Not Enough Cuffs
If the stock manufacturer didn't provide enough cuffs for picking up the feet, there is great potential for the horse to do a move that I call "the bunny hop." When a horse gets his rear feet forward of his fronts, he'll be helplessly laying on the rear support chain, which then works its way up into the horse's flank. This process is particularly dangerous. Being in this position quickly deadens the nerves that provide muscle response in the rear limbs. Just a couple of minutes of laying there in the bunny hope position makes it almost completely impossible to get the horse to a standing position again. I've herd of shoers having to hammer lost the chain fastenings on such horses and they try to figure out how to roll the horse backward out of the stocks, or, having to cut apart the stock with a saw to get the horse out.

If you are presented with the problem of having a bunny in your shoeing stocks, the first thing to try is to put a cuff on both hind feet and then pull the back feet one at a time back to a position where the horse can use its legs again. It's normal for some horses to lay down on the support chains while in the stock, but if the rear feet are tethered, the horse will usually stand up again when the foot being worked on is lowered.

The new stocks I've seen recently come with only one cuff with a rope attached to the rung on the cuff, plus one narrow strap for securing the front feet to the trimming position (photo 11). While shoeing, you'll need to use at least two cuffs with ropes attached while working on a front foot: one cuff on a rear leg to tether it to the rear; and one cuff on the front leg being picked up. I generally use at least three cuffs on both rear feet, just in case one of the rear cuffs comes off unintentionally. Also, having both back feet tethered to the rear prevents a kicky horse from cow-kicking your heard as you work on a front foot - a nice safely measure.

Extra Strap For Rear Leg (photo 12)
If not provided by the manufacturer, obtain a wide nylon strap that is long enough to go around the leg and the stock for helping to secure the rear legs. This strap helps secure the rear leg when it is being held at the rear side of the post, which is the position where the horse has the most power, and is most likely to break cuffs, cleats and ropes. This strap is put on after the back foot is secured with the cuff and it is cinched down tight to discourage any movement and strengthen the hold there.

Extra Bracing (photo 13)
If the framework of the stock is wobbling around, the horse will be encouraged to thrash around. My favorite extra bracing is the steel bracing between the horizontal and vertical main beams of the stocks, as seen in the pictures. Most manufacturer are now using some sort of bracing there, either steel or wood, to prevent wobbling. I also like to put in extra bracing at the upper parts of the stock to prevent any movement of the framework (photo 14). Some manufacturers offer all steel stock construction, which, if made well, seems to be a good options to prevent any wobbling.

The Need For Shoeing Stocks
It's not a good thing, but the truth is that many draft horse breeders and trainers neglect to do the training necessary to make horses willingly cooperative about having their feet handled. Many horses are then sentenced to a lifetime of hoof neglect because of the (seemingly) overwhelming difficulty of getting them over their hoof handling fears. If draft horse people knew enough to get along well with having horses in shoeing stocks, it would be very good for those horses that have missed out on hoof handling training. With the high demand for competent shoers, there is no real reason for shoers to take on clients who own big horses that plunge around and are difficult to hold their feet up. If you shoer has access to a well made, wee equipped shoeing stock, and the horse owner or the shoer knows how to handle the horse while it is in the stock, shoeing then becomes much safer and much more easily accomplished - for both humans and horses.

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