe.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Most mounted police units use either a rubber/plastic composit or metal with welded borium(?) I think on the heels and toe. They also have very expensive metal shoes with rubber soles on them. There are also some people who ride solely on concrete or asphault that spring for the extra $$ for those shoes. I honestly believe that more horses who are only ridden sometimes on varied terrain work better with a barefoot trim. That way you have the traction but don't have the added $$.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

My husband drove carriage horses last year, and the horses he used wore rubber shoes, made out of recycled car tires...they didn't fall off (unless they were overgrown), and they certainly seemed to help the horses grip better, and had a better cushion, in my opinion.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

mom2pride said:


> My husband drove carriage horses last year, and the horses he used wore rubber shoes,* made out of recycled car tires*...they didn't fall off (unless they were overgrown), and they certainly seemed to help the horses grip better, and had a better cushion, in my opinion.


Thats pretty cool


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Good. Recyceling  [sp?]


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

There are companies that I know of. Smooth walker is one, Ollov, and Flex step is another. Epona Shoe and Ground Control Horseshoes have some neat ones that are poly? or plastic, and they look like they have sneaker treads on them. Pony W'air has plastic ones that come in colors. Interesting Idea, would love to know how they hold up though. Would bring a whole new aspect to coordinating your horse.


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

Vidaloco said:


> I have the Easyboot Epics. I think they get better traction than a metal shoe.


I agree. I don't shoe my horses at all, boots are how I roll.
However, I know that rubber shoes are also used in movies, for scenes such as this: 









Metal shoes definitely wouldn't work well on a tiled, slippery museum floor!


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