Had the need to safely remove a shoe today due to suspected abscess, without farrier assistance. Can anyone recommend a kit or set of tools that one should have on hand when something like this comes up? Don’t need top of the line Pro quality, but I have no idea what makes a basic tool set, or which individual tools, suitable for such situations. Thanks in advance!
My former farrier, now long retired, had me get a good quality ?Diamond brand clench cutter and nail puller from one of the catalogues. If I need to pull a shoe, I lift the clenches, then use the nail puller. I have been very happy to have those tools on the many occasions when I have had to pull shoes.
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Thank you!
A quality rasp and a pair of pullers. You can lightly file the clinches off and use the puller. Have a farrier show you the technique as done properly it uses leverage and very little strength. Pull up the shoe a small bit at a time starting at the heels and knock it back flat and pull the nails poking up one at a time.
To start, grasp the rear most part of the shoe branch, close the jaws so they rest between the shoe and the hoof and rock the handles toward the toe. Move the tool closer to the toe as you go, always leveraging towards the toe. Switch sides to keep it even. As soon as you get a nail to pop up a quarter inch, lightly tap the shoe back flat and pull out the nail, again grasping and rocking. Levers are your friend.
Light clinches will unfold without the need to file them but it’s a good practice to do anyhow
particularly in poor quality hoof.
You can can also use a clinch cutter and hammer but this takes a bit more skill and time bent over.
Nail pullers are nice for fresh shoes but if they are worn enough you might not have enough of a nail head left to grab onto.
Diamond brand shoe pullers are fine. You don’t need to go high quality on pullers like you do with nippers.
Ask your farrier for an old rasp. He likely goes through a couple a week and dull for him is plenty sharp for your purposes.
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Gypsymare, thanks very much for the tool suggestions and instructions. I have watched the process, but having it written out helps a great deal. 
I am not a farrier but a BO. I have had the Jacks set (Valley Vet carries it) for years. Has everything you need and the nippers are good enough for occasional use removing a shoe and whatnot. They are so much better than most “set” nippers. I have also found the hoof tester to be useful. Plus it is nice to have all n one place…I can easily put in the trailer when I travel and know everything I need is in there.
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This looks like just what I need, and not very expensive. Thanks!
I just eyeballed that set and there’s no shoe pullers in it. Great price for the rest of it though!
I can add one to the kit, even if it doesn’t have its own pocket.
one of my farrier’s cast off rasps (buy a handle), nippers (cheap ones, you are just using them to pull the shoe, not trim the wall) and crease pullers. Thte crease pullers are the secret weapon.
Rasp nails, use nippers to loosen the shoe if it is still set tight, then use the crease pullers to pull out the nails (they grab the nail head in the crease of the shoe)
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For about 6 shoeing cycles I pulled my mares shoes with farrier watching. I think she got a good laugh and I tipped since it took extra time, but by visit six I could get all four shoes off in no time! For some reason it was super intimidating to me and after a similar situation (bent shoe needed to come off asap) I was determined to learn.
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Try both techniques. For some reason, I couldn’t master using the rasp and then the shoe puller. I do well with using my clench cutter and hammer to lift the clenches and straighten the nails, then the nail puller.
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Be aware of the price of good tools. At the price of that kit, it’s pretty much going to be crap but maybe get you through a tight spot.
GE Nippers-$200
Save Edge rasp-$55
Anvil knife-$35
And if you ever want to use your nippers as nippers, never pull a shoe with them or you will wreck the blades.
A pair of fence pliers with a good beak makes an excellent substitute for crease nail pullers. Paired with rasping clinches I used one for years for all my owner based shoe pulling needs. My set even provided enough leverage to be able to lift the nails if they’re worn.
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This would definitely be for the rare case when a shoe has to come off immediately. I do not expect to use the set for anything else, including normal hoof care or trimming. I really just want to have the ability to safely pull a shoe without damaging the hoof wall, and I think the kit will be suitable for that.
Thanks for for all the suggestions and instructions!
My dad is a semi retired farrier (still does some in his late 70s and does s better
job than most). I live about 2 hours from him and he gave me an old set of nippers and a rasp. I am not going to be pulling a brand new set shoe. But if one is sprung or slipped I can get it off easily. Did a hind shoe 20 minutes before walking in the pen and winning this weekend in fact. Tools stay in trailer with me at all times. It was past due to be reset but he had no hoof growth so farrier wanted to wait to do him. The shoe had slipped and only had about half of the clinches holding. In my breeches and tall boots I filed down the other clinched and pulled it, beginning at the heal and rocking it towards the toe. Can then rasp off any bad edges if needed (but that is rarely needed )
Have also had horses spring the shoe. Can’t walk them back and depending on how bad I can grab the shoe by hand and remove in same way or I tie the horse to fence and run and get the tools and pull in arena or pasture. It’s all I ever have needed so far. only other thing I want is a hoof tester.
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