Rusky
Well-Known Member
I'm trying to work out a better option for my horse. He doesn't get shod in winter time and is difficult to shoe normally. Is it more expensive to keep them unshod?
Bare foot trimmers
- Thread starter Rusky
- Start date
MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
Nope. I know many people make it a big lifestyle change going barefoot - feeding special feed etc. I never have. Mine is barefoot, all my horses have been kept and competed barefoot for years - the ones who needed shod for eventing season, where then barefoot rest of the year. I never changed anything. They live out 24/7 and fed regular feed etc. Far cheaper than the cost of shoeing!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Nope, even cheaper when you then end up trimming yourself too. . .
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Trimmers tend to charge more for a trim than do farriers, so in some ways, for a period, it can be more expensive. However, you get way more time, and information/help, for your money. You get what you pay for.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
You don't need to use a barefoot trimmer either, if you already have a good farrier or know of one.
Trimmers do charge more than farriers, they will likely talk at you a lot more, but are not necessarily any better at trimming feet.
Trimmers do charge more than farriers, they will likely talk at you a lot more, but are not necessarily any better at trimming feet.
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You don't need a special barefoot trimmer to 'go barefoot', our farrier has always recommended it as the best option for us and given advice when needed
ester
Not slacking multitasking
I was grateful for the extra handholding that my trimmer did in the early days 
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.Surbie
Well-Known Member
I worked out I'll save £450/year from going barefoot - which will pay for snazzy hoof boots so he can manage our stony hacking.
I also like not having to worry about lost/loose shoes, though I fully anticipate having to schlep round looking for a lost hoof boot at some point.
I also like not having to worry about lost/loose shoes, though I fully anticipate having to schlep round looking for a lost hoof boot at some point.
HorseyTee
Well-Known Member
I've used both barefoot trimmers and farriers for my barefoot herd.
The barefoot trimmer was great, would explain everything and show me what she was doing, explain simple diet and the make up of the hoof ect.
Currently use a farrier and he is equally good, just tends to chat about other stuff but happy to answer and explain if I ask.
No huge difference in cost for me between them.
Only thing is, farriers must be registered and trained and have the council if there are complaints.
Barefoot trimmers are not formally trained but usually take courses and have no governing body, so if you do happen across a bad one there's not much you can do.
The barefoot trimmer was great, would explain everything and show me what she was doing, explain simple diet and the make up of the hoof ect.
Currently use a farrier and he is equally good, just tends to chat about other stuff but happy to answer and explain if I ask.
No huge difference in cost for me between them.
Only thing is, farriers must be registered and trained and have the council if there are complaints.
Barefoot trimmers are not formally trained but usually take courses and have no governing body, so if you do happen across a bad one there's not much you can do.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I get a set of 4 second hand boots approximately every two years , cost about £200. Probably used them for an average of 25 miles a week
Trim myself normally but with an occasional check from the farrier when he's down, cost me £15 this week for a tidy up as not much needed doing, normally £20 for a trim.
Trim myself normally but with an occasional check from the farrier when he's down, cost me £15 this week for a tidy up as not much needed doing, normally £20 for a trim.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
when f retired we were still on our original pair of easyboot gloves 5 years down the line (in later years he'd mostly been bare though). Bargain!
HappyHollyDays
Slave to a house cat, 4 yard cats and 2 ponies
Much cheaper to go unshod. One of mine wears Hoof boots all round to hack in and goes through a set in 18 months plus trimming which equates to £400 a year. My shod pony who for various reasons has been out of shoes 6 months now used to cost me between £90 and £130 every 5 weeks to have shoes and gel pads so almost 3 times the cost. If I can keep him barefoot with just front boots I will be doing so and even better if I can keep him out of boots completely once he comes back into work.
bouncing_ball
Well-Known Member
Barefoot trimmer or farrier doesn’t matter. What matters is that they have lots of sound barefoot performing horses on their books. Ask if they have lots of hard working barefoot horses on their books.
For me I think cost is about the same though might be cheaper eventually, but I’ve got my own trimming tools (touch up weekly) between 5 week professional trims, use hoof armor, use red horse products, have 3 sets of boots so this might take a few years to pay off!
For me I think cost is about the same though might be cheaper eventually, but I’ve got my own trimming tools (touch up weekly) between 5 week professional trims, use hoof armor, use red horse products, have 3 sets of boots so this might take a few years to pay off!
paddy555
Well-Known Member
to me cost is irrelevant. So are hoof boots or not, who trims them or not. What really really matters to me is the quality of the foot and especially the quality of the back of the foot. That is what really matters.
teddy_
Well-Known Member
Worth bearing in mind that many 'barefoot trimmers' are not qualified farriers.
Landcruiser
Well-Known Member
One of mine has a £55 barefoot trim every 5-6 weeks, and is retired. He has very tricky hooves which are beyond my paygrade! One I have trimmed myself for many years, he wears hoof boots if needed which is almost never (only really when we were competing in TREC orienteering and needed to be fast over unknown ground) so cost negligible. My new one I'm so far trimming myself too, and plan to do so, so costs for feet so far are zero
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
I generally prefer a good barefoot trimmer but wouldn't be adverse to use a good farrier who could trim horses in work too. I've personally experienced too many farriers that don't know how to support a working barefoot horse so my preference is a barefoot trimmer as we have a really good one locally. There are some great farriers that do know how to support a barefoot working horse. There are some barefoot trimmers I wouldn't touch either!
It's as much about personal preference and geographical location as anything else.
My native is £55 every 6 weeks to trim. He only really needs hoof boots at this time of year for certain rides - most of the year he's happy over all surfaces including stony tracks and roads.
I use Horse Leads hoof spray (a bottle lasts a few months) and their hoof clay in winter (a 1kg tub last the winter normally). have two rasps I use if I need to tidy up between trims.
And thats about it for us
It's as much about personal preference and geographical location as anything else.
My native is £55 every 6 weeks to trim. He only really needs hoof boots at this time of year for certain rides - most of the year he's happy over all surfaces including stony tracks and roads.
I use Horse Leads hoof spray (a bottle lasts a few months) and their hoof clay in winter (a 1kg tub last the winter normally). have two rasps I use if I need to tidy up between trims.
And thats about it for us
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Most are not.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
hence not calling themselves farriers
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
None have ever pretended to be in my experience, either!
A good barefoot trimmer though will always IME be happy to tell you which school they trained with and the technicalities of their trimming method (if you so wish).
teddy_
Well-Known Member
I wasn't trying to insinuate that they were 'pretending' to be farriers
.Maybe I am just fortunate to have a farrier that can support a horse in work whether they are shod or not ?
.
teddy_
Well-Known Member
Sarcasm really is the lowest form of withence not calling themselves farriers
.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
woop!
paddy555
Well-Known Member
£55 for a trim.
Regandal
Well-Known Member
Thank god for that, eh? Had an interesting discussion with a farrier who assured me that the hoof wall was the only weight bearing part of the foot ?
pistolpete
Well-Known Member
I’ve used trimmers and farriers. Had good and bad with both! One trimmer lamed both my horse and my pony I changed trimmer! Currently using a farrier as he comes to yard to do others. Felt a bit disloyal but this guy is so quick it suits my nervous boy a lot better. They are all individuals just like us.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Since the farriery training syllabus, last time I looked, still did not include trimming working barefoot horses, that's often a good thing.
If you want your farrier to know how to trim for work instead of turnout, you need a farrier who has done additional training or who was apprenticed to a master who has working barefoot horses on their list.
.
Landcruiser
Well-Known Member
Happy to pay it. Said horse has bizzare feet and has had many trimmers/farriers over the time I've owned him. Some have been sacked, when they have allowed his feet to deform. The current trimmer comes a long way, only trims two horses in my area (mine being one) and does a cracking job, he's better than he has been for a few years (when the last really good trimmer retired). I'm paying for her travel time and mileage as well as the half hour or so it takes to trim him.£55 for a trim.
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
£55 for a trim.
I think its great value for money personally
They are highly experienced with extensive training and have worked smpathetically with my nervous horse and have helped improve his way of going in the relatively short time I've been using them. They turn up on time (important for me as I have a rearrange my work day for the appointment), provide clear feed back and information on my horse's feet and their work, answer phone calls or messages in a timely fashion outside of my appointment, are polite, professional and are able to provide help way past the point of just trimming feet.
I'm not saying a farrier can't be all of those things & cheaper - but I haven't found one personally.
At less than £500 per year, it's money well spent to maintain my horse's soundness IMHO.
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
So much depends on the pony and the work you do as to how much of a trim they even need.
My best is my little Dartmoor, who I have trimmed twice in his entire life. We do plenty of fast road work. He's 23. Goes straight, and wears perfectly. I'm glad I don't need to do it more often as his hoof is harder than the rasp.
My best is my little Dartmoor, who I have trimmed twice in his entire life. We do plenty of fast road work. He's 23. Goes straight, and wears perfectly. I'm glad I don't need to do it more often as his hoof is harder than the rasp.