If a horse loses one shoe will it go lame , can you ride?

Question

i was riding my horse last night, galloping on a racetrack, and she one shoe fell off! .. i was planning on going out and riding her today, not as heavy like no galopping maybe some jumps .. will that be fine on her with one shoe? im calling the farrier asap if your wondering!!? .. thanks for the help.

Answer 1

I would take the others off or call the farrier to fix it.

Answer 2

Normally, no.  If the horse has soft feet and you are riding on rocks or running on pavement, then it is possibly.  If you loose one shoe, remove the opposite shoe as soon as possible.  For example, if you loose the right rear, remove the left rear.  If you do not, it throws the horse off balance.  One problem I often see is that too many people shoe horses unnecesarily.  Horses survived for years without shoes before humans came along and started interferring with nature.  If your horse has solid hooves and you aren't riding hard in a harsh environment, save yourself some money and do the horse a favor.  Let it be barefoot like nature intended.  Not one horse in my herd has shoes and in the 18 years I've had horses, not one has gone lame due to lack of shoes.

Answer 3

I would not ride the horse until you get the farrier to replace the missing shoe and examine the horse's hooves. What would it feel like if someone made you run around with one shoe missing? Think about it. The poor horse can't talk to express himself.

Answer 4

If your horse has good feet and the farrier will come soon the horse will be fine. You just need to make sure that all the nails are out of the hoof. You should be able to ride and have no problems with the horse at least for a few days.

Answer 5

It depends.  When your horse threw the shoe, did it do any damage to the hoof?  Sometimes when a horse throws a shoe, it can be the start of a crack in the hoof wall, or if the horse lost a chunk of hoof, can leave a place susceptible to bruising.

If the loss of the shoe changes the way your horse strides, or the way the hoof strikes the ground, it could make your horse susceptible to lameness by putting stress on tendon or ligament structures that are worked abnormally hard.  Your horse may be sound through the riding you have planned, but then turn up a little "off" the next day.

When my horse threw a shoe, I always preferred to wait until I got the farrier out to put it back on before doing any riding that might put stress on the horse.  Maybe the chance of something going wrong is small, but once lameness sets in for any reason, it's a pain in the patootie to deal with.

JMO, if you can get the farrier out in the next day or so, I'd limit myself to turn-out or hand-walking for exercising your horse until she's re-shod.

Answer 6

Horses don't instantly go lame without shoes.  Your horse might be a little more sensitive on that foot...  like step lighter on it, but so long as your horse doesn't have a problem with that hoof, you should be able to ride.  I don't think that I'd jump, especially if it's a front foot.  But the answer to your question depends on your horse.  My horse had an issue in her right front a couple years ago, so if that right front shoe comes off, I don't ride her.  If your horse has rather soft feet, I wouldn't ride.  But if your horse is generally sound, then I think riding would be ok.  I wouldn't do a whole lot and I wouldn't jump.  But that's just me.  It's your horse and you know her best.  Do whatever you think is best.

Answer 7

i think she/he would be okay as long as a farrier comes to re-shod it soon one of our horses lost a shoe at a show it did'nt compete and it was a back one and it did'nt get a new one for like 4 days and was fine. I just wouldnt do stuff like galoping and only do a few jumps :) x

Answer 8

It depends on the shoe and her past history with hoof problems. Most horses are fine to continue to be ridden if they lose a back shoe. I'm not so sure I would jump her. Not if it's a front shoe at least. . .

Answer 9

Dude, horses went without shoes for many, many moons. The best riders of the plains, the American Indian, did not have a way to shoe a horse. Thay may have "taken" a horse with shoes, but they did not have blacksmiths or farriers.

Of course, if you ride your nag hard then you need to keep up on the maintance. A shoe is included here. Don't ride the 'ol gal. she is used to having shoes. A shoe is cheaper than a split hoof. And easier on the nag.

Answer 10

it depends on your horses feet. but being a racehorse they normally are kept shod for their racing career. my uncle has racehorses and all of his are kept shod as their feet arent the best. when your horse lost the shoe it woulda been better to stop and lighten your work as it would make the horse un even. im not sure how to explain it really. but my friend was riding at out games event on her TB nd her horses shoe came loose nd she wasnt able to continue until it was fixed. well your horse should be fine. no real damage. just be cautious. check them b4 u go for ur ride. well i hope i have helped? cya goodluck