The steel full swedge shoe (Fig. 1) is one of the most popular in horse racing.

Much of the summer and fall, horses are racing on different tracks from one race to the next. Racetrack surfaces can vary greatly, requiring shoe changes. Sometimes two tracks that you think should be alike will fool you. For example, two limestone one-mile tracks are not necessarily going to be equal. Experienced trainers have raced all over North America and have learned the tendencies of each track. This knowledge is invaluable when shipping a horse to a certain track for the first time in order to compete in a big race.