Sizes and Shapes

  • roundoval

If your horse requires an intermediate size, you can easily adjust the shoe using an angle grinder, belt sander, or even pliers or a hoof knife.

Be sure to avoid inhaling any grinding dust during all grinding work and ensure proper ventilation. Ideally, perform the work outdoors where there is sufficient fresh air circulation. Please also note our safety instructions for all work involving our products. These instructions are intended for both the hoof care provider and the horse owner or rider.

Duplo Horseshoes are available in a wide range of sizes and come in three different shapes. The round and STS horseshoes are typically suitable for the front hooves, while the oval models are generally a good fit for the hind hooves. However, it's important to note that there can always be exceptions to this general rule.

Determining the Right Size and Shape for Your Horse

To accurately determine the ideal Duplo size for your horse, it is crucial that the horse's hooves are unshod during the measurement process. Additionally, the hooves should be properly trimmed to ensure optimal fitting of the new horseshoe. Measuring an untrimmed or shod hoof may lead to less precise results, potentially affecting the desired outcome. As a temporary solution, it is also possible to use the old horseshoe as a reference point.

  • To begin, take a measuring tape or ruler and measure the widest point on the bottom surface of the hoof, which is typically located a short distance behind the frog apex. This measurement will help determine the width of the horseshoe needed.
  • Next, examine the overall shape of the sole and determine whether it is round or oval in appearance. This observation will assist in selecting the appropriate horseshoe shape for your horse's hoof.

With the information gathered regarding the hoof width and the shape of the hoof, you can now select the Duplo model that best suits your horse's size and requirements.

What About the STS Shape?

Horseshoes featuring a slightly straightened toe area, known as the Straight Toe Shoe (STS), offer the advantage of allowing you to position the horseshoe further back, thereby aiding in facilitating breakover.

The decision to opt for an STS shoe is not only dependent on the hoof's shape but also on the unique gait mechanics of the horse. The quarter clips of our STS horseshoes are positioned further backwards compared to the regular round models.

Approximate Sizes of the Duplo Horseshoes in Inches

Duplo Templates

Making the selection of the right-sized horseshoe even easier, we offer free Duplo templates. These templates include one for round horseshoes, one for oval horseshoes, and one for STS horseshoes. Each template consists of two pages that can be printed and assembled by gluing them together. You can utilize the template in multiple ways:

  • Place the hoof on a blank sheet of paper and trace its shape. Cut out the traced shape and align it with the corresponding shape on the printed template.
  • You can directly place the printed template on the hoof or place the hoof on the template and trace the shape of the hoof onto the template.
  • You have the option to enhance the durability of the printed template by gluing it onto a piece of cardboard. This provides a sturdier surface for tracing the hoof shape onto the template.
  • For a more thorough approach, you can print multiple copies of the template and cut out the sizes that are likely to be suitable. Then, you can directly place the cut-out shapes onto the hoof for a precise fitting. While this method may require more time and effort, it is likely to provide the most reliable results.

Please note that the provided templates are designed to fit our models with quarter clips. The shape of the un-clipped horseshoes may vary slightly, but you can still utilize the templates for these horseshoes as well.

To ensure accurate measurements, please utilize the small scale provided on the templates to verify and adjust your printer settings if necessary. This will help maintain the correct proportions when printing the templates.


All Templates to Download here

 

Should you need additional details about the length and width of the different model horseshoes with and without side clips, you can find a table with the measurements in inches in the link below.

Sizing Chart in Inches