Barefoot retired ponies and farrier

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CazD

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How often do your barefoot retired ponies see the farrier? Our farrier has recently retired and the new farrier is a lot more expensive (£20 extra each for the shod ones and £15 for the unshod ones). We've got 2 shod and 2 unshod so £70 extra per visit. I'm wondering whether I could have the unshod ones done by the farrier every other visit and just file them myself in between visits. Or would this be a very bad idea?
 
Trimmer approx every 6 weeks atm for our 2 retired natives. I used to do them myself on a much more frequent basis (average of 3-ish weeks) but am now ill so relying on someone else, which is tricky. I try to get him to come 4-weekly but somehow the dates always end up stretching to 6 :( If you have a clear idea what you're aiming for when you pick up the rasp there's no reason why you shouldn't. If you go a bit awry the farrier can rebalance for you (and will hopefully point out any issues so you can improve).
 
My shod one goes around 6 weeks.
My unshod one usually sees the farrier every other time. I tidy round with a rasp as and when necessary in between and she gets out hacking on tracks a few times a week when toddler trekking which helps the trimming.
 
Rasping the unshod ones yourself in between getting the farrier to do them every 12 weeks or so would work if your farrier would be agreeable to that.

I now trim my own after my farrier went awol again, and this time of year I find it best to do some light rasping every 7-10 days to keep on top of things, rather than once every 6 weeks. It's both easier on my back to do little and often, and easier to keep the feet in good balance.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Rasping the unshod ones yourself in between getting the farrier to do them every 12 weeks or so would work if your farrier would be agreeable to that.

I now trim my own after my farrier went awol again, and this time of year I find it best to do some light rasping every 7-10 days to keep on top of things, rather than once every 6 weeks. It's both easier on my back to do little and often, and easier to keep the feet in good balance.
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Rasping is surprisingly hard work, I find it hard to breathe when I'm folded in half!
 
I'm doing my own now too. I was fortunate that my farrier had no ego and was keen to show me how to trim. I also read loads on the internet. I would send photos to the farrier every few months so they could OK it. I don't now, I send them to @ycbm instead 🤣. The farrier would generally just say they looked good.

I trim mine at least twice a week, that way it is to lightly run the rasp round. I take regular photos as then I can see any imbalances.
 
Big mare's feet grow like weeds and I find trimming them hard work so she sees him every 6 weeks

But my shoulder complains if I spend too much time with a rasp so I prefer to let the farrier take the pain
 
SEL said:
Big mare's feet grow like weeds and I find trimming them hard work so she sees him every 6 weeks

But my shoulder complains if I spend too much time with a rasp so I prefer to let the farrier take the pain
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I do grimace a bit when I do Rigs, his feet are sooo tough and the walls about 3/4 inch thick! I only do them when wet, and will wash/hose him specially.
 
I trim two of mine myself (one ridden, one unbacked) but have trimmer every 4-5 wks to my retired horse, so I'm a bit @rse about face. The younger 2 are fairly straightforward and well behaved, I keep on top of them by doing them every week or so. Old boy is un-cooperative and grouchy, as well as growing hooves that go in crazy directions. My point in answer to OP's question is that it depends on the horses really.
 
I have a barefoot retired wb. His feet get done approx 3 times a year. Farrier casts his eye over them when he shoes my other one every 6 weeks and does a quick rasp round if needed.
 
One retired barefoot horse and two donkeys. The mare and one donkey roughly every 8 weeks. The other old donk has to be done about every 5 to 6 weeks as his feet grow at a huge rate and he would look like a typical rescue case donkey if he went as long as the other two between farrier visits.
 
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