Answer:

Similar to a loop knife, this flattened hoof knife is turned down at right angles to the handle. Farriers in Switzerland use the knife when trimming the bottom of the foot. When trimming and shoeing a foot, the Swiss have two-person teams to complete the tasks. One, usually the owner, uses a strap that’s slung underneath the foot, and then stands up to elevate the foot. The other trims and shoes the horse. “The farrier does everything looking at the foot from a crouched position,” explains Roy Bloom, owner of Bloom Forge in Drummond, Wis. “He does everything looking at the sole of the foot.”

Source:

This knife is in Bloom’s private collection. Bloom is a member of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame.

Contributions:

Do you have a shoe or tool that you’d like to share or want more information about? Submit photos of your item, as well as its history and how it was used, to Jeff Cota at jcota@lessitermedia.com.

May/June 2018 Issue Contents