Do putting over reach boots on help keep shoes?

[shadowboy]

For the first time in horse ownership (20+ years) I have a horse with a thrown shoe- I've never had a horse lose a shoe before - I think this young lad over reaches somewhat. I've often seen folk turn out with over reach boots on- do they help keep shoes on?

 

[Redders]

I turn mine out in over reach boots as she really over reaches running around in the feild, you can hear her from the opposite end! I put them on as she is now shod all round so it prevents her injuring herself AND helps stop her pulling her shoes off.

 

[old hand]

the answer is a bit, but the better response is to ask your farrier to improve the breakover in his front feet. Its usually the good movers with a large overtrack that do it. i have one that's a bit of a nightmare but it is because he moves so well and clowns about in the field. i also have him shod every four or five weeks which makes a big difference. My farrier rolls his front and hind toes too. we are about to try shoes with breakover at all angles in front as it's the turning and spinning that is doing it. That may help but don't do anything that affects his natural action. He has to be shod as we need studs all round for show jumping. he is an athletic big horse and mullers his shoes if he hooks them off. Feet are great though does little damage to them. He has a full dose of vitamins and minerals every day, limestone flour and magnesium which keeps his feet in very good nick even in dry weather. kevin Bacon every day on the nail heads and fingers crossed! he has only taken two off all summer and was being an absolute idiot each time.

 

[Mrs G]

Agree with old hand - they do help but appropriate farriery (?) is vital and don't be suprised if you spend a fair bit of time playing 'hunt the missing over-reach boot' and/or replacing them when there's more chunks out of them than actual boot!

 

[shadowboy]

Thanks folks! Will get some tomorrow and question the farrier re improving the break over- it was his first ever set of shoes so a real shame he threw one in less than a fortnight!

 

[Cowpony]

I turn mine out in over reach boots as she has injured herself in the past. I've started buying really bright colours so I can see them if she pulls them off. Looks mad, but it means I can keep the black ones for when it matters.

 

[PolarSkye]

I turn mine out in over reach boots as she has injured herself in the past. I've started buying really bright colours so I can see them if she pulls them off. Looks mad, but it means I can keep the black ones for when it matters.

What a brilliant idea!

P

 

[Red-1]

Mine wears Overreach boots in the field on Farrier's orders but TBH they do little. He is a very fleet of foot but powerful horse (think muscles in bum like athlete), and when he pulls his shoes off it is because the shoe has gone into the ground and simply not come back out with the foot.

The farrier insists he must be over reaching, but you can see the hole he makes, it happens when our clay land has a crust of dry on top, and is wet underneath. The foot goes in, comes out and at the bottom is a shoe, every nail standing to attention, no damage to foot. There is no second footprint, no over reach.

Really difficult to find as they tend to be 9" below!

I just have to move him off the field when it is wet, and he is turned out on the arena for winter. This is for the sake of his shoes and tendons too. On the arena he does not wear boots because he takes them off for a bit of fun, but in the field we do, as he has grass to pay with instead.

Bloomin horses!

 

[Liane]

I have a horse that overtracks and takes his own front shoes off but I also have the problem that my youngster stands on his back shoes and takes those off! So he wears overreach boots all round which do go some way to help but it doesn't solve the problem completely.

 

[criso]

I had one that was a genius at pulling shoes. Even managed to remove two back shoes in the stable!.

He would lose shoes weekly usually on a tuesday or wednesday - farrier visited every monday. The best combo I found was a pair of neoprene type overreach boots which fitted fairly snugly. On top of these, a pair of traditional rubber overreach boots that were a size too big. Not 100% but helped.

Mud will also make it worse as this slows the front foot. Front foot lands lands and slides a little into the mud, the mud holds it which means it doesn't move out of the way until a split second later which gives the back foot time to catch the front shoe and pull it off.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I agree with oldhand. If a horse is frequently pulling shoes (especially if they didn't used to) or the horse needs OR boots on to keep shoes on, it is wise to assess the horse's hoof balance/hoof health. OK, the horse might have perfect hoof balance, but many horses that pull shoes have long toes - which is often accompanied by under-run heels which can be contracted too - and this delays the breakover.

 

[Copperpot]

What a brilliant idea!

P

I do this too. We have an assortment of purple, pink, orange and white over reach boots 😊

Sorry quoted wrong person!!!

 

[criso]

I agree with oldhand. If a horse is frequently pulling shoes (especially if they didn't used to) or the horse needs OR boots on to keep shoes on, it is wise to assess the horse's hoof balance/hoof health. OK, the horse might have perfect hoof balance, but many horses that pull shoes have long toes - which is often accompanied by under-run heels which can be contracted too - and this delays the breakover.

With the horse I mentioned he had a big movement/overtrack, we were on clay and had contracted underrun heels so all the factors to cause problems. If the farrier shod to give the heels maximum support, (wide webs and set back to provide support) he was more likely to pull the shoes as easier to catch.


Gave up on shoes in the end which is a whole different thread but the double booting I mentioned above was what worked best at the time.

 

[shadowboy]

Well I found the shoe- at least that's something- now to get the farrier to come and refit it- hasn't replied to my call yet

 

[MissJessica]

Mine wears over reach boots in Winter, he is out at night, in during the day and his feet don't like getting wet in the paddock and drying out in his shavings best therefore pulls his shoes easier.
I use a pair of brightly coloured plastic over reach boots for turnout. Please see my blog as I wouldn't recommend this brand!

http://geegeeandme.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/oscar-loves-shiny-new-shoes.html

 

[Annagain]

Mine had terrible trouble keeping back shoes on. We changed farrier as my other one needed remedial shoeing and new farrier was recommended by vet. New farrier probably did as much good to the 'wrong' horse as he did to the one who needed remedial shoeing.

He very gradually changed the balance of his back hooves and in the meantime he wore overreach boots on his back feet. Since that day (6 yrs ago) he's only lost one shoe (a front one) rather than one at least every 3 weeks.

No idea if they're any good, but those "Shoe Secure" things are being adverstised a lot now. Might be worth a try if boots don't work?

 

[frostyfingers]

My TB is very short coupled and has a big over track so I do usually put them on for the first week or so - I get a size bigger than the ones I use for riding and it seems to work.