The EponaShoe

What is the EponaShoe?

The EponaShoe is a flexible horseshoe made of modern composite polymers. It makes use of four types of polymer to create the most effective flexible shoe design ever. A flexible shoe is the ideal tradeoff between what is natural for the horse, and the demands we ask of the horse.

What is Different about the EponaShoe?

Most plastic shoes are either too hard or too soft. Plastic shoes that are too hard can cause pressure points under the sole and make some horses sore. This problem is more apparent with plastic shoes than with metal because plastic shoes always have a "wider web" than metal shoes - hence, they reach in under the sole further. On the other hand, plastic shoes that are too soft will not hold nails and will not keep their shape. The EponaShoe is the first shoe to solve this problem by using two materials on the "sole side" of the shoe. The EponaShoe is hard and stiff where the nails go, but soft and supportive under the sole. It can also be thought of as "the shoe with the built-in pad". In April 2005 our US patent was granted!

Nailed or Glued

The EponaShoe materials have also been designed to accept adhesives - either acrylic or polyurethane based - to glue the shoe to the horse's hoof. It is the first flexible shoe designed to be equally effective as a glue-on or as a nail-on shoe. We have some suggestions on how to nail or glue the shoe at our Hints-for-Farriers page. Wondering if gluing on shoes really works? --see our comments here. Also, see how some farriers are using the EponaShoe on our Farrier's Page.

Sole Support

More and more people are discovering the benefits of supporting the frog and sole in some way. Since horses in nature often have their feet packed with dirt or mud, it is likely that the hoof and internal structures are really meant to be supported in this way, at least some percentage of the time. Our recommended method of applying the EponaShoe employs a small amount of 2-part silicon support material placed by hand around the frog, and then the EponaShoe is applied over this packing. This yields a quick, easy, and cost-effective means of achieving sole support. No more messy liquid fillers, expensive application guns, and cure-time as required by other schemes. Click here to see more on our recommended method of use.
Another discussion of supporting the frog is available by clicking here.

What Problems can it Help?

We believe that flexible shoes can help most lameness issues to some extent. Of course, a good farrier is more important than the best shoe, and success is going to depend on doing what's right for the horse -- be it our shoe or not. More comments on problems that the EponaShoe can help with.

Built-In Pad Choice

To help farriers deal with the wide variety of cases they confront, we offer 2 versions of the built-in pad --'open' or 'mesh' style. If you click on the images below, you'll get a 360 degree visual tour of the shoe.

Click image for animation

How is it Applied?

To fit the shoe to the horse's foot the shoe is shaped with a simple hand-grinder or bench-mounted grinder. We offer a sufficient selection of sizes such that generally not more than 1/16" of material need be removed from any side of the shoe.

It can be nailed on pretty much like a conventional shoe. By selecting the proper material to hold the nails, and by protecting the sole with a second material, we believe the EponaShoe has the best nailing system of any flexible shoe. Also, the EponaShoe was specifically designed to also be glued on if desired.

Sizes

The EponaShoe comes in 16 sizes: they are numbered 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 and for each of these sizes there is a "Narrow" or "Wide" version of the shoe. Hence, a size is specified with a name like "2N" (size 2 Narrow). Click here to see our sizing chart.

What about Traction?

On many surfaces, our composite materials provide superior traction as compared to a metal shoe. However, the EponaShoe is not too "grippy" either -- horses need to be able to slightly slip -- some rubber shoes grip too much, which can send excessive torques into the joints. The EponaShoe is available with various traction options: carbide tips, and/or mounts at the heels for standard 3/8" studs.

Carbide-Tip Grip Option

Click for animation

It is up to the farrier and the horse owner to choose the traction devices which make sense for the terrain and use of the horse.

How much do they Cost?

Common sizes are $22 for a pair. Benefits to the health, comfort, and performance of the horse make them well worth the price. Since they have a "built-in pad", if they are used as part of a sole-support approach to shoeing, they more than pay for themselves in money saved on expensive urethane packings.

Do you have a DVD?

Yes! You can order it for $5 plus shipping, or get it free with an order of $50 or more. Here is some infromation abou the DVD, or go to our Order Form to order it. We also have a second DVD which focuses on the use of EponaShoe in treating Founder.

How do I Order?

From this web-site you can look at our Size-Chart and order shoes on-line using our Order Form.

Can I order by Fax?

Yes, you can download this Word document or this PDF document which is our order-form and shoe size chart. You can print it and then fax it to us.

Do you have a Flyer?

Here is a Word document that you can print. It's just two pages explaining the main features of the EponaShoe.

"There shall not be an hoof left behind" -- Exodus 10:26