Trim your own horses feet...

Randonneuse

Randonneuse

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I am looking at learning how to trim my ponys feet myself (he is a 14hh gelding) and would like to know if anyone does it and who "taught" them? (any courses?)

It would only be to do my pony, no other horses so I think maybe it is not so hard once you have been taught by the right person?
My pony has been barefoot for about 5 years and I have been using a barefoot trimmer from the AANHCP for a year now (I had my pony in France before)

I am looking at someone who balances the foot for the horse to be ridden and if possible doing the wild horse trim.

Please CC only, I am not trying to start a debate as I just think a regular trim "tidy up" every week or so would be better than my barefoot trimmer coming every 6 to 12 weeks! :-) (I would still have my barefoot trimmer every few months to check I am doing it right)

Thanks a lot :-)
 
I think it's a great idea! You should look up UKNHCP or EPAUK. Both do courses, lengthy and fairly expensive. Be prepared to do a lot of travelling!
 
Not sure what CC is please.
I am digesting Feet First (Nic Barker and Sarah Braithwaite) which is great, some light-bulb moments, but from that book, I learned that trimming should be minimal, no attempt to radically alter the natural growth pattern of the hoof, which has responded to the natural gait of the individual horse. I understand their thinking is that the diet and exercise regime are the two most important variables and the hoof trimming is a small, though important part of barefoot performance.
I believe there was a fad for extreme trimming ten years ago or so, some notorious cases involved prosecution.
I see no reason to change my own farrier, even though he tells me he already knows all about barefoot horses! He has the eye for detail that takes years to absorb, every foot needs to be individually balanced. I don't find I need to rasp very often (6/7 weeks) if my boy is out 24/7, and I hope that will be the same when he is in work, but I am prepared to adjust my exercise regime to the development of the foot. I did'nt expect to have to rasp every week, only if a chip develops.
 
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MrsD123 said:
Not sure what CC is please.
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Constructive comments :-) as I didn't want people to start an argument about barefoot and shod horses, trimmer and farrier :D

Thanks both for your advice, tallyho! I can't afford lengthy and expensive courses this is why I am looking for a short course to learn how to trim only my ponys feet :-) (probably someone coming to teach me on my pony would be the best!)
I will ask my barefoot trimmer if she would consider teaching me and see what she says!
 
Randonneuse said:
Constructive comments :-) I can't afford lengthy and expensive courses this is why I am looking for a short course to learn how to trim only my ponys feet :-) (probably someone coming to teach me on my pony would be the best!)
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Sorry but i dont believe there is such a thing as a short course that would adequately equip someone with the skills, knowledge and experience to successfully trim a horses feet.
 
I tidy up my horses feet weekly, in between farrier visits, any small chips or breaks from going on tracks can be sorted instead of left to get bigger, a stitch in time and all that. Is that what you were thinking? I assume you have been watching the trimmer work on your horses feet? Why dont you try and ask them, or lengthen the time between visits, rasping yourself to keep them in trim between, it is harder than it looks.
 
If you are insured for vets fees please read your insurance companys small print first. I am insured with Stoneways, and it is in their terms and conditions that the horse is trimmmed or shod by a registered farrier.
 
Headpiece said:
I tidy up my horses feet weekly, in between farrier visits, any small chips or breaks from going on tracks can be sorted instead of left to get bigger, a stitch in time and all that. Is that what you were thinking? I assume you have been watching the trimmer work on your horses feet? Why dont you try and ask them, or lengthen the time between visits, rasping yourself to keep them in trim between, it is harder than it looks.
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My pony has hardly ever had chips until now, I do tidy up his feet if they are any with a very small rasp my barefoot trimmer recommended me (and she showed me how to do it, it is only to smoother the chips, nothing else!)

The only problem is she can only come 6 or 12 weeks (when she has other horses to do in the area) as she lives far and for my pony 6 weeks is too short and 12 too long, ideally I would like her to come every 8 to 10 weeks.

I really like how she works but if I could do my ponys feet myself and have her to check on/trim his feet every other time she comes in the area would be great.
 
Randonneuse said:
I am looking at someone who balances the foot for the horse to be ridden and if possible doing the wild horse trim.
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I'm not at all opposed to people trimming their own horse's feet, but I have to ask; What is a wild horse trim? Surely that would be when they wear down naturally? This brings about the following question; how is a 'wild horse trim' compatible with trimming the feet for ridden work, as wild horses are not ridden?
 
If you google the saddlery shop Ltd they do a type of rasp wiht a training video to keep your horses feet tidy between trims and I suspect would increase the length between trims.

I would then talk to my barefoot trimmer, explain that you need to increase the length of time in-between their visits and really try to learn about how to best tidy your particular horses feet from them - ie I would try and work as a team, I don't think most of them would have a problem with this - maybe aiming for a visit every 10 weeks??
 
PapaFrita said:
I'm not at all opposed to people trimming their own horse's feet, but I have to ask; What is a wild horse trim? Surely that would be when they wear down naturally? This brings about the following question; how is a 'wild horse trim' compatible with trimming the feet for ridden work, as wild horses are not ridden?
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PF, it's nothing special believe me, trimmers use it as one of thier "models". It's quite simply a study in wild horses hooves and trying to apply some of the findings bearing in mind the balance & weight bearing of the whole foot taking everything else into consideration e.g. terrain, diet etc. You really have to understand the context in which it is used. Nothing to do with being ridden or not.

And there is no wild horse TRIM!!! Each horse is different and you can't apply one model to every horse. Wild Horse 'Trim' is a method.
 
There are some courses available, and most trimmers encourage you to take over some of the routine work, but it is still a good idea to have an expert to look occassionally. What you will be doing is very conservative.

It is very scarey the first time applying a rasp to a hoof. I used to just run round to smooth off the rough edges. Where you may come unstuck is if you are not doing enough exercise to wear down the foot and it becomes unbalanced, so it does need looking at occasionally by a trimmer or a farrier.
 
ORANGEHORSE said:
There are some courses available, and most trimmers encourage you to take over some of the routine work, but it is still a good idea to have an expert to look occassionally. What you will be doing is very conservative.

It is very scarey the first time applying a rasp to a hoof. I used to just run round to smooth off the rough edges. Where you may come unstuck is if you are not doing enough exercise to wear down the foot and it becomes unbalanced, so it does need looking at occasionally by a trimmer or a farrier.
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Thank you :-)
To be honest I am a bit scared as even with training I think I would be worried about making a mistakes!
I'll see with my trimmer what she thinks and go from there!

Canteron I would like her to come every 8 or 10 weeks but she only comes in the area every 6 weeks as she "groups" her visits so she does all her clients from my area on the same day.
 
I think your pony should be looked at every six weeks anyway, unless you do learn to trim for yourself. I agree with Tallyho that on a pony that has already been barefoot 5 years it is not rocket science. Ask your trimmer to teach you and if they won't, then there is a UKEP short course that will teach you enough to do your own pony that you already know so well.
 
teddyt said:
Sorry but i dont believe there is such a thing as a short course that would adequately equip someone with the skills, knowledge and experience to successfully trim a horses feet.
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Puppy said:
I completely agree.
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I don't :) I haven't ever been on a course at all, and I trim all my own horses, hunt, evented, rehabbed one horse that two vets told me would never work barefoot and another that had been more than a year lame with navicular syndrome.

I do NOT recommend that people should learn from a book, as I did when there was no decent training in the UK. And I know that not everyone has the "feel" to be able to do more difficult horses. And I have done a huge amount of research.

But this girl has one pony, that she knows inside out, which has been barefoot for five years already, that is practically self-trimming and can go 12 weeks between trimmer visits. For her, it will be a piece of cake to trim that pony herself.

I speak from experience. OP learn to trim the pony yourself, just don't think that it qualifies you to rehab a crippled horse - I'm sure you won't :)
 
Just ordered the riders rasp. I have four barefoot horses and they were only done a few weeks ago and their feet look terrible. Just tried to file down a split with hand file but this rasp looks easier to hold. Let you know if its any good
 
cptrayes said:
But this girl has one pony, that she knows inside out, which has been barefoot for five years already, that is practically self-trimming and can go 12 weeks between trimmer visits. For her, it will be a piece of cake to trim that pony herself.
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A dangerous suggestion! Unless you know the OP and her pony, i cant see how you can say it would be a piece of cake for her to trim her pony's feet. Owning one unshod pony for 5 years doesn't necessarily mean you can trim! Ive owned an unshod pony for 13 years and i wouldn't do it!

Im not saying she shouldnt learn but IMO it takes more a few days to safely learn how to trim a pony's feet. A few years maybe, but not a few days! And with only one pony learning will be slower, not easier.
 
I'm confused! I thought it was illegal for unqualified people to conduct farriery on their horses, apart from to deal with emergency situations?
 
Fee Fo said:
I'm confused! I thought it was illegal for unqualified people to conduct farriery on their horses, apart from to deal with emergency situations?
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Only illegal to prepare a hoof for shoes and to put shoes on, trimming a barefoot horse it is quite legal to do your own.
 
cptrayes said:
I don't :) I haven't ever been on a course at all, and I trim all my own horses, hunt, evented, rehabbed one horse that two vets told me would never work barefoot and another that had been more than a year lame with navicular syndrome.

I do NOT recommend that people should learn from a book, as I did when there was no decent training in the UK. And I know that not everyone has the "feel" to be able to do more difficult horses. And I have done a huge amount of research.

But this girl has one pony, that she knows inside out, which has been barefoot for five years already, that is practically self-trimming and can go 12 weeks between trimmer visits. For her, it will be a piece of cake to trim that pony herself.

I speak from experience. OP learn to trim the pony yourself, just don't think that it qualifies you to rehab a crippled horse - I'm sure you won't :)
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Quite agree. I keep my horses hooves tidy and occasionally have the farrier do them (but often there is nothing to do). I'm not happy doing my lami prone pony so he does him but the straight forward ones are just that straight forward as they do largely self trim anyway.
 
teddyt said:
A dangerous suggestion! Unless you know the OP and her pony, i cant see how you can say it would be a piece of cake for her to trim her pony's feet. Owning one unshod pony for 5 years doesn't necessarily mean you can trim! Ive owned an unshod pony for 13 years and i wouldn't do it!

Im not saying she shouldnt learn but IMO it takes more a few days to safely learn how to trim a pony's feet. A few years maybe, but not a few days! And with only one pony learning will be slower, not easier.
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I have the experience and you don't, and yet you say I am dangerous. Rubbish. This pony knows full well how to grow good feet for itself you know? If it only needs trimming once every 10 weeks then the owner will have no trouble at all learning how to do what little her trimmer does for her at the moment.

I have a lot of friends who are paid trimmers. They are so much in demand for lame and difficult horses that they are busy teaching the owners of easy ponies like this one to trim them for themselves, so that they can focus their skills on the difficult ones.

We aren't talking about her learning how to trim "horses and ponies". Of course that takes more time. We are talking about her learning how to do a minimal maintenance trim for one pony that she knows inside out. It's a completely different thing, and it's not rocket science.
 
TeddyT c'mon, it's not hard is it? Lets just get things into perspective. It's a hoof. with a few chips in here and there... how hard can it be??? I've been doing mine for a few months now. My horse is still sound!!!! We did a three hour hack today in the rain no problems. I smoothed off the edges and we came back without even a single chip!

I understand the pro has to keep the client and all that, but imagine how good the horses life would be if every owner new enough about feet to do a little cosmetic "filing" now and again??
 
cptrayes said:
I have the experience and you don't, and yet you say I am dangerous. Rubbish. This pony knows full well how to grow good feet for itself you know? If it only needs trimming once every 10 weeks then the owner will have no trouble at all learning how to do what little her trimmer does for her at the moment.

I have a lot of friends who are paid trimmers. They are so much in demand for lame and difficult horses that they are busy teaching the owners of easy ponies like this one to trim them for themselves, so that they can focus their skills on the difficult ones.

We aren't talking about her learning how to trim "horses and ponies". Of course that takes more time. We are talking about her learning how to do a minimal maintenance trim for one pony that she knows inside out. It's a completely different thing, and it's not rocket science.
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Thank you!:-)
Sorry was out on my barefoot pony!
As cptrayes (I was waiting for you to give me some advice to be fair!) said I don't want to learn how to trim horses and ponies but MY pony!
He does selftrim himself a lot and doesn't need a lot doing when trimmer comes.
We hack a lot (only thing we do), from "normal" hack around 2/3hours to very fast hacks (around 12 miles mostly trot and canter-training for a endurance ride end of July!-) and his feet are always near to perfect. And we go on all surfaces!

Thanks so much for your advice everyone, I'll ask my trimmer if she could "teach" me or if she knows someone who could!
 
My farrier showed me how to do mine...I've been doing them for about a year now with no problems...I have a tb,a heavyweight cob, a lightweight cob,a Connie, a welshie and a shettie:)
 
KrujaaLass said:
cptrayes. Hi what do you use for trimming,Do you use a farriers rasp or something else. Thanks
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I buy top quality rasps from a farriery supply store. I use top quality imported stainless steel nippers from the US for my Shetland, but he is the only horse I have who does not self trim and who needs height cutting off, otherwise I find nippers far too imprecise and in a novice's hands FAR too easy to cause damage. With a rasp, you can use gentle strokes and check after each and every stroke that you are nowhere near live foot. Horn goes slightly pink well before you get to anything which would cause issues, but you do need to keep checking. I rarely use a knife, I find it far too easy to cut myself!!! But I do trim off the top of bars very occasionally if they are rubbing on the road. Unlike many farriers, most trimmers of a pony of the kind we are talking about would never touch the sole or the frog, just reduce the wall height and rasp off chips around the edge. That's all I do with any of mine, because they do a lot of road work and there's not much to do with a horse who self-trims.

I do NOT recommend that you trim your own horse without being taught. I do NOT recommend that anyone but a paid trimmer, a farrier, or a very experienced owner trims a horse who has ever been lame with more than an abscess. Idiots should not be allowed near a horse with anything sharper than a stick of celery (thanks Nic :)) but there will, unfortunately be some idiots in the world. That doesn't mean that Randonneuse should not trim her own pony. If she lived near me I'd teach her myself :)
 
cptrayes- i said it was a dangerous suggestion. Not that you were dangerous. There is a difference. And i don't believe you can safely say to someone you dont know, with a horse you havnt seen, that it is easy to trim their feet.

Tallyho- No its, not hard to trim/rasp. Just like its perfectly possible to rasp a horses teeth. But i have seen first hand many, many cases the affect good and bad trimming can have on soundness and performance. Some cases in the short term and some cases long term. So i personally dont think it is something people should do after just a few days 'training'.

And particularly with only one horse you do not learn to get an 'eye' for balance as someone who is trimming umpteen horses a day professionally. Even professionals get it wrong, so it shows its not that easy.

I dont want to hijack this thread though, jut wanted to state i think you need more experience than one pony and someone showing you how they do something for a few hours.
 
Let me me just get ONE thing straight...

We are talking about a maintenance trim here right? A file if you like. Not a full on trim.

So, teddyt, stop getting all protective. OP just wants to know how to file a few chips off!
 
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