keeping heart bars on

[rforsyth1984]

Horse started going out on sunday after 5 months box rest. Yesterday, he came in minus one heart bar shoe, but with over reach boots still intact.

The farrier is coming at the end of the week to replace it so he can go back out. The field is quite muddy in places (round the gates etc) but otherwise not too bad.

Are there any other ways to keep shoes on? at £75 a go (each), I cant really afford them too often!

I am going to pay someone to bring him in early so he's not hanging round the gate when the others start coming in (more bloody money!)

 

[smirnoff_ice]

Molly's in heartbars (well, central support shoes, but they're almost the same) at the moment. Has been for 5 months and she's yet to lose one **touches lots of wood!*. Doesnt even wear over-reach boots.

Our fields are the same - wet everywhere, muddy by the gate, but generally ok. She's out all day, every day, but has been fine.
Murphy was in heartbars for laminitis for over a year, and he only ever lost one shoe. And another pony on our yard has been in heartbars for years and never loses a shoe.
I think it just depends on how good the farrier is and how good the horses' feet are. We're lucky i guess.
I dont think there's much you can do apart from put decent over-reach boots on, pray for dryer weather and tell the horse to behave himself in the field!

Hopefully it's just a one-off. They're stupidly expensive aren't they!

Lou. x

 

[Eaglestone]

I am sure I must have misunderstood the scenaria. ... but I am sure you have not 'just turned him out after 5 months box rest'

if so ....... not wonder he has lost a shoe as, he would have done hooooooooooooooolies in the field

I am sure you will put me right though!
I pricked my ears up on this post purely because my old boy also had a 5 month stint a couple of years ago

 

[Angua2]

I dont have heart bars but I did have egg bars and had a huge problem. Sounds mad, but I used to use duct tape. I would cover the entire back of the foot and round the front and slightly underneath so my boy couldn't step on the back of the shoe even with over reach boots.

I also came every good at finding said shoes, even in a muddy field. I have now moved on to straight bars as I was loosing the same shoe within days of it been on and was rapidly loosing foot and upsetting my farrier - not good with bad TB feet

 

[nikkiportia]

I was then about to suggest duct tape, then noticed angua2 has already said it.
It's what our vet and farrier have suggested to us in the past, and it really does work.

 

[rforsyth1984]

obviously I havnt just chucked him out after 5 months, he has had a month of being ridden in the school in walk, and being turned out in a little field for an hour a few times a week (when available).

We have now progressed to half a day out in the main field, of which on day 3 he lost a shoe - this was the first day he ran around - we have reasons to suspect someone was *exercising* a dog in the field.

Thanks for the advice, I will try the tape with the over reach boots as well! Luckilly he has really good strong feet, so fingers crossed we can keep them on this time!

 

[Sneedy]

What type of over reach boots are you using?? I used to use the big Professional Choice ones (neoprene material) and they were great at keeping egg bars on my naughty ponio, fitted them quite loose so they covered the back of the shoe!! The rubber ones over reach boots were pretty useless!

 

[Glayva]

my young horse has been turned out in heartbars at the moment.
I am using neoprene over reach boots that are too big for him so they touch the ground at the back.

one week so far but i do expect them to come at some point, we have a lot of mud.

 

[Eaglestone]

Sorry I was reading the post literally

Would it not be possible to turn him out in a sectioned off part of the main paddock, if the smaller paddock is not available daily or would the YO not allow this? The problem in all respects at this time of the year is the ground conditions, isn't it. It is so difficult getting the balance without costing you loads more time and expense and obviously the worry is being able to keep the shoes on .... I had to keep sterefoam (sp) on my horses feet to 'allow' him turn out in a tiny paddock and the duck tape lasted a couple of days then had to be replaced, however it allow him his much needed turn out so that he could feel he was a proper horse again