Worn horseshoes can occur again and again. It almost always affects one of the front shoes. In principle, this is not a problem as long as the horn substance of the hoof wall is not severely damaged and the horse does not injure itself further. The farrier straightens the shoe and nails it into the old nail holes. However, if the horse tears pieces of horn out of the wall in the process, nailing it on is more difficult. You can read about the causes, reasons and tips for avoiding this below.
Among the horses, there are also specialists who regularly wear off their irons. This is obviously inconvenient for everyone. If the shoe is lost in the paddock, it is important that it is recovered immediately. Otherwise there is a chance that the lost shoe will be lying in the grass with the nails and the elevator pointing upwards. If a horse steps into it, this can result in a nail kick, hoof abscess or even more serious injuries. A lost shoe should always be nailed back on if possible to prevent further damage to the horn wall.
Causes of iron leakage
There can be many reasons for losing the shoe. If a horse unexpectedly steps on an uneven surface, makes a clumsy jump or suddenly slips on muddy ground, it can quickly happen that an Iron is lost. Due to their anatomy, e.g. a short back, some horses are more likely to lose their shoes than others. In such cases, even the best shoeing cannot prevent the loss of the shoe.
The classic stepping off of the iron with a hind hoof
In the classic way of stepping off the shoe, a hind hoof grips the front shoe - either laterally into the shoe (this also works in the box) or into the projection of the shoe at the end of the leg. This happens quickly when bucking or cantering. This is a purely mechanical process.
Possible measures for prevention
- Thick, heavy bell bootsThese fill the space between the heel wall, the ball of the hoof and the shank end of the shoe. Suitable bell boots sit loosely over the coronet band and hardly disturb the horse.
- Matching Rubber or neoprene bunion protectorsBale protectors for horses are pulled tightly over the bales down to the shoe before a competition. However, bunion protectors are not intended for one hour of grazing as they cling quite tightly to the hoof and bales.
- Taping horseshoes: To protect the horseshoe, fill the space between the heel wall, the ball of the hoof and the ends of the legs of the shoe with a lot of adhesive tape. with plenty of adhesive tape tape. This can also help in an emergency. Tip: Do not grease the hooves beforehand.
Measures 1 & 2 also provide good protection to prevent injuries caused by a bale kick.
Changes to the fitting
More elegant solutions are Changes to the foot strike behavior . For example, shorter toes, steeper hooves and more toe direction - but only within an anatomically correct framework. Shorter shanks can also help. Here the farrier must decide how much support surface is absolutely necessary in the heel area. Wider shank ends, bars or a plate with frog support and silicone inlay also offer the possibility of positively changing the footing on soft ground and thus preventing the shoe from slipping. Heavier shoes can also help, as they allow the horse to heel with more "knee action". Talk to your farrier about these options.
These are all solutions that need to be tested individually or in combination.
Inadequate fixation of the shoe to the hoof
Worn nail holes, an already wobbly shoe, brittle and loose horn walls, white line disease and, in unfavorable cases, a combination of all of these can lead to inadequate fixation of the shoe to the hoof. The horseshoe nails and toe caps have to transfer the forces from the shoe to the hoof, which the horse absorbs from the ground when running, turning, stopping, bucking, jumping etc. These forces can be very high. These forces can be very high. When landing after a jump, for example, up to 3000 kg are briefly exerted on a hoof.
An iron that is already loose is no longer a stable connection. If an iron is lost, there are usually larger breakouts and horn wall damage. This is not Cession of the iron, but a loss due to a lack of stability of the hoof wall.
Fig. 3: Horn wall damage due to WLD and multiple nailing
Measures:
If the fixation is inadequate due to a brittle horn wall, bell boots, bunion protectors or taping the horseshoes will not help. An improvement of the horn quality is necessary here, e.g. by using the Keralit hoof strengthener. Riding with loose shoes should be avoided as far as possible, as this causes extreme damage to the hoof wall. Here too, the farrier should be contacted as soon as possible. Moving the horse without the shoe can lead to the wall breaking out or the horse becoming very sensitive and walking clammy as a result. In the best case scenario, the horse should only be moved carefully on soft ground or not at all.
The role of the farrier
The farrier has the task of shoeing a horse in such a way that the shoe fits correctly over the entire shoeing period, the horse remains healthy and the horn substance is preserved. In addition, it is often necessary to correct misalignments or at least to maintain the corrections that have been achieved. Under certain circumstances, corrections can only be made step by step over several shoeing periods.
Physics plays a major role
Horses with a long toe and low heels require For optimum load distribution, horses with long toes need a significantly longer overhang of the leg ends at the heels than horses that stand more steeply. For physical reasons alone, horses with long toes kick off the shoes more easily than horses with a normal toe wall angle.
Horses with long toes and low heels are not able to heel as quickly, i.e. lift off the ground. In some situations, e.g. after a jump or when bucking in a muddy paddock, the hind hoof is already forward before the front hoof can lift off. In this case, a significant shortening of the toe with good toe alignment can help - as far as possible. The farrier must decide to what extent there is still potential here. "The best shoe is useless if it's lying in the dirt." The entire shoeing process is therefore fraught with compromises. An improvement can often be achieved if the shoeing intervals are significantly shorter, as the load conditions and hoof shape deteriorate considerably, especially towards the end of the shoeing period.
Anatomy of horses
In addition, young horses are more susceptible to shoeing during the first few shoeing periods. They still lack the coordination to deal with the new weight ratios on the legs. Frequent candidates are also short horses with long legs that can reach very far forward.
Taking the horse to a good physiotherapist can also help. Blockages in the back, shoulder-neck area or a blocked sternum often prevent coordinated movements.
Of course, it is also up to the horse owner to check the fit of the shoes regularly.