PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
It's a Radius Rasp ??i was completely making up radial ?
??? I completely bought into "radial" and I have one sat in a box looking at me every time I go into the tack room...
Barefoot trial, foot sore horse, what should I do?
- Thread starter JennBags
- Start date
??? I completely bought into "radial" and I have one sat in a box looking at me every time I go into the tack room...
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
Well I've just ordered some Equivita without the Biotin. So we'll see what happens with that. MrPF gets very grumpy when I want yet another new supplement... ?
JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
Now you tell me about the rasps ? was looking earlier and did a search on riders rasps reviews, came up with a 2015 thread on here where lots of people were saying just get a regular farriers rasp so that's what I ordered.
TPO
🤠🏴
Regular rasps are the best IMO but sometimes it takes a bit of "jiggling" to get organised.
I cant hold hooves between my legs, like a farrier, anymore because of my back but it's much easier as it leaves both hands free to work the rasp. It's a bit trickier to be even doing it one handed but you can definitely get there.
The radius rasp is just easier to hold because it fits in the palm of your hand and is perfect for tidying up between farrier/trimmer visits.
Anyway you're sorted so all good, I'll shut up now ??
HappyHollyDays
Slave to a house cat, 4 yard cats and 2 ponies
I bought my radius rasp from Equine Podiatry Supplies. It’s small enough to fit into the palm of the hand and very easy to use. It shaves the hoof rather than file it down, £45 but handy to have when edges need typing up.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I'd considered getting one, how long do they seem to last before they start to go blunt?
paddy555
Well-Known Member
don"t forget if you are using a rasp you need gloves.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Definitely! Every time I thought oh it's only a little bit I won't bother I regretted that decision.
HappyHollyDays
Slave to a house cat, 4 yard cats and 2 ponies
I’ve had mine 18 months and it’s still going strong. I really like how I can’t take off to much and so far I haven’t skinned any fingers using it.
JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
Special gloves?
TPO
🤠🏴
Brace yourself for another completely wrong and confusing description from me...
The "rubber coated" gardening/yard gloves
I got these for £1 from Morrisons last weekend and they done the job fine
paddy555
Well-Known Member
this sort of thing ie link below. Any gloves that won't let you skin your hands. New rasps are VERY sharp. If you are able to go out places such as Mole Valley farmers have a good selection. Something thin enough to be able to feel and tough enough to cope with the rasp when it slips or goes over your fingers.
https://www.urbanhorse.com/horse_hoofboots/hoof_trimming_tools/atlasnitrilegloves
JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
I've ordered second hand rasps as I'm not confident about doing them with sharp rasps, thought it was safer to start with ones that were slightly blunted.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Yup definitely best plan then when you get frustrated with them you know you are ready for a new one 
.
I prefer my gloves thinnger than TPOs but with rubber ends. Now I just have a collection for mucking out guinea pigs with, current ones are showa 370s
. I prefer my gloves thinnger than TPOs but with rubber ends. Now I just have a collection for mucking out guinea pigs with, current ones are showa 370s
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
Make sure you have a rasp handle for your proper rasp. People using them without gives me the heebie jeebies!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
See I don't mind without, I did get one in the end but
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
*shudder*
Ceriann
Well-Known Member
Second this. We used cavallos for initial period but love the renegades we use now. We did loads of in hand road work (but we were also rehabbing an injury). We’re 12 months barefoot - her feet are amazing given her issues but we still have to be careful of surfaces as she’s so thin soled.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
this. If he rasp slips the point could go anywhere ie into the horse.
Farrier's rasps, which I think are the best, are long and cumbersome for beginners to use until they get the idea. If you want it slightly easier and are friends with someone with a grinder, local garage, OH etc etc then you can ask them to cut the point off. I do that on some for my ponies as it is easier for small animals.
People who trim their own usually end up with a hoof stand as it makes life so much easier but they are expensive until you know if you are going to continue with trimming. I never use a farrier's hold after the chiro pointed out how much twisting it put onto the horse. If your horse is amenable you can either kneel down and put the foot on your knee to trim or sit on a milk crate. That may make life easier. Trimming is very hard work the first few times.
Before you do anything I would give the feet a good scrub with water. Many use a wire brush to clean them. Also a bradawl/horse shoe nail to clean the WL groove. I would clean the central sulchus and co lateral grooves by scrubbing them and then by putting cottonwool on the end of a hoof pick and drawing it through several times. That will show you what you have actually got in the central sulchus as a starting point. Get down deep to the bottom of it.
HappyHollyDays
Slave to a house cat, 4 yard cats and 2 ponies
Another Viper Renegade fan here, new set arriving tomorrow ? I always use the hoofboutique but I’ve noticed fewer people are stocking them now and makes such as Evo boots and Swiss Galopers are getting more polular. I’m to much of a wimp to change what I know works well for him.
Kat
Well-Known Member
Re rasps I have a 4 way rasp, this doesn't have a point for a handle and can be turned round and used upside down etc. A bit more heavy duty than a riders rasp but not as full on as a farriers rasp. It wasn't expensive either.
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
I used to use a small surform, fitted nicely into my hand.
JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
A week or so on, I think they're looking better, I've been doing the hoof cleanse every day this week. My friend rode three other day and took him for a long trot and a canter, there next day he was quite sore so I've taken it easy with him since.
What do you guys think of them now?
Left fore:
Right fore (this is the one he seems sore on):
What do you guys think of them now?
Left fore:
Right fore (this is the one he seems sore on):
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
On the left fore, the foot looks really unbalanced. If you look at the heels, the inside one is a lot longer, and the wall is longer too.
I wouldn't go mad at it, but I would firstly take a photo from the front so you can see if the coronet is wonky, then slowly lower the heel over a period of weeks, combined with in hand walking on the roads.I would also treat for thrush as that frog does look thrush.
I haven't looked at the other photos as they are taken at odd angles so can be deceiving. I also don't know if the horse has a history that would mean I would say different.
Taking photos is an ideal way to do things when new at trimming, but the photos have to be at ground level so you can really see what you are working with. I will see if I can find some.
ETA - This thread is from where I took Jay barefoot. It was his 7 month barefoot anniversary. Just to show the angles for the photos.
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/jays-7-month-barefoot-photos.701412/
Further edit, I have now looked at the right fore. I am not surprised he is sore on it, as each step will be pulling the wall away from the foot as a lever action. I would be proactive in this area with a good, sharp farriers' rasp as it is structurally compromised as well. If I were more proactive on this foot, I would do the same with the other as it is as long, just not as structurally compromised (where the weight is going through a small area) as the other.
When I did mine, my farrier was very helpful to show me how to use rasps/check for balance etc. I could even send him a photo and he would comment. Would your farrier not be prepared to help? Or a trimmer? I am sure someone could recommend one. In fact, I did have a trimmer come to her, but they didn't trim, I did, with their watchful eye.
They do look better than the first photos though, as in less ragged. I would do more though.
I wouldn't go mad at it, but I would firstly take a photo from the front so you can see if the coronet is wonky, then slowly lower the heel over a period of weeks, combined with in hand walking on the roads.I would also treat for thrush as that frog does look thrush.
I haven't looked at the other photos as they are taken at odd angles so can be deceiving. I also don't know if the horse has a history that would mean I would say different.
Taking photos is an ideal way to do things when new at trimming, but the photos have to be at ground level so you can really see what you are working with. I will see if I can find some.
ETA - This thread is from where I took Jay barefoot. It was his 7 month barefoot anniversary. Just to show the angles for the photos.
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/jays-7-month-barefoot-photos.701412/
Further edit, I have now looked at the right fore. I am not surprised he is sore on it, as each step will be pulling the wall away from the foot as a lever action. I would be proactive in this area with a good, sharp farriers' rasp as it is structurally compromised as well. If I were more proactive on this foot, I would do the same with the other as it is as long, just not as structurally compromised (where the weight is going through a small area) as the other.
When I did mine, my farrier was very helpful to show me how to use rasps/check for balance etc. I could even send him a photo and he would comment. Would your farrier not be prepared to help? Or a trimmer? I am sure someone could recommend one. In fact, I did have a trimmer come to her, but they didn't trim, I did, with their watchful eye.
They do look better than the first photos though, as in less ragged. I would do more though.
Last edited:
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
The walls at the quarters need nipping off before they break off and risk taking too much with them.
The frogs are enviously broad. Things look like good work in progress.
And Red's right I'm afraid, to get good photos you really do need to get down to ground level and grovel in the dirt ?
.
The frogs are enviously broad. Things look like good work in progress.
And Red's right I'm afraid, to get good photos you really do need to get down to ground level and grovel in the dirt ?
.
JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
Thank you and Jay's feet looked wonderful in that thread, yes ok ground level photos it will be!
I will give my farrier a call, and see if he can come and trim/rasp and show me what to do. He's always been very positive about me taking Nelson barefoot so he will do everything he can to help I'm sure.
I think I'll hold off riding until he's been, I don't want to make him more sore.
I've started using the Red Horse Sole Cleanse on his feet everyday, should I do more? I guess my farrier can advise on this.
I must sound like a total idiot, but I really have no idea or experience with feet.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
We all started there ?
I remember dreaming that my first barefoot horse's feet fell off, and losing a night's sleep before my first barefoot BE, I was so worried it would hurt him.
.
JennBags
HHOSS Wonder Woman
Thanks. I wish I'd tried it with George as I'm sure some of his problems stemmed from being shod. The best result we ever got in competition was when he'd lost his hinds on a weekend show, he jumped really well.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
No one is an idiot when they are prepared to ask for help. I was lucky in that my first one had been barefoot for years, had shoes for 2 years and then when I took them off it was because he was slightly lame, so he had 6 weeks off then started with 100 yds walking on tarmac and built up from there. Not much better for feet than that! Also, I am so lucky that my farrier was supportive and would keep an eye on me.
I also posted on one of the FB sites, they would draw on the foot photo to show me what needed doing.
I have done 3 now, I do find that walking on tarmac is key. I always walk them before trimming as, when they walk, the foot shows you the wear pattern and then all you have to do is keep rolling the edges. I would trim 3 X a week (after our walk), so there was very little to come off, which was a lot less scary. Jay had to stay at a short walk for ages, I just kept him comfortable and had a long time when we would do a walk with boots, removing them half a mile from home.
Also to have absolutely no thrush. I use a Cleantrax soak, which has always worked for me, and a fancy French Barefoot hoof grease, that really seems to condition the feet. I know that some people would say that these products are not the right thing, but all I can say is that all 3 horses have had strong feet. Jay's (of the photos) were actually the weakest of the three, it was just that I knew I put them on here so they would be easy to find.
I also feed salt, pro hoof and a very plain diet.