Question for people who do their own hoof trimming

[Grassy]

Have a look at Hoof School, they run amazing online courses with everything you could wish to know.

 

[Grassy]

Duplicate

 

[poiuytrewq]

Really interesting question. I have ponies who are barefoot and my farrier trims them kind of every few times he shoes the horses. So they grow very little foot. i've often thought if i just rasped around them every so often they would rarely need doing properly. I've literally just spent almost a whole weeks wages on a farrier appointment and it stings!

 

[JenJ]

I don't use nippers, but then I find there is no need. When a farrier trims, they are taking off 6 weeks of growth, usually from under a shoe so no wear.

I trim every week or so now, but it was a tiny bit every other day at first with a horse who is transitioning as they change so quickly. They would also be doing road work so trimming their own to some degree.

I would be disappointed in myself if I'd left it so long that nippers were needed.

Same with the sole. I will remove loose chunks at the time when the shed some sole, or if a bit of the bar material folds or gets too wild as to cause a potential pressure point. I do use a knife to make sure the cleft of frog stays clear of thrush, as in open any cracks up to the air. The sole is left other than that.

I do take a good bevel off the side of the foot as this seems to prevent cracks/chips and also stops stones wedging in the white line. The white line seems to tighten up when it is not being levered apart by long walls.

Not a stupid question. I use a rasp, nippers, a knife and nowadays a grinder to cope with the work as I get older and especially in this weather. I don't generally take any sole but that would depend on if it was needed for example I may take exfoliating sole, or I may not.
Nippers simply save work and are easier for the horse than endless rasping

Like I said, up until this week, I only used the rasp and knife. I graduated to nippers (sorry, I previously called them pincers) because I hadn't kept on top of their feet and couldn't face the idea of rasping off all that excess hoof. For context, my horses are both currently out of work and I have a curious foal to contend with whenever I do stuff with them.

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I'm comfortable with using the rasp little and often, but the word 'trimming' made me think there was actual cutting involved, whether by knife or nippers. That's what was making me nervous about trimming my own, but if that's unlikely to be needed, especially as I'd continue with my farrier seeing them regularly (currently a 6 week cycle) then I may just start! I have mentioned it to my farrier on multiple occasions, and he's always been encouraging.

One of mine had very thin soles which made me wary of doing anything to her feet myself, but they now seem to be 'fixed' (thank you Keratex!) so that's no longer a concern, and the other one had quite a few chips before the last farrier visit, which I would have liked to have been confident to have dealt with before they really started.

 

[Red-1]

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I'm comfortable with using the rasp little and often, but the word 'trimming' made me think there was actual cutting involved, whether by knife or nippers. That's what was making me nervous about trimming my own, but if that's unlikely to be needed, especially as I'd continue with my farrier seeing them regularly (currently a 6 week cycle) then I may just start! I have mentioned it to my farrier on multiple occasions, and he's always been encouraging.

One of mine had very thin soles which made me wary of doing anything to her feet myself, but they now seem to be 'fixed' (thank you Keratex!) so that's no longer a concern, and the other one had quite a few chips before the last farrier visit, which I would have liked to have been confident to have dealt with before they really started.

I started by literally smoothing the edges with a radius rasp, easy peasy. Then got more comfortable and so the obsession began LOL.

 

[Tarragon]

I started by literally smoothing the edges with a radius rasp, easy peasy. Then got more comfortable and so the obsession began LOL.

There is something very satisfying by producing those lovely curved off rolled edges!

 

[Polos Mum]

I asked my trimmer what I could do to stop chipping and he offered me an old blunter rasp he no longer needed. I started there just very minimal tidying up between visits and then it just became part of grooming routine to do a quick tidy.
I wasn't brave enough for nippers for about 3 years !!

The one who is in full work I tidy either fronts or backs every 3-4 days so each done once a week. My back won't cope with loads at a time.
I use an old car axel stand with the pointy bit taken out for a stand - it's much lower than farrier stand so they seem to find it easier.

For the first two years the trimmer came every 6-8 weeks (to do the others) a every time I asked him to look at the ridden one - he would do so and then say they didn't need anything or he'd suggest what I should do next. The trimmer then sadly cut back his client base and I had to go to farrier.

I've now got braver doing the unridden ones in between farrier visits.

At home with only 3 getting a regular farrier / trimmer was tricky and IMHO I think they are much better with a little taken off once a week vs. 1cm cut off every 5/6 weeks.

 

[Landcruiser]

I used to just watch my trimmer, then started begging her old rasps to tidy up between trims. One of my horses was very tricky with complex needs and I never touched his hooves, he was pro trimmed every 4-6 wks until I lost him. My other was straightforward so I took over his feet completely about 10 yrs ago. I now have 3 that I trim solo, one of them with EMS/tendency for toes to shoot forward/LGL. The other is a foster pony who is really naughty about his feet, dropping onto his knees, pawing, snatching, rearing. I'm beginning to think I'm getting too old for this trimming malarkey especially as their hooves are like iron at the moment!
I have always used normal rasps (no handles) but a few years ago started using Cody James Dymondback rasps, much easier with my arthritic fingers. I recently bought a set of nippers but have barely used them - mostly just for snipping overgrown chestnuts. I have several hoof knives and a farrier leg caddy (invaluable). Also a really good hoof pick, wire brushes, a hoof stand, and a new farrier's apron which I've only worn a couple of times because it's so hot.
I would say if you are thinking of starting out, look for hoof dissection courses or at least videos. I find these much more useful than diagrams to really understand the inner workings. Give "The Study of The Equine Hoof" a follow on FB. (Lindsey is a forum member). Also HoofGeek.com has lots of info on hoof health and care. And read read read, and look at every hoof that comes your way.
Warning. Hooves are addictive.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I owned my nippers for two years before I used them!

The first pic shows how the radius rasps, great though they are, aren’t up to a proper trim. The farrier had been booked but let me down (again), so I did what I could with it. After this I got set up with proper rasps and the nippers.



A good hoof stand is essential.

Emergency first use of the nippers. Horse came in at 7pm with this rather impressive hoof split which was prising further apart at every step. I have to say I am rather proud of the job I did in tidying it up, and the split went on to grow out without causing any further issues. The farrier was due in three days but he stood me up (again), so the aftercare was down to me.





Very glad that I had the nippers and could act quickly. No idea how she did it as I’d picked her feet out that morning as usual and seen nothing brewing.

I took over the hoof care after that, little and often every few days is much better than a more drastic trim every 4 weeks+.