Riding whilst missing a shoe

[DonskiWA]

Argh ! We have our biggest show of the YEAR coming up next weekend (5 days time). My boy has thrown a front shoe and the farrier can’t get here til Friday morning.
i Have a flat and a jump lesson booked - both sand arenas. Both badly needed. Can/should I still go ahead or am I doing some kind of harm by riding with one shoe missing?

 

[ponynutz]

Depends if he still has others on. Probably not going to do too much damage (a lot of shoes come off and horses run around field or finish an XC course) but two lessons might be too much with uneven feet. Bit like only having only one human shoe on

Probably aren't going to get the best out of him with only one off rendering the lessons useless anyway. Is there another farrier that could come? Or sometimes a vet will pop rest of the shoes off for you so he's balanced for lessons.

 

[mini-eventer]

I wouldn't do much with a front shoe missing sorry. I'd cancel the lessons and very gently work him at home to keep him ticking over.

In the grand scheme of things if you are ready for the show two lessons won't make a huge difference. If you over do it you could jar him up and have to miss the show completely

 

[spotty_pony]

I wouldn’t - his balance will be out and you could end up doing more harm than good.

 

[Michen]

My horse spends a good 4/5 months a year barefoot and has good feet. He lost a front shoe the other day and I assumed he'd think nothing of it and took him to a lesson anyway and promptly got off! He just felt unlevel somehow, I was quite surprised given he was happily stomping over gravel etc without the shoe.

 

[Madali]

My girl ripped her front show off just before I set of to the RC combined training qualifiers
I took a chance and went. Managed to qualify for the championship, so if the dressage judge didn’t notice I think you might be ok.
That said mine is a robust Welsh cob.

 

[nikicb]

I wouldn't. I have my mare shod every five weeks and foot angles matter. There's not much point a farrier balancing a foot and then riding with one shoe on and one shoe off even if there isn't any damage to the hoof itself.

 

[DonskiWA]

Bugger.

 

[Cowpony]

I've done a dressage test on 3 shoes and the judge didn't mention unlevelness. I guess it depends how deep the surface is and how your horse copes.

 

[rextherobber]

Can't you appeal to your farrier? Mine would 100% stop by to put the shoe back on, even if I wasn't competing. (This is provided, if course, that the horse wasn't overdue)

 

[Widgeon]

Could you try a boot on the shoe-less foot? Not sure I'd want to jump with it on (not properly fitted etc) but it might even things up enough for flatwork? Our YO does this and it seems to keep both of hers level enough for hacking and flatwork until the farrier can come out.

 

[Carrottom]

I would cancel the jump lesson and explain the situation to the flat lesson instructor and see if you can work mainly in walk. Lateral work, halts etc. With some stretchy trot just to keep it loose.

 

[LegOn]

I wouldnt do the jump lesson but I would give the flat lesson a go but I would also be begging the farrier or offering extra money, blood or tears!!! Or I would stick the horse in the box & go to wherever the farrier was locally if he could accommodate or any other yard that I had friends at where a farrier was going to be before the show! I would definitely be trying any way possible to get the shoe back on!

 

[milliepops]

Can't you appeal to your farrier? Mine would 100% stop by to put the shoe back on, even if I wasn't competing. (This is provided, if course, that the horse wasn't overdue)

This. OH always complains if people have worked a horse with the shoe off because it often breaks the foot up. So it's much a quicker and easier job to pop it back on quickly.

Or could you take the horse to him, if you're out of his way.

 

[J&S]

I think the fact you have the lessons booked on sand is a prime point to NOT have them. Sand will wear the unshod foot doen more. I have certainly competed my NF mare once without a front shoe on grass though.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Deleted

 

[Birker2020]

I personally wouldn't. I've always been a great believer in not riding the day they are shod either, I think that the body needs time to adjust to the different height of the shoe.
Probably talking cods wallop but that's what I've always believed.

I only ever go 5 weeks between shoeings too but I know people who go eight weeks so think that would be a very drastic change.