Barefoot Trimmers vs Farriers

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2awesomenatives

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Both of my boys have been barefoot all of their lives (7 & 8yrs old now). I have always had a farrier trim their hooves so I don't know any different.
A few people have mentioned to me that I would be better to have a barefoot trimmer as they are more thorough with trimming for balance etc. My Farrier literally takes about 5min on each pony.

What are peoples thought on this?
 
Personally my preference is a good barefoot trimmer over a farrier. My experience is that they have better knowledge and ability to trim for performance, but everyone is different. There are some farriers that can trim a barefoot working horse really well.

Edited: Just be aware than anyone can set themselves up as a barefoot trimmer so do check qualifications, training and experience - all my barefoot trimmers I've used hold the DAEP.

There can often also be a cost difference between a trimmer and a farrier, I think it's worth every penny but it's worth considering.
 
If they are both sound and happy i would jst keep doing what your doing. If you were having soundness issues then I would be inclined to try a barefoot trimmer but as others have said if it ain't broke don't fix it. Don't let other people's comments make you doubt yourself .
 
MuddyMonster said:
Personally my preference is a good barefoot trimmer over a farrier. My experience is that they have better knowledge and ability to trim for performance, but everyone is different. There are some farriers that can trim a barefoot working horse really well.

Edited: Just be aware than anyone can set themselves up as a barefoot trimmer so do check qualifications, training and experience - all my barefoot trimmers I've used hold the DAEP.

There can often also be a cost difference between a trimmer and a farrier, I think it's worth every penny but it's worth considering.
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A good farrier will be able to trim and balance a foot for performance too IME. Why would you think they don't have the knowledge and ability?
 
Jojo2go said:
A good farrier will be able to trim and balance a foot for performance too IME. Why would you think they don't have the knowledge and ability?
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As I said, based on my experience, the farriers I've used (and some work of other's I've just seen) they haven't done as good a job or been as competent overall trimming as a barefoot trimmer - which is why I swapped to a barefoot trimmer in the first place.

I did literally state there are some farriers are very good at trimming, hence why I followed this up directly with 'everyone is different. There are some farriers that can trim a barefoot working horse really well'.
 
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I'm sure there is good and bad in every profession, including (qualified) barefoot trimmers and farriers, as long as your horses are sound and happy I wouldnt worry.

I've had a variety of horses barefoot over the past twenty years, most of them competition horses, competing in dressage up to Grand Prix, all my horses have always been trimmed by my farrier, he is exceptional with horses feet, with or without shoes. Sadly not all farriers are created equal, some have very negative opinions about barefoot competition horses, so I totally understand why people use trimers instead, but I think we have to judge the individual doing the job rather than the profession.
 
It was my farrier who said my new horse didn't need shoes so we whipped them off in a October.when the ground softened. All mine are on the equivalent of a "barefoot" diet anyway.
Anyone can set themselves up a trimmer vs. a four year gruelling training program. I know which one I'd trust.
 
Nicnac said:
It was my farrier who said my new horse didn't need shoes so we whipped them off in a October.when the ground softened. All mine are on the equivalent of a "barefoot" diet anyway.
Anyone can set themselves up a trimmer vs. a four year gruelling training program. I know which one I'd trust.
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how much of that 4 years is spent learning how to produce BF performance horses

for some horses it is easy to whip shoes off. I did it on one of my arabs, shoes off one day usual 20 mile ride the next. He was young and had excellent feet.
Some of the rest were from that easy. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

if you want to trim a barefoot horse is it no help at all to know how to make a shoe or nail it on. Far more use to have been taught about booting. How long do farriers spend on that in their 4 year training? What about their expertise in fitting boots to difficult horses.
 
paddy555 said:
how much of that 4 years is spent learning how to produce BF performance horses

for some horses it is easy to whip shoes off. I did it on one of my arabs, shoes off one day usual 20 mile ride the next. He was young and had excellent feet.
Some of the rest were from that easy. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

if you want to trim a barefoot horse is it no help at all to know how to make a shoe or nail it on. Far more use to have been taught about booting. How long do farriers spend on that in their 4 year training? What about their expertise in fitting boots to difficult horses.
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My farrier does a lot of barefoot and my equine osteo who is also a barefoot trimmer said he does a fabulous job. I have never used boots. Can't jump in them or do a BD test. If horse not comfortable unshod then I would shoe. Horses for courses.
 
Jojo2go said:
A good farrier will be able to trim and balance a foot for performance too IME. Why would you think they don't have the knowledge and ability?
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Because the training still isn't the syllabus as far as I know, which is heavily based around shoeing. Whether a farrier comes out of training knowing anything about hard working barefoot horses depends on who they were apprenticed to.

Dinner barefoot trainers have no training at all, on the other hand

Both can be good, both can be bad, the trick is to use someone who has barefoot horses out there hacking miles and competing.
.
 
Nicnac said:
My farrier does a lot of barefoot and my equine osteo who is also a barefoot trimmer said he does a fabulous job. I have never used boots. Can't jump in them or do a BD test. If horse not comfortable unshod then I would shoe. Horses for courses.
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I am glad that your farrier is doing a good job.

Nicnac said:
Nicnac said:
Anyone can set themselves up a trimmer vs. a four year gruelling training program. I know which one I'd trust.
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this was the more general point I was replying to. It is not a case of trimmer or farrier, there are good and bad of both. It is the case that I would expect a hoof care professional be they trimmer or farrier to be able to deal with an uncomfortable unshod horse, have the experience to work out the reason for it (and there can be very many reasons) rather than to just shoe it. I would also expect them to have experience of booting and fitting boots in order that an alternative could be offered. You may not want an alternative but many people do.

It is great if farriers have sufficient skills and experience of barefoot working horses or indeed booted ones but I guess many don't.
 
Nicnac said:
I have never used boots. Can't jump in them or do a BD test. If horse not comfortable unshod then I would shoe. Horses for courses.
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Do you mean can't jump competitively in them or can't jump at all?

If you meant the latter, just as an aside, there are plenty of boots one can jump in - we spend most our winter's popping logs and ditches out hacking in muddy, conditions sometimes completely barefoot, sometimes with front hoof boots on.

But I'm not up to date with the BS/BE rules on hoof boots for competitions (or BD but I've never needed boots for arena work) - thankfully, the disciplines I've done competively allow boots with no issues if required.
 
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