Question about a bad shoeing job I saw at a show in Lexington

I was at the Kentucky Horse Park last month for a big hunter/jumper event, and I saw a horse come out of the ring with a shoe that was way too small. The hoof wall was actually starting to crack above the nail line. The owner was freaking out, and the farrier on site had to do an emergency pull and reset right there. It made me super careful about checking my fit against the white line every single time now, even on a tight schedule. Has anyone else had to fix something like that at a show?

3 comments

3 Comments

kellyfoster2mo ago

That's a nightmare scenario, seeing a crack form under show pressure. Did the farrier say if the small shoe was a sizing mistake or a rushed reset from a previous issue?

avery_roberts1mo ago

Yeah, a crack under pressure is the worst. @kellyfoster, it reminds me of when my old gelding got a too-tight shoe that led to a quarter crack, and we had to do a full bar shoe rehab.

richardknight1mo ago

Remember my buddy's horse that got a tiny shoe and popped a huge abscess mid-trot?