Would you ride with a loose shoe?

[Slave2Magic]

My mare pulled out one of the nails in her front shoe and the farrier can't come out until next week. Would you still ride? It's not terribly loose but I don't want to make it worse.

 

[devilwoman]

Personally I wouldn't incase it caught or another nail broke and it twisted while riding, could cause horrible hoof damage, i'd just rather wait for the farrier if it were me.

 

[Starbucks]

No I wouldn't. Look what happened to Black Beauty.

 

[tallyho!]

No, I'd take the whole thing off and ride without one for a week. you risk damaging healthy horn and might not be able to nail a new one on.

a gelding at my place is always losing shoes and is ridden sometimes for more than that to no detriment.

 

[proctor]

No I wouldn't ride. A loose shoe only gets worse until the farrier has been! No point in risking it twisting, or more clench's coming loose and slicing into the next leg.

 

[Slave2Magic]

Thanks for the replies. I won't be riding her then. I wish I could take the whole shoe off but I don't have the tools and don't know how. She tends to have a run round in the field so it could still come off.

 

[dominobrown]

No, I wouldn't.
I would however take the shoe off and if its level maybe ride on a surface. Infact I would prob take the loose shoe off just is case its twists anyways.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I wouldn't as I can always rely on my two twisting them or getting a nail in the sole.

 

[Enfys]

I wish I could take the whole shoe off but I don't have the tools and don't know how.

Have your Farrier show you how to take a shoe off properly when he's there next, he should be quite happy to do that for you, also ask which tools you would need to do it with. You should be able to get tools from your Saddlery, or if not, then somewhere like Robinsons should have them, basic and inexpensive, but quite adequate for emergency use. (My Farrier pays $400 a go for some of his kit! I reckon I've bought him quite a few )

Yes, just checked, they do (spread over several pages)

http://www.robinsons-uk.com/product...4&parentGroupCode=0402&groupCode=04208&page=3

 

[Piglet]

Personally I wouldn't ride a horse with a loose shoe, if it comes off whilst on the ride and twists around, it could end up with the clip been embedded in the frog or puncturing the hoof or white line, if possible try to take it off yourself if loose enough

 

[Slave2Magic]

Problem solved!
Found out that I have a farrier next door to our yard! He came today and put nails in the missing holes. Thank you Rob.