Keeping front shoes on!

[djb]

I have posted this on here as it seems you are a knowledgable lot!

My horse seems to be pulling his front shoes off for fun and it is driving me mad - he has done it twice now in less than 2 weeks and regularly loses one between shoeings.
My farrier says he has decent feet, I always give him a hoof supplement (Topspec) and he is always turned out in rubber over reach boots. He's shod every 6 weeks without fail.
He is turned out in a group of three but they are not always turned out every day depending on the weather (YO decision) so he's maybe a bit daft after a few days in.
The farrier knows my number now and I don't even have to say who it is when I ring now. Luckily he lives down the road so will usually call the same day or day after to replace it.

I'm worried now that his hooves will weaken with all the nail holes and make the situation worse.

Does anyone else have similar problems? I don't want to have to keep him in just so he keeps his shoes on!

 

[kit279]

Glue-on shoes? If they can't keep them on, that's what I do with them. More expensive than regular shoeing but if you're having to get the farrier out every week, works out cheaper. I would also maybe think about changing farrier!

 

[JessPickle]

I have never used these, but thought they looked interesting. Not cheap though. They are veredus piaffe sheild over reach boots.

http://www.saddleupinternational.co.uk/images/vcsl.jpg

 

[connie1288]

I had a horse that pulled shoes of all the time, my farrier knew the problem and he shod her differently which helped, she basically lived in over reach boots. If he manages it with OR boots on(which kind are you using?) im not sure what to suggest other than like kit above!!

 

[djb]

Could it be the farrier? There's another horse on the yard who has the same farrier and he never loses a shoe.

The advantage of this farrier is he's punctual and will always turn up when he says and he will come out on his way home from work.

 

[djb]

Marymoo - I use the ribbed double velcro ones. I try to use ones that are on the big size so his heels are covered.

 

[connie1288]

i had to use pull on ones!! having seen JP's link tho may be these would help, no idea though.
http://www.equiport.co.uk/product_detail.cfm?pId=10

 

[JessPickle]

Another option could be going with barefoot boots. A horse at my yard has Boa ones as he is lame with shoeing.

 

[Teabelly]

I had the same problem until I started doing TWO things.
The 1st I used and still do Pro Feet , I swear its made a huge difference to his feet.

The 2nd and its not very conventional or correct but he goes out with 2 pairs of OR boots on. The bottom pair fit correctly, the over pair are a size bigger and seem to keep the bottom over reach boot down and therefore not exposing the shoe.

Since I have been doing both of these things he has never pulled off a front shoe, and he was doing it before at about every 3 weeks, which was expensive and had become a viscious circle damaging what horn quality he had.

I hope you can sort the problem out.

 

[kate081]

What about getting him to put hind shoes on the fronts? Mine used to be good at treading her front shoes off & she also forged a lot. With hind shoes I don't have any problem.

 

[djb]

Hi teabelly - do you use the Pro Feet liquid or powder?

 

[djb]

Thanks for your suggestions so far - all food for thought for me!

 

[kick_On]

sorry unless good reason, ie poor crumbly feet, bad stickly muddy field, horse with history of over reaching. Sorry to say i would suggest it's the farrier.

There's an old saying No foot, No horse

Problem is your losing foot for him to nail shoe back on, I would suggest that you have nice chat with farrier and explain that your horse does have restrictive turn out. And see if he can amend his shoeing to help - if NO. No matter how local your farrier i would defo being looking for new farrier. As otherwise your horse turns into a very expensive grass cutter.

 

[Teabelly]

Hi, I use the powder, did initially start with the liquid but found the powder more user friendly.

 

[Steeleydan]

My sisters horse has a tendency to pull front shoes off. he is turned out with over reach boots on but still manages it on the odd occasion, he is not allowed to run around in the field. He is shod every four weeks this is not due to crap feet but the horse acctully wears them out the blacksmith shoes him with slightly shorter front shoes so he can't pull the shoes off as easliy. This horse goes hunting so the shorter shoes help him not to lose shoes out hunting as well.

 

[AnShanDan]

I had this problem last summer with one of mine, his feet were not as good as they could be so lost shoes easily. I agree with what everyone else has said re. the farrier and also using over reach boots and back shoes on the front feet (all mine have this now). My farrier also got me to tape his feet with gaffer tape every day before he went out, and also for competitions. You do see this done!
You have to use quite a bit of tape and wrap it around the whole of the bottom of the foot and catch the heels at the back. It has to be wound on tight. Then over reach boots, as large as poss. without getting stood on.
He never lost a shoe after I started doing this. Luckily, his feet are much better now.

 

[djb]

Steeleydan - just wondered how you stop your horse running around in the field? I'm hoping that when they start summer turnout then it's not so exciting and he doesn't run around as much.

 

[beano]

I'm interested in the replies to this as I have the same problem at the mo, mine can't keep front shoes on between shoeings. Mine doesn't have bad feet (IMO), is turned out on good ground always in o/r boots. Never had an issue with losing shoes until I changed farriers about 6 months ago, as much as I don't want to I'm coming around to thinking its the farrier (even though he's very experienced with an excellent reputation in the area).....sounds like this could be your answer too?

 

[djb]

Beano - it could well be the farrier although mine too has an excellent reputation. Another two horses on the yard (we only have 4) are shod by another farrier and they never lose shoes and their feet look fab.
Come to think about it I've had the same farrier for about 5-6 years and every horse I've had in that time has regularly pulled shoes off. The ground is quite sticky round here at the moment though.
I dread getting to the yard after work and now expect that he'll only have 3 shoes on! If there's four on it's a bonus.

 

[VRIN]

Mine kept doing that but we now shoe him with side clips on the front shoes (not actually hind shoes on the front). The first shoeing he lost it within 24 hours, so became a bit of a challenge for the farrier!!! He hasn't lost one since and we are now going longer than 6 weeks between shoeing

 

[Fiona]

Is it always the same front foot???

My mare pulled her off fore shoe off three times in five weeks a couple of summers ago, gues what when she had her physio checkup she was v sore on that side. After the physio did her stuff, it didn't happen again for months

!!

Just a thought, and agree with what others say re OR boots etc.

Fiona

 

[Steeleydan]

djb The field he is turned out in winter is quite close to the house so we can see him from the kitchen window so if he starts to run around he is fetched in straight away plus he only goes out for a few hours every day he comes in before he gets bored. In summer he is turned out 24/7 but has the shoes removed so doesn't matter if he runs round