Do you still ride if your horse has lost a shoe?

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Ilovefoals

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I am supposed to have a lesson at a clinic with a visiting trainer on friday and my mare has pulled off a front shoe. She's not footy in the slightest, lunged her yesterday and there was nothing to say she'd lost it. So do I go ahead and attend the lesson?

Farrier is in hospital and cant find another who'll come out to me, (live middle of nowhere). Also, still have to pay for the lesson if I can't go. Had to do this the last time as I was ill :(

What would you do?
 
Can you not use an old mac boot or something similar??

I have gone to a show with a missing shoe before and my horse was fine but I only did flat showing no jumping. I think I would go and try it if you need to pull out the lesson early you do.
 
If sound, go ahead. If not, you'll have to cancel.

When I did shoe my horse, if he lost a shoe, we'd just carry on if he could. Makes you wonder if you needed any in the first place.... :D
 
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i still ride mine but he isnt footy or even bothered by having 3 shoes! x i try to stay on the grass and softer ground but he's not bothered even on the small bits of road i do go on x
 
Yes as long as the horse isn't feeling it. My horse is a total fairy and when he pulled one off out hunting he behaved as though someone had chopped his leg off until farrier put it back on, so with him I wouldn't but you say your horse is fine so I'd go ahead. I don't think I'd want to be jumping and maybe just take it easy, but as long as she's happy then go ahead.
 
I took mine to an rc rally with one shoe on! Had to hack there along the road, do an hours flat lesson and then hack back. He didn't bother about it at all.
 
Her foot is perfect, just minus a shoe and she's not footy at all. The lesson is indoors on a wax and fibre surface and it's 45 mins flatwork only. Think I'll hop on later and see how she is at home then decide. Thanks. Just wouldn't want people to think bad of me!
 
I wouldnt do it on mine as he goes hopping lame when he loses a shoe as his feet are rubbish.

As for yours though, if it has good feet, is on a soft surface and is sound, I can't see any harm in it :)
 
Is it behind or in front?

Can you pull the other shoe off. As you are preseumably working on quite good ground (softish grass or a 'surface') then I would be happy to go without shoes - but I would probably want the horse to be level so would get OH to take other shoe off to balance the horse.

I would prefer though to have 2 fronts and no behinds .... having just 2 back shoes seems odd but probably would be just fine.
 
I would, your horse seems fine, and its on a surface.
My gelding has had ti wait a week for s shoe to be out back on, he was still turned out every day and ridden in the school.
But it depends on your horse.
How likely is it to get foot sore and does it usually cope well?
 
Her feet are hard as rock, really good strong feet actually. I've only just started shoeing her as the vet wanted shoes on post surgery she had in august. I might go back to no shoes though as I don't think having them on makes a difference as she's got such great feet anyway.
 
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