Pulling shoes

[Linda Cowles <lindac@gilroy.com>]

Linda_Merims@ne.3com.com wrote:
> 
> Is there any tool on a Leatherman (or one of the many copycat tools now
> out there) that is effective for cutting clinches?
> 
> I am thinking in particular of how I would pull a half-off shoe 
> on the trail without the remaining clinches tearing my
> horse's feet up.

I tried using these and never had much success. I always carry a 6 inch
screwdriver for easyboots, so I added a set of short nosed wire
cutters... if the clinches are embedded in the wall, I used the wire
cutters to get under them and pry them up. If the shoe has a few weeks
on it, I can usually raise the clinch a hair by tapping on the nail head
with the butt of the screw driver, then straightening the clinch with
the screwdriver head... 

I do my best work with screwdrivers! My ex-husband used to tease me
about it... anytime anything wouldn't work, he'd say "Let me go get your
screwdriver." It was always enough to goad me into succeeding!

Once the clinches are straight, a set on pliers can be used to
alternately pull the edges of the shoe, starting from the heel, towards
the front edge of the toe on the far side... It's awkward with pliers,
but possible. I work it loose in about 4 tries on each side alternately,
working from heel to toe.

Being a screwdriver type of gal, I stick to my tool of choice! My horses
stand still when they have to, so I wedge the driver between the shoe
and the hoof, and work the shoe off that way.

It always helps to have experience pulling off shoes, because then you
get familiar with the resistance and... the tactile feel of levering the
shoe off. Ask your shoer to teach you to pull shoes, and once you get it
(there is a trick to it, a "feel") with shoe pullers, get a shoe half
off and experiment with more portable tools until you find something
that works for you. 

I have 10 shoes replaced every 6 weeks, and have two horses that
occasionally loose or almost loose shoes; I figured I was being awfully
dammed silly by not getting to some level of proficiency with it.

I bought myself an excellent set of shoe pullers and started pulling my
own shoes while my shoer gets started shoeing... I'm there anyway, might
as well learn. Today? He's out shoeing now... I'm going to see if he'll
teach me to trim the brood mares! Shoot, I can earn $35 each for back
breaking labor! But maybe I'll learn about balance... the real value.

-- 


  Linda Cowles                        
  Lion Oaks Ranch                     
  Gilroy CA



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