Mare pulling shoes off!!

[Fiona]

My 5yo TB mare is quite short backed and has always been prone to pulling the odd front shoe off. However she has pulled three off in the past four weeks. My farrier is an angel, and we can normally get a shoe on fairly quickly, but she is a typical TB and is a bit feely without the shoe, and def can't ride her.
She has been off all summer with an injury and is being slowly brought back into work at present, being ridden a couple of times a week.
She wears nice long over reach boots in the field,.....so is there anythingelse I can do to stop her losing shoes.
I am thinking of saying to the farrier if her could square her back toes off a bit, and set her back shoes back a bit to see if this makes a difference.
Thankfully it has been her OF shoe every time (as it was her NF she injured in the spring). They don't seem to be charging around the field, as it is wet at the moment I would see by the divit marks if the had been flaunting about the place.
Any other ideas guys...I am losing the will to live here. I want to ride her but I can't when she has only 3 shoes on.
Fiona

 

[vicijp]

Seeing as it is the same shoe every time, and she is recovering from injury, it may be possible she is overcompensating somewhere. This could cause unevenness in the back and affect the way she moves. I would get the back checked before anything else.

 

[Fiona]

Good point.
She is seeing vet in 10 days time, hopefully he will give her a clean bill of health at that time. Straight after that will get back lady out to give her the once over.

Can you think of anything else I can do to stop her catching the shoes and pulling them off though.

Fiona

 

[vicijp]

TBH, I would be more worried about the cause then finding a solution. I have never had a problem with shoes coming off and when I did the horse had a shoulder problem. He had corrective shoeing, physio, and was fine within 2 months. I have an excellent farrier though, I have known yards where the shoes come off all the time.
How long have you had the horse and have you always had this problem?

 

[Fiona]

I have had her for two years, and as I said above, she has lost the occasional shoe, but never three in a monht before. Bear in mind though, that she has been so well behaved for the past 4 months, as due to her sore foot it has obviously been uncomfortable for her to sport about in the field. As she is now feeling better, this is exactly what she is doing (being a silly mare).
I need to keep her calm, with 4 shoes and no bruised soles due to losing shoes, until the middle of the week after next, as this is when she is booked to go back to the vet.
Unfortunately it is a vicious circle, as I would have ridden her today and tomorrow if it wasn't for the lost shoe, which would have helped her be less fresh.
I am perfectly happy with my farrier, our other mare is shod very far back to help her movement, and she and my gelding never lose shoes.
Flora is extremely short backed, and has a tremendous overtrack, so the odd shoe is an occupational hazard I feel.
Just wish I could glue them on for the next few weeks though.

Fiona

 

[vicijp]

You could try the glue on shoes of course!
Personally, find them useless.

 

[Caritas]

I do agree with vicijp completely but regards to stopping or helping to stop your horse pulling her shoes I would put over reach boots all round. I would use the neoprene ones cos they are padded, less likely to rub and putting them on the hind feet aswell will help stop the hind foot from catching on the back of the front shoe due to the padding. My boy is as bad as your mare and I do really feel for you as it is a complete nitemare, I am quite lucky however that my boy is sound even when he pulls one off. Other than that it is very hard to know what to do , I have tried all sorts. There was a company that were making boots that covered the heal of the foot but discontinued them due to a manufacturing fault, they may have re launched them!! The only other thing that may be of help to you is buying some old mac boots, boa boots or something similar for her for when she pulls them off so as you may still be able to ride her. Good luck!!

 

[Caritas]

Im sure a glue on shoe would just come off for a pass time. Thatl be four shoes lost in one week, hee, hee!!

 

[KatB]

My boy does this too!! Had his back shoes set back, and his toes kept short, combined with lots of turnout so its never that exciting, and touch wood, he now doesnt loose them in the field!!
What is her foot quality like? I put my boy on a biotin supplement, and stronger hooves has also helped I think!!

 

[Caritas]

Farrier could also roll toes in front for quicker breakover!!

 

[Fiona]

She has been out 24/7 all summer, due to come in at night from this week.

She is booked to go to farrier tomorrow evening to get shoe replaced, but will see if he has the time to do a full set, and get her back toes trimmed right back.

Fiona

 

[Fiona]

Thanks for your helpful reply. Fortunately I was able to ride her in the sand school this afternoon which was good, though a bit feely walking up and down the lane to it.
Hoping farrier will be able to shorten back toes, and if the vet gives me the OK to work her harder again, then she shouldn't be as fresh (I think).

Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Will have her back checked, though not sure if I have time before vet appt.

Fiona

 

[Iestyn]

Agree. Our boy regularly pulled his shoes off in a sticky/ muddy field. However, he's in his own paddock now with very little poaching and enough grass so no mud! Our farrier puts shoes with quarter clips on the front - it's definitely worked!!!

 

[Fiona]

She always wears shoes with quarter clips on, as I think it is the easiest way to be able to set the shoes well back with plenty of heel support.
She was reshod last night, he took a lot off her back toes and they are a lot squarer, so hopefully that will help.
We have a little mud in the gateway, but not too much at the moment.
What exactly were you "agree"ing with, as all responses have been good ideas???
Fiona