Shoes and TBs - how on earth does anyone manage to keep them on?

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CBAnglo

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I cant believe the number of times my TB has lost a shoe this month (same foot, 3 times in as many weeks). Each time he loses a shoe in the mud, he rips the horn as well, meaning that there is now nothing to nail the shoe to.

I have had him almost 5 yrs, and in that time he has only lost 1 shoe (before this). The fields are muddy, but they have been worse.

I have started feeding him biotin (never had to feed him anything before as, although he has typical TB feet, we never had a problem keeping the shoes on). Does anyone else have any recommendations for any other supplements/stuff to paint on his feet? I have been feeding BOSS for about 2 yrs and I did notice a difference in the quality of the hoof, but I think the main problem is that his feet just are not growing, and so they are virtually bald.

I have also ordered the Kevin Bacon stuff so will try that when it arrivees.
 
My horses hooves have improved no end since I started feeding him Feedmark Benevit.

He hasn't lost a shoe in over a year.
 
I think it must be the weather what with all the boggy mud about
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my TB lost a shoe the other week, and my friends TB is currently loosing one a week!
 
I second overreach boots as well!! Only thing that keeps George's shoes on. Mind you I have spent a small fortune on different types trying to find ones that he can't wreck in a couple of days or that don't rub when left on all the time.
 
I forgot to say, he wears over reach boots and he still managed to lose the shoes. He also had his backs off over winter, but even when he was shod all round he didnt lose shoes.
 
SS - how long did it take for you to notice an improved growth rate?

I have tried a variety of the Feedmark supplements and none of them ever really made a noticeable difference to my horses in the 3 months I usually give any supplement to show an effect.
 
Biotin, which your already feeding, however it will take 4-6 months before you see an improvement.

OR boots, help to prevent tearing them off.

Carr Day & Martin Hoof moisturiser, will help brittle feet also.
 
My TB had the same problem but think i have finally sussed it! Esp over christmas he went 11 weeks (a record for him) as the farrier couldnt get to me as my roads were leathal. Admittedly it has taken time but i use biotin, a cube of red jelly every day (7p a pack from morrisons) and effol hoof moisturiser. His feet are now fab!
 
And while you are waiting for any supplements to take effect this worked for mine.
Neoprene no turn overreach boots fitted quite snugly.
Over those traditional rubber over reach boots 2 sizes too big - I used XL when he is usually a medium.

In the summer I used Boa hoof boots over the shoes which worked well but don't offer any traction so were dangerous when it got muddy.

Of course as soon as I got the fronts sussed he started taking the backs off including once in his stable overnight.
 
I'm afraid the overreach boots have absolutely no effect whatsoever. It is not so much over reaching that is making him lose the shoe, rather that they are sucked off by the mud and as his feet arent growing there is nothing to nail them to.

Over reach boots actually made it worse, creating a sort of vacuum effect. He lost the shoe immediately with the over reach boots, but without managed to keep the shoe on for 2-3 days before losing it. He isnt running about or anything, rather just standing at the gate waiting to come in. If I kept him in, I could keep the shoes on, but I rather have him out in the field as much as possible. He just hates all the rain.

Maybe I should just keep him after the farrier comes to put another shoe on.
 
Thanks ID - I like NAF stuff (I use the hoof moist in summer and it makes a real difference, just doesnt help in winter) so have ordered some.

His feet just look as the though they havent grown at all in the last 3 months. The farrier doesnt even take anything off, just seems to replace worn out shoes, but of course cant nail into the same holes.

I would look at the glue on ones, but think those have even less chance of staying on!
 
When i got my TB last spring, his feet were rubbishy. I think he only lost one shoe over the summer, but because of the condition of his feet farrier advised to take all his shoes off over the winter while he was only in lightish work with me being at uni.

He'll be having them back on in a couple of weeks. But his feet have improved so much! They are now in brill condition and he has been hacking out, jumping and doing pc rallies without them on. Don't know if thats an option for you?
 
Ah - mine used to overreach so different.

A friend swears by duck tape to help keep shoes on - just use it like sellotape all round the hoof. It's a little bit more slippery but if he's not running round you should be fine.

When I tried it mine chewed it off and left it in a neat pile by the water trough for me but he's a bit 'special'.
 
Thanks SL2009: when I first got him, we took his shoes off while his feet were rehabbed, and so although the walls are thin, I think they arent too bad for a TB. They just dont seem to be growing this year. Nothing has changed in his diet, but obviously he is lacking something so think I need a supplement to encourage growth.

Criso: I had thought about the duct tape, my boy is a bit special too so can guarantee if I put it on he would go galloping around and fall over. Dont think I can face another injury. He's lucky he's pretty.
 
Loving the red jelly cube, I remember someone telling me to eat jelly cubes when I was a kid to help my nails grow stronger so there must be a ring of truth in there, somewhere. Does it have to be red
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My own TB has been better at keeping shoes on this year, overreach boots on whenever he is out, not feeding anything special but do wash each hoof every night and apply moisturiser morning and night. Have used both Lincoln green greasy stuff and Naff hoof moisturiser.
 
I give my TB Feedmark's 'Hardy Hoof Formula'. (It's a very similar spec to 'farriers Formula' and 'Formula for Feet', but feedmark are the best on prices). My farrier told me not to bother feeding biotin, as he said it just gives the horse a shinier coat, and doesn't have any noticeable effect on hoof growth or quality.

From personal experience we always use to feed biotin, (back in the days when it was one of the only hoof suppliments) and I can't say we ever saw any improvements in any of our old horse's feet. My dad even made a special foot soaking pool for a couple of our old horses, who had apauling feet.

I think these new suppliments are definately better, as I've not lost any shoes and there's enough growth every 5 weeks for the farrier to work with.
 
Thanks - have just been looking at the Feedmark website and noticed the Hardy Hoof formula ... might give it a try. I seem to spend all of my money on joint supplements and now hoof supplements!

Have heard about gelatin being good, just wasnt keen on feeding animal-by product to my horses.

Criso: I know ... and yet I still end up with yet another TB. Next time - a cob that doesnt need shoeing!
 
Oh god, I know what you mean. I give both mine extraflex, the TB also has hardy hoof, and the old boy also has zerobute, and they get Karon oil to prevent colic. All that lot doesn't come cheap, but they both look great, and the old boy is on track for the oldest horse in the world record
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Tried everything on the market and the only things that seem to work for mine are, Formula4Feet, Effol hoof moisturiser, alternated with the cornuscrescine that you can paint on. Touch wood, cross fingers, my farrier now actually has hoof to work on and for the first time ever actually managed to trim a reasonable amount off my TB
 
Keratex, used on tb's on our yard used to throw a shoe or need re doimg after 3 weeks now goes 6 weeks after using keratex for a month.
another tb was going 4 weeks and now lasting 7 weeks,

just bought some for my horse who tends to twist her back shoes after just 2 weeks, this stuff helps to seal the nails on and starts to work pretty much straight away,
you paint it on (comes with brush) every day for a week and then I think it is every other day for the second week then once a week after that. so it lasts ages
 
does he need shoes?

not to be a smug know it all but my Tb (ex racer no less) works barefoot- ok i am mainly a DQ so 99% of our time is spent poncing in circles on a surface but he CAN happily hack out for 2/3 hours on a mixture of road/gritty tracks/grass and will jump minus shoes too.

friend is desperate to do an intro event on him late this summer and he will stay barefoot for that too.

there may be a good reason your chap needs shoeing, and thats fine, just something to think about and worth trying him without????
 

I had to turn my TB away for 6 months when I first got him back in 1993 as his hooves could literally not hold shoes. This was before hoof supplements were commonplace. The thing that improved his hooves was daily application of brush on Stockholm Tar. Messy, awful job but definitely worked. Not seen it for years but my friend had some spray on the other day so it must still be available.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies.

I am afraid that he can't be barefoot - I have taken his back shoes off as he has a sacroiliac ligament strain and they are worse than the fronts.

Last time he lost the shoe farrier put a back on and it has stayed on the longest. However after his recent episode there is definitely no way he will get a shoe on in this rotation so looks like he is going to have to go barefoot for a cpouple of months. Agghh.

I just need a miracle cure to make his feet grow!
 
A few suggestions

Get him on a good suppliament anything with biotin in it it actually doent matter which one, also a multi vitamin ect so a complete with biotin would be the most cost effective. Gelatin is a good one too. as long as he is getting what he needs nutritionally then he will grow the appropriate hoof.

For his feet topically cornucresine on the corronet bands daily this stimulates the growth and hoof heal three times a week on the rest of the foot. both are reatively inexpensive products

This suggestion would be done without any topical applications (although you may be able to use cornucresine): Since he cant be without shoes (as going without while the feet sort themselves out is the best way) you could get your farrier to try wrapping his feet in hoof cast. Then the shoe is nailed to the hoofcast and not the feet. This helps prevent the shoe coming off and also helps revent damage and gives your farrier something to nail too.

Oversize over reach boots. I assume the horse is already being shod quite close to the heels? a pair of bigger over reach boots. Also there is a new product on the marlet, i dont know much about it, have not tried it but maybe worht giving it a go...http://www.shoesecure.com/
they look a bit fiddly to me and have to be put in using studs so only to be use in the feild.
 
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