Barefooters - trimming / rasping yourself??

olop

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My boy has been barefoot most of his life (he is now coming up 9) & for the past 4 years I have been rasping & giving him a trim myself after my farrier showed me how to do it.
He does get seen by a farrier once a year just to check all is well otherwise we have coped fine.

I am about to move yards next week as we are re-locating to a new area & the YO was very kind in saying she can get a farrier, vet etc sorted for me seeing as I dont know the area well.

When I told her my routine she was horrified & said what I am doing is illegal & that I wont be able to carry on with this at her yard.

I am a bit confused now, I thought that actually shoeing your horse is illegal not the trimming & rasping or I am comlpletly wrong?!?!

Could someone clear this up for me??
Thanks!
 
As far as I am aware it is illegal to trim your horse in preparation fo shoeing, but not illegal to just trim and rasp or there would be many law breakers across the country. I rasp between trims as do my two liveries and many friends.:)
 
As above, she's wrong. What you are doing is perfectly legal and if your farrier is checking on your work and is fine with it then really it's none of her business.
Whatever you do, if it's not broke don't fix it. I wouldn't let anyone persuade me to start getting a farrier to trim if the job I was doing was working as well as yours obviously is.
 
Trimming and rasping a barefoot hoot yourself is completely legal as far as I'm aware. Otherwise me and my sister are in a lot of trouble with our 3!!!

It is perfectly fine to get a farrier to check your work - we have a barefoot specialist come and check ours and give them a once over at regular intervals.
 
told her my routine she was horrified & said what I am doing is illegal & that I wont be able to carry on with this at her yard.

It is isn't illegal to trim your own horses feet.

It is only illegal if you are preparing the hoof to be shod or actually shoeing the horse.
 
Thanks all - I thought that was the case, may just have to resort to hiding in my stable & do it when nobody is looking :o
 
Thanks all - I thought that was the case, may just have to resort to hiding in my stable & do it when nobody is looking :o

I am sure they will get used to the idea eventually, they are probably just covering their own backs. Perhaps you could get your farrier to have a word?
 
As everyone has said it is perfectly legal to trim your own horses feet (as long as it's not to take a shoe) and others although you may come unstuck if uninsured doing others for any reward.

Good idea to have farrier come and check balance. Barefoot is the most natural thing and if you are riding regularly accross all terrains the feet should require little intervention.

someone posted this interesting Youtube in another thread that may interest everyone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayEJacuoJ7I
 
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You probably need some way of sorting this out with her. Or you might get there to find she's had her regular farrier trim your horse's hooves. :-)
 
As everyone has said it is perfectly legal to trim your own horses feet (as long as it's not to take a shoe) and others although you may come unstuck if uninsured doing others for any reward.

Good idea to have farrier come and check balance. Barefoot is the most natural thing and if you are riding regularly accross all terrains the feet should require little intervention.

someone posted this interesting Youtube in another thread that may interest everyone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayEJacuoJ7I

Really good (if somewhat gory!) video, thanks for posting. The final proof 2 was very good too, here's the link for anyone interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_45ml-TlI

Incidentally, I trim my own horses' feet too, my trimmer comes and checks/refreshes the balance at regular intervals. They do very well on it.
 
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I am sure they will get used to the idea eventually, they are probably just covering their own backs. Perhaps you could get your farrier to have a word?

This is a really good idea - organise for him to come and do his check when you first move on and have a chat with her
 
Trimming and rasping a barefoot hoot yourself is completely legal as far as I'm aware. Otherwise me and my sister are in a lot of trouble with our 3!!!

It is perfectly fine to get a farrier to check your work - we have a barefoot specialist come and check ours and give them a once over at regular intervals.


Was just thinking the same. The 4 we have got are all barefoot and get a regular trim up and then we have the farrier out every so often :)
 
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