Heart bar shoes/over reaching

seoirse

seoirse

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 July 2007
Messages
478
Location
Oxfordshire
Visit site
My horse has heart bars on at the moment, he’s been on box rest for 9 weeks and is now starting to have 30 mins in the field at day, which I am building up gradually, so far he is being fairly quiet but I know its only a matter of time as he’s normally a nutter in the field. He has always been a NIGHTMARE for taking his shoes off too, even in normal shoes, so I am terrified the heart bars are going to be off as soon as he has a mad minute in the field. I’ve been putting him out in OR boots but they don’t actually cover all the way to the floor and therefore the back of the shoes. I’ve tried a few different types that I’ve managed to find in the tack room but can’t find anything that would actually offer protection from removing his shoes! Can anyone recommend a particular brand that would be good for this as I need to do everything I can to keep these shoes on him if possible! Thanks! :D
 
Have you tried a size bigger than you would normally use? My mare had them on when she had egg bars on and she never lost a shoe. I used the normal rubber/velcro fastened ones. Just out of curiosity, why is your horse only allowed 30mins out? My mare had a load of box rest then was turned out on her own. I found that she was much more chilled out turned out 24/7 and there was less chance of her running around and re-injuring her tendon. Just wondered if that would lessen the chances of your horse pulling a shoe off.
 
He's had laminitis which is why he's only allowed out for a little while, we started off with 5 mins turn out morning and night, we're up to 20 mins in the morning and 40 mins at night now! I'm building it up gradually and hoping to turn him out for a whole day within a couple of weeks. It seems to be helping as he is less stressed already and box walking less. Will try some bigger boots later and see if they look like they will work, we've got lots of big horses (mines only 15hh) on the yard I'm sure someone will lend me some big OR boots! Someone else also mentioned the Mark Todd ones are long at the back but I can't find a pair to try so might have to give in and buy some.

So far though he is being good in the field and not haring about. Fingers crossed!
 
Last edited:
When my horse started wearing bar shoes I invested in several pairs of cheap rubber O/R boots - a bigger size than usual also.

Saved the shoes big time.
 
My pony was a bugger for taking shoes off also...not saying ANYTHING negative about your farrier, but i found that i just needed to change to a diff farrier (bit more expensive) and buy a size bigger O/R boots as others have said....my 15hh pony with quite upright small boxy feet has a large O/R ( :O ) and i find that roma plastic O/R boots are the best for reaching the floor...and they are a little cheaper :)

http://www.equestrianclearance.com/weatherbeeta/weatherbeeta_over_reach_boots/index.html#placeholder

the ones i use are the PVC ones on this web page!
 
I know what you mean about different farriers and ways of shoeing. It's taken years to find a way of shoeing this horse that means he will keep them on, then he had 8 months off with a tendon problem 3 years ago and so I took the shoes off, and I never put them back on til now as he was fine barefoot. Sadly though now he can't manage without shoes and I have no choice, and only 1 local farrier who was prepared to shoe him how the vet was recommending, so I didn't have much choice. Just got to wrap him up in boots and hope for the best! So far he's managed to keep them on for 2 weeks but I've only just started putting him out. Will try those roma boots, cheap is good! Thanks! :D
 
whisper was in egg-bars for a short time, and i used westrop over reach boots. found they fitted best and covered the back of the shoe without being trod on or too long in the front. i tried all kinds of others but they tended to invert. (part of our field is marshy)

(although she has never been one for pulling shoes off)

vicki. x
 
Try two paris! I have a young mare that goes crazy in the field and was always pulling shoes off, spent a fortune on all sorts until someone recommended putting two pairs on. I use one normal siz pair of pull on rubber ones first that she wears 24/7 then when she is turned out i put a pair of neophrene ones on over the top that are a size bigger and touch wood since ive been doing this for the last 6-7 months all shoes have stayed on :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top