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  Discussion on Titanium vs aluminum vs steel
Author Message

Posted on Thursday, Apr 19, 2001 - 7:26 pm:

I wonder what everyone knows about these 3 types of shoes and the pros and cons. I am hearing some conflicts. Thanks
Sheryl

Posted on Thursday, Apr 19, 2001 - 7:34 pm:

The biggest difference I have been told about is the weight. Titanium stands up to wear a little better, Steel is heavier and aluminum is very light weight for distances but wears down quickly. (I do endurance racing). Also, here in the western US, the cost is also a big factor.
I have just been sticking with Steel because it lasts for my rocky area of riding and I don't need the lightweightness (?) of aluminum. My friends who are hunter/jumpers and dressage use aluminum for their competition horses for "lighter" feet.
Good Luck
One point of view

Posted on Thursday, Apr 19, 2001 - 10:35 pm:

I haven't had any experience with the titanium, but I've used both steel and aluminum. For hunter/jumpers/dressage, using the lighter weight aluminum will usually result in less knee action at the trot and canter. On the downside, the aluminum shoes are not as strong as the steel. I tried a set of aluminum (front and back) on my 17.2h 1200 pound jumper and he had both fronts bent by the end of the first jumping session. IMO, I don't think the aluminum are strong enough to hold up under the pressure of jumping; however, they may be very useful in dressage as long as your horse isn't so big that he'll bend them.

Good luck!
Nancy

Posted on Friday, Apr 20, 2001 - 8:21 am:

I think most are familiar with aluminum and steel. I did have several horses (one was an event and one a very large show hunter) in the practice that used titanium. VERY expensive but an amazing material. You pick up and it is about as light as aluminum. But you go to hammer it and it is tougher than steel. Much tougher. The farrier says that it is not as malleable (bendable) as steel and very hard to work. The cost around 50 bucks a shoe, needless to say it made loosing a shoe a really traumatic event.
DrO

Posted on Friday, Apr 20, 2001 - 9:36 am:

I had a blacksmith tell one of my students that
titanium is too hard and that it would cause the heels to crush. Has anyone heard that complaint with titanium? We have a 17.2 h Canadien TB that wore Aluminum for over a year with no problem before we bought him but the blacksmith here hates his feet and makes a huge stink about using aluminum on him. The horse is a hack winner and just doesn't move as well in steel.

Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 8:05 am:

Titanium is harder than steel but we have not had this problem on the two horses we have had them on.
DrO
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