Most injuries that occur during shoeing horses can be easily prevented.

Eye Protection

One of the most important things is to wear safety glasses when working with metal. Wear them when shaping or altering shoes, drilling and tapping, using any bench-mounted grinding tool and all hand-held power tools.

Hearing Protection

Shoeing can involve a lot of noise. Band-style ear plugs can be worn around the neck when not in use and fit comfortably in the ear canal when hitting steel or using power tools. Adding magnets and using a sturdy anvil stump can also reduce the amount of ringing that your anvil makes.

Tool Maintenance

Keeping all striking tool heads rounded and free of “mushrooming” can prevent stray shards from flying about. Keeping cutting tools sharp and well maintained lets them work more efficiently and causes less strain.

Clothing Considerations

Wearing gloves can reduce the number of cuts and abrasions that inevitably occur. Steel-toe boots come in a variety of styles and the protection they provide is priceless.