How long between farrier visits/trims?

tb gets shod ( fronts only ) every 5 weeks. He grows quite a lot of hoof and his feet start looking really long if we push to 6 weeks.
My old horse wasn't shod and I used to get him checked/ quick tidy up, every 10wks.
Kx
 
Patterdale said:
Those who get trims every 5-6 weeks, do you find your horses really really need to be done? Or do you just like to know they've been seen?
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TB shod in front needs the visit. Have tried unshod but no joy (and before the BFT say anything I have kept unshod horses for past 20 odd years)

ISH had 'bad' feet when I got him as a 4 year old. It's taken 18 months for his feet to become fantastic so yes I like the regular care. He events and goes through shoes quickly when working hard - could go 6 weeks probably but as TB goes 5 it's easier to get them done together although more expensive!

ISH could go unshod but can't put studs into hooves so am keeping current regime for the time being. May take him unshod when he's a bit older and more balanced/confident as have had unshod eventer previously.
 
Mine has his shoes off last year and so far has needed the farrier about every 4-5 weeks. When I can do plenty of roadwork (daily, pretty much) he doesn't need to be seen so often. When I can't get out on the road much he needs the farrier more often. Farrier doesn't so much, just rolls the wall a little, doesn't take off any sole or frog. Basically just a tidy up really.
 
When needed! I have several NF's. Some have never seen the farrier as they are running out on the forest so manage their own feet. My riding pony 8-10weeks ish. He doesn't grow much horn so I tend to have a full set then depending on work rate either a refit/trim or a new set when required. In the winter the unshod ponies are left unless there is need for a trim. It really does depend on the horses feet and work situation to how often they see the farrier.
 
4-5 weeks for my TB as I have changed farrier and the new one is doing a great job of keeping shoes on and building her heel up after a few issues with the old farrier rushing and not paying enough attention to long term foot shape. Next time it will prob be 5-6 weeks as they are due next week and still looking quite non flippery on the fronts.
 
soloequestrian said:
Just read this very timely blog post: http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/trimming-chinese-whispers-and-listening.html
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So glad you just posted this !! My mare is 5 this year had her since she was 2 been barefoot all her life. Hasnt been seen by the farrier since end of October. If you saw her feet it looks like they have just been shod they are perfect length but I wouldn't want them shorter! She wears them slightly uneven but to keep rounding them off would not be natural for her & could actually cause her problems.
She is turned out daily & does a mixture of school & road work
In the summer they get done every 5 to 6 weeks because they grow so much more in summer that she cant just wear them naturally
 
Really interesting thread.
I'm genuinely astounded by the number of unshod horses that get trimmed every 5 weeks though, I've never seen a horse with foot that grows that fast, especially in winter. I wonder why the difference? Must be expensive! :D
Do the ones who trim every 5 weeks feed more?
 
i didn't have my welsh cobs feet done for over a year. she is obviously barefoot. she was doing fine, however now she is done every 6 weeks and he feet are looking much better.
 
Last trim would have been end of Oct, she could probably do with another trim now but no cracks/chips and not long either .. Her feet don't grow much, had her done every 8 weeks over the summer farrier said that her feet had barely grown in that time despite being in a 5 acre field full of grass!
Her hooves are like concrete, never chip or crack and always look perfect .. Only bit of her that works properly :p
 
My two are unshod. For the past year they have been every six weeks, last trim was at 7 weeks (due to Christmas holiday), my farrier has now siad they should be fine for 8/9 weeks.

I'm not so sure.

Tartine, yes I can understand as she does quite a lot of roadwork, so she only needs a slight rebalance; but the youngster doesn't do anything, and his feet grow like weeds, even in winter, so I'll take a good look again after 7 weeks and see how they are doing.

Of course I should really start taking the youngster out on walks - which is the aim once the evenings get a bit lighter!
 
Mine's unshod and trimmed every 6 weeks. He could probably go longer in Winter but in summer they grow and crack and I like to keep it at 6 weeks to fit with my shift pattern!
 
Patterdale said:
Really interesting thread.
I'm genuinely astounded by the number of unshod horses that get trimmed every 5 weeks though, I've never seen a horse with foot that grows that fast, especially in winter. I wonder why the difference? Must be expensive! :D
Do the ones who trim every 5 weeks feed more?
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In my horse's case if I can do plenty of roadwork he doesn't need seeing often. I have barely done any roadwork for weeks, he is mainly schooling and doing in hand work. So his feet aren't being worn on the roads and he needs a tidy up about every 5 weeks because he isn't working on an abrasive surface. Farrier literally just runs the rasp around the wall though, nothing more. Definitely no 'trimming' going on. Nothing being nipped off, no sole or frog being taken away. Not expensive either. .. farrier looks at him when he is at the yard for something else and charges me £5 if he actually does anything. And thats only because I said he couldn't do it for nothing. He didnt want any money!
 
Shocked at all these people getting theirs trimmed every 5 weeks or so!! My farrier comes every 8-10 weeks and there's nothing to trim off. Just a rasp which literally takes about 5 seconds per foot. And then he'll try 'tidy' the frogs up. At which point I jump in and say they look fine as they are!
 
I think my Tb hasn't been touched by a farrier for a couple of years now, she has lovely neat self trimmed hooves.
 
Patterdale said:
Really interesting thread.
I'm genuinely astounded by the number of unshod horses that get trimmed every 5 weeks though, I've never seen a horse with foot that grows that fast, especially in winter. I wonder why the difference? Must be expensive! :D
Do the ones who trim every 5 weeks feed more?
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Some of mine have gone through periods of needing work on their BF every five weeks one was trimmed fortnightly .
I do feed a good supplement and some of my horses grow a lot of foot.
The ones who are trimmed a lot are the ones where I am have the heels balanced and uneven wear is being addressed.
It really varies a lot from horse to horse and once they are established BF its my experiance the need for trimming tapers off.
 
Kyra was last seen in october, when the lameness ended. Her feet are neat and average lenght still with around an hours roadwork a week. I send my farrier pictures and he keeps saying they are fine! No cracks, chips or overgrowth, but i worry so he'll be out next month for a look and probably a cup of tea.
 
My unshod boy gets trimmed every 6-8 weeks depending on rate of growth. I have a good farrier though who'll fit me in as soon as he can if Jack's hooves have grown more than expected. Last time he came after a 6 week period Jack had very little hoof growth, so we've left it 8 weeks this time round. He's in medium work, but mostly in the arena and usually only walk with a small amount of trot when we go out hacking.

My mum's fully shod TB gets re-shod every 5-6 weeks, he's in light work but the longer we leave it, the more likely he is to pull his front shoe off his oddly shaped foot.
 
Our two are barefoot and haven't seen the farrier for over 4 months! They are doing lots of road work and are self trimming by themselves:))
 
My horse can go 7 or 8 weeks in the summer, up to 10 weeks in the winter. I'm not being tight on farrier visits, she just doesn't need her feet done any more often.
 
Farrier comes every 4 weeks and trims what needs trimming (3 horses). He is rebalancing all their feet after previous poor farriery, so is keeping a close eye on everything. He was here yesterday, and trimmed just the rising 3 yo, as the older two (7 and 13) didn't need attention this time.
 
Im with OP mine have bin almost 3mnths now. Had farrier down to check few days ago as suspected an absess (it wasnt) and he said they didnt need doing yet so left them. They live out 24/7 and haynets are put up all over the field so it must help? My mum always used to say the more often their feet are trimmed, the quicker they will grow??
 
It all depends on work load, the diet, breed and more importantly confirmation. There are some which will grow even and don't do much so will go a long time, others to be honest unshod would be an average of 8 weeks. I do have one that grows out of ballance so after 6 weeks it gets uncomfortable so it's on a 5 week schedule. It's very much so play it by eye situation.
The shod ones are booked to a 6 week schedule unless they have problems or the owner requests otherwise.

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