How often are your horses feet trimmed?

[Birker2020]

The lovely Lari is going barefoot next week in preparation for (hopefully) his new life at the blood bank next year. I want to get any barefoot problems ironed out way ahead of time so he has plenty of time to adjust.

Never had any experience of barefoot other than my last horse going barefoot for 6 weeks at the age of 22 for one cycle with no problems whatsoever and a previous horse having shoes off that had to be put back on again because he ended up in too much discomfort.

I asked the farrier when I saw him if I should put anything on his feet to help them during this Autumn/Winter but he said not to bother. He also said he would be fine trimming every 8 weeks.

My friend says I can borrow her horse boots if he finds it too much of a struggle - but in your opinion is it best just to let him get on with things?

Just want to do the best for my lovely horse.

 

[DabDab]

Depends on the horse how often the trim. A couple of mine are almost self trimming so if I were using a farrier then 8-12 week intervals would be about right just for a shape and tidy. The other would be 4-5 weeks for a farrier trim, and then he would need hoof taking off rather than just a tidy up. So best to just keep an eye on them and see how it goes.

Depends how physically compromised he is too - if a horse is moving/standing/holding itself asymmetrically then you can get the hooves throwing a weird shape and sometimes that shape is helpful to the horse (up to a point), and sometimes it isn't, so it's a bit of a judgement call whether to have more regular trims to keep on top of it, or to leave it alone

 

[Red-1]

I like to have shoes off for a time over winter, have taken 5 horses' off and all have ended up in work with them, some competing BD/BS or unaffiliated. Some have needed boots, some not.

I had a wonderful farrier who taught me to trim. I tend to run a rasp round every week, then it isn't a big job. When I've had a funky one (Rigsby, recovering laminitic) I've used a specialist every 3 months or so, and trimmed to their spec in the meantime. When I do them myself, I send the farrier pictures every few months.

I find walking on tarmac is invaluable.

When I wasn't doing Rigsby, the farrier did them when he came to shoe the other. It was simply easier to let him as Rigs' feet are like rock! I shoe every 5 weeks and that was perhaps trim heavy (it was fine for Rigs but heavy on the £) but 10 weeks would have been wayyyy too long. I am back doing them now as BH is having his shoeless time.

I find that correct diet before removal is key. I've never had one particularly sore, and those that needed boots have only used them for walking out, where I would do a fair walk and pull the boots half way.

Would your farrier help you to learn? When they are first removed they don't need much 'trimming' per se while the settle for the first 6 weeks or so, but they will need a regular rasp round to remove any rough bits until the nail holes have grown out.

 

[Goldenstar]

I do five to six weeks between trims .
I often do a little myself in between

 

[stangs]

My trimmer advises a trimming cycle of 6 weeks.

The best thing for his feet would be a whole lot of walking on different hard surfaces: tarmac, gravel driveways, rocky bridleways, whatever you can find. It won't be hugely comfortable for him at first, but, as you don't have an exercise schedule to be adhering to, I don't think you'll need boots.

 

[Birker2020]

I like to have shoes off for a time over winter, have taken 5 horses' off and all have ended up in work with them, some competing BD/BS or unaffiliated. Some have needed boots, some not.

I had a wonderful farrier who taught me to trim. I tend to run a rasp round every week, then it isn't a big job. When I've had a funky one (Rigsby, recovering laminitic) I've used a specialist every 3 months or so, and trimmed to their spec in the meantime. When I do them myself, I send the farrier pictures every few months.

I find walking on tarmac is invaluable.

When I wasn't doing Rigsby, the farrier did them when he came to shoe the other. It was simply easier to let him as Rigs' feet are like rock! I shoe every 5 weeks and that was perhaps trim heavy (it was fine for Rigs but heavy on the £) but 10 weeks would have been wayyyy too long. I am back doing them now as BH is having his shoeless time.

I find that correct diet before removal is key. I've never had one particularly sore, and those that needed boots have only used them for walking out, where I would do a fair walk and pull the boots half way.

Would your farrier help you to learn? When they are first removed they don't need much 'trimming' per se while the settle for the first 6 weeks or so, but they will need a regular rasp round to remove any rough bits until the nail holes have grown out.

Hi Red1 - I think I'm going to take the morning off work when the farrier is out to him and ask him if he can show me how to trim for the reason you have said.

He said he'd go 8 weeks between trims, that to me seemed too long when he's been shod every five weeks on the dot for the past two years (me and previous owner). But then another poster said he'd wear them down naturally so I guess its not a problem, I'm probably over thinking it.

He has been on Happy Hoof/ Healthy Hooves before I bought him for 12 months and been on Healthy Hooves which I think is nicer, for the past 12 months with me also and is also on Progressive Earth vitamin E. I think the Healthy Hooves has really helped him.

 

[Birker2020]

I just can't wait to get those overreach boots off, something else he's worn every day for the past two years, so lucky he doesn't get a rash or mud fever. This was because he over reached according to his owner and then I found out from my farrier that he'd got a massive split parallel with the ground on his one foot caused by a traumatic over reach, another thing not picked up on the vetting. He thought it was due to an accident he'd had approx 12 months previously as he could see how it was growing out and judged the age of it, it made him lame on and off, it's fine now as he dealt with it appropriately and its not visible anymore.

Then he lost a shoe and over reached another time. At £25 a time for a shoe to be put back on I had to come up with a solution, so after a lot of trial and error I found the PE ballistic bell boots were the best with a pair of rubber over reach boots over the top and he's never pulled them off since. So I ended up with two pairs of the rubber boots and 3 pairs of the PE boots and having to wash them and alternate the drying of the PE boots on the house radiator every night so he has nice clean and dry inner boots on every night has been a nightmare!

The farrier is delighted with the way his feet have improved over the 9 or 10 times he has shod him. He has lovely feet now and the farrier seems to think as long as the ground isn't frozen solid when he first takes the shoes off he will be fine.

 

[ycbm]

He has been on Happy Hoof/ Healthy Hooves before I bought him for 12 months and been on Healthy Hooves which I think is nicer, for the past 12 months with me also and is also on Progressive Earth vitamin E. I think the Healthy Hooves has really helped him.

I think you need to wean him off these (and any other supplements and medications he's on) in the next couple of weeks. He won't get any supplementation at the blood bank and you need to know that he can cope without while you still see him daily and can spot any issues.

I doubt he'll get a trim more often than 4 times a year at the blood bank.
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[Arzada]

Generally every 7 weeks but occasionally in the winter when his hoof growth slows we go to 8 weeks. The farrier decides at each visit based on the growth from his previous visit.

 

[Gloi]

Most of my trimming is done by riding on tarmac. I run a rasp round the edges when needed. I get the farrier to do them very occasionally if for some reason we haven't done much road work but I wish I could persuade him not to cut the frogs back.

 

[smolmaus]

For the sake of having the better farrier, every 5 weeks as we sync it up with my friends mare's shoeing cycle. My mare gets pretty significant flare on one front due to her conformation even though she self trims pretty well length-wise. Its worth the extra £££.

I think YCBM makes a very good point as well, it might be worth finding the very most invested trimmer/farrier you can at this point, taking the financial hit and making sure they know they have to do the work now so Lari can have the best chance at self-trimming in the future. Its a tricky one.

 

[Birker2020]

For the sake of having the better farrier, every 5 weeks as we sync it up with my friends mare's shoeing cycle. My mare gets pretty significant flare on one front due to her conformation even though she self trims pretty well length-wise. Its worth the extra £££.

I think YCBM makes a very good point as well, it might be worth finding the very most invested trimmer/farrier you can at this point, taking the financial hit and making sure they know they have to do the work now so Lari can have the best chance at self-trimming in the future. Its a tricky one.

It's not the financial hit that is the issue as I'm only transitioning to barefoot because I have to - if he goes to the BB/retired he will have to be barefoot. There is a barefoot lady who visits to trim at our yard, she specialises in barefoot but the thing is I don't want to lose my farrier, he is really good. He might get the hump if I moved to someone else and because I intend to have another horse after Lari at some stage next year, I need to keep him on side.

The farrier I used for 17 years wouldn't come out after I lost Bails to shoe my new horse as he didn't want to come to the yard anymore (something to do with another livery) so I was lucky to secure the services of the farrier I've had since last October who is also brilliant and who I had many years ago with previous horses. I'm really loathe to give him up, a good reliable farrier which he is, is very hard to come by.

 

[Surbie]

My horse went barefoot last September - he was very sore to begin with and I used nappies to walk him along the verge to his field. I used to have his feet trimmed every 4 weeks without fail and maintain inbetween. Then my lovely once-reliable farrier went MIA and I have had to up my game.

I rasp once or twice a week but my horse does do much work at the moment. I've had the farrier who's now taking him on look him over quickly, but the last trim by anyone qualified was done at the end of August.

 

[Birker2020]

My horse went barefoot last September - he was very sore to begin with and I used nappies to walk him along the verge to his field. I used to have his feet trimmed every 4 weeks without fail and maintain inbetween. Then my lovely once-reliable farrier went MIA and I have had to up my game.

I rasp once or twice a week but my horse does do much work at the moment. I've had the farrier who's now taking him on look him over quickly, but the last trim by anyone qualified was done at the end of August.

I hope he doesn't go too footsore.

I can't turn out in the morning as they don't go out until after 8.30am and I'm at work for 7.30am plus there's nothing for him to go out with at that time so the staff will turn out which is fine. I'm sure they will be understanding if he's very sore.

We have a concrete outside screeded yard that leads to a dirt/muddy path which then leads up to the grass strip where our paddocks lead off from so its not too much of a walk for him thank goodness.

Sorry to hear about your horse Surbie. What a nightmare! So you have to maintain yourself now?

 

[Birker2020]

I think you need to wean him off these (and any other supplements and medications he's on) in the next couple of weeks. He won't get any supplementation at the blood bank and you need to know that he can cope without while you still see him daily and can spot any issues.

I doubt he'll get a trim more often than 4 times a year at the blood bank.
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Well the Healthy Hooves is just chaff - its a blend of soft cereal straw with chopped and pelleted nutrient-rich alfalfa low in starch and sugar and calories. The vitamin E is just to use it up from the PSSM diet I had him on previously because it was quite expensive.

I'm not going to stop feeding him until probably next March time as there is no need to stop at this point, I need to maintain his current weight which I won't probably be able to do on just hay alone.

At the BB I believe they are fed ad lib hay constantly in big round bales in an indoor barn from Oct - April.

 

[Surbie]

Sorry to hear about your horse Surbie. What a nightmare! So you have to maintain yourself now?

It's a real shame about the last guy - he was absolutely fantastic for 4.5 years and I've been so grateful for his support. I hope he is ok, this is totally out of character. I do have a new farrier coming - luckily I'm on a big yard with several farriers.

Even if it's not been ideal, it's been a good learning opportunity and I am a lot more confident about my horse's feet now. So there's that!

 

[Dexter]

Well the Healthy Hooves is just chaff - its a blend of soft cereal straw with chopped and pelleted nutrient-rich alfalfa low in starch and sugar and calories. The vitamin E is just to use it up from the PSSM diet I had him on previously because it was quite expensive.

I'm not going to stop feeding him until probably next March time as there is no need to stop at this point, I need to maintain his current weight which I won't probably be able to do on just hay alone.

At the BB I believe they are fed ad lib hay constantly in big round bales in an indoor barn from Oct - April.

If the blood bank expect them to manage on hay alone then he needs to manage on hay alone now surely? Ad lib hay should be fine if hes not working, and if its not then you know he wont cope out naked 24/7 at the blood bank.

 

[ycbm]

, I need to maintain his current weight which I won't probably be able to do on just hay alone.

How do you expect him to manage at the blood bank, because I'm pretty sure that they won't be using any hard food? You need to know this before he goes there, while he's still on your control.
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[Birker2020]

If the blood bank expect them to manage on hay alone then he needs to manage on hay alone now surely? Ad lib hay should be fine if hes not working, and if its not then you know he wont cope out naked 24/7 at the blood bank.

Of course he will cope naked at the blood bank, he will grow a coat. Most of the horses are WB's of some sort or another. And they are housed from Oct to April anyway.

There is no point starting to rough him off until next year. When he goes in April (if he does) he will be out in a big field 24/7 and able to eat grass to maintain his weight and then grow his coat more according to the weather. It would be cruel to just stop feeding him and take his rugs off now

 

[Tiddlypom]

This needs to be a trial run of him having minimal and non individually targeted care at the blood bank. Either he can cope with very basic care, or he can't. You need to find out before he goes there.

 

[Birker2020]

How do you expect him to manage at the blood bank, because I'm pretty sure that they won't be using any hard food? You need to know this before he goes there, while he's still on your control.
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I need to know he's going first don't I????? I can't find that out until January as I've already explained.

At the start of the spring I can start roughing him off ready for an end of April move, I have been told its end of April they go there.

I knew there was a reason why I had you and Dexter on UI. Just like the rhyme, Mary had a little lamb 'And everywhere YCBM goes Dexter is sure to go' gosh its like you can sniff out 'drama' or controversy from 100 yards away, like a pack of jackals. My post wasn't asking your opinion of the blood bank, whether it was right for my horse or whether he'd cope without a rug. It was entitled 'how often are your horses feet trimmed?'

WHy make an agonising choice so much harder for someone. Oh, I know, so you can goad me, and reel me in. WJFRO.

 

[Birker2020]

This needs to be a trial run of him having minimal and non individually targeted care at the blood bank. Either he can cope with very basic care, or he can't. You need to find out before he goes there.

Yes but I don't find out before January if he can go. So there is no point.

I was all for roughing him off in October when it was milder but was told there was no point until I knew whether he was going to go or not by a user on here so did just this. And they were right.

 

[ycbm]

I need to know he's going first don't I????? I can't find that out until January as I've already explained.

At the start of the spring I can start roughing him off ready for an end of April move, I have been told its end of April they go there.

I knew there was a reason why I had you and Dexter on UI. Just like the rhyme, Mary had a little lamb 'And everywhere YCBM goes Dexter is sure to go'

I am trying to help you and the horse, don't take your pain out on me, B.

Roughing him off as days get longer and spring approaches will not tell you if he will turn into a lame hatrack next December/January at the blood bank.

No, you don't need to know he's going there first. You said your alternatives were blood bank, other retirement, or PTS. None of which suggest you should hold back on roughing him off properly now.
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[Birker2020]

I am trying to help you and the horse, don't take your pain out on me, B.

Roughing him off as days get longer and spring approaches will not tell you if he will turn into a lame hatrack next December at the blood bank.

No, you don't need to know he's going there first. You said your alternatives were blood bank, other retirement, or PTS. None of which suggest you should hold back on roughing him off properly now.
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No you are not trying to help me or my horse so please don't come that, you must think I was born yesterday. You are trying to make me feel as uncomfortable as you can, you've made it blatantly obvious on other posts that you don't agree with me about sending him there, but I really don't care what you think. Fortunately he's my horse not yours. Back to UI.

 

[PurBee]

How often trimming barefoot depends on footing, and healthy hoof growth, dependent on diet and movement amount.
If he’s on paddock footing , then a soft bed in stable, he wont have any surface to grind the hoof down.

Each horse is different, so you’ll have to play it by ear and see how Lari’s hooves react, but your farrier is likely right, as shoes are concussive on the hoof wall exerting an upward pressure of the wall, creating extra growth compared to barefoot.

The idiom of “wheres theres pressure, there’s growth” applies, so without shoes there’s less wall pressure, so likely less growth, especially if all of his time is spent on soft surfaces of paddock and stable bed.
8 weeks sounds about right, if 6 while shod is the current cycle.

 

[ycbm]

No you are not trying to help me or my horse so please don't come that, you must think I was born yesterday.

Yup, I am trying to help you and Lari, as I did at some length by PM exchanges shortly after you bought him.

You are trying to make me feel as uncomfortable as you can

Absolutely not the case.

, you've made it blatantly obvious on other posts that you don't agree with me about sending him there, but I really don't care what you think. Fortunately he's my horse not yours. Back to UI.

He wouldn't go there if he was mine, but it's not my place to agree or disagree with your decision, which is the same as plenty of other people would make in your situation.

But if he is going to go there, then at the moment you are preparing to send him there without the first clue as to whether he can cope next winter or not.
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[Barton Bounty]

Deep breaths birker ?

I found when my mare couldnt be ridden anymore and she couldnt hold a foal either, my vet got me the name of someone at the bloodbank, its not horrific, I was able to see where she was going etc and the day I dropped her off she went away with the other mares happy as larry (excuse the pun) ? and although you dont get the opportunity to call up and check on them, every horse I saw looked happy and well rounded ?
Some people may have bad experiences of a blood bank but I dont , Cherokee will have passed on by now but Id like to think she was happy when she went

 

[MuddyMonster]

Mine is trimmed every 6 weeks but he's in full work, good feet and has been barefoot all his life so not sure how comparable that would be to a horse coming out of shoes and not in work.

If you trust your farrier and he's suggesting 8 weeks then I'd be inclined to go 8 weeks.

 

[PapaverFollis]

MrPF trims ours. Weekly. Or even fortnightly. No nippers so just rasping. Can't get my head round leaving then longer anymore! ?

How often do they get trimmed at the blood bank? I would probably trim more frequently while he adjusts but eventually he'll have to cope with whatever trim cycle they offer.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Anyway . Forgot the original post lol, Back feet hopefully will continue to improve, but that has been 15 weeks now since shoes were taken off! And they are only just starting to have improved hoof wall etc , Fronts will stay on for now.
there is plenty of used hoof boots about you wont be stuck ?