Question about a horse's hoof angle after switching to a different anvil

I've been using the same old anvil from my granddad's shop for years, but last month I switched to a new 150 lb Peddinghaus. The difference in how I can shape a shoe is wild. I had a client's quarter horse in yesterday, and after three shoes, I realized I was getting a much cleaner 55-degree angle on the toe than I ever could before. Has anyone else noticed their work getting sharper just from a better anvil?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade2711d ago

Yeah, a good anvil is like finally getting glasses. You didn't know how fuzzy your work was until everything just snapped into focus. That solid rebound makes all the difference.

lee.lucas23h ago

Man, isn't that the truth? I fought a cheap cast iron ASO for way too long before finding a decent used one. @jade271 is right, that first time you hit steel on a real anvil and it pushes back, it just changes everything. You stop fighting the tool and start actually moving metal. It feels like you gained ten years of skill in one afternoon.