Customer Reviews

Well-Shod: A Horseshoeing Guide for Owners and Farriers

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent book for the horse owner that wants to learn correct trimming and shoeing methods. The book is full of helpful pictures showing the procedures step by step. There is even a section on building and using a forge. I was also very impressed by the hints and techniques used to handle problem horses.

This book is very well organized and illustrated. It takes you from anatomy to tools needed, how to trim and shoe normal horses and corrective techniques. Photos and descriptions are excellant as well. It is well worth it's small price for a horse owner who wants to trim and shoe their own horses.

I wanted to know more about how my horses feet are trimmed, and what I could do to keep them maintained and healthy inbetween farrier visits. I was VERY impressed with the quality of pictures, and the ease of explanations for the proceedures being talked about. I have since gone back and used it as a reference tool. It's a book you will use more than once!!

Recently I watched as a local farrier plied his trade with four horses belonging to a friend. Originally I had gone intending to help steady the horses but, as I watched, I became more and more intrigued with the processes that were unfolding before my eyes. Suddenly I found myself wishing that I had paid better attention.

The following day I began my search for a book that would review for me the things that I had witnessed the previous day. My first reaction was discouragement as I, at first, found very little available and then found some excellent books but priced so high that I would have had to hock the farm to buy them. Even my local library fell short.

At last I ran onto this book. WELL-SHOD provides everything I was looking for. There are no lengthy and complicated explorations of unnecessary horse anatomy or boring historical treatises on the evolution of the horseshoe or the process of fitting sets of shoes to horses. Instead you will find excellent explanations of the process including removing old, worn shoes, preparing and trimming hooves and finishing up. The book also provides an excellent look at the necessary tools and how to use them, along with photographic and graphic illustrations that clarify the process.

Don't get me wrong. If I were interested in becoming a veterinarian or in working in or teaching comprehensive levels of hot and cold farrier work I would likely invest in the text-like books that I encountered and shell out the exorbitant dollars required for their purchase. But, having a goal to become proficient in taking care of a horse's hooves--from getting rid of old shoes and applying new ones--I think I'll stick with this one and be happy that I did.

THE HORSEMAN

Overall this is a good book but it not quite the step by step guide I was looking for regarding trimming of hooves. It is the best of two so far compared to Krolick's book which didn't help at all. Has a fair number of black & white pictures and explains the basics. B & W pictures are hard to compare to a live hoof. I've been around horses for years and worked with farriers. I want to do my own trimming. If I ever needed any shoeing, I would hire that done anyway. This book really reinforces what I know and helps to tell me partially but not completely when you can go too far on trimming such as how much hoof wall, sole, and frog can you safely cut before you have cut too much. It only has one chapter on trimming. I may get this other pictorial guide book I saw listed. I'm not sure anyone would want to take any book and try to start shoeing without some instruction by someone that knows. If I did ever want to do some shoeing on a horse that doesn't have problems, this book probably has enough information from me to do it though. Same for trimming. I may try a conservative trim this weekend.

I had some knowledge on how to trim my horses feet. The book gave me more detail and insights I wasn't aware of. I would recommend this book to anyone.

The best book I've seen on the subject. It is informative, easy to understand (for the layman) and without pretensions.
Expert advice from an expert practioner.

This was an outstanding book! Mr. Baskins relies on his MANY years of experience to guide you on properly caring for your horse's hooves and how to ensure that your farrier is properly shodding your horse. I was completely ignorant of what was required to properly shod a horse....that is, until I picked up this wonderful book. I would recommend it as a foundation book for any good horse "person's" library. Even an experienced farrier could pick up vital techniques to assist him/her in shodding the most difficult horse, WITHOUT threatening, bullying or harming this beautiful creature!

The book is a good starter for understanding the basics ferrer operations. First time horse owners will fine information about the importance of proper shoeing and how a ferrer handles horse which sometimes can be a handful.

This book is an execellent tool to keep on hand, if you're a hosre owner. Its helpful for the time between the farrier appointments.