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Is there anything more annoying than when you get your horse in from the field only to find that they have lost a shoe? It usually happens on the morning you have a particularly good ride in the pipeline or youre looking forward to a trip somewhere exciting in the horsebox. Alas all plans are immediately put on the back burner and you have the problem of getting your farrier out ASAP to put it back on and what to do with the shoe-less hoof in the meantime?Preventing your horse losing a shoe is an important part of hoof care, because it helps to keep hooves healthy.Here are five things you can do to help lower the chances of it happening:1 Use overreach bootsPut overreach boots on your horse when turned out or when doing fast work and jumping. This will hopefully prevent them from standing on the front shoe with the back hoof and pulling off a shoe.Over reach boots are a big help but the correct fit is essential, confirms farrier Jack Climo. You need to make sure that the boot touches the floor at the back part of the hoof. You shouldnt be able to see the shoe at the back, otherwise the boot wont protect the shoe.2 Take care when ridingMost of the time, horses lose shoes when they are out at pasture.However, there can be occasions when they lose them while being ridden, such as when galloping and jumping.Tired horses who are loping along are more prone to over-reaching and pulling shoes, explains Jack. So, nursing a tired horse back to their stable safely by keeping them up and together will help. They can stumble into themselves when they are tired.3 Know your terrainHorses can lose shoes when working on a deep surface in an arena or on the gallops.Its also a risk when the ground is boggy.However, its not actually the surface or mud that sucks the shoe off.Its where the surface is requiring a lot of effort from the horse to pull their feet out, so much so that their front feet cant get out of the ground quickly enough for the hind feet.The hind feet end up coming into contact with the front hooves and pulling a shoe, explains Jack.Be careful when doing fast work on deep going, and ideally make sure your horse is wearing overreach boots.4 Go steady on inclinesHorses that are turned out or frequently worked on inclines can have a higher tendency to lose shoes.Ive noticed that horses who are turned out in fairly level, flat paddocks are less likely to pull a shoe than those turned out on a hilly paddock, for the same reason as the deep going, says Jack.Going downhill also increases the chances of them pulling shoes off.Fast work such as galloping and jumping, where the horse is likely to overreach, and polo and polocrosse where the horse is galloping alongside other horses who can accidentally stand on the outside of their shoes, are also big risk factors for pulled shoes, adds Jack.5 Correct hoof careDirty bedding and strong urine can damage the hoof, leaving them more susceptible to problems like cracking and losing a shoe.Make sure you clean all hooves twice a day and remove mud and dirty bedding from the feet.Theres also anecdotal evidence that the salt in mud can erode the hoof, so some farriers advise owners to wash the hoof of mud and dry it, says Jack.Reasons why a horse is prone to losing a shoeYour horse pulls them offOverreaching is where the toe of the hindfoot comes into contact with the heel or pastern region of the front hoof. Forging is where the toe of the hindfoot comes into contact with the sole of the front hoof.A front shoe can also be pulled off if the horses other front foot stands on the inside of the hoof, explains Jack. There are odd cases when a hind shoe gets pulled off, such as if the other hind foot stands on the inside of the other shoe and pulls it off.Alternatively, another horse may stand on the shoe and pull it off, such as if they are playing in the field together.Shoes can also be lost or twisted if the horse gets its hoof stuck in something such as a fence, bucket or haynet, or goes into deep mud.Their conformationThere are a million reasons why some horses are more likely to pull shoes, adds Jack. Conformation is a big indicator. If youve a horse with a short back and long legs, they are more likely to pull shoes off. If you have a horse who tracks up well, they are more likely.Type of shoe wornHorses with a broken back pastern axis (long toes and low heels) are typically shod with more shoe sticking out of the back to offer heel protection and encourage heel growth, explains Jack. Having more steel sticking out of the back increases the risk of them standing on their heels with the back feet.You have to weigh up whether its more beneficial to support the poor conformation or shoe the horse to prevent lost shoes. The problem is that only shoeing to prevent lost shoes and not to support the hoof will cause issues over time.Your shoeing cycleHorses tend to either lose a shoe within the first week or in the last week before they are due to be shod, states Jack. When horses are freshly shod, there can be a lot of steel sticking out of the back of the shoe, as already mentioned, which means there is more of an edge for them to catch.At the end of the shoeing cycle, their feet will be longer, so theyll be more likely to stand on their front feet with their hind feet because there is more surface area.With longer feet, its like walking with flippers and you have to lift the foot higher to break over. Ensuring an appropriate length of hoof is vital to preventing shoe loss.Hoof conditionsCertain conditions, such as ringbone or sidebone, can increase a horses risk of losing shoes.They cause the horse to overreach or forge because they will be hesitant to articulate the joints of the front feet, meaning that they are slower at getting out of the way of the hind feet, explains Jack.Having dry, weak hoovesThroughout all the seasons, you are trying to keep an ideal moisture content throughout the hoof. This is difficult because of the sudden extremes of weather we can experience, says Jack. In the summer, soak the feet and apply a thin oil layer, so that you help trap the water in but dont prevent more moisture getting in.In the winter, you want to keep the feet drier so wash the mud off and then dry before applying a thicker hoof oil.A crumbly, weak hoof will be more likely to lose shoes and can be a sign of a diet lacking in nutrients.Hoof supplements can help. Look for products with a high level of biotin, advises Jack. Remember that it takes new hoof nine-12 months to grow fully from coronet band to the floor, so give it plenty of time to get in the horses system and work. Ask your farrier what they recommend for your horses feet.Main image Your Horse Library/Kelsey Media Ltd/Aimi ClarkRelated contentWhy hooves crack and how to prevent itBruised soles: common signs and how to prevent it happeningThis is the difference between a farrier, blacksmith and equine podiatristHow to prevent and treat thrush in horsesBuying guide to over reach bootsThe post 5 tips from a farrier to help prevent your horse losing a shoe appeared first on Your Horse.

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A rug liner lets you change the warmth of a compatible turnout or stable rug as conditions change. Check the outer rugs fittings and cut before choosing how much fill to add.Start with the rug you already ownLook for the manufacturers liner attachment points. Swish clip-in liners connect at the withers with hook-and-loop tabs and at the back with two clips. Check that the fittings are present and match your liner. If the outer is a Swish wide-fit model, choose the corresponding wide-fit liner so the layers sit together correctly.For an outer rug without liner fittings, consider an independent layer such as the Swish 100g under-rug with surcingles. It fastens on the horse with its own chest fastenings and cross surcingles. Try it under your outer rug and check there is enough room for both layers to sit comfortably.Compare liner weights and cutsAdded fillStandard Swish fitSwish wide fit50g50g standard liner50g wide-fit liner100g100g standard liner100g wide-fit liner200g200g standard liner200g wide-fit liner300g300g standard linerStart with the smallest increase your horse needs. Adding a 50g liner to a 0g turnout gives a light layer beneath the waterproof outer. A 100g outer and 100g liner give a combined fill rating of 200g. Fit, fabrics, weather and your horses coat still affect how warm that combination feels. Use our horse rug weight guide to compare the options before going heavier.Check the fit with both layers onLay the two rugs together first. Check the liners tabs and clips reach their matching fittings and sit flat.Fit and fasten the layers using the manufacturers instructions. Check that the chest and shoulders have room to move and the withers are free from pressure.Watch the horse walk and lower its head. Check the layers stay in position and that straps lie smoothly without tangling or restricting movement.Check underneath after the horse has settled. If the coat is hot or damp with sweat, review the amount of fill. Lift or remove the rugs daily to check the horse and look for rubbing.For manufacturer specifications, see Swishs liner and under-rug range. The British Horse Society rugging guide covers fit and checking whether your horse needs a rug.

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