Description

In this Christmas Special of The Hoofcare Companion, host Marc Jerram reflects on the demands of elite racehorse farriery while thanking listeners for their incredible support throughout 2025. This episode takes a deep dive into the specialised art and science of shoeing the Thoroughbred racehorse — an athlete operating at the absolute limits of biomechanical performance.

From breed-specific hoof challenges to trimming protocols, shoe selection, and the key differences between flat and National Hunt racing, this episode brings together practical farriery insight with evidence-based understanding. Whether you’re working on the track, in training yards, or managing performance horses in other disciplines, this episode highlights how precision hoofcare underpins soundness, performance, and career longevity.

🎙️ What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why racehorse farriery is different
  Understanding the extreme forces placed on the hoof at racing speeds and why small errors can have major consequences.
• Thoroughbred hoof characteristics
  Thin walls, shallow soles, long pasterns, and how selective breeding for speed influences hoof integrity and injury risk.
• Static & dynamic hoof assessment
  The importance of evaluating balance, hoof–pastern axis, landing patterns, breakover, and how movement reveals issues unseen at rest.
• Conservative trimming protocols
  Why horn preservation is critical in racehorses and how functional balance matters more than cosmetic symmetry.
• Shoes & shoeing strategies
  Aluminium vs steel shoes, toe clips, breakover modifications, heel support, and surface-specific considerations.
• Flat racing vs National Hunt shoeing
  Key differences in speed, endurance, traction, durability, and how shoeing strategies adapt between disciplines.
• Common Thoroughbred foot problems
  Thin soles, underrun heels, white line disease, poor horn quality, and how farriery plays a preventative role.
• Collaboration in elite hoofcare
  The importance of teamwork between farrier, veterinarian, and trainer in managing soundness and performance.

🎄 Christmas Message

Marc also takes a moment to thank listeners, guests, and supporters for being part of The Hoofcare Companion throughout 2025, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best for a sound, successful, and progressive 2026.

🎧 Who This Episode Is For

• Farriers working with racehorses or performance horses
• Equine veterinarians and students
• Trainers and industry professionals
• Anyone interested in elite hoof biomechanics and applied farriery

📌 Subscribe & Support

If you’ve enjoyed The Hoofcare Companion this year, please subscribe, share the podcast with colleagues, and leave a review — your support helps keep evidence-based hoofcare conversations moving forward.

Support the show

To order your hardback copy of The Hoofcare Companion visit:

Store | thefarrier

For an eBook version visit here:

The Hoofcare Companion (eBook Edition) eBook : Jerram, Marc: Amazon.co.uk: Books