Cinderella syndrome - how can you keep shoes on?!

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kit279

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My lovely TB just cannot keep his shoes on at the moment - the farrier came yesterday and put one back on and then this morning he has gone and lost the other front one. I could have cried I was so annoyed!
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He lives out with over-reach boots on but he loses them very regularly - any advice on what I can do? I was thinking I might get some Old Mac hoof boots to tide him over until I can get the farrier out - has anyone used these? Also, where on earth do the lost shoes go - we've lost 6 this winter and it's like aliens take them, they just vanish and are never seen again!
 
well H had this problem as well as he tracks up massively so eventually just took them all off and hes been barefoot for 2 years now. old macs are good, i do have a pair just in cse he gets footsore and used them on my old horse, they work well so would recommend them.
 
I have found that with different farriers I have had more or less of this issue depending on their way of shoeing. Have had current farrier for 3 yrs and never lost a shoe. Is he throwing himself around the field, which might account for losing them?
 
Ours used to pull the shoes off in the fences, but now the park has dykes all around it so they dont.
We had to change farriers and the new one is brill, his shoes stay on for ever. The old grumpy guy we had before was useless, they would sometime fall off after a week.

I never used Old Macs, but know someone who has and she says they are super.
 
I always keep a pair of equiboots incase of shoe loss and they are good for the mean time.
Are you feeding any hoof supplement??
 
TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Feeling so cheesed off my self having been really looking forward to taking Parker cross country today, he had his shoe hanging off Thursday but luckly lovely farrier came and refitted it Friday so I wouldn't miss cross country, only to go to bring him in yesterday to find we're a shoe down again and over reach cuts. Could of killed him. Still sound as a pound. So some where in our fields theres two over reach boots and two shoes now. (50% of the time he just twisses them) If I put over reach boots on he just loses the over reach boots. Going to buy some old style pull on ones - like to see him get them off!

I think Parkers recent shoe losing has been because I had his back sorted over christmas which has made a big difference to his way of going as before he was short behind.

Whats even more annoying then no cross country is he will get fresh, lose fitness, I have to stable him which means stupid 'o' clock starts and mucking out twice a day, twice hay and bedding, countless bandages and black tape. Luckly my farrier hasn't charged me yet for refits and come within 48 hours.
 
My horse is barefoot and I use Easyboot Epics when required. I have done X country in them, all of 2' 3" - but I wouldn't want to jump any higher with boots on. There is someone in the USA who events in Old Macs, but I think that is not allowed in the UK due to the risk of catching a boot on the fence and tipping up the horse.

There are several barefoot eventers around, but it wouldn't work if the horse just pulled a shoe - they need to get their feet in a good enough condition to be able to work on all surfaces barefoot first.

They get used to the balance problems. I was schooling out in my field in the rain and my horse was perfectly surefooted - but again, they have to get used to not having shoes on.
 
my sisters ISH couldn't keep a shoe on for a week.. changed farriers (because she was impatient and did quite a bit of damage to my green rescue pony bcos of it) and the problem disappeared...
 
I would reccomend going barefoot, my horse has been barefoot for about 4 years now and my dad has been on a course to make sure we trim their hooves properly. he has since taught me and my horse can walk tror and canter over almost any surface. There is no wear from roadwork and she hasnt had a single crack or absess.

I also have marquis supergrip hoof boots for one of my other horses. i did my research before hand and they are supposed to be the best on the market. I had them 4 him while he was waiting to be shod and they were brilliant. They pump up at the back so there is no way the hoof can get damaged. Go to www.equestrian-select.co.uk (i think) and you can loan a pair before you buy them.

Coincidently i have a size 5 pair for sale as my horse will be shod from now on. i dont know what size you would need put if your interested PM me.

Lucy x
 
Had my horse 12 years and still not figured out a way of stopping him over-reaching his front shoes off in the field. Had several different farriers and it makes no difference. I decided to try barefoot front feet and got Boa Boots (FYI - i tried to get Old Macs at Robinson's but they discontinued them as they had so many taken back falling apart?!). Riding 2-3 times a week my Boa seemed to last well and they stayed on pretty well, but they are a bit of a faff to get on and off (you need a very good horse who doesn't fidget with his feet up). You may find it hard to use them just as a 'spare tyre' for when you have a shoe off as the horses feet will take quite a bit of hardening up and they will still be foot sore in boots for a while after having shoes off. I went back to shoes after about a year and can use one as a spare for shorter hacks if necessary as his feet have stayed quite hard from his barefoot period! Hope this helps
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Maybe his feet are softer than normal so the shoes are coming off easier? I know someone who had a hard time with her horse with shoes, even in overreach boots he had shoes coming off once to twice a week, mainly because he tracked up so well. She put him on limestone and it hardened his feet up and helped tremendously with the loss of shoes, hasn't lost a shoe in a long time!
Hope this helps.
 
Don't "go barefoot" unless you have done a lot of research and get well prepared.

You could get a pair of boots, just so you have them in reserve if the horse looses a shoe and you want to ride him and until the farrier comes. The Saddlery Shop stocks most makes and will give advice. It would be best to have boots with a pad inside to give the horse a bit of a cushion. There are specially designed pads to go inside. All the boots fit slightly differently and can be a faff to learn to put on, but they do work well.

For your immediate problem, I would look at his diet first. You could also try something like Keratex Hoof Hardner.
 
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