Shield Proficiency

(Player's Handbook v.3.5, page 100, DnD 3.5)

[General]

You are proficient with bucklers, small shields, and large shields.

Benefit

You can use a shield and take only the standard penalties (see Table 7--6: Armor and Shields, page 123).

Special

Barbarians, bards, clerics, druids, fighters, paladins, and rangers automatically have Shield Proficiency as a bonus feat. They need not select it.

Normal

When you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving, including Ride checks.