riding horses who've thrown a shoe?

blitznbobs

blitznbobs

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My cob has lost a shoe... its been sucked off in the mud nothing sinister and the farrier is a good guy and is coming first thing tomorrow. so i've not ridden the pony today... but what do people do if the farrier can't get there for a few days.. do they ride with odd shoes or do you wait... I'm always in 2 minds as what to do for the best when it comes to work.

PS I don't really want to get into the barefoot debate. I have both barefoot and shod horses and at the moment it suits to have this pony shod in front...
 
I’d err on waiting or doing wet field/arena maybe in the meantime’s just because they aren’t really prepped for it.
I did finish a XC lesson afternoon he popped one off on a step though :)
 
Depends on the horse, which shoe and what work you are contemplating? I wouldn't have a problem doing some light work or lunging in the arena or otherwise a soft surface for a day or two if the horse was perfectly sound and generally had good feet and seemed unaffected by the loss of said shoe. Especially if it is a back shoe.
 
Get yourself a hoof boot, for Trec we had to carry one with us because if we lost a shoe during a ride that was it.
Ask your farrier what size you will need and just order on line.
 
J&S said:
Get yourself a hoof boot, for Trec we had to carry one with us because if we lost a shoe during a ride that was it.
Ask your farrier what size you will need and just order on line.
Click to expand...
This.
I’d ride a horse on the soft or in an arena with a shoe missing, but not on the roads unless booted. My late dressage horse used to pull front shoes off for fun, and I would do a decent two hour hack inc roads and lengthy canters in woodland with an Easyboot on - he was fine.
 
I wouldn't want to walk very far myself in only one shoe, so I would give the horse the time off until the farrier could get there. I wouldn't want to risk straining a ligament/tendon by having odd length legs. I can't imagine why anyone would. You certainly couldn't expect to get any quality balanced work from the horse.
 
The previous owner of my horse used to carry on regardless if he’d lost a shoe even if it was a week or so until farrier was due. I was mortified. I actually shoe more frequently than previous owner. I’ve lost one shoe in 3 1/2 years and farrier was at the yard the day after.
 
I would have ridden in the school... before marrying a farrier. If I did that now I'd get my wrists slapped. but then I do also get premium service in the circumstances :p
 
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