From : FOOTNOTES
A Quarterly Newsletter from Butler Publishing

COLD HORSESHOE FITTING USING A MODERN ADVANTAGE
Precision shoe fitting is essential to provide the horse and its owner with the maximum benefits of horseshoeing... Virtually all shoes, machine-made or handmade, must have some minor alteration before they can be attached to the hoof. Hot fitting may not always be possible for safety or parctical reasons.
There is always consideration of how much new technology farriers should adopt. It is very tempting toabandon age-old craft skills in favor of doing less work. It requires a great deal of personal discipline to keep traditional skill level up...However, it does not necessarily follow that those who embrace modern technology will lose their kills or never gain them. Many of the most progressive farriers who use machine-made shoes and modern tools are also the top competitors in handmade shoemaking competitions.
Horseshoeing is hard work, and it is piece work. Anything that makes it easier and faster is worth considering modern technology can make the work more efficient. Horseshoeing may be dangerous to our health and anything that makes it safer is worth considering. Constant exposure to the noise of hammering may injure one's hearing. Modern technology can make the work safer.
There is a need for a portable shoe-shaper that makes it possible to do numerous, precise shoe alterations rapidly and quietly.
Traditionally, it has been necessary for the farrier to make several trips to the anvil during the shoeing process of each foot. The horse gets tired of lifting its foot and the farrier get tired of making numerous trips to obtain the exact fit required. This in not only timeconsuming, but is irritating to the horse and exhauting to the farrier. There are instances where it becomes difficult or impossible to transport the hammer and anvil to a location near the horse. There is a need for an easily portable tool that can accomplish all of the typical horseshoe shaping operations AT (sic) the horse.

USING AN ADVANTAGE
The Advantage Pocket Anvil Portable Shoe Shaper (U.S. Patent Number 4,573,339) weighs only 7 pounds, or 3.18 kilograms. It is manually operated, and uses leverage to bend horseshoe stock. This tool can be easily carried anywhere. It is very useful for packers and outfitters going into remote areas. The tool and stand can be disassembled and conveniently transported in a tool box with hand tools... (Since this article was published, ADVANTAGE LINE has developed a special, new PACKSTAND, for just such remote situations as Dr. Butler cites.) It allowsrapid and precise shaping of most...(horse)shoes, including racing plates. Anvils are still necessary for shoemaking and hot fitting.