Okay, I am going to try to summarize Red, my 7-yr-old quarter horse.
Bought him May 2012. Rode him pretty hard the whole summer. He had Jan 2013 to April off, due to him getting a back leg in the fence. Flexion tested by good lameness vet in April and good to go. In May he had 30 hard days with a reining trainer. In June, I started to notice a slight head bob and limp, that would come and over. Very faint. Took him to the lameness vet again in July and she thought a crooked short pastern joint in both front legs was to blame. (Full thread here: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/crooked-joints-7-yr-old-possible-224586/ ). Red is slightly pigeon-toed and he will wear the outside of his hoof quicker than the inside. Shortly after that vet visit, my farrier looked at the X-rays from my vet and we decided on a 2 degree wedge shoe in front, with wedge pads. Took away the lameness 100%. Then in September, he was crossfiring in his back end during a barrel turn, and took him back to the vet to find out he has a catching stifle on his right hind. I'm currently working him on hills for that; no more barrels for right now.
Now, the main reason I am posting a question is because Red constantly catches a shoe or pulls one off completely. He sees the farrier every 5 weeks to reset the shoes. The very first 5-week period was fine. But after that:
-bent left front shoe
-bent right front shoe
-pulled off back left shoe (I had regular rim shoes on back for about 2 months, for the sole purpose of traction for barrels)
-bent right front shoe
-pulled off left front shoe
-And as of 2 days ago, he bent his right front shoe
So I've been making a lot of trips to the farrier (who has never charged me a cent for these in-between visits) to fix the bent shoe, or replace a pulled one.
I do trust my farrier, and everyone I talk to has only good things to say about him, but I am wondering if there is something my farrier can do differently to avoid these pulled shoes? Or if Red is just clumsy and prone to pulling them?
He has never caught a shoe while riding. All of it has happened when he is in the pasture (24/7) with my 2-yr-old gelding. I do know that they romp and play because I've seen them, and I've seen the tracks in the mud when it has rained.
I ran out quick last night and snapped some pictures of his right front shoe. I pulled the left front shoe off completely myself, because I didn't want him walking around on it for 2 days until I could get him to the farrier.
What are your thoughts?
(On this first picture, he doesn't always stand this base narrow, but sometimes he does. He is somewhat pigeon-toed.)
Bought him May 2012. Rode him pretty hard the whole summer. He had Jan 2013 to April off, due to him getting a back leg in the fence. Flexion tested by good lameness vet in April and good to go. In May he had 30 hard days with a reining trainer. In June, I started to notice a slight head bob and limp, that would come and over. Very faint. Took him to the lameness vet again in July and she thought a crooked short pastern joint in both front legs was to blame. (Full thread here: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/crooked-joints-7-yr-old-possible-224586/ ). Red is slightly pigeon-toed and he will wear the outside of his hoof quicker than the inside. Shortly after that vet visit, my farrier looked at the X-rays from my vet and we decided on a 2 degree wedge shoe in front, with wedge pads. Took away the lameness 100%. Then in September, he was crossfiring in his back end during a barrel turn, and took him back to the vet to find out he has a catching stifle on his right hind. I'm currently working him on hills for that; no more barrels for right now.
Now, the main reason I am posting a question is because Red constantly catches a shoe or pulls one off completely. He sees the farrier every 5 weeks to reset the shoes. The very first 5-week period was fine. But after that:
-bent left front shoe
-bent right front shoe
-pulled off back left shoe (I had regular rim shoes on back for about 2 months, for the sole purpose of traction for barrels)
-bent right front shoe
-pulled off left front shoe
-And as of 2 days ago, he bent his right front shoe
So I've been making a lot of trips to the farrier (who has never charged me a cent for these in-between visits) to fix the bent shoe, or replace a pulled one.
I do trust my farrier, and everyone I talk to has only good things to say about him, but I am wondering if there is something my farrier can do differently to avoid these pulled shoes? Or if Red is just clumsy and prone to pulling them?
He has never caught a shoe while riding. All of it has happened when he is in the pasture (24/7) with my 2-yr-old gelding. I do know that they romp and play because I've seen them, and I've seen the tracks in the mud when it has rained.
I ran out quick last night and snapped some pictures of his right front shoe. I pulled the left front shoe off completely myself, because I didn't want him walking around on it for 2 days until I could get him to the farrier.
What are your thoughts?
(On this first picture, he doesn't always stand this base narrow, but sometimes he does. He is somewhat pigeon-toed.)