As a farrier trained to shoe race-horses and show jumpers, I was ­apprehensive when Enid Norton approached me to shoe her team of Saddle Horses. It has been my experience that if any horse is balanced according to its own ­conformation, it will stay sound and ­perform at its optimum.

I apply basic sound shoeing ­principles to her horses. There is no need to resort to drastic measures to get motion out of the horses. In principle, there is no ­difference in shoeing the Saddle Horse to any other horse. The Saddle Horse is shod for ­balance, support and ease of break-over as in any other discipline. In fact, at Enid’s, we follow a strict ­programme with the shoeing, unlike some race horse yards where horses' hooves are only­ ­taken care of while they race.

As far as unnatural practices go, ­traction devices such as calkins are sometimes used, just as studs are used in show jumping and eventing. Pads are used in Saddle Horse and endurance shoeing. I do, however, believe that the Saddle Horse farriers in this country need to be affiliated with the Farriers Association of South Africa and continually need to be trained and educated.

(Robbie Miller is a two times SA national champion farrier and has been a six-time member of the national farrier team)