Having the right tools and knowing how to use them can help you remove a shoe safely when a farrier isn’t available. | Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The horse

Donald Brockman, DVM, can’t count the number of times he’s been flagged down by fellow trail riders whose horses’ shoes have been partially separated from their hooves. A nearly lost shoe should stop a rider cold because it can expose horses to foot injuries ranging from nail punctures to sole bruising. Therefore, it is critical to remove a nearly lost shoe completely as soon as possible.

“It’s one thing if you know there’s a farrier on the trail somewhere, but that’s not always the case,” says Brockman, who made his living as a farrier before earning his veterinary degree. “People should know how to pull a shoe in an emergency situation.”

Situations that require emergency shoe removal can occur on and off the trail at any time, says Brockman. Mud, deep snow, or a tiny pebble can all loosen and partially remove a shoe anywhere a horse travels. Horses that spend the majority of their time in the pasture or that have been improperly shod are most susceptible to partially lost shoes, according to