What do I need to know about horse shoes

[KJ94]

My horse has had some issues with hoof imbalances for the last year corrective trimming hoof boots etc have been tried but vet has recommended she gets shoes now as even in the field the grounds too hard.

I’ve never had a horse with shoes, she’s never had shoes on before either (will be sedated for farrier first time)

Is there anything I need to know about shoes? (Part from they’re expensive and a pain is what I’m hearing from everyone so far… )

Are over reach boots essential? Will she need leg boots when ridden? A whole new minefield for me any shoe tips please!

 

[Melody Grey]

Just wondering if you’ve tried pads with the hoof boots if it’s hard ground that’s a problem? I’d be trying everything possible to avoid shoeing personally. In remedial cases I’ve found frequently lost shoes to be more of a challenge to hoof balance than not being shod in the first place.

 

[Abacus]

Why would you sedate her? You don't need to sedate her unless there's a good reason to do so, only horses with issues / previous bad experiences need sedating. A good farrier should be able to work with a horse through their first time of being shod. Generally if I had a youngster in this position I would make sure they were on the yard when the farrier was there shoeing other horses to get used to the smells and the sounds, and see what happens, before they are shod themselves.

Shoes may be expensive but they are not a pain if they are what your horse needs. Mine don't wear over reach boots or brushing boots except for cross country, although with a previous horse that brushed badly I did use them. Depends on her movement.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wouldn't sedate either just try without first have a bucket of feed or treats and try those first she might be absolutely fine.

Quite often shoes don't help with hard ground issues because the shoe can cause concussion, if the horse is having remedial trims it's more than likely that causing the issue, some horses don't cope with extreme amounts of hoof trimmed off in one go, I would really try and get her comfortable before going down the shoe route.

 

[KJ94]

She’s a rescue who is very anxious about farriers (men in general) after being badly abused by one before I got her, she will now stand nice for a trim after much practice but vet advised a low dosage of sedation to take edge off for first time so she can still remember what’s going on and see it’s not bad but without getting completely stressed out.

And have tried hoof boots/pads/different types of hoof boots but from her X-rays she does naturally have a slight in-balance that they think needs corrective shoeing (has been a year long journey and have seen 3 different vets for other opinions)

 

[Zoeypxo]

She’s a rescue who is very anxious about farriers (men in general) after being badly abused by one before I got her, she will now stand nice for a trim after much practice but vet advised a low dosage of sedation to take edge off for first time so she can still remember what’s going on and see it’s not bad but without getting completely stressed out.

And have tried hoof boots/pads/different types of hoof boots but from her X-rays she does naturally have a slight in-balance that they think needs corrective shoeing (has been a year long journey and have seen 3 different vets for other opinions)

Is the horse lame due to the imbalance?

 

[KJ94]

Is the horse lame due to the imbalance?

Yes she is, On hard ground on a turn in trot shes 1/10th lame but with hoof boots is not lame.

She had a lameness workup last year and another this week, with xrays and nerve blocking each time, we did the 6 month rehab and corrective trimming as she was lame on the left which then turned into the right this year it’s been a lot of work and trying many things. The vets plan now is to put shoes on and in 2 shoeing cycles time to do another lameness workup to see if it’s improved the issue and if not she will have an mri in September to see if there is anything else that may be causing it

 

[Landcruiser]

I would be very dubious about "corrective shoes." IMO they will be a sticking plaster over the actual issue at best, and at worst will exacerbate the problem.

 

[HollyWoozle]

To answer your question, I never used boots on mine (we mostly hacked). It depends on horse’s movement and what you plan to do, but I’ve never had a shod horse require boots and view them as an extra if needed, not the norm.

 

[KJ94]

To answer your question, I never used boots on mine (we mostly hacked). It depends on horse’s movement and what you plan to do, but I’ve never had a shod horse require boots and view them as an extra if needed, not the norm.

Thank you we mostly hack as well and never used any boots before so I’m thinking she’ll be fine but wasn’t sure!

 

[Birker2020]

My horse has had some issues with hoof imbalances for the last year corrective trimming hoof boots etc have been tried but vet has recommended she gets shoes now as even in the field the grounds too hard.

I’ve never had a horse with shoes, she’s never had shoes on before either (will be sedated for farrier first time)

Is there anything I need to know about shoes? (Part from they’re expensive and a pain is what I’m hearing from everyone so far… )

Are over reach boots essential? Will she need leg boots when ridden? A whole new minefield for me any shoe tips please!

I'd recommend road nails, I had these with Lari for simply walking on the yard as the concrete on the aisles was quite slippy at one point by the walker where it had worn down over the years and every now and then he would slip or slide with his back feet. This was in part due to the fact he had multiple problems with his SI and any slips just aggravated it and made it worse.

The road nails really helped him and gave him confidence to walk properly, before that he was quite tentative walking across concrete. My farrier used to charge me a couple of quid more but well worth it.

 

[SpeedyPony]

I'd recommend road nails, I had these with Lari for simply walking on the yard as the concrete on the aisles was quite slippy at one point by the walker where it had worn down over the years and every now and then he would slip or slide with his back feet. This was in part due to the fact he had multiple problems with his SI and any slips just aggravated it and made it worse.

The road nails really helped him and gave him confidence to walk properly, before that he was quite tentative walking across concrete. My farrier used to charge me a couple of quid more but well worth it.

I have road nails (well studs but same sort of thing) in mine as the roads are so slick, but I would be guided by the farrier depending on what the issue is- they're not a massive protrusion but might upset the balance of the shoe/way of moving if there's a very specific way the horse needs to be shod- the farrier recommended the old boy change to having 2 studs on each hind as the slight imbalance of only having one in the outside was just enough to impact him- not dramatically, but the extra traction on one side led to increased twisting on the limb, which isn't ideal for an older animal's joints/tendons etc. He's been absolutely fine since, so it was an easy fix, but worth considering how/if you stud as they do alter the way they move. Your farrier should be able to advise on that though.
If you'd rather not shoe, can you boot for turnout?

 

[Melody Grey]

Yes she is, On hard ground on a turn in trot shes 1/10th lame but with hoof boots is not lame.

This would make me even more inclined to make boots and regular corrective trimming my approach. If its sensitivity to ground through the sole, shoeing with pads and dental impression foam was no comparison to boots with mine- the soles on boots are much thicker and more supportive…..cost me a lot to find that out!!

 

[Highmileagecob]

Show the x-rays to a good farrier and explain your concerns. Ask if corrective shoeing will correct what is seen, to the point where shoes can be removed, or just hide the problem. Take a look at Cavallo Barefoot Trim video and compare it to the trim your horse is receiving - has too much hoof wall been removed? Is the frog taking all the weight? Are the heels well developed? Rehab is a long, slow process, and if you have got to the point of almost sound in twelve months, you are doing well.