How Important Are Shoe Changes and the Shoe Board When Handicapping Horse Races For Profit?
By Bill Peterson

If you are like most people who handicap horse races, you probably ignore shoe changes, other than to note when horses are wearing mud caulks and racing on an off track. Have you ever heard the old saying, “For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, for want of the shoe, the horse was lost, for want of the horse the rider was lost, for want of the rider the battle was lost and for want of the battle the kingdom was lost?”

It is meant to teach the importance of details when trying to succeed at complicated or big tasks, It means that the little things can cost a lot more than just the price of the small thing, like a nail. But there is another message here as well. It also shoes that the shoe on a horse does make a difference in the horse’s performance. How many races are won or lost in a photo finish? Though the race may be a mile long, horse races are often decided by fractions of a second.

If a shoe is lost during a race, and sometimes they are, then the race may be lost because of the missing shoe. This doesn’t just apply to thoroughbred racing, but to harness racing and quarter horse racing as well. In fact, it applies to any equine event. Most good horse racing handicappers know how important the addition of lasix or equipment changes can be, but how many pay attention to horse shoes?

One of the problems is that many people do not understand what is involved in properly shoeing a horse. When I was racing harness horses we would take a new horse into the barn and change it’s shoeing and its performance would change dramatically. The reason is that the horse’s hooves are vital to its comfort and ability.

A good farrier will not only fasten shoes to a horse’s hooves with nails or adhesive, but will also trim the hoof and make adjustments to it as well. He or she will look at the horse as it stands still and determine if a hoof is off balance and turning the foot in or out. A thousand pound animal puts an astonishing amount of pressure on its feet as it thunders down the race track. Each shock as its hoof hits the hard surface of the track is absorbed by the bone and tissue in the legs sending shock waves all the way to its back.

Now imagine how that feels and the affect it has upon the horse if it’s feet are off balance. The joints are being twisted and pain and inflammation may result. Naturally, an animal that is running and feels that will compensate by slowing down. You probably won’t know how well a horse is shod by looking at the shoe bard which tells if there has been a change in the style of shoe worn, but you may tell by its appearance in the paddock or in the race. Another clue is a dramatic change in workouts.

For instance, if you see that a horse is running with a new style of shoe and its workout times have improved, it is a good bet that a farrier has made an adjustment with positive results. Keep that in mind when trying to determine if a horse is improving.

Am I being too picky by implying that filing a hoof a little and changing the shape of a shoe can make a horse win a race? If a nail can cost a kingdom, I think it is a safe bet that a shoe can cost a race.

The most consistent horse racing systems have to have the basics and a handicapper must understand the basics. I have been around horse racing for 50 years including as an owner. Without the basics the rest is not going to do any good. If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/truecb.html and get the truth.

Bill Peterson is a former horse race owner and professional handicapper. He comes from a horse race handicapping family and as he puts it, “Horse Racing is in my blood.” To see all Bill’s horse racing material go to http://williewins.homestead.com/handicappingstore.html Bill’s handicapping store.

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