I have a youngster who I have been riding since the summer, he recently had front shoes put on because he was getting abit foot sore & fussy about walking on the road (he would keep trying to walk along grass verges etc!), he is alot happier now but Im abit unsure as to when to get shoes changed... I know every 6 - 8 weeks as a general rule & that it is to do with hoof growth, but Im not sure whether you need to wait until the shoe is loose or if there are other reasons to get them changed? My other horse would hold shoes perfectly until they would just become loose & then I knew I had to get them changed! This horse has had his shoes on for 6 weeks & they are holding perfectly (especially considering he was cold shod!) although I have noticed when picking out his feet, one of the tips of the shoe on both feet has very slightly moved in toward the frog leaving a slightly bigger gap to pick out inbetween the shoe & the sole... Does this mean the shoes need changing or is it ok as long as they are not interferring with the frog/heel & the nails are still holding well & there is no gap between the hoof & shoe? I hope I have explained myself correctly & I am making sense!!! Hahaha!

Thanks in advance

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Generally a horse should be shod every 6 weeks or so, individual horses will vary, this is because as you said the feet will grow & need to be trimmed. Some horses hooves grow quicker than others, & the speed of growth will also vary according to the season (growth is generally slower in winter). Signs to look for would be risen clenches or that 'sprung shoe' sound as the horse walks on hard surfaces, also as you have noticed the gap at the heel gets bigger as the foot grows & the shoe is carried forward. One of the risks of leaving shoes on too long is the development of corns which are painful & can abscess. With observation you will be able to determine the optimum period between shoeings for your horse, for example Romeo my TB can go for 10 weeks in winter as his feet hardly grow

Please don't wait until shoes are loose. As the hoof grows, the position and angle changes. This may not look obvious, but even a very slight change can alter the balance. Think about the weight of horse and rider that is all supported on a very small surface area. At times the whole weight is supported on just 2 or even 1 foot. Regular attention from a farrier (whether shod or not) ensures that the angles and balance are adjusted to spread the load over as even a surface as possible. If not correctly shod (or trimmed) extra stress is put on the structures of the leg and damage to tendons and ligaments can occur. This can result in sudden dramatic injury, or long term chronic degeneration. Or you may be lucky and have no problems.
I would advise that you have your horse shod after 6 or 7 weeks and thereafter take the advice of the farrier who is the best person to advise you how often. It is better if you can stick with the same farrier as he/she will get to know your horses feet.
I have had horses with very rapid hoof growth who needed the farrier every 5 weeks and one with very slow growth who could go 9.
Hope this helps.

My current mare is bang on the 8 week mark but I had a cob who would happily go 12 weeks with literally a relevel and refit.

I would go with the 6-7 week rule for now unless your farrier feels she can go longer.

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Doglets: Teal, Dylan and Buster

Ponies: Toffee, Samba and Jake

Guinea wiggles: Hector, Herbert and Humphrey

Fishes: Bess, Gerald, Barney and Claus

Thanks to all for your input, all info is really helpful

Alfies feet are very slow growing & he suffers from thrush so his feet are daily treated which assist in strong, healthy feet which also helps hold onto shoes!

All clenches are still very snug... Well they were when I looked yesterday... This morning they're no-where near his hooves, as he pulled a shoe in the field!!! Lol! So decision made for me this time round!!! Lol!

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The reason they are changed is, as you said, because of hoof growth. But the best way i can explain it is if you wear a shoe size that fits you VERY snug, then YOUR toenails grow just a little.....its very uncomfortable right? Horses are the same. The front of a hoof grows faster than the back so that is why the back comes loose. IF a shoe is loose, its been left far too long. The shoe should look like it doesnt even need any attention lol

It depends upon the time perioud and quality of the shoes that has been given and made ...