My uncle told me to never use a 4 inch nail on a draft horse, and I finally learned why the hard way last Tuesday.

3 comments

3 Comments

Wait, what happened with the nail? I've used 4 inch nails on my big Belgians for years without a problem. You just have to know how to place it right, like keeping it angled away from the quick. Maybe your uncle's method is different, but a longer nail can give you more to hold onto in a big, hard hoof.

joseph4553mo ago

Yeah, but "knowing how to place it right" is a big gamble on a living animal. A four inch nail leaves a lot of room for error, even for an expert. My uncle saw a horse get lamed for life when a long nail shifted and hit something it shouldn't have. Sometimes more to hold onto just means more that can go wrong.

jakewilliams1mo ago

My buddy switched to 3.5 inch nails on his draft horses and we never looked back. Gives you enough bite without the risk of hitting something deep if the angle goes wrong.