I do my own horseshoeing on the road. I am not great at it, but I do a fair job. Roger sent me enough horseshoes with DuraSafe Borium
. Don Tucker from Fortine, Montana shaped them for me and now they are shipped out as I need them. This is one incredibly big improvement for me. The shoes are giving me twice as much mileage from a set of shoes – that is important, there is no slippage on wet pavement or ice, none. I am thrilled with the horseshoes! Thank you Roger, many thanks."    
 - Bernice Ende

Horse & Livestock Trader Magazine, March 2011; VOL.18:  Feature Article:
Borium Shoes Offer Traction and Safety to Riders and Drivers in Many Equestrian Disciplines
Today's riders and drivers increasingly find the hard pavements and other slippery surfaces in their path, making the risk of their horses losing their footing and falling a real concern.  The traction offered by borium surface horse shoes is becoming a popular solution to the problem.Canadian long rider, Rick Blackburn, used borium shoes during his 2,500 mile ride from Quebec City, Canada to Byran, Texas that began in the spring of 2009.  Preventing slippage in itself, can cause trauma to the legs of horses that are working at extreme levels of activity", acknowledged Roger Robinson, a full-time farrier who offers borium shoes through The Backsmith Shop. "While this is a serious issue, so is the possibility of falls and injuries resulting from poor footing.  On the plus side, a horse that trusts his footing will perform much more confidently than one that is afraid of falling", says Robinson, who was first introduced to borium use through his work with Mennonite buddy horses. Robinson knows the time and equipment needed to apply borium to shoes that may be seen as another drawback.  "Many farriers believe that borium can only be applied after shaping the shoes, making it a time and labor-intensive - and thus costly - addition to a shoeing job", says Robinson.  

Indeed, Robinson worked with borium under that false assumption.  However, borium shoes may be pre-made and then hot or cold-shaped to fit a particular horse.  "Horse shoes with properly applied borium may be shaped as needed without risk of the borium falling off.  Heating the shoes to a dull red is not a problem and will allow for easier shaping as well as hot setting.  

Shaping may also be done cold and no amount of hammering will dislodge properly applied borium," Robinson adds.To address the issue of time and equipment it takes to apply the borium, Robinson offers horse owners and farriers ready-made borium shoes in a variety of sizes.  Also, knowing that many farriers may be inexperienced in working with borium shoes, The Blacksmith Shop provides tips about working with borium shoes at its website.  Robinson is happy to talk to customers interested in using borium shoes about their particular needs.  "Borium is a traction device that makes sense of many equestrian disciplines, but ultimately, the user needs to evaluate his individual situation and determine if borium is something that he can safely use", said Robinson.  "Also, I like to remind horse owners that some horse events tightly regulate the amount of borium that is sued on shoes."The Blacksmith Shop stocks an extensive inventory of ready-made borium shoes at all times, including St. Croix plain and heeled in sizes triple aught through three, as well as size four heeled, Extras in double aught through four, and Extra EZs front and hinds with clips in double aught through four.  In addition to the ready-mades, The Blacksmith Shop also offers custom borium work based on client specifications for its full line of Kerckhaert steel shoes, as well as its specialty line of work horse, mule, and gaited horse shoes."        
- Excerpted from an article by Horse & Livestock Trader Magazine   www.horseandlivestocktrader.com