Self hoof care. Websites/pages to look at or avoid

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poiuytrewq

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I don’t think I’m planning on starting right now but can anyone point me in the direction of good information and advice please?
I’d like to get someone first to set my ponies back on track and then take over from there but need to learn more first.
Also been looking at tools as I’ll need to start from scratch.
I won’t need to actually trim, if I rasp regularly they don’t grow much foot anyway.
What rasps do people find easiest to start with? A long regular one as farriers use or I see little hand type ones that at first glance I thought may be easier but then maybe not, maybe you need the length of a normal one. Is it best to spend more or is a rasp a rasp and cheap will do for such light use.
Same with a hoof knife?
Then a hoof stand? Looks like one would make the task far easier especially as both ponies would stand nicely on one giving me two free hands.
Are there any FB pages that give good advice/ will critique photos either pre or post trim?
Thanks :) ☺️
 
Just for reference!
Not really thinking or either of these but to show what I mean by farrier rasp and the shorter kind!
 

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Take a look at Mark Johnson’s FB page. Mark Johnson Farrier - Another Way. He’s looked after my boys for 10 years now and kept DP (who doesn’t have the best feet in the world) sound when others crippled him. Progressive, innovative, informative and hasn’t shod using steel for years.
 
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HappyHollyDays said:
Take a look at Mark Johnson’s FB page. Mark Johnson Farrier - Another Way. He’s looked after my boys for 10 years now and kept DP (who doesn’t have the best feet in the world) sound when others crippled him. Progressive, innovative, informative and hasn’t shod using steel for years.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I have a look. I wonder if you farrier covers my area?!
 
poiuytrewq said:
I don’t think I’m planning on starting right now but can anyone point me in the direction of good information and advice please?
I’d like to get someone first to set my ponies back on track and then take over from there but need to learn more first.
Also been looking at tools as I’ll need to start from scratch.
I won’t need to actually trim, if I rasp regularly they don’t grow much foot anyway.
What rasps do people find easiest to start with? A long regular one as farriers use or I see little hand type ones that at first glance I thought may be easier but then maybe not, maybe you need the length of a normal one. Is it best to spend more or is a rasp a rasp and cheap will do for such light use.
Same with a hoof knife?
Then a hoof stand? Looks like one would make the task far easier especially as both ponies would stand nicely on one giving me two free hands.
Are there any FB pages that give good advice/ will critique photos either pre or post trim?
Thanks :) ☺️
Click to expand...
Start with Pete Ramey's "Hoof Rehab" site and EC Hoof Boots for solid info. Avoid sites selling one-size-fits-all fixes. The Hoof Care on a Budget Facebook group is great for photo feedback.

Your plan to get a pro trim first is spot on. For tools, don't buy the cheapest. A good, full-length rasp like a Hellier is easier to use. A sharp, quality hoof knife is safer. A hoof stand is a very wise buy for learning safely.
 
David Landreville Hoof Builders. There is an extensive on line library of trimming examples for a small fee. I am a 2nd year student with the Equine Podiatry Assiciation and my mentor introduced me to David Landreville and his trimming methods and I must say that the trimming of my own horses has really notched up another level since adopting more of his methods.
 
I would go for a full size rasp. When I started my farrier gave me any rasps that he was getting to the end of for me to practice with. Tool technique is probably the hardest part to master.
Just use the fine side of the rasp whilst getting the hang of it if you are worried about taking too much off
 
There are some info here
Reacher

Thread 'Barefoot info websites'

Here are some barefoot websites that I have come across, which I hope will be useful for people who are new to barefoot and may not have access to advice / support.
Usual sort of disclaimer - I’m not giving any guarantee as to the quality of the info given on these sites. The user uses any information at their own risk and should verify themselves as to the qualifications / experience of the authors.

There will be loads of key websites omitted - please add more links – it will make it much more useful!

UK
http://www.epauk.org/ Equine Podiatry Association UK...
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David Landreville on Facebook is excellent
 
A good supply of gloves, it's very easy to rasp yourself and rasp scrapes are nasty. (Speaking from several experiences!). I like thin, grippy work gloves like these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00XCS3JUU?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1

I like a calf caddy to hold my knives and rasp. One of these: https://www.gibbins.co.uk/shop/Calf-Caddy-p196358108 Spendy but I use it a lot.

A good quality farrier rasp, I started on the Heller red tangs and used them for years before changing to Cody James Dymond Back when my arthritic fingers needed a bit more help. A shinto rasp is great for fine work and daily touch ups, and you can successfully exclusively use one if you are really on top of trimming, at least every few days. To take more off, you need a more heavy duty item. The broadness of the blade in a full rasp can also be an advantage.

Those little Riders rasp things and similar are no good for actual serious ongoing hoof care IMO.

Some horses are (obviously) much more straight forward than others and you'll only want to be doing easy ones initially. One of my horses(now deceased) I NEVER trimmed myself, while my other I just started as an experiment, and kept going. I've been trimming him solo for about 15 years now and watched his hooves change as his arthritis started to have an impact, or when he was injured...it's been fascinating. (I also tried an experiment with self trimming with him...it didn't work because his horn quality is so good that the hooves just didn't trim themselves, despite a full barefoot workload). He gave me the confidence to trim my very difficult youngster myself from the start, which has been very challenging due to her temperament, plus health and metabolic/laminitic issues.

I think the most important thing to know, thoroughly, is hoof anatomy. If you can find someone offering hoof dissection course, fantastic. I also recommend https://www.facebook.com/HoofStudies/?locale=en_GB and Pete Ramey's website hoofrehab.com Also Cavallo do a really nice video on barefoot trimming https://cavallo-inc.com/barefoot-trim-video/

Good luck OP. There are a lot of experienced home trimmers on here and we all love a hoof pic.
 
Get a Cody James rasp. Theres nothing comparable. It lasts forever and its just so easy to use.

I can come over and give you a hand if you want? I did mine for years myself including a really tricky rehab TB.
 
Get professional rasps and knives, they aren't that expensive and it's definitely worth it. I can't give you any specific tips on that as I don't live in the UK, but others have. I've only ever used normal rasps, on horses sized small shetland-regular warmblood and various kinds in-between. If you have really small ponies, a small rasp is probably preferable. Otherwise, go with the regular ones. You'll want them fairly even around, the broadness of a regular rasp helps with that. If you want to cut out anything in particular, such as small weird patches, you can put the rasp at an angle.

Gloves are good. I'm too stubborn to use them, which has resulted in countless scars. Actually getting better now, but still, any sane person would use proper gloves.

Learn to sharpen your knives. I'm still figuring this out, but it really is easier with sharp knives.
 
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