We are currently working on our own stud plate. This is a half plate which can be placed at the bottom of the shoe and can be attached or removed at any time. This type of stud plate is directly being designed for competition style riding such as for: polo riders, eventing riders. We would advise that we have designed this horseshoe to have suitable grip for everyday riding therefore this stud plate is only needed for regular competition riders. If you are unsure your horses needs, you can contact us on info@shs-office.at and we will be more than happy to help you find the right products for you.

In comparison to an iron horseshoe you can imagine that the plastic has better cushioning and flexibility than of iron. This is because plastic can absorb the impact force, whereas iron will transmit the impact force through vibrational waves. We conducted a study showing the comparison of dampening between iron and our product, our results have shown that iron carries up to 4 times the vibrational transmissions.

The thermoplastic we have chosen specifically to have as similar as possible vibrational forces and impact as a bare hoof. The bare hoof naturally absorb a large amount of this shock and impact by expanding in the heel and frog. Iron subsequently restricts this as it is a fixed object once attached to the hoof keeping it alined vertically and horizontally, not allowing the horse hoof to absorb the impact in a natural way, resulting in the impact being transmitted in vibrations to other areas such as the joints. For this reason, the thermoplastic chosen is flexible for the hoof to enhance the natural cushioning and absorption of a bare hoof.

We have conducted a study at the University of Vienna, specifically on the grip comparison of our product as well as, iron horseshoes and a bare hoof. We discovered that our product not only has an improved grip to an iron horseshoe but also a bare hoof itself. This is because of the development process, we wanted to design a product that has significant grip and can used across all terrains.

We would recommend they last approximately 6 weeks in a regular shoeing period. Additionally, after the 6 week period we would also advise to always apply new horseshoes and not reuse them as majority of horses walk slightly uneven, meaning even if the shoes look reusable it would not be the best to reattach an unevenly worn shoe.

The iron horseshoe provides less healthy blood circulation in the hoof by restricting its movement, resulting in less horn growth and potentially more brittle hooves. This is opposite in a bare hoof as the constant movement in the horn and flexibility promotes constant blood circulation which then improves the over all horn growth and quality. This is why we designed our plastic horseshoe to mimic a bare hoof as closely as possible in order to always optimise hoof growth and blood circulation.

When we originally designed the Performer, we always wanted to design one horseshoe that could be used in various different ways, not only does this save the environment but it also means if a situation occurs you can change your performer to your required needs. Not only can you cut the frog plastic off to remove the extra support but you can also completely reverse the performer in severe cases of laminitis to add extra relief. If you do require special shoeing we can also offer extra materials to be welded on that can achieve desired shoes.

Fundamentally, you do not need a specialised farrier. We do however, suggest that you always perform the application with your own farrier. We do train this product to be easy enough for private customers to be able to apply it on their own but it is essential to check with a farrier first. We also run multiple workshops a year where we go into detail and deliver demonstrations for you. This gives you a chance to see how the product works and test it for yourself. In addition, if you cannot attend a workshop in your area then we also offer zoom calls with one of our specialist to help guide you throughout the process.

On average an experienced customer takes between 15-20 minutes for the application process, however we do understand if it is your first time it could also take 30 minutes or more. We would advise to never rush and to take each step carefully until you are completely use to the procedure. It also depends on the amount of work needed to be completed and of course if the size is already a close fit there is not much time needed for the shaping process also.

The package costs 76,60€ for regular customers. Within the package you always receive 2 performer horseshoes, glue, primer and an application brush. We also offer specialised deals for our farriers as well as giving discount for bulk orders.

Unlike many other primers, the primer is not a cleaner but rather a bonding agent. The primer creates a sticky protective layer between hoof and the adhesive glue, ensuring that the glue can optimally stick to the hoof horn.

We chose this glue because it works almost like rubber and has incredibly flexible properties. Because of this the hoof does not get restricted by the bonding process, which means when the hoof grows, the glue allows the natural expansion that would occur if the horse was bare hoof. Unfortunately, this flexibility is not possible with a 2 component glue or a super glue. Our adhesive glue itself is so elastic and flexible that is can compensate for any pulling movements in the hoof as it adapts to the growth. Even during extreme turns or movements of the hoof Inside, the horseshoe still have slight movement and absorbs a majority of the pressure which would usually be transferred to the joints.

For extreme weather conditions, for example in winter, we suggest adding small spikes or snow grips to make the horseshoe optimised for the weather. We do sell both of these and we usually send out the perfromer with the spikes attached if you do make the purchase together, however we do not attach the snow grips the would need to be cut and attached by a farrier in the fitting process. Unfortunately, no other brand than those that we sell fit in the performer.

We have received the FN certification, which means they are officially allowed into all competition. It can always also depend on the judge so we would suggest always checking beforehand.

The Performer can be used for many applications. It doesn’t affect you if you’re a regular rider, having hoof problems, or

compete in professional sports. The Performer isn’t just a temporary solution for hoof diseases, like for instance laminitis

or broken horn walls, but it can be used all year round.we designed it provide protection, regardless of the situation,

always has a perfect grip, and to be generally easy on the hooves.

During the development of the Performer, we chose a thermoplastic, because unlike any other plastic on the market, a thermoplastic can be moulded by heat so we have the opportunity to leave the tabs attached meaning it does not need to be welded. The thermoplastic needs to be placed in hot water, approximately 90 to 100 degrees therefore we recommend using a stove pot. This makes it adaptable. You take it out, put it on the hoof and can adjust it to any convenient shape. Cool it down afterwards in cold water and it will stay in that shape.

A plastic horseshoe, especially a glued-on one, has a substantially higher safety advantage compared to an iron horseshoe. This is apparent in herd keeping as, if horses should kick at each other, the plastic dampens the impact much better due to the rounded edges at the front. This is partly because it’s made of plastic and partly, because the edges are not as sharp as, for example, it’s often seen on a bare hoof. Another safety aspect is the adhesive tabs. We don’t nail, we glue the adhesive tabs. These are just thin plastic tabs that are absolutely safe, so the horse can neither step on them nor injure themselves or anything else. The worst that can happen with the product is the horse stepping on it, pulling off the horseshoe, and that’s it. If the horses were to step on each other, nothing can happen. So it is currently the safest thing you will have in herd keeping or on a stabled horse.

The workshops are divided into two parts. There’s a theory part and a practical part. The theory part always takes place in the morning. In the theory part, we go through the horseshoe itself, with the different questions that everyone has. What are the advantages of glued-on plastic horseshoe? Also, in comparison with other products on the market. In the practical part, things really get down to business for each participant. Everyone gets the chance to work with the product as much as they want, to shape it, to glue it with our help. At the very end we go to a real horse and everyone gets the chance to glue a hoof under our guidance.

Our workshops are designed not only for farriers, but also for the regular customers. We want to provide the customer with an understanding of the hoof, its structure, how to work with it, and of course how to handle the Performer. Our workshops are structured so that you, whether you are a farrier or a customer, always learn to get the most out of the performer for you and your horse.

We try to do one or two workshops a month. Our workshops are designed in such a way that every participant has the opportunity to work with the horse and to speak with us to get their questions answered. But we’re also excited when you reach out to us, if you want to have a workshop at your stable or if you have a school and would like to have a workshop focused on the performers at your place, you can contact us anytime. We would advise to attend at least on workshop,if you are unconfident or feel you need more training you are more than welcome to come again or get in touch with us for a call.

Our glue is instantly adhesive. This means that there is no prolonged period during which the hoof guard has to be held centered on the hoof, allowing one to glue it very quickly even for restless horses. And another important aspect is that through working with the performer there is basically no risk of injuring oneself or the horse during the process. There are no nails involved. Should the horse somehow step on it at an angle, if something happens, which is always a possibility, the product will break before anyone gets hurt by it.

Currently, the Performer comes in four sizes, from double 00 to size 2. We always measure in five-millimeter increments. For us, it’s important to measure the hoof’s widest point, not the length. The smallest size starts at a 115 millimeters, and the largest goes up to a 140 millimeters wide. We have plans to bring out more sizes and hope that, soon, there will be more selection for your horses. You can find our size guide on our product manual page where we also have a diagram available to help show where to measure.

You only need extra an electric stovetop or a gas cooker to heat up the water, a heat gun, and sandpaper. We recommend 80 or 100 grit. Everything else comes in the package. The primer’s included in the kit, the adhesive tabs are already on the product, and the brush is in there too.

• Do not under any circumstances bend the tabs at their base no matter if the product is cold or warm. The tabs have a breaking point. If you overbend or overstretch them at this breaking point, you will damage the welded attachment and diminish its durability.

• Never touch the 3M adhesive tapes, but also never touch the hoof surface after being primed as this will affect the bonding process.

• Do not heat the tabs with a hair dryer. This simply will not provide the heat needed to make a nicely flexible tab. Also, you should not heat up the horseshoe with a kettle. A kettle only heats up once, then cools down too quickly, and the plastic simply needs a continuous heat of between 90 and 100 degrees to be properly softened.

• Always be sure to glue the tabs from the bottom to the top, never from the top to the bottom. If you stick them from the top to the bottom on the hoof wall, a crease will always form at the bottom, where dirt collects and adhesive strength is reduced.

• It’s important to sand or cut off any plastic overhang at the back to prevent injury from overreaching. Also, always ensure when you’re sticking the adhesive tabs, they don’t reach into the coronet band. Therefore, before sticking, please test the size first and measure the length of the adhesive tabs to the horn. If they’re too long, just cut them off from the top.

Find more information on our manual guide page where we go into further details and have a video manual.

We have specific deals for farriers and hoof trimmers where they receive a discounted price, we also give discounts for products bought in bulk. Not only this we also provide a Facebook group for our hoof trimmers and farriers, where they can interact with us, post their questions, handle special cases, and certainly also interact with other farriers, who work with our product.

Nails result in there always being foreign objects being inserted into the hoof. This means there is also always the chance that the farrier could nail incorrectly, causing the nail to penetrate the living horn. This can be incredibly painful and can lead to inflammation. Additionally, nails are potential entry points for bacteria. Old nail holes can quickly develop into white line disease. That’s why we decided to glue. It’s much gentler on the hoof. The hoof wall can’t break with this method. We picked to use the 3M adhesive tape. It’s flexible, works with the hoof not against it and is gentle on the horn. We believe this is the future of the shoeing method.

We started with between 20 and 40 different test horses. We tested with show jumpers, dressage riders, lame horses, horses with hoof problems, and also horses with navicular disease. We of course also completed tests on your regular pleasure riders. Our farriers are always trialing our new products on suitable horses so that we can constantly develop new innovations. Therefore, our tests essentially take place in everyday life. We’re in constant contact with the University of Vienna, and we’ve conducted three studies with them so far. One was for the adhesive, that was our first study, and another one was for the cushioning, impact, and the last about grip, which you can check out here.