History

The History of Product Development

GoldenWings began over 60 years ago when my two grandfathers in Western Pennsylvania noticed a simple peculiarity about horses. One a farmer and the other a logger realized that horses don't pull a load. Horses push loads. They push with their toes and land on their heels. Horses, they knew, could land level and straight with traction. The idea of GOLDENWINGS was born.

We began racing Standardbred horses mostly Trotters, & Pacers, too. Daniel Miller an Amishman, shoed Amish road horses & racehorses. Dan came weekly to reset or modify the shoes of our horses for racing at the Meadows at Washington, Pa. & at county fairs. Dan knew the adjustments would give them traction without interference, to land on the heel and push off straight with the toes. Race horses needed to have as little weight, close to barefoot as possible for speed. In addition, the Amishman believed in short toes, higher heels and fractions of inches and ounces to make a difference to achieve zero interference, with no boots or protection whatsoever. Dan believed if a racehorse at speed even touches a hair, they'll slow to avoid interfering. He kept accurate records of measurements to make necessary adjustments when he returned to check the horses. The result, a long time coming, is today's state of the art GOLDEN WINGS HORSESHOES.

The Blacksmith used detailed records on a 4-week schedule. He experimented with different widths, weight of shoes, half rounds, half round with half swedge, flip flops, toe weights and toe grabs. He worked bending, welding, cutting, rolled toe shoes, cutting off grabs, adding studs, borium spots or nails for traction. Shoes were always light, using the least weight possible. Of significant importance was the realization that the Frog was the key to hoof balance – and further – for each individual horse. No one shoe was going to work for all horses. For example, the man noticed that some frogs point the wrong direction for horses to land and leave straight. This could cause some horses to get into their knees, causing interference. Some frogs are short and others long. Shoes now had to be created for numerous hoof differences and challenges.

10 years of experimenting with materials has produced a special compound that is very light in weight and actually simulates the flexibility of the natural hoof. This SECRET COMPOUND TECHNOLOGY allows the frog to do its job with traction and cushion. GOLDEN WINGS HORSESHOES provide a shoe for your horse that is closest to how a natural (bare) hoof would feel and perform.

GOLDEN WINGS HORSESHOES are the most revolutionary horseshoe created since the Romans used Hippo Sandals over 2000 years ago. From ancient times to the present, man has developed many methods trying to protect the hoof of the horse. Some of these methods are known to have crippled more horses than they've helped. The health and strength of the hoof is critical to the horse's overall soundness. The time is now to bring horseshoes up to modern day standards with up to date science to back the methodology and technology to develop the shoe's structure, design and material.

602-909-3144

goldenwingshorseshoes@gmail.com