a) How long will Ground Control Horseshoes last?
Ground Control Horseshoes will last on average 2 shoeing periods. You can usually have them reset using different holes for a second and sometimes even a third shoeing period. It depends on how hard, how much, and over what terrain you ride. A buggy horse that drives six times a week at a trot over asphalt will get only 6 weeks of use, whereas a trail rider riding 15 miles a week over varied terrain can get up to 20 weeks of use.

b) Will Ground Control Horseshoes pull off when a horse paws at a fence or overreaches?
No! Because of the flexible characteristics of the Ground Control shoes, if bent, they flex back to their original position. A metal shoe, once bent, either has to be pulled off, or falls off on it's own.

c) Will the nails pull through the urethane?
No! The polyurethane that we use is strong enough to stand up to the nail head from pulling through it. If your farrier needs more reassurance that the nails will remain where he or she puts them, then a small #8 flat washer can be used and put through the nail before nailing (available at most Wal-Mart stores).

d) Will they stay on in muddy conditions?
Yes! Ground Control Horseshoes really have staying power! They can handle extremely muddy paddocks for weeks. Just make sure your horse has a dry place to get to so your horse's feet stay healthy.

a) Can any farrier install the Ground Control horseshoes?
Yes, any farrier with the usual tools, such as a hoof rasp, nippers and horseshoe nails will be able to put on the shoes. Directions for applying the shoes are on the back of our brochure or on the application page.

b) Do I need to use pads with Ground Control Horseshoes?
No! You do not need to use pads with Ground Control Horseshoes, since the recessed frog protector will do it's job to protect the tender frog area. Additionally, the recessed frog protector will naturally stimulate the frog, increasing blood flow to the leg. On an unshod horse, this happens naturally every time a horse takes a step. A steel shoe never allows the frog to touch the ground to get the natural blood pumping action.

c) Can you apply Ground Control Horseshoes with glue?
We have not found a glue that will successfully hold the Ground Control Horseshoes to the hoof. Therefore, nails are reccomended.

d) How often should I reset my Ground Control Horseshoes?
You can have them reset after 6-10 weeks of use and use them for another 6-10 weeks. Every horse requires a different shoeing schedule depending on hoof growth rates and the amount of exercise a horse is given. Horses with fragile hoof walls should be shod closer to 5 weeks before cracks develop.

e) Are there any tips for shoeing?
There are tips to make the shoeing process go smoother. It is important that the nail head gets well inside the nail channel and below the plastic. The farrier can use a nail set or just hammer harder on his last blows with the hammer to do this. Another tip is to use a sharpie marker to trace around the hoof onto the shoe and cut off the extra plastic first with the hoof nippers before nailing the shoe on. Make sure to leave enough plastic at the back half of the shoe to allow for hoof expansion and enough under the heel for proper support. Once the shoe is nailed on, follow up with a hoof rasp to smooth out the shoe's edges.

f) Can the central recessed frog protector be removed?
Yes, you can cut out the recessed frog protector if needed. It is critical to leave the bottom area at the heal intact so that the shoe obtains it's full supportive qualities. You will need to do this in FOSH sanctioned events under their rules.

g) Can the Ground Control Horseshoe be modified to perform like a Natural Balance Horseshoe?
You can trim the toe part of the shoe back which will increase the breakover of the stride significantly. This should only be done under close supervision of a professional farrier. We have found that the Ground Control Horseshoe will perform best when not modified this way, since the shoe may tend to slip backwards somewhat if the angled toe portion is removed.

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a) How do Ground Control Horseshoes compare to Slypner Shoes?
One advantage our shoe has over the Slypner shoes is that ours is Polyurethane all the way through, so your farrier won't have to mess with two parts. It is easy to install our shoe since it is just nailed on with regular city head #5 horseshoe nails and then trimmed to fit to your horse's hooves. Our shoe is also a better value at $16/ pair whereas the Slypner shoe is significantly more.

b) How do Ground Control Horseshoes compare to Equithotics?
Easy application is one of Ground Control Horseshoe's better features. There is no need for special saws or extra tools for cutting and bending. Since Ground Control is urethane all of the way through, you will not have to worry about metal being exposed after a certain amount of wear has taken place as with the Equithotics. The Ground Control Horseshoe is also a better value at $16/pair whereas the Equithotics shoe is over $40/pair.

c) How do Ground Control Horseshoes compare to Coxton Poly shoes?
The Coxton Poly shoe has been around for over 25 years and has been a standard and cheap solution for using plastic shoes. They are thinner than the Ground Control Horseshoes at 1/4" compared to Ground Control's thickness of 1/2". The Coxton Poly shoe wears faster than the Ground Control shoe and will less likely be resetable for another shoeing period. The Coxton Poly shoe is relatively flat whereas the Ground Control shoe has added traction and the recessed frog protector for additional support.

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a) What about safety on the ice?
You can add studs to your Ground Control Horseshoes. You can use the same studs as Easyboot uses on their shoes, and you can purchase a pack of them through their web site: http://www.easyboot.com (under accessories). You can also make your own if you add borium to the tip of a bolt and apply with a tee nut.

b) Will Ground Control Horseshoes slip on wet grass?
Ground Control Horseshoes are not cleats. If you would slip on the wet grass with your tennis shoes, then you might slip on the same wet grass with Ground Control Horseshoes. If you know that you will be competing under very slippery conditions, you can drill a few short screws with borium added to the tips on the day of the event to get a very secure grip and then remove them after the competition. Another option is to add studs to your Ground Control Horseshoes. You can use the same studs as Easyboot uses on their shoes, and you can purchase a pack of them through their web site: http://www.easyboot.com (under accessories).

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a) Will Ground Control Horseshoes interfere with my horse's gait?
Most horses will adjust to Ground Control horseshoes very easily. If they have used a heavier metal shoe in the past, they might raise their legs a little higher for the first day that their new shoes are on. They might do a little dance with excitement of how good it feels! Tennessee Walkers, Fox Trotters, and all other gaited breeds should continue to gait normally if they can do the same barefooted without added artificial weight.

b) Can I use Ground Control Horseshoes for barrel racing?
Yes, we have tested Ground Control Horseshoes on some barrel racing horses and found that these horses were able to perform with even faster times than with wearing steel shoes.

c) Can I use Ground Control Horseshoes for harness racing?
Yes, especially if your horse has had stifle problems or sore hooves due to hard tracks. Since Ground Control shoes are thicker than the normal aluminum racing plates, you will have to experiment with each horse to determine what is best for individual track performance.

d) Can I use Ground Control Horseshoes for driving on asphalt?
Yes, Ground Control Horseshoes will provide your horse with great traction even going up and down hilly streets. Additionally, your horse will stay sound with the shock absorbing quality of the polyurethane.

e) Can I use Ground Control Horseshoes in the show ring?
Ground Control Horseshoes perform well in sandy arenas, actually keeping you above the surface of deep footing. Each breed has certain rules for competing with special shoes, so consult your rulebook to make sure you are legal. Ground Control's thickness is 1/2" which is the maximum thickness allowable under most horse show rules.

f) Can I use Ground Control Horseshoes in FOSH Sanctioned Events?

FOSH sanctioned events will only allow the use of one innovative plastic horseshoe
in competition during the 2004 show season The innovative plastic shoe that will be
allowed in competition as part of the Pilot Program for the 2004 show season is the
Ground Control Horseshoe. For the purpose of this Pilot Program the only acceptable
shoe (model) is the CLEAR Ground Control Horseshoe. For competition purposes, the
center bar (from the toe to the heel covering the frog of the foot)) of the Ground Control
Horseshoe must be removed. The heel bar (joining the two sides of the shoe) will be kept
intact as the heel bar is an integral part of the shoe. The Ground Control Horseshoe must
be applied in accordance with the Manufacturer’s instructions. The horse may be shod
on all four feet with the Ground Control Horseshoe, or with the Ground Control
Horseshoe on the front feet and barefoot on the hind feet. No combination of plastic
horseshoes and conventional metal horseshoes will be allowed at a FOSH sanctioned
competition. For the purposes of this Pilot Program the Ground Control Horseshoe (as
described above) will be considered a keg shoe and will be allowed in all classes that
allow the keg shoe.

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a) Do I have to worry about thrush?
No! Ground Control Horseshoes allow air to circulate around your horse's hooves.

b) Will it be easy to clean out the hooves with Ground Control Horseshoes?
Yes! Use your hoof pick to clean out any dirt or rocks that sometimes get into the open sole areas when you groom your horse and before you ride.

c) Will Ground Control Horseshoes help a horse that has sole bruises?
Yes! Ground Control Horseshoes will protect and support your horse's hooves from rocky ground that may have caused his soreness.

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a) How do I know what size to order?
You can download the sizing chart from our website, or fill out our request form and let us know your address, and we will mail you one. We currently carry size 000-2.

b) Do I have to order separate front and a hind patterns?
No, the unique patent pending design of the Ground Control Horseshoes fits both front and back hooves. We designed our shoes this way since some front hooves actually are shaped like oval hind hooves. To keep things simple, just use the sizing chart to determine the correct size needed, then when the shoe is applied, the extra urethane that is not required may be removed with hoof nippers and smoothed with a rasp to fit the hoof perfectly. We have added a trim guide to the shoe to assist the farrier in determining the usual cut line for round hooves.

c) How thick are Ground Control Horseshoes?
Ground Control Horseshoes are 1/2" thick making them solid enough to withstand wear and tear and acceptable for competition.

d) Will Ground Control Horseshoes fit a miniature horse?
No, sorry, Ground Control Horseshoes do not come in mini-size.

e) Will Ground Control Horseshoes fit a draft horse?
No, sorry, Ground Control Horseshoes do not come in maxi-size.

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a) If I place an order today, how fast can I expect to receive my Ground Control Horseshoes?
Ground Control Horseshoes are shipped by priority U.S. mail and takes 2-3 days.

b) Can I receive my Ground Control Horseshoes overnight?
Yes, Ground Control Horseshoes can be shipped by Federal Express or UPS overnight for an additional charge if ordered by 4:00 Central time M-F.

c) As a farrier or retailer, how do I place an order at the wholesale rate?
After you have received the wholesale order form through the mail, you may place your order with us by telephone (877) TRACTION or (877) 872-2846, or mail your order and a check to Ground Control Horseshoes, P.O. Box 2331, Boerne, TX 78006. You may also fax your order to (830) 249-5585.

d) Do I have to order all of the same size to get the 16 shoe discount?
No, any combination of shoe sizes can be ordered to meet the 16 shoe minimum order for the discounted stable special or minimum wholesale order.

e) I live in another country, can I still order Ground Control Horseshoes direct?
Yes, certainly, but shipping will be costly and you might have to pay an import fee or other taxes. Check our distribution list first to see if any dealers are available in your area or call us for a shipping quote at (830) 248-1097.

Go to Aproximate Cost Chart with Shipping.

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If you still have questions that you didn't get answered here, please feel free to e-mail us at info@plastichorseshoes.com