Would you expect a YO to be able/willing to remove a shoe?

[ycbm]

How do you remove the shoe without removing the clenches?

There are youtube videos about how to lever the nail out by grabbing the head with long handled pincers.

If the clench is up, you can cut it off first. If it's a little bit up you can get a buffer underneath it and bang it up higher with a hammer, then clip it off.

Sometimes it's too new and too darned tight, but the action of levering out the nail head also 'undoes' the clench. Sometimes with a little bit of damage to the foot so it's a judgement call whether the shoe has to come off there and then.

With tight clenches, I tend to loosen the nail first by levering up the heel of the shoe a little with long handled pincers between the foot and the shoe, then pushing the shoe back down leaving the nail head proud.
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[ILuvCowparsely]

Just curious really. Wondering if I need to do some expectation management! I've been on holiday and the horses have been on full livery. I am on a pretty expensive competition yard with good facilities and an onsite YO who is a former pro rider. I got a phone call yesterday saying Toby's shoe had slid back and he was a bit lame. Though she felt it was just because the shoe was in the wrong place and he'd be sound as soon as the shoe was off.

I asked her if she had taken the shoe off and she said she would not be willing to do that. I texted my farrier but got no reply so this morning decided to come home early and take it off myself. I thought shoe removal was a pretty basic skill? It's in the Stage 2 care curriculum! Anyway I am pretty upset now because it was clear immediately that he is uncomfortable on that foot even without the shoe. I think the a nail or 2 has got into some sensitive areas. He's not hopping lame by any means but is definitely a bit sore. But fingers crossed he has not done any damage......

The question is
Would you expect a YO to be able/willing to remove a shoe?

My answer would be:


Yes I would expect the yard owner to be able to remove a shoe at the very least if it is twisted or half off.
Yes I would hope the Yard owner would be willing to remove a shoe (and I have when the need was there, horse had twisted it and standing on the nails.)

 

[ycbm]

No you clip the clenches leaving a straight nail which you pull out with the shoe.

Much easier and safer to human and horse to pull out each nail individually by its head.
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[milliepops]

if you have a pair of nail pullers its easier again.
this is why I think it's not that hard with a bit of planning ahead, you need the right kit at hand to make it easier, not struggling with whatever you find in the shed

I agree that a shoe that was newly fitted is going to be more difficult but realistically that's not what we're discussing, is it? this whole thread started with a shoe that had moved - in order to move the nails have to have loosened a bit.

 

[jules9203]

If the shoe has moved and I can remove it without causing major damage to the hoof wall then yes as a YO I would remove the shoe. If I could cause more damage removing it compared with a farrier/vet then I would try and get one first. I thijnk it depends on YO, Horse, Farrier, Vet

 

[Gloi]

With a horse with a twisted shoe I don't think an amateur should necessarily put the foot between their legs before tackling it. Too much chance of a nasty injury if the horse messes about

 

[AdorableAlice]

It is really interesting to read the differing thoughts and expectations. I wonder how many of you have a contract that really covers all of your expectations of the yard owners/managers. Conversely how many yard owners write into their contracts the provision of shoe removal. I bet some yard owners providing full livery will be reading their contracts now.

In the OP's position the horse could not be left and the yard owner should have sought professional help and not left the horse, we all agree with that. But had she taken it on herself to remove the shoe and damaged the foot rendering the horse lame and in need of veterinary intervention or injured and unusable for a period of time, the whole position changes and she leaves herself open to possible legal proceedings for damaging someone else's property. The question of whether she is capable of removing the shoe is very different to the question of should she remove it and risk harming the horse without written permission from the owner. We sadly live in a very litigious world now.

My own horse fell off the lorry ramp last week and ripped a hind shoe sideways, the outside quarter was split away and had I tried to take the shoe off more damage would have been done. The horse was held whilst help arrived in the form of my farrier who lives nearby, but had he not been around it would have ended up a vet call. For anyone providing full livery a water tight and comprehensive contract is imperative because decisions might need taking with no owner intervention.

 

[bouncing_ball]

After my horses twice got a toe clip in white line from slipped shoe and I found them non weight bearing, and had late night emergency farrier visits, I decided I’d better learn.

Bought tools and my farrier showed me. I took all four off my horse but it was hard work!!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

AE, with all of the debate aside...how is Toby doing..??

 

[Ample Prosecco]

AE, with all of the debate aside...how is Toby doing..??

He's ok thank goodness. Farrier has taken shoes off and we are going barefoot now. He is no longer footsore but does seem a little pottery turning tightly to the right though others seem to think I'm imagining that. He's been out for a couple of hours and went bananas initially- putting the fear of God into me! But I guess that means his feet can't hurt that much.

 

[Arzada]

This is the theory... Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it, written neatly down.

4 steps to take when removing a horse’s shoe

2. Make sure that both you and the horse are comfortable, standing on level ground and in a sheltered area. The job will be a lot harder — and potentially dangerous — if the horse is jumping around. Wearing a hard hat, face the horse’s quarters and hold up his hoof between your legs as pictured.

That would definitely be dangerous if it was a hind leg. Hopefully the person removing the shoe would know how to position themselves for a hind foot and how to position the leg.

 

[tristar]

i think all yards should have the equipment to remove a shoe, quickly


its an emergency, if the shoe has moved, swiveled twisted, the clip is in the white line, the horse is standing on nails etc, it needs to come off straight away