Do Reiners Need Special Shoes?: A Summary of Sliding Plates for the Beginner
I asked Al Popovich of the Smokin P Ranch if reining horses really wore special shoes. He gave me such a great reply that I thought I would share it:
Yes there are special shoes for reiners…they call them slider plates. They are wider than normal shoes, do not have any fullering for the nails but the nails are countersunk flush. They also make some changes in hoof angle at times if the horse can handle it. All to make them slide farther of course. But you do have to be careful…it can actually scare a horse if he feels the loss of traction. They have what they call “baby sliders” for starting colts…not as wide so they don’t slide as far. Everyone has an opinion as to when to put them in sliders but I tend to wait until they are pretty darned advanced. I’m not a big believer in horseshoes anymore since studying some of the barefoot research. But in this instance it is a necessity when the time comes. But whatever you do get the best farrier you can find…even if it means paying his plane fare…it is that important. Continue Reading »
