There are many differences between the skeletons of horses and humans. One that needs to be clear in the minds of all farriers — and all riders and trainers, too — is the fact that humans have collarbones while horses lack them completely. The consequences of this difference impact every aspect of horsemanship, and that certainly includes the form and function of the equine hoof.

The swing phase describes the period of a gait cycle in which the limb has no contact with the ground. This phase can be divided into single parts.

Of the different techniques farriers bring to trimming and shoeing horses, probably one of the least talked about, yet vital resource, would be the concept of grip and purchase, according to Dr. Simon Curtis, a Newmarket, England-based farrier and International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member.