Trick for keeping nails from slipping on wet hooves

I was fighting with wet hooves all last fall in Kentucky and kept dropping nails left and right. Tried wiping the hoof with a dry rag and then running the nail across a block of rosin before driving it, and that little bit of grip made all the difference. Anyone else got a go-to method for dealing with damp conditions without slowing down?

2 comments

2 Comments

ericschmidt19d ago

I've been shoeing in the Pacific Northwest for 15 years and we get rain eight months out of the year, so I feel your pain. One thing that nobody talks about is the angle you set the nail on the hoof wall. When it's wet, the hoof gets slick but also a little softer, so I'll drive the nail in at a slightly steeper angle than I normally would. That extra bite into the wall keeps it from skating sideways when you start tapping. Took me a few seasons to figure that out, and it saves me from cussing under my breath every time. Rosin works fine but I'd rather adjust my technique than carry another block of stuff in my apron.

briancampbell19d ago

Man that's a solid trick right there. I've been shoeing in central Oregon for about 10 years and we get dry summers but surprise storms that turn everything into a mess. @ericschmidt your steeper angle tip is gold, never thought about it that way. Reminds me of the time I was shoeing a mare on a wet morning and my hammer slipped right off the nail head, nearly took out my thumb. That's when I started wrapping my hammer handle with a bit of hockey tape for grip, keeps me from fumbling when things get slick.