Race Horse Shoeing - The Potential Dangers And Disasters
Race horses are shod with the intent of creating speed. How this is accomplished is by leaving the toes longer than normally is accepted. Why? The extra length of toe creates a lever as the horse drives forward the foot stays on the ground just a fraction of time longer thereby generating more forward thrust resulting in more speed. When the length of the toe is increased it multiplies the leverage necessary to generate speed.
This practice of generating speed does not come without cost. The cost is a negative one- bowed tendons and lameness many times permanent lameness and the worst case scenario the destruction of the horse, “putting it down”.