Barefooters - Who trims themselves?

I suspect it is legal to trim your own horse's hooves but not someone else's.

Those who trim themselves, do you collect the snippings or let them fly and vacuum later??:confused:
 
It is not illegal to trim a foot, but it is to shoe.

If you can trim yourself, it can only be beneficial for the horse. Often waiting 6 weeks or so between trims is not ideal. More regular trims is more natural, but obviously don't over do it.
 
Dry Rot said:
I suspect it is legal to trim your own horse's hooves but not someone else's.

Those who trim themselves, do you collect the snippings or let them fly and vacuum later??:confused:
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It's legal to trim anyone's horse and to trim for money.

I don't have snippings. As PaleFace says, if you trim for yourself, you wouldn't usually want to leave a horse long enough to have "snippings" from using nippers. The most I usually have is a few bits of "dessicated coconut" from the rasp :D
 
I trim my horses and have been doing so for 7 years now, had no choice as I could not get a decent reliable farrier where I lived, and the shoes were hanging off, so as the 2 mares were infoal, I took the shoes off, and have not looked back since...
 
I trim my own horses and they have wonderful hooves now -- not because of my trimming but because of having no shoes, probably!

I took a course, got a lot of help from a barefoot expert (Charlie Girldestone), really made it a project. I studied Pete Ramey's sites and all that. It took almost a year for me to be truly confident (I was SO WORRIED) but 10 years later I can't imagine not doing my horse's hooves.

You take off little and often and it just becomes like any other little chore.... :)
 
It's illegal to hammer a nail into a horse's foot, unless you are qualified.

Trimming is fine, although there have of course been high profile cases of rehabilitation trims that are very invasive leading to cruelty charges.

I do work alongside my EXCELLENT trimmer to keep my pony's feet in shape and I did so with my previous pony, too. I use only a rasp, not a knife and my trimmer comes out regularly to monitor and balance. My job is to maintain the bevel or 'roll' and keep on top of flare. It works wonderfully and it is very liberating to have that ownership and involvement, having been let down in the past by so many farriers.

I started on this route because NO farrier would come out to trim my foal (not worth their fuel). I got in touch with my trimmer, but she lives 70 miles away. So it costs me a fortune when she comes out. Therefore, we agreed she would train me and monitor 3 monthly, subject to review. The rest is history... :-)
 
TwoStroke said:
Oh god yes. First time I trimmed my horse I thought I was dying! Collapsed in a heap on the yard as soon as I'd finished the last foot :o.
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I have a tip for people that works for me. Stay bent down over the hoof stand, and straighten your back and legs, so that you are now a right-angle. Then stand up straight without bending your back. I don't know if that will work for other people, but it stops the pain for me :)
 
You could also do one hoof or two a day, thus spreading out the pain a bit (obviously this doesn't work if you're taking a lot off and changing angles, etc. But then you wouldn't be doing that as a "little and often" sort of trim anyway).
 
cptrayes said:
I have a tip for people that works for me. Stay bent down over the hoof stand, and straighten your back and legs, so that you are now a right-angle. Then stand up straight without bending your back. I don't know if that will work for other people, but it stops the pain for me :)
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That's an interesting tip and I will try it tonight, when I get my trusty patio umbrella stand out for a bit of trimming :D

When I started trimming a few years back, I used to do both front feet one week and both hinds the following week. That was as much as my back could take at one time.

No wonder farriers tend to be crocks by the time they reach retirement!
 
cptrayes said:
I have a tip for people that works for me. Stay bent down over the hoof stand, and straighten your back and legs, so that you are now a right-angle. Then stand up straight without bending your back. I don't know if that will work for other people, but it stops the pain for me :)
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Good tip, I'll give it a try. Though I don't acutally have a hoof stand, I just grab the foot a la Pete Ramey :o. Prob doesn't help!
 
I was going to ask what people use as foot stands as I currently tidy my boys up upside down... could do with him practicing with a 'foot stand' so he's not so difficult for my trimmer on her now 12 weekly visits!

Patio umbrella stand is a genius idea... although he is a big gulumpfa so he's bound to trash it!! lol!
 
I trim all three of mine, having had a back operation a few years ago. I use a hoof stand for the 'pulled forward' stuff ie the hoof wall, although I do sit on a milking stool when doing the hind feet this way (I use the short leg of the hoofstand rather than the long bit that the hoof is supposed to rest on). For the bottom of the hoof, I sit on the milking stool and rest the horse's hoof on my lap. They seem to find it quite comfy, and with these methods I can do all four feet in one sitting. I am doing very little now though, having finally realised that some of what I had insisted on removing was actually there for very good reason!
 
Brightbay said:
That's an interesting tip and I will try it tonight, when I get my trusty patio umbrella stand out for a bit of trimming :D

When I started trimming a few years back, I used to do both front feet one week and both hinds the following week. That was as much as my back could take at one time.

No wonder farriers tend to be crocks by the time they reach retirement!
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We use a patio umbrella stand as well. It's an old cast iron one of my parents that broke (the screw to hold the parasol). Makes an excellent stand for the ponies, it's a little big for the shetland though.

As another thought, the local hardware shop near me is selling off their summer outdoor furniture. They've got the stands in for £20 if you have somewhere like that near you.
 
Seeing as people like the patio umbrella stand idea, I should add that I have refined it somewhat by splitting a tennis ball and putting this on the top :cool:

It is a big cast iron one and nice and stable :)

I do love the idea of the HoofJacks with the slings, but tbh, I can't afford one at the moment.

ETA - the Rider's Rasp... pointless. For less money, you can beg a used rasp from your farrier (they go through a lot of them, and a slightly blunt one is a good place to start, as it's harder to take off much hoof, so ideal for a beginner), and invest in a sturdy pair of rubber gloves to save your fingers ;-) Stick to using the fine side, rather than the coarse side, and all will be well.
 
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My barefoot Highland is trimmed every 8 weeks by a qualified farrier and it costs £20.00. He also advises me on foot health, makes sure they are in balance and generally ensures my pony is happy on his feet. Why on earth would you want to even attempt to do it yourself?? Not sure about the legal side of things but I'd say leave it to an expert every time.
 
It's not rocket science. If I left everything to the "professionals", I might not have had a horse :D
 
I use a car jack when I am working on the underside of the back feet. Pop the pastern on a towel on top of the stand and bob's your mother's brother :D
 
Greylegs said:
My barefoot Highland is trimmed every 8 weeks by a qualified farrier and it costs £20.00. He also advises me on foot health, makes sure they are in balance and generally ensures my pony is happy on his feet. Why on earth would you want to even attempt to do it yourself?? Not sure about the legal side of things but I'd say leave it to an expert every time.
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This. :)
 
Greylegs said:
Why on earth would you want to even attempt to do it yourself?? .
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Because my farriers, two of them, told me my horse would never manage without shoes and I proved them wrong.

Because it's immensely satisfying to take total responsibility for your horse's foot care.

Because for most horses 8 weeks, or even 6, between trims is not the best way to keep the foot in optimum condition for really hard work.

Because I save at least £600 a year not having to pay for a farrier to come and trim 2 or 3 horses.

Because I never have to stay in for the farrier, or wait around for a one who is late or doesn't turn up.

I think that's it for me. More anyone?
 
Greylegs said:
My barefoot Highland is trimmed every 8 weeks by a qualified farrier and it costs £20.00. He also advises me on foot health, makes sure they are in balance and generally ensures my pony is happy on his feet. Why on earth would you want to even attempt to do it yourself?? Not sure about the legal side of things but I'd say leave it to an expert every time.
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You are very lucky! My experience of farriers is for them to trim to the shape they think it should be, hack off some frog and sole and then leave with £20 in hand... often leaving hoof wall too long, not enough heel...etc etc.

My main reason for 'trimming' my boys feet is because I can see when they are getting too long - toes shooting forward etc so I can adress it before it becomes a big problem and he starts trimming. I still have a proffessional come out every 12 weeks but it saves me a serious amound of £££ as realistically my boy would probably need trimming about every 4 weeks for his feet to stay in good working order!! - he grows it that fast!
 
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