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| 1. Trimming procedure |
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When trimming the foot, please make sure
that only excess sole and frog material is removed, as the frog,
the outside wall and the sole are used as a further supporting part
of the hoof and shoeing. Therefore the frog should only be cut back
far enough to allow the bridge of the shoeing to rest on the frog.
If poor hoof quality does not allow such a treatment, special attention
should be given to the development of a full and healthy frog within
a few months so that weight bearing can be accepted again.
Doing so, blood circulation and consequently horn growth are stimulated.
Please note that the outer wall of the supporting edge should form
a right angle to the shoeing. Please note that the outer wall of
the shoeing should cover the whole hoof completely. It is often
observed that the heels become wider when shoeing with EquiFlex®
for the first time. Consequently the hoof requires earlier treatment
than usual during the first shoeing period.
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| 2. Sizing adjustments |
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EquiFlex® is currently available
in the sizes 00 and 01, 03 front and hind, 04 front and hind and
05, which can either be used front or hind. All sizes are furnished
with three clips, one toe clip and two side clips. The clips which
are not required can be easily cut off. By using a bridge and a
double bridge, the horseshoe can easily be adjusted to all different
hoof sizes. Select the shoeing and bridges in such a way that they
jut out by about 2 mm at the widest part of the hoof. |
| 3. Applying the bridge system |
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It was found that utilizing the bridge
system adds extra integrity to the rear of the shoe. The bridge
system consists of two parts: the bridge and the double bridge.
Select the size of the bridge as mentioned above and fit in the
bridge together with a special double bridge (look
at Shoe Preparation).
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| 4. Screwing the bridges together |
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After having fitted in the bridges, screw them together by using
6 special screws. Please take care not to overtighten the screws
as this will strip the threads in the plastic horse shoe.
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| 5. Marking the nail holes |
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In case the white line cannot be easily recognised through the
transparent EquiFlex® horseshoe, it is suggested to mark
the white line prior to nailing. Then mark the nail holes with
a suitable pencil.
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| 6. Pre-drilling the nail holes |
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Pre-drill the holes by means of a 2 - 3 mm drill.
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| 7. Nailing the horseshoe |
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Please take into consideration that the nails must be driven
about 5 mm deeper for EquiFlex® shoeing, as the nails are
required to stand a higher transverse force than conventional
steel shoeing. We recommend M and VF nails as their bigger heads
provide solid fit in the shoe. In general, it is suggested to
use 6 nails.
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| 8. Driving the nails into the shoeing |
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The nails have to be driven deep into the shoeing so that they
are secured well. The special nail puncher developed by CERA guarantees
solid fit in the shoe. The CERA nail puncher is available upon
request.
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| 9. Clinching the nails |
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After nailing and setting the nails, position the hoof on the finishing stand, bend the bent or twisted off nails to 90 degrees, cut to length and finish as normal, making sure not to puch the nail back down into the hoof (easily accomplished after finishing a few nails)
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| 10. Finishing the foot |
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When finishing the foot, it is no problem to adjust the horseshoe
to fit any individual hoof shape by rasping, cutting or grinding.
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