Opinions on this trim??
- Thread starter 2awesomenatives
- Start date
Foxford
Well-Known Member
What was the trim interval? My farrier has been this morning and I laughed when the horse before mine was led away as there were just a few flakes on the floor from the rasp. Seems like slow growth or increased wear due to the dry weather?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Impossible to tell anything from those pics
paddy555
Well-Known Member
is there any more info? is the horse sore after his trim, sound, does he just live in a field, is he ridden, how far, over what sort of terrain. Before judging the trim I think one would want a full set of pictures plus pics of the horse showing how he was standing etc.
HaffiesRock
Well-Known Member
Have you had previous concerns or do you always photograph a before and then after trim?
FieldOrnaments
Well-Known Member
Haven't you had previous concerns about this farrier?
Are the horses sound?
Are the horses sound?
FieldOrnaments
Well-Known Member
If you haven't communicated your concerns to your farrier I would do so. Communication between owner and professionals is so so important: obviously they can and should be using their professional training, knowledge and judgment to do what they feel is best for the horse but a key part of helping them form that judgement is talking to them, communicating any concerns you have and goals. If they don't like being asked why they want to do something a certain way that's a red flag.
kerrieberry2
Well-Known Member
doesn't look like the bars have been touched! I wouldn't be happy with that, as my horse has suffered with abscesses in the past and they always come when his bars are too long! I've actually bought some farrier knives and I keep on top of his bars every week or two now. also have a rasp to keep on top of any flare
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Providing you aren't having problems i wouldn't have bothered with the trim tbh. An hours hack on the roads would have had the same effect.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Mine would go sore the minute you touched bars so it’s not a given
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
Other than he hasnt trimmed the sole or frog which is a huge plus with a farrier!
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Drives me mad when the first thing they do is attack a good healthy frog.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I use the council for mine 90% of the time. Certainly all summer when I get out more.Otherwise known as a council trim! Ive got all the barefoot trimmers round here using it
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
I'm biased as I like to trim every week or so, just a shave, but I wouldn't berate a trimmer for this.
The feet look generally healthy but it looks like longer than a month has gone on since the last trim. The heels look very long and the walls look overgrown so are levering the wall away from the foot. The trimmer has started work towards changing this.
TBH, if presented with this foot, I wouldn't have done a deal more in just 1 trim, but I would be trimming 2 x a week until the foot was back under control. I would expect that to take about 5 weeks.
I would rather a trimmer do a little at a time than too much.
I would have expected the trimmer to express concern at the length of time between trims for a performance finish.
ETA- the way the photos are taken is not condusive to be able to really tell about the angles etc.
The feet look generally healthy but it looks like longer than a month has gone on since the last trim. The heels look very long and the walls look overgrown so are levering the wall away from the foot. The trimmer has started work towards changing this.
TBH, if presented with this foot, I wouldn't have done a deal more in just 1 trim, but I would be trimming 2 x a week until the foot was back under control. I would expect that to take about 5 weeks.
I would rather a trimmer do a little at a time than too much.
I would have expected the trimmer to express concern at the length of time between trims for a performance finish.
ETA- the way the photos are taken is not condusive to be able to really tell about the angles etc.
2awesomenatives
Well-Known Member
The time between trims was 6 weeks which has been the same cycle all his life.
We have had the same farrier since he was 3 years old (he is now 9) but i just feel like my farrier's work isnt as good anymore.
I feel like my boy is quite low on his heels, especially at the back and he has started struggling with stony tracks.
Everytime i ask the farrier how his feet are and if any changes need to be made, he just says 'yeah they are good'
Maybe im over thinking things but my boy has always struggled with straighness and balance on one rein and after reading up about feet etc, im wondering if this is to do with how he is trimmed. My farrier has never asked to see him move or really opserved his feet too closely.
But......im not a farrier :-/
paddy555
Well-Known Member
we don't know anything about the horse's management but I would look at 2 points before the trimming. Firstly grass (spring grass), secondly how he was kept in winter v now. Did he live out and get very wet soggy feet in winter and now it has become very dry and the ground is hard and you are now riding on stony tracks, ie have the feet had chance to adapt from 2 different climates. I presume you haven't recently changed his feed. Some things such as alfalfa can make a horse footsore.
re the straightness etc have you have a physio/chiro look at him? If not then I would consider that as it may give you an explanation. Of course the feet could be completely unbalanced and could be the cause of problems higher up but there could simply be physio type work that is needed to straighten him up do with something else.
Hallo2012
Well-Known Member
so i also have one who prefers bars left alone (and another who is totally rock crunching whatever you do!)
at first i though hmmmmmm too little taken off but then i mentally looked back to my own trim on my TB last night and i bet i took barely any more off i just tidied them up a bit better (IMO) so a stronger bevel on the front half of foot and then rolled the heels back (al la David Landreville this has made a MASSIVE difference to TB feet) i didnt touch the bars beyond one random lumpy bit that was folding over and so just skimmed the top off it, didnt touch frogs-he is sound on gravel and sound road hacking just needs boots for stoney tracks
at first i though hmmmmmm too little taken off but then i mentally looked back to my own trim on my TB last night and i bet i took barely any more off i just tidied them up a bit better (IMO) so a stronger bevel on the front half of foot and then rolled the heels back (al la David Landreville this has made a MASSIVE difference to TB feet) i didnt touch the bars beyond one random lumpy bit that was folding over and so just skimmed the top off it, didnt touch frogs-he is sound on gravel and sound road hacking just needs boots for stoney tracks
2awesomenatives
Well-Known Member
He lives out 24/7 but came in during the day, more than usual through winter, as it was obviously a lot wetter than usual but his field wasn't overly wet or like a bog.
Winter is strip grazing with hay supplemented and summer he is on a track with hay supplemented.
He is fed a Balancer, fibre, happy Farrier powder, linseed and salt, same diet for the past few years and he does really well on it.
He has always been reluctant to walk on stony tracks and tries to find his own path, which makes it difficult with keeping him in straight lines etc, he is also less reluctant to go forward and you can feel him jolt when he catches a stone, i'm assuming its his heels that are sensitive rather than the soles etc which is why i'm concerned that he is too low in the heel.
He has physio every 3 months, massages....you name it, he has it! He does sometimes have a sticky stifle but *touch wood* this doesn't cause him any problems etc.
Roxylola
Well-Known Member
So, have you told the farrier your concerns? Like that he struggles on the one rein etc and asked is there anything he can suggest/do to help mitigate that?
My farrier generally asks how my horses have been and what we've been doing as he's trimming. I can then mention that I've noticed a little thrush starting (for example). And he trims accordingly, I feel like asking how the feet isn't likely to warrant much other than great/a bit dry/ bit of cracking etc. Feet in isolation might be great but if you're having issues and raise them you may find you get somewhere further
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Frankly not every unshod horse is rock crunching, though granted those who have been bare all their life find it easier to be so.
To me avoiding said rocks/stony paths is both normal and sensible as is reacting to standing on a stone. Granted there was one point I took my trimmer for a hack to work out whether it was too much of an issue or not (that was during transitioning to an environment with less tarmac but more stony tracks)
I wouldnt have said the heels were low from the photos but it would be better to have an on the ground lateral shot for that.
To me avoiding said rocks/stony paths is both normal and sensible as is reacting to standing on a stone. Granted there was one point I took my trimmer for a hack to work out whether it was too much of an issue or not (that was during transitioning to an environment with less tarmac but more stony tracks)
I wouldnt have said the heels were low from the photos but it would be better to have an on the ground lateral shot for that.
2awesomenatives
Well-Known Member
His feet after the trim
Attachments
FieldOrnaments
Well-Known Member
You could do this yourself with a rasp
ester
Not slacking multitasking
ok so it might not be contributing to the soreness but they are very underun for never shod hooves.
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
You are right, the farrier isnt doing a great job sadly, the heels would be the biggest concern.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
I think your horse might do better with boots. That should resolve the question of stony tracks and make life easier for him. It will also allow the feet to grow. The best way to deal with them would be much more regular trims. Do you have a trimmer in your area who could help? If the horse is only 9 then ATM they are just going to continue underunning.
Calrina
New User
I think put some boots on for a bit. The stiffness is likely just you need to do more targeted schooling and stretches. Get an instructor if you don't use already.
Mine was awful on the right rein though had good flexibility on the ground, couldn't even walk with head to the right. I concentrated this one thing, long reining and lunging till she could move and be flexed.
If you're schooling on soft surface I don't think the hooves are that likely to contribute to flexibility.
Mine was awful on the right rein though had good flexibility on the ground, couldn't even walk with head to the right. I concentrated this one thing, long reining and lunging till she could move and be flexed.
If you're schooling on soft surface I don't think the hooves are that likely to contribute to flexibility.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Boots are good if you are having problems. I've found though that the best thing for improving hooves is lots of walking on smooth tarmac.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
I'd be initially curious how he was landing in walk
ester
Not slacking multitasking
they can throw up a huge heap of inbalances higher up, soft surface or no.