Best hoof nippers

[Tiddlypom]

Arghh, I’m having one of those ‘why do the heck do I keep on owning horses?’ days.

3 x neds need their feet trimmed (they are not shod). Farrier was booked for regular 6 weekly visit last week, but was a last minute no show, though he did rearrange to the next day. Then it was another no show, no more comms since, zilch. I’m presuming accident or illness, so I won’t leave any more messages.

I have various radius rasps etc and a hoof stand, so I’m going to have a go at getting the overgrowth cut back myself. I will need hoof nippers, though, has anyone got any recommendations? I am willing to pay decent money for a decent pair, as my back is knackered and I want something that does the job easily. Also what size, I see they come in 12”,14”, 15”?

Any advice/recommendations, please .

 

[ester]

I have a small pair, think 12" blue devils (can check today as going home!) , no idea if they are best as only ever had the 1 pair.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks, Ester. You have a knackered back too, don’t you, do they do the job well enough?

ETA Going home to Frank cuddles ?

 

[ester]

yup, if I were using them a lot I think I would put a spring on them. They definitley cut plenty easily enough and not too unwieldy, arguably they have been used as much to cut chestnuts/ergots, apparently mum just doesn't notice them so god knows what I will find this time round!

Yes Frank cuddles even though he will sigh and tut about it.

 

[saalsk]

I have a pair of chunky ones (if you look up Kerble metal hoof nipper, they are not that brand, but that shape ) which are very good, but I find I can't use them one handed, and as I now do weekly rasping, I also find there isn't a need to take off overgrowth with them anyway. They were very good at cutting though, and very precise. I used a friends longer handled metal ones (professional metal hoof nipper half rounded style, for image purposes ) when I needed to sort a recent chip, and found them much easier to use one handed. My back is also shot, so I use a hoof stand (Finnegan one - brilliant, as it has a cup to rest the hoof/fetlock on, and also a knobbly bit, to rest the hoof on in an upright position ). I personally like to have a hand on the horses leg/foot while working on them, so single hand rasps etc are very useful.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

No idea if they are the best, but I recently bought some 14 inch nippers from Easytrim London and they cut through the tough horn that my gelding insists on growing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/easytrimlondon/m.html?ssPageName=&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2654

 

[paddy555]

https://www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/tools/hoof-nippers/ge-hoof-nippers.aspx

these are the ones I have.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks, all .

https://www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/tools/hoof-nippers/ge-hoof-nippers.aspx

these are the ones I have.

I was looking at these. What size do you have, please? They are spendy, but I want to buy quality ones as they should hopefully be easier to use. I have to be very careful with my back.

I made a start today with the kit I have, which I am embarrassed to admit has hardly had any use. The coarse radius rasp did a good job of tidying up the hoof, but I need nippers to get more length off first. It’s bought me a little time, though. This mare is growing out nail holes.

Thank goodness for the hoof jack!

 

[paddy555]

mine are 12 inch and I have that size as I trim ponies in addition to the horses. The shorter length makes it easier getting under ponies.

 

[soloequestrian]

I got these ones recently https://www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/T...c-Equine-Own-Brand-Nippers-Spring-Loaded.aspx. I'm pleased so far - the spring means I can use them one-handed which is very useful with my fidgety mare.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks again, all. I’ve ordered the GE easy hoof nippers in a 14”, which is apparently the most common size. I’m tall and my smallest horse is 15.2hh, so hopefully that should be ok. I can support the hoof on the hoof jack so I should be able to use both hands to operate the nippers.

 

[paddy555]

Thanks again, all. I’ve ordered the GE easy hoof nippers in a 14”, which is apparently the most common size. I’m tall and my smallest horse is 15.2hh, so hopefully that should be ok. I can support the hoof on the hoof jack so I should be able to use both hands to operate the nippers.

that sounds good

 

[Tiddlypom]

Confirming the order probably means that the farrier will be back in touch soon to rearrange the missed appointment!

I still want a decent pair of my own though, you never know when they might be needed.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Confirming the order probably means that the farrier will be back in touch soon to rearrange the missed appointment!

And that is what happened . Fancy pants hoof nippers arrived Wednesday, and a rather sheepish looking farrier eventually came on Friday, 8 days late.

That is not a bad thing though, farrier may be unreliable, but he is nice and is good at his job. He talked me through (in a socially distant way) how he trims their feet, and it turns out that he uses the rasp much more than the nippers. So I’ve also ordered some fancy pants hoof rasps to use little and often, to keep their feet tidy and balanced. It’s going to be much easier starting this soon after a correct trim, rather than 7 weeks after. Theoretically, farrier will be back to check on how I’m doing (and be fully paid for that) in 5 weeks, but seeing as I haven’t yet extracted another appointment out of him, that remains to be seen...

This is the senior mare‘s fronts after yesterday’s trim with the farrier:-



Compared to 4 months ago when I still used to use a barefoot trimmer, who also mostly used a rasp.


So I need to keep the foot balance as it is in the top pic, not let it go long toe/low heel as it is in the bottom pic.

 

[ester]

As expected were put to use during the week lol.

 

[milliepops]

good job you went to sort them out, ester, he would have got his legs locked together before too long

 

[Tiddlypom]

Was there a hopeful hound waiting to feast on those impressive chestnuts?