Does anyone use a trimmer rather than a farrier?

[maya2008]

Struggling to find a farrier who will do a decent job trimming. Two seconds with the rasp is not worth £40, particularly if it leaves the hoof still misshapen (from roadwork, they all wear slightly unevenly) and my husband then has to fix that himself. Or if cutting sole back to open up the frog area makes a pony lame, to be open to being more conservative rather than all or nothing. Also struggling to find a farrier who will work sympathetically with youngsters. We can get them 99% perfect, used to rasp and other equipment, hoof on stand and between legs - but we cannot get them used to the specific stranger who is the farrier, without them actually meeting them!

So…are trimmers any better? Or failing that, do they still do trimming courses for horse owners?

 

[MuddyMonster]

I can't rate my barefoot trimmer enough.

I struggled to find a reliable and sympathetic farrier but my trimmer is great at both! They are more expensive but worth every penny to me.

I've only ever used DAEP qualified barefoot trimmers so can't comment on others. Like anything in life, there are good and bad in all walks.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Just rasp them yourself if they are practically self trimming with work anyway it's probably all they need is a quick rasp every few weeks just to tidy them up.

 

[planete]

My trimmer has made a world of difference to my pony's feet. She has gradually succeeded in getting his heels to open and they are now besutifully balanced. She is also endlessly patient, ignored his tantrums and persevered until she had the job done to her satisfaction, cue a much more relaxed and cooperative pony. She is worth every penny she charges. The pony came to me with a deep mistrust of farriers and a lot of physical problems caused by a muscle myopathy which made him a bit of a nightmare to trim.

I would go by recommendations and try one who is known to keep working horses (not just pasture pets) sound and in regular work barefoot. Qualifications are a must but do not automatically guarantee a top class trimmer.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I used trimmers in the past but now I have an amazing farrier who carefully balances their hooves on every visit, plus he has been on time for five years straight!

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I would always choose a farrier over a barefoot trimmer

 

[sbloom]

I had two great trimmers and my horses feet were way better. Good and bad in both (trimmer and farrier). They tend to take more time, and have done equine behavioural stuff so can better help with any handling blips, in my experience (just an average, and from the noughties!).

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm a YO and we have a total of eight horses here including mine.

I have used both an EP (Equine Podiatrist) and a farrier.

The majority of us now use a farrier; not that we have any objection to an EP, 'tis just that we have an absolutely superb farrier who completely understands the barefoot ethos and he does an excellent job of trimming the barefoot hoof.

Would be equally happy to utilise the excellent EP we have here too.

For years I've always wanted to transition to barefoot, but found that as soon as one dared to peep timidly around the parapet and utter the word "barefoot" you'd get well and truly slapped down for even thinking of the idea, and given every horror story out there about all the awful things that could go wrong.

My vet was actually the one to suggest barefoot for mine, bless him.

 

[IrishMilo]

My farrier is excellent - he shoes my TB but knows I rasp my other one myself and gives me his old rasps and sharpens them for me. I haven't found many farriers who trim them with much care to be honest. But I'm sure there are good ones out there.

 

[Highmileagecob]

There are good and bad in each camp. Is your trimmer balancing the hoof according to the horse's needs, or just simply whisking the rasp around on autopilot? Maybe take a look at Cavallo's Barefoot Trim video on line and see if it measures up. Also take into account your horse's conformation, wear pattern and work load. Barefoot trims do not routinely remove sole or frog and rely heavily on rasping and bevelling. Think I would ask around and go with recommendation.

 

[Marigold4]

Struggling to find a farrier who will do a decent job trimming. Two seconds with the rasp is not worth £40, particularly if it leaves the hoof still misshapen (from roadwork, they all wear slightly unevenly) and my husband then has to fix that himself. Or if cutting sole back to open up the frog area makes a pony lame, to be open to being more conservative rather than all or nothing. Also struggling to find a farrier who will work sympathetically with youngsters. We can get them 99% perfect, used to rasp and other equipment, hoof on stand and between legs - but we cannot get them used to the specific stranger who is the farrier, without them actually meeting them!

So…are trimmers any better? Or failing that, do they still do trimming courses for horse owners?

Whereabouts do you live? My EP trimmer is excellent and also an instructor. I went on a two day course in the Lake District to learn the basics so feel confident to rasp away any chips and knocks. My trimmer would be happy to oversee my work if I wanted to do it myself though.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I have used both, EP and farrier, the only one that ever hit my horse was the first EP who was supposed to be one of the best in the country.

I’m happiest with my current farrier, pony no longer has a long lasting crack in her hind hoof, he balances her hooves at every appointment, he is always on time and lectures me if their weight goes up and always tells me to call if I have half a worry.

 

[maya2008]

Thanks all, we’re in Wiltshire, half way between Salisbury and Swindon.

I was totally spoilt by my amazing farrier in Buckinghamshire - I could buy a pony with literally the worst feet ever and know he’d fix them with ease. He was totally amazing. Now, I’d just like someone who cared enough to balance their hooves nicely and where I didn’t feel like I might as well set fire to my money as call them!

 

[dorsetladette]

I struggled to find a good farrier for a while after mine moved to Australia.

I went through recommendations but my idea of a good farrier is obviously very different to those who recommended. I used farriers that already visited the yard I was on. Then from facebook posts. I wasn't happy with any of them. They all seems to try to trim the 'ideal' or 'textbook' foot rather than dealing with the horse in front of them.

I then went on the farrier's register and looked for a local person with 'older' qualifications in the hope that they would trim more traditionally and not try to make my horses feet look like the textbook photos. I now have the best farrier I've had in a long time. He spends time looking at how the ponies move and checking how they wear the hoof etc. We discuss changes to how he thinks he will trim their feet etc etc. Shoes are very much secondary to the feet being 'right' to him. He's fab!! I don't think he'd come that far out to you unfortunately.

But, maybe look for another farrier on the register with older qualifications as they were taught by the generation before them in a more traditional way. (well hopefully anyway)

 

[P.forpony]

You may just have to kiss a few frogs!

I don't have much experience of trimmers but there are most definitely different varieties of farrier....

My current farrier is bloody brilliant.
Fairly newly qualified, started doing my horses while he was an apprentice, and my tb was at least a fortnightly shoe puller/self harmer

Was incredibly supportive of my suggestion to go barefoot, and worked with me for a year to find exactly what my boy needed to be comfortable. Including doing some experimental case studies on semiflexible sole casts, and understanding that my horse needs to be left more foot than a conventional trim.
He gives me his old rasps for inbetween tidies and still comes about every 12 weeks to balance and reassure me I'm not doing it wrong!
He's great with the youngsters too and I think it really helps that he rides and has his own horses.

I happily pay him £40 for a few minutes work every few months.
His support and efforts have saved me a fortune in shoeing, vets bills and from having a horse that constantly injures itself on its shoes!

A bit one sided I'm afraid but wanted to confirm there are farriers out there who aren't just dying to stick shoes on everything!