removing hind shoes question for liveries

Capriole

Capriole

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am wondering about something - in books and mags the advice when introducing new animals to a herd is always to have the hind shoes of all the horses removed.

now, ive never been asked to do this, and im wondering how many of you would expect to do this if a new horse was moving to your yard.
i know its sensible, but it would be inconvenient and expensive for everyone to do this every time someone moved wouldnt it, not to mention training and competing schedules being interuppted due to no shoes?
 
I wouldn't be happy about this as a livery as my horse has quite brittle feet at the mo so it would mean I oculdn't work him. TBH if that was the yard policy I'd move!

I think its fine to turn out in a fenced off area/adjacent paddock for a couple of days then introduce to one member of the herd beforeputting the horse in with all of them.
 
This is why I am on a yard where we are allowed to fence off our horses individually if we like, having had 2 operations & an almost dead pony following kicks, my 2 are now safely in together without back shoes.
 
It isn't really an issue over where I live as hardly any horses are ever shod, and even if you find one shod, it's very rare to find one with back shoes on.

I can't imagine people would have back shoes taken off every time a new horse arrived though.
 
i wouldnt be happy either, it would be really inconvenient regards riding out, not to mention extra farrier visits, every time someone new moves on.
just wondering how many actually do it though, as its always the advice
 
Our yard is pretty good as it is split into paddocks with 2-3 horses in each. It's not such a big deal then when new horses arrive. I must say I haven't had to put a new horse in with mine yet, but I would be worried about it. I think I'd rather go for the adjacent fields option though than removing shoes.
 
Presumably the removal of the hind shoes is to prevent and injuries resulting from kicking when new animals are introduced onto the yard.
On our yard we have a 'socialisation paddock', which is an area marked-off in the field of the herd to which the new horse will join. All the horses are able to see one another, sniff, touch and squeal without risk of fighting or kicking. The advantage to this system is that it gives you a chance to see how the animal will be received by the herd and if any individuals really won't accept the newcomer.
However, I have heard that the worst kick injuries are from the feet of unshod horses whose hooves are ragged and rough, causing nasty tears to the skin of the victim.
 
There is absolutely no way I would stay at a yard that wanted me to do this because Jim would be crippled. If needs be I would rather keep him just with my other one that was bought as a companion for him, yes I then get problems but they would be surmountable whereas taking hinds off isn't.
 
However, I have heard that the worst kick injuries are from the feet of unshod horses whose hooves are ragged and rough, causing nasty tears to the skin of the victim.

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I think so too. My mare was kicked and suffered a very bad wound as a result of an unshod horse. I was told by the Vet and my Farrier that hoof makes a much bigger mess than a shoe when it comes into contact with skin.
 
I've never done it or been asked to do it.

I wouldn't do it either!
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There is an awful lot of advice in books & magazines...some of it good, some of it not so good & some of it is away with the fairies.........It's up to you to decide on where you think this advice sits.
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Incidentally, was it a farrier who gave this advice?
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On some yards horses come & go so often you'd have to have the shoes fitted on with velcro!
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retirement type places often ask this but not usual for normal yard. unshod feet can make a horrible mess as more likely to tear the ski as can be sharp, although i suppose shod feet would be more likely to damage bone. ours are only shod in front, but i wouldn't be happy about removing hinds if they were shod.
 
I'm sorry but I cannot agree that unshod kicks are worse, after all unshod feet should still be tended too and I suppose they may be a bit jagged if really bad but horn is nowhere near as hard as a 1cm thick chunk of metal. Shod horse kicks can and easily do kill horses. It's possible with an unshod shod horse but much more unlikely.
 
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Incidentally, was it a farrier who gave this advice?
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you'd think so wouldnt you. no its standard advice given everywhere in mags and horse management books, etc.
 
Of course an unshod foot is less likely to do the damage that a shod foot will do.

However, it is just not practicable for livery yards to ask for new horses to have their back shoes off.

It's common practice when horses go to stud - and whilst it would be wise for us all to do it - it just aint practical.
 
Why would unshod hooves be ragged & rough?? Mine certainly aren't, when my pony nearly died as the result of a kick, the surgeon told me that if the kicker had not been wearing shoes we wouldn't even be having the conversation!! He also told me its not the kicks which cause the damage, its the shoes.
 
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