Riders Rasp

[frankie8]

Has anyone seen one of these?
http://www.ridersrasp.com/ridersrasptrail.htm
I'd be worried to use one of these on my own without any sort of training. I can see the thinking and reasoning behind them but surely it would be all too easy to do damage to your horses feet?

 

[zulu705]

I've had one since the summer since both mine are unshod. It would be quite difficult to do too much damage as they don't take much off. I got my farrier to show me how to use it and now tidy up between trims. I found it much easier than a proper rasp as I found them too unwieldy to use!

 

[frankie8]

Probably the best thing for it to be shown how to use them as they do look like they do a good job.

 

[TrelawneEquine]

The Riders Rasp is an excelent tool for maintaining hooves between professional trims, ideally after an initial consultation with your hoof care professional. It is almost impossible to take off any wall other than flare, and you don't have to hold the horses hooves between your knees either, just hold as if you were picking out the feet. Looking after your horses hooves like this makes your farriers/ trimmers life much easier as they don;t have lots of flare or chipped walls to deal with- just as we groom our horses their feet should also form part of this routine to keep them in top condition too
Lucy

 

[paddy555]

IMHO these are simply a totally overpriced gimmick. You are more likely to die of overwork using them than damage the feet. A far simpler course would be to get a secondhand rasp from your trimmer or farrier with instructions as to how to use it. The rasp will probably cost you peanuts. Being secondhand it will not be as sharp as a new rasp so you are unlikely to get hurt using it. If it is explained by your farrier/trimmer they will probably be able to teach you what is required specifically for your horse.

In reply to frankie's first question I think that if you ride unshod horses you would need have a rasp and be able to use it in between trims to keep your feet tidy, deal with chipping etc etc. I don't think it would be possible for most horses to go for 6 or 8 weeks without some tidy up however minor.

 

[ThePony]

I have been looking at getting one of these since my mare had her shoes off.

The general concensus seems to be that they are a waste of £ and you would be better off with a rasp, but, I wouldn't feel at all confident using a rasp so I am thinking of getting one - I can't imagine they are the sort of thing that wear out really fast so the cost doesn't worry me so much (It is half what I was paying per set of shoes every 5 weeks so is still rather a bargain!).

My mare has fairly slow growing but rock hard feet so I would just need something to put a roll on between farrier appts.

 

[picolenicole]

My horse has been unshod for nearly 2 years, and I have one of these. I think they are pricey for what they are but, mine is brill, even the HO use's it. I sometimes go 10 weeks between trims with my farrier, and hardley use this rasp now (Can't remember the last time I used it). I used it more in the first months of having his shoes off. He also does a lot of road work, walk and trot.

In reply to frankie's first question I think that if you ride unshod horses you would need have a rasp and be able to use it in between trims to keep your feet tidy, deal with chipping etc etc. I don't think it would be possible for most horses to go for 6 or 8 weeks without some tidy up however minor.

^^^^ This I don't really agree with, you don't need a rasp with an unshod horse, and as I said mine goes 10 weeks sometimes without anyone doing anything to his feet between trims.