Howo Often Should Your Horse Be Re-Shod?

Having your horse's shoes taken off, the hooves trimmed, and the shoes reapplied is called resetting or re-shoeing. Your farrier is the best person to consult in order to determine just when a reset is due. He/she can recommend the type of shoes, a schedule, and any corrective work that could be done to enhance your horse’s hoof health.

The condition of your horse’s hooves should not deteriorate because they have shoes on. A good shoeing job will maintain or even improve your horse’s hoof health while allowing you to ride over a variety of terrains without hurting your horse.

The Importance of Re-shoeing

Keeping shoes on your horse’s hooves requires a bit more maintenance and attention than letting your horse remain barefoot. A hoof still grows with a shoe on, just like your fingernails still grow even if you are wearing polish. As the hoof grows, the nails that keep the shoe on become loose and the horse can lose a shoe. Regular hoof trims and re-shoeing help keep your horse's hooves in good condition and properly balanced as well as replacing loose nails.

Signs Your Horse's Shoes Should Be Reset

As a rule of thumb, you should plan to have the farrier reset your horse’s shoes approximately every six weeks. There are a number of signs you can look for that your horse's shoes need to be reset:

Loose nails that push up from the hoof wallNails that seem to protrude further out of the shoe on the underside than when they were first put onA shoe becomes loose or comes off altogetherThe hoof is starting to overgrow the shoe and is getting out of shapeThe shoe has become excessively thin or unevenly wornThe shoe seems twisted on the foot

While all of these signs mean it's time for a reset, it really isn't a good idea to wait until you notice one of these things. Instead, most of these signs indicate that the shoes have been on too long—although nails can loosen and shoes can twist or wear prematurely.