|
|
 Veteran
Posts: 226
 
Location: Middle Tennessee | What is everyone's opinion on razer shoes?
Thinking of putting them on my gelding but I'd like opinions first.
Are they too "grabby"? Just enough? |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 494
| Im interested to know as well! |
|
| |
|
I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | I had two horses in Razers for a while. One horse is very worky and I had to pull them off the hind very quickly, as they were way too grabby. Not only did they get too much ground and caused her to snap back into barrels, but she was pretty hock sore after just a few runs in them. They worked very well for the other horse that I had in them. I took them off of her simply because I have to haul to a farrier about an hour away to have them put on and to be honest, that horse could run with a different shoe on all 4 feet, or barefoot and it wouldn't make a difference, so it wasn't worth the drive to me. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 197
| I've put them on 2 horses, first one was within 4 months 2nd one sore within 8 months.
Edited by aggie5184 2015-04-15 9:25 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Ima Fickle Fan
Posts: 3547
 
Location: Texas | I sat next to an experienced farrier/blacksmith on a flight one time and asked his opinion.
He said most farriers don't know how to apply them correctly. They are not like regular shoes. They need to be reset more often, which breaks down the hoof due to frequency and the nails. Ideally, they should be glued on.
At the end of the day, a traditional shoe will give you just as much as the Razer. If you're concerned about weight, the rider losing 5 pounds is more effective than a lighter shoe. |
|
| |
|
 A very grounded girl
Posts: 5052
Location: Moving soon..... | My farrier said that they don't last long for what you have to pay for them. I will just stay with regular shoes that are working great. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1094
Location: Idahome | I have not used them personally, but have looked into them some. Just like with most things, they are not for every horse out there. My husband talked with one of their reps quite a bit and our understanding is your horse needs to have a pretty perfect foot to get the best results out of them. My horse grow a little funky in the front, so he would not be a good canditate for them. My hubby's head horse has very nice feet and he is going to try them on him to see how they are. I do know they have made some horses sore, but again they are not for every horse out there. I would call and talk with them a little. |
|
| |
|
| My husband shoes my horses and we were considering trying them when they first came out but we spoke to another farrier who had used them a little bit and he said they were hard to shape to the foot and they did not stay on long. He told his client that wanted them that if they continued to use them they would have to find a different farrier because he did not like them and wasn't going to keep driving out to their place to put one back on when it came off. We never did try them after speaking to him.
You may want to search for older threads on here because there were a few about them a while ago. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | I use them on my Tb gelding and I like them personally. Hes lanky but gets down like a QH so he needs all the grip he can get. I only use them on the front though. He doesn't get sore and we've gone from the 4d to the 2d in the past year all while wearing them. Ground conditions could play a role though. I live in sandy dunes so he' s not on hard ground hardly ever. So the ground gives around the shoe, thus allowing him to sit level all day. I could see the lip putting the hoof at an akward position on hard ground though. So i would consider your ground at home when putting on shoes since that's where they are 90% of the time anyways. But in all reality, a shoe won't win you the race. So don't put much stock in it. |
|
| |
|
 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | My farrier says the idea behind them isn't actually true, on how they allow the hoof to flex, because that's not the part of the foot that moves when a horse makes a barrel turn. He has cadaver legs that he often uses for explanation and it makes sense to me.
He's also told me you can get just as good of traction with a rim shoe.
So I guess that's why I just stick with regular rim shoes.
|
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 226
Location: Middle Tennessee | Thanks everyone!
I'm just going to put some rims on and stick with them.
I was afraid I'd hear of horses getting sore from them, and I sure don't need that lol! |
|
| |
|
 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | Farriers do not like them. I am on a farrier tool swap page on fb and there is a set of Razers for sale on there and everyone is poking fun of them. He said he special ordered them for a client and after two shoeings with them that was enough. |
|
| |
|
 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| I have found an interesting alternative, that make more sense to me if you need more traction. It's a V-Grip racing plate. The entire shoe is serrated, but in such a way that allows the foot to slide forward but gets grip when pushing off. I was going to try them on a mare that I have since put up for sale(at a broker). Talked to my vet at the time an he liked the idea of them too. The shoes are aluminum and I don't see them wearing well but that mare needed her fronts reset every 3 weeks anyways. I bought enough shoes for an entire season, then ended up shipping her out. They don't fit my other horses so now I have 8 or 10 pairs of the darned things. I might like to try them on the mare I am running now, but she has a smaller foot.
I didn't care for the Razar shoe once I actually had them in my hands. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2457
| Razor's were originally made for the track, specifically cart racers that need a longer stride, good grip, and no tight turns. They weren't designed for tight turns so, when put on barrel horses, they tend to make horses sore.
I personally think there are better options. |
|
| |
|
  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | My personal first hand experience....used them on two horses in GA. Gelding, who is better barefoot but needed shoes for 1D runs in sandy pens, felt a thousand times better in the Razer shoes then anything else. Mare that was unofficially diagnosed with navicular came up sound in the Razer shoes. They were nearly impossible to keep on the geldings front feet, but he steps EVERYTHING off.
So that was in Georgia, sandy sandy soil, not a stone or pebble to be found within a 100 miles (south east near florida).
I moved to Missouri, and within a few weeks both horses came up very sore. I believe it is because the Razer shoes do not offer enough support for super hard rocky ground. I spoke with some barrel racers here in MO that swear by the razer shoes, and they say they cannot trail ride the horses wearing them for the same reason. My farrier in GA quit using them because too many horses were stepping them off.
I do like them, but not necessarily for barrel horses. I think there are better options for us barrel racers. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1611
| missroselee - 2015-04-15 4:25 PM
My personal first hand experience....used them on two horses in GA. Gelding, who is better barefoot but needed shoes for 1D runs in sandy pens, felt a thousand times better in the Razer shoes then anything else. Mare that was unofficially diagnosed with navicular came up sound in the Razer shoes. They were nearly impossible to keep on the geldings front feet, but he steps EVERYTHING off.
So that was in Georgia, sandy sandy soil, not a stone or pebble to be found within a 100 miles (south east near florida).
I moved to Missouri, and within a few weeks both horses came up very sore. I believe it is because the Razer shoes do not offer enough support for super hard rocky ground. I spoke with some barrel racers here in MO that swear by the razer shoes, and they say they cannot trail ride the horses wearing them for the same reason. My farrier in GA quit using them because too many horses were stepping them off.
I do like them, but not necessarily for barrel horses. I think there are better options for us barrel racers.
Totally agree they are good in sandy soil and pens. Also if you horse is four wheel drive. But if your horse is when that likes to bury his booty and slide you better step away from these shoes because he will be sore in a hurry. |
|
| |
|
 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | I think people are very confused about the name and the agressive looking grooves on these shoes. My take away from the theory is the flex steel of the shoe. That is why it is best for a good footed horse, one that could go barefoot today but maybe you feel needs a little bit of traction without imparing the integrity of the hoof flexibilty.
I have used them or tried them. I was happy with them but shortly after my horse was injured. Was it the shoes?? I doubt it. But he did end up with issues that need more support than the Razer can provide. |
|
| |
|
 "Tamer of the Fiery Dragon"
Posts: 5418
Location: Depends where the next barrel race is..... | Love them. I have used them since they came out. Have them on all my horses I barrel race. My shoer was very motivated to find the best way to shape and fit them. One horse had been injected in coffin joints regularly and her hocks too.... when I put them on, all that went away. Also, they are less grabby than a rim shoe in my opinion. They slide coming in and give traction coming out. All my horses have better stops in them than rims. One horse I put Equi pak in the summer in when things are hard and rocky. I would do the same for her with regular rims. Biggest draw back is finding a shoer on the road to replace one. I find some that have never used them, but will tell me how they won't work. I find it funny. I use them, love them and have felt the difference in my horses stride from a rim to the Razer. I had one horse that was on the lazy side with her feet. Put the razers on and she is now using herself. While the Razer might not be for every horse, it is my go to shoe first. |
|
| |
|
"Tamer of the Fiery Dragon"
Posts: 5418
Location: Depends where the next barrel race is..... | Also, I always get at least one reset out of them. They last just as long as steel rims. |
|
| |
|
I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | Oregonracer2 - 2015-04-16 9:28 PM
Love them. I have used them since they came out. Have them on all my horses I barrel race. My shoer was very motivated to find the best way to shape and fit them. One horse had been injected in coffin joints regularly and her hocks too.... when I put them on, all that went away. Also, they are less grabby than a rim shoe in my opinion. They slide coming in and give traction coming out. All my horses have better stops in them than rims. One horse I put Equi pak in the summer in when things are hard and rocky. I would do the same for her with regular rims. Biggest draw back is finding a shoer on the road to replace one. I find some that have never used them, but will tell me how they won't work. I find it funny. I use them, love them and have felt the difference in my horses stride from a rim to the Razer. I had one horse that was on the lazy side with her feet. Put the razers on and she is now using herself. While the Razer might not be for every horse, it is my go to shoe first.
I think this is one of the hardest things about using the Razer and why they get a bad rap, most farriers don't know how to use them. Chris Wagner, the farrier who does all of their videos and demo's how to shape and use them used to shoe for me when we both lived in Northern VA. He is an amazingly gifted farrier and were he available to shoe my horses, I would probably have my guys in the Razers. |
|
| |
Razer Shoes?