The process of removing the horses’ shoes, then trimming the horn capsule, and reapplying fresh shoes is known as reshoeing. Reshoeing is a very important thing when taking care of a horse simply because without it the horse would undoubtedly suffer all kinds of ligament issues.
When thinking about reshoeing a horse, the best person to consult (because it’s literally their job to know) is the farrier. The farrier is someone whose profession is the care of a horse, and they will undoubtedly know when to replace the horses’ shoes. The farrier will then be able to recommend the type of horseshoes that need to be applied, they will let you know if there is any corrective work to be done etc. The farrier has a very important job, and they know all about horses and the equipment that they require, from the tack to the horseshoes. If you want to get the best equipment that you can for your horse, then we highly recommend that you check the above link. They have a great selection of products and will be able to advise you when it comes to horse care.
If you want to shoe your horse, rather than keep it barefoot, you will have a little bit of maintenance and upkeep to look forward to. Despite the fact that there is an iron horseshoe on its hoof, the hoof doesn’t actually stop growing. They keep on growing, in a similar fashion to your fingernails or your toenails. As such there will come a time when the horse outgrows its horseshoes and needs to be reshod. The farrier will generally recommend that the horse be reshod once every six months or so. If you wish to attempt it by yourself at some point, here are some of the signs that your horse needs to be reshod.
If the horseshoe’s nails are separated from the hoof wall, If the nails seem to be protruding out of the horseshoe, if the shoes are loose, or come off. If it seems to be twisted on the hoof if it is very thin or worn etc. A good farrier will be able to tell at a glance when the horse needs to be reshod because the signs aren’t exactly subtle. Simply contrast what the horseshoe looks like now with what it used to look like when you first had the horse shoes, and you’ll be able to tell.
If you see any of these signs that are probably a good enough reason for you to consider reshoeing the horse. However, don’t take too long with it, if you see any of these signs, it also means that you’ve waited too long, and you should have replaced them a while ago.
Usually speaking 6 weeks is a long enough time to wait before calling the farrier. But this is only a guideline, if you gave a full stable of horses, know that some horses will require more care than others.