Leaving shoes on horse-what's longest?

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oldhat

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Hi there! Just wondering what is the longest time you have left shoes on your horse before getting the farrier? I only ask as I have to go into hospital for an op :-(((( and not sure if mine can get here before I go. It is now the ninth week on thursday since she had new ones... And no I can't get anyone else here as I live in the back o beyond!!!
 
It really depends how much foot they grow- ive had an old tb that didnt grow alot of horn have the same set on for almost 6 months! My current horse needs doing religiously every 5-6 weeks because of the amount of hoof he grows. As long as the foot isnt over hanging the shoe, the shoe isnt pressing into the frog, the clenches arent risen/shoe is loose and the foot hasnt become too deep (i.e. the frog isnt in contact with the ground anymore) you will be ok :)
Good luck with youre op! x
 
Zargon - I'm amazed! When we go hunting in France we always say that the horses are shod at the start of the season and that does the whole 6 minths, I thought we were joking!!

I have never gone longer than 8 weeks and that was unintentional.
 
16 weeks...............

I worried every day of it! Horse was 6 weeks in and booked in for a new set days after then he fractured his leg and the vet said absolutely no way.
His feet were oddly fine and it caused the least of his problems. obviously id never do it usually. Do you have a friend who might be able to bring her in and meet the farrier for you?
Hope you have a speedy recovery
 
6 months :eek:

My current horse is large, heavy and has bench knee conformation and her front shoes start to move inwards within 3 or 4 weeks. I have her shod every 5 to 6 weeks religeously.

Longest I've ever left shoes on? About 12 to 13 weeks when I was a kid. I used to book the farrier when my ponies shoes started to clack! Tsk Tsk :o
 
Zargon_91 said:
...... and the foot hasnt become too deep (i.e. the frog isnt in contact with the ground anymore)
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I'm not sure anyone can judge shoeing need by this measure. Few horses in shoes ever have the frog in contact with the ground if stood on a hard flat surface.
 
10 weeks but only as she had strangles and the farrier wouldnt come out - was the best thing for her as she was stood in her feet looked amazing afterwards! poor wee face was a mess and her feet r back to crap again now :-(
 
Thanks for all the replies and kind words. I know it's almost impossible for you to say as there are so many variables. Think I'll make a massive effort to persuade him to come before I go and I'm afraid to say that no he wouldn't do it if no one was here, he can be a bit cranky but then again his wife has just died poor man. I don't know how long I'll be in hospital yet but it's really the recovery time I'm worrying about . OH can't do a lot as he's disabled. What a right pair of old crocks we are becoming! Just been over to the tackshop to get a stupid amount of hay nets so at least I can do some before I go! Dreading this op as much as OH is dreading me not riding/driving for 3-4 weeks!!!!
 
My pony often goes 14 weeks or so.....especially in the winter....her feet barely grow and she doesn't do much work....the farrier comes in between to do the others and checks her, but most times she doesn't need doing....
 
My biggest worry is our lane will freeze up and the farrier won't be able to get up to re-shoe him.
I have to make this clear though, if your horse looses a shoe whilst unable to get hold of the farrier and it goes on for more than a couple of weeks, you must get the other off, as this happened to mine, and the hoof with the shoe still attached, grew and inch or so longer than the one without, causing an imbalance overall.. not worth the risk, so if in doubt, try and get it off.
 
Also depends on type of shoe as well as individual horse.
Personally I'd get someone you trust to get horse in and be there. Someone must be checking horses anyway while youre in hospital?
Or if take shoes off if not riding.
 
6 weeks at the absolute longest. Presumably someone will be doing your horse for you whilst out of action, op, so just arrange a mutually convenient time for both them and farrier.
 
Is the horse good with the farrier and pretty much just needs someone there for the farrier's sake (I think they are not insured if they do it alone)? I am sure you could find someone to stand with them if that is the case, I have been up to 10 weeks on a slow grower, wouldn't want to go much more than 12 even if they looked OK, and if you are recovering you may not be able to do it anytime soon, best get him in to take the shoes off and then leave getting them redone til you are riding?
 
In winter I would do 10 weeks I think I even managed 12 probably due to adverse weather. I use to as a rule do every other pay day(then I remembered to ring Farrier). But in spring/summer grew quicker so tried to stick to 8 weeks. Each one will be different though.
 
I am now trying to decide whether to take them off - trouble is her feet get v crumbly but then again I won't be riding :-( or I could get the old ones put back on then if I recover faster I can get back on, tho I do have another horse who is barefoot so I could ride him! Decisions decisions! My other half is my helper. I think I'm just panicking as the hospital is 50 miles away which makes it even more traumatic! Also we get totally snowed in at a moment's notice and last year said farrier couldn't get here for weeks! That too was traumatic!! If I drank, at this mo I'd be reaching for the wine!! Thanks all for your help!!
 
I guess it wouldn't make much difference shod or unshod assuming you can get them done again in say 8 weeks. Have you been told a recovery period after the Op? Just if you left them off it wouldn't be so time critical to get them done again... Hope you recover well and don't go pushing yourself too hard too quickly :-)
 
I book my farrier in every 6 weeks on the dot, but he's a great guy and will often turn up, look, check nails and then tell me he'll come back in 2 weeks. Last winter when Polo wasn't doing much work, this went on for weeks - 14 in total (with farrier checking every couple of weeks) before the farrier said it was worth doing. He's an old boy and in the cold his feet clearly don't grow that much.
Could you get him to just pop in a double check they aren't hanging off while you're out of action - my biggest worry would be that the chenches (sp?!?) rise and the shoe becomes loose and he pulls it off taking a chunk of hoof with it!
 
Can't believe people leave shoes on for so long? If mine aren't in work the shows come off and trimmed every 8 weeks (ish) and for those shod in work, 6 weeks max.
 
ihatework said:
Can't believe people leave shoes on for so long? If mine aren't in work the shows come off and trimmed every 8 weeks (ish) and for those shod in work, 6 weeks max.
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Me neither! I didn't have a reply to that other thread ' Little things that other people do that bug you ' until now, but come to think of it, it really does cheese me off when the professed 'experienced' people on the yard lead their horses past me to hack out, with dreadful overgrown feet, long toes and 4 clacking shoes. And no, the farrier isn't booked to come out to their horse any time soon. I just don't get it. :o
 
Quick update! I managed to get through to the farrier and he's coming on tuesday! Result! Now I just have to decide whether to reshoe or not...! Thanks for the feedback hopefully now I can concentrate on all the other stuff that needs organising oh yes and then there's christmas ....
 
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