Horseshoe Nails

Horseshoe Nails for Professional Farriers

Horseshoe nails are a small part of the shoeing package, but choosing the correct nail is critical to proper fit and application. Nail head shape, blade or shank dimensions, length, pitch, shoe punching, hoof-wall characteristics, and the type of horseshoe being applied can all influence which nail a farrier selects.

Well-Shod carries an extensive selection of professional horseshoe nails for steel, aluminum, race, sliding, concave, rim, keg, and specialty horseshoes. Available nail styles include City Head, Regular, Slim Blade, Combo, E-Head, E-Slim, Hybrid, LX, MX, KX, Concave, Race, Slider, Road, and other manufacturer-specific designs.

Capewell Horseshoe Nails

Capewell horseshoe nails are a major part of the Well-Shod nail selection and are available in several traditional North American nail patterns. The current Capewell range includes City Head, Lite, Plater Special, Race, Regular, and Slim Blade nails.

Capewell Slim Blade nails use a slimmer blade design intended to drive with less hoof displacement while retaining a head designed for compatible shoe punching. Capewell also offers dedicated Race nails and the Plater Special for more specialized shoeing applications.

For heavier horseshoes and applications requiring a larger Regular Head pattern, farriers can also view products such as the Capewell 5 Regular Horseshoe Nails.

Liberty Horseshoe Nails

Liberty horseshoe nails provide one of the broadest nail-style selections in the Well-Shod catalog. Liberty nail families include Carrera, City Head, Combo, E-Head, Hybrid, Lite, LX, Race, Regular, Reiner Special, Secure Hardtop, and Slim Blade configurations.

The variety of Liberty head and shank designs gives farriers options for American-style shoes, E-head punching, concave shoes, race plates, performance shoes, and other specialized applications.

Farriers using shoes punched for E-head-style nails can explore Liberty Hybrid nails. The modified head design is intended to fit E-head punching, including compatible concave horseshoes.

Liberty also offers copper-coated nail options within several nail families. Because coatings, head designs, and available sizes vary by specific product, the individual nail should be matched to the horseshoe and intended application.

Mustad Horseshoe Nails

Mustad horseshoe nails include a wide range of traditional and specialty nail designs. Well-Shod carries Mustad City Head, Combo, Concave, E-Head, MX, Race, Slider, Road, North American, and Regular Head nail families.

Mustad's E-head selection includes standard E and E-Slim patterns along with ESL Pitch and Endura-coated options. The Mustad E-Head nail selection gives farriers several lengths and shank configurations for shoes punched for this style of nail.

Mustad's Endura coating is designed to increase nail strength, improve driving characteristics, and resist corrosion. The manufacturer offers Endura treatment across selected nail families rather than treating it as a separate universal nail pattern.

For applications where increased wear resistance at the nail head is required, farriers can also browse Mustad Road Nails.

Delta & Kahn Forge Horseshoe Nails

Well-Shod carries Delta horseshoe nails in City Head, E-Head, Slim Blade, Combo, and Race patterns. These choices give farriers several head and shank combinations for matching Delta nails with compatible American and European-style horseshoe punching.

One everyday option is the Delta 5 Slim Horseshoe Nail, available in a larger-count box for farriers using this pattern regularly.

Kahn Forge horseshoe nails are available in City Head, Combo, KX, Slim, E-Head, Concave, and Race patterns. Farriers looking for standard and slim Combo designs can browse the Kahn Combo nail selection.

City Head, Regular & Slim Blade Nails

Nail head and blade design should correspond with the shoe's nail holes and crease. City Head nails are a traditional North American pattern commonly associated with U-creased horseshoes, while Regular Head nails use a larger head and proportionally heavier construction for compatible heavier shoe patterns.

Slim Blade nails retain a compatible head style while reducing blade dimensions. Farriers may choose a slimmer nail when the shoe punching permits it and when a smaller blade better suits the hoof wall and application.

Because similarly named nails from different manufacturers are not automatically dimensionally identical, farriers should confirm actual nail and horseshoe specifications rather than selecting solely by the style name.

Combo, E-Head, Hybrid & Concave Nails

Combo nails combine head and shank characteristics intended to fit particular horseshoe punching while providing a different blade profile than a traditional City Head or Regular nail.

E-Head and E-Slim patterns are commonly used with shoes punched for European-style nails. Hybrid designs such as Liberty Hybrid and rectangular styles such as LX, MX, and KX provide additional choices for concave, rim, European-style flat shoes, and other compatible nail-hole patterns.

Concave nails are specifically shaped for compatible concave horseshoe fullering and nail holes. The exact head shape, pitch, shank dimensions, and available lengths vary by manufacturer.

Race, Slider & Specialty Horseshoe Nails

Race plates and sliding plates use specialized nail patterns because the nail head must fit the shoe's punching while maintaining the profile required for the application. Well-Shod carries dedicated Race nails from several manufacturers as well as Mustad Slider nails and other plate-specific options.

Capewell, Delta, Kahn Forge, Liberty, Mustad, Vector, and Victory all offer race-oriented nail styles within their current Well-Shod selections. Farriers should match the nail to the specific plate rather than assuming that every race nail will fit every racing shoe.

Slider nails are likewise designed around the nail-hole and ground-surface requirements of compatible sliding plates. Nail fit should always be checked against the actual shoe being used.

Additional Professional Horseshoe Nail Brands

In addition to Capewell, Liberty, Mustad, Delta, and Kahn Forge, Well-Shod carries Anvil Brand nails, March nails, Vector horseshoe nails, Victory horseshoe nails, and Werkman horseshoe nails.

These brands expand the available choices in City Head, E-Head, Combo, Slim Blade, Race, traction, and other nail patterns, allowing farriers to select nails that fit the horseshoes and applications they use in their daily work.

Choosing the Right Horseshoe Nail

The correct horseshoe nail is determined by more than length alone. Farriers should consider the shape and dimensions of the nail head, the horseshoe crease and nail hole, blade or shank dimensions, shoe thickness, hoof-wall characteristics, nail length, the use of pads, and the amount of nail required for a secure clinch.

A nail that fits the shoe correctly should seat properly in the nail hole without relying on an oversized or undersized head to compensate for mismatched punching. Comparing manufacturer dimensions and shoe recommendations can help narrow the selection before driving the first nail.