I’ve finally trimmed my own horse’s hooves myself!

[Tiddlypom]

And she’s not crippled, and is moving well, phew. And I’m not crippled either (I have a knackered back).

Background. I don’t really want to have to trim my horses’ hooves myself, but I’ve yet again been let down by a no show from the farrier. He’s good, but very unreliable.

This mare has had a lot of issues from previous poor foot balance, and it’s vital that her toes are kept short. She goes long toe/low heel very easily. She was just over 7 weeks from last trim, and her toes were getting too long again.

I’ve invested in all the kit, which was very spendy and has been waiting there, just in case. I’m pretty chuffed with the results. The Dymondback rasp is mega, and made easy work of it. I bought this kit after recommendations on here, I can’t remember who recommended what except for the gloves - thanks ester!

Still hoping that the farrier will turn up next week to check my handiwork/finish the job, and to trim the other two, but if not, I’ll get stuck in with them.

 

[ycbm]

Feels good, doesn't? Congratulations!

 

[shamrock2021]

Congratulations ?

 

[bouncing_ball]

I’ve got a set of tools. I’ve had some training and do tidy up / maintenance between trimmer visits. It’s useful to be able to especially if needs doing or emergency tidy up.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Yay! Well done.

 

[MissTyc]

Well done! I love doing them myself. I get my expert to check every 4-6 months depending on when he's in the area. All mine are now barefoot and I have saved so much cash by doing them myself!

 

[Chinchilla]

Lovely job ?

 

[Reacher]

Well done, it’s reassuring to know you can keep them ticking over in case the farrier is out of action for any reason.
I trim them every couple of weeks in between trimmer’s visits

 

[Tiddlypom]

Feels good, doesn't? Congratulations!

Thank you, yes .

It’s been a long time coming...

The last time the farrier let me down I knocked back the worst of the long toe with a radius rasp, which was all I had at the time. It’s fairly idiot proof, but it’s very slow and imprecise and it was hard work. It’s not up to a full trim. The proper rasp is much better.

Current cunning plan is to lightly trim all 3 every couple of weeks or so, but to still keep the farrier coming regularly to oversee how I’m doing. That is, if he ever returns my calls and if he doesn’t I’m setting the vet on him again.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Lovely job ?

So kind! I may have made the pic a little blurry deliberately to flatter my handiwork .

 

[ester]

Well done

 

[Shilasdair]

I remember the days when you had to take shoes off for BHS exams.

Never again - I happily outsource all such back breaking labour to my farrier.

 

[soloequestrian]

I can only manage 2 hooves/day. I have no idea how farriers and trimmers survive. I recommend a set of nips too - less work than the rasp!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’ve got some decent nippers, but I’ve not used them yet. I don’t think I’m confident enough in my skillz for it to be wise for me to be let loose with them - I’d worry that I’d take too much off at once.

Slow and steady with the rasp I can cope with better, I think, with lots of checks as I go. The Dymondback rasp is really effective though, it pares the hoof very easily. It wasn’t cheap @ £90!

I may aim to trim a maximum of one horse a day, which wouldn’t make me much of a living. It’s a hard career, for sure.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Rasping the horses hooves is the only thing that will make MrPF take his coat (and maybe even one of his jumpers) off when outside. ?

 

[ester]

you'll get bored of rasping at some point and just reach for the nippers first. That's how it happens .

mine mostly get used for chestnut removal now, as no one else notices them until I visit and we seem to be having some sort of growth competition.

 

[ameeyal]

What a great set up of tools you have, I’ve been trimming my 10 ponys for years and I don’t have what you have got.
i find if you keep on top with a rasp every few weeks , it becomes so much easier, and you don’t need to use any nippers.

 

[TreeDog]

I’ve got some decent nippers, but I’ve not used them yet. I don’t think I’m confident enough in my skillz for it to be wise for me to be let loose with them - I’d worry that I’d take too much off at once.

Slow and steady with the rasp I can cope with better, I think, with lots of checks as I go. The Dymondback rasp is really effective though, it pares the hoof very easily. It wasn’t cheap @ £90

I've been doing my own for a few years now and not brave enough to use nippers! I just rasp every few weeks so there's never too much to come off. I desperately need a new rasp though, mine is now old and crap (and was cheap to start with) which definitely makes the job so much harder than it needs to be. £90 though! Maybe a christmas present!

 

[Tiddlypom]

What a great set up of tools you have, I’ve been trimming my 10 ponys for years and I don’t have what you have got.
i find if you keep on top with a rasp every few weeks , it becomes so much easier, and you don’t need to use any nippers.

I’m really creaky, so I knew that I had to have the right kit or I wouldn’t have been able to do it.

The Hoof Jack is brilliant, it makes it so much easier.

I’m hoping that little and often will be the way to go.

 

[scruffyponies]

Your tools look fab. I'm another who has been trimming my own for decades, and I'm a little jealous. It is hard work, for sure, but worth it to be able to just keep them right around your own schedule without worrying about appointments.

IME the most back-breaking is the Shetland - really need to have the dam thing up on a table!

 

[paddy555]

you'll get bored of rasping at some point and just reach for the nippers first. That's how it happens .

.

absolutely

 

[SEL]

you'll get bored of rasping at some point and just reach for the nippers first. That's how it happens .

Totally bored (& aching!) from rasping but I just don't seem to have the knack with nippers. Plus hooves made of iron.

 

[Red-1]

Congratulations! I have trimmed my last 3 myself, but Rigsby has some funky stuff going on with his after lami, so I am having help with his. Feels good to be self sufficient though, no need to panic about lost shoes, splits, overgrown feet when you can just roll up your sleeves and do them yourself.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Congratulations! The relief of them still being able to walk after is immense

I sort of do ... my boy is tricky with carriers but we've found one brilliant barefoot trimmer who has worked wonders with him. The problem is they are about 100 miles away so I self trim in between. I was going to look at trimming courses this year, but that was all put to one side. One for 2021 perhaps (if I'm brave enough).

I'm using a Radius Rasp at the moment, so might have a look at the Rasp you are using.

 

[IrishMilo]

I had only just gotten into trimming myself, and I was REALLY enjoying it. It’s a fantastic feeling to not be at the mercy of someone else. Although I have to say I completely underestimated how physically demanding it is - I was sweating after my first go!

 

[Tarragon]

I asked my OH for a Hoof Jack for my birthday present as he didn't have any ideas. I have also suggested a new rasp or a rasp handle for some cheaper options. It is in a few days and I have my fingers crossed that he took my suggestion up! Up until now I have just used hand-me down rasps given to me by the trimmer who comes 3 or 4 times a year to make sure that I am keeping the balance right. The last time she came she was surprise that I had never used a sharp rasp and warned me to wear thick gloves the first few times else there will be blood!

 

[Tarragon]

I had only just gotten into trimming myself, and I was REALLY enjoying it. It’s a fantastic feeling to not be at the mercy of someone else. Although I have to say I completely underestimated how physically demanding it is - I was sweating after my first go!

I agree with this! I have to take a breather between hooves and can only do one pony in each go.

 

[Equi]

One of my biggest regrets is not learning to be a trimmer/farrier so I could do my own lol I know im a paying customer but I feel like I’m constantly pestering my poor farrier

 

[ester]

Totally bored (& aching!) from rasping but I just don't seem to have the knack with nippers. Plus hooves made of iron.

I did suggest to my trimmer that we could do with hydraulic nippers when F's were rock hard.

Mine are quite short, if I were still doing it regularly I would put a spring on them.

I agree with the freedom of doing it, to just look and go, oh they need some work and just cracking on with it. I'm sure he was better for every 2-3 weeks than 6 when they were growing rapidly too. Not so much an issue these days, only get retiree level of growth.

 

[paddy555]

Totally bored (& aching!) from rasping but I just don't seem to have the knack with nippers. Plus hooves made of iron.

have you got a nipper spring on? there are about £12 and easy to fit. Makes so much difference as you can easily use the nippers one handed. My nipper spring got damaged last week end and when I used them without I realised how much difference it made.
When you are using nippers don't try and nip the full width of the nippers. After the first cut (on the quarters where the wall is thinner) just move them half a jaw length onwards to you are nipping less but it is a lot easier on hard feet. Work on just "nibbling" your way around the foot one handed until it becomes easier for you.