Trimming Hooves

[RHM]

After a chat with my farrier and an impromptu trimming lesson with him, he would like me to rasp the edges of my boys hooves between visits. They are growing pretty fast at the moment and he can only come to the yard on a 8-9weekly basis. He is more than happy for me to start doing this (more happy than me tbh!) but I will be having a couple more lessons before cracking on.
I was wondering if anyone has any good resources videos/books etc as I would like to educate myself further before taking this on!! Just to stipulate I will only be doing a light rasp on his advice and the pony in question will still be seeing the farrier every 8/9 weeks.
If anyone has any good “beginner” rasps they could recommend that would be great too, I felt the farrier ones to be too sharp so I could accidentally take too much off. Or maybe a good kick up the arse would be needed as in my farriers words “an idiot could trim these hooves” as they are so straightforward!

 

[ester]

Ask the farrier to let you have a used rasp, I think that is often the best thing to start with, then when you get frustrated with it buy a new one.
Get a hoof jack, totally worth it.
less is more in the first instance.
I gradually started doing it when 1) it became apparent that mine would benefit from more frequent trims and 2) we had moved further away from our hoof person.
For a while I did a trim at 3 weeks and she came at 6 weeks, and then I did one before she came and we both decided it was fine.

I wouldn't ever go trimming anything else but I was so familiar with those hooves I was very happy to do them.

 

[Melody Grey]

My rasp has a severe side and a mild side- I find the mild side better, it's much easier going for me, probably takes a little longer, but I'm not going for a speed record! I tend to just give them a tidy up and round off the edges to reduce chipping and sharpness, Monty does the rest by himself on the road. My farrier gets involved if anything starts to look weird...which so far has been only twice in three years!

Tip: use a towel or something over your knees, I've filed several pairs of jodhpurs 🙈

 

[ester]

I do use two-sided (save edge) rasps too.
ha I've never got my trousers lol.

 

[RHM]

Thanks for the tips guys! Haha I can imagine that I will definitely rasp myself at some point, I am so clumsy!

 

[Red-1]

Gloves. Always wear gloves, that also come a way up your wrist!

I do mine for part of the year, use a rasp that the farrier ordered for me as the ones online were awful. If you are nervous then one of the riders rasps or radius rasps may be useful (and no need for gloves!) but I have found that once you become confident to wield it (and wear gloves) then a new farrier's rasp is easier.

I did mine 2 or 3 times a week, just a rasp round. If I did it when the feet were wet it was plain sailing! I would also do it just after a ride out on the road, as it seemed easier to tell what did or did not need doing.

I also took photos, every month, from the floor at the side, front and back as well as the sole (that one from above). It is much easier to tell if you are doing it right from a photo on a computer screen than live.

 

[ester]

yeah, I use thin rubber covered ones, everytime I thought I'd do a quick run round without them I caught myself and they hurt like a paper cut.

 

[SEL]

Thanks for the tips guys! Haha I can imagine that I will definitely rasp myself at some point, I am so clumsy!

Wear gloves - I took a huge chunk out of my hand with a decent rasp and still have the scar.

My 2 are difficult with feet (pain issues) so I try and do a bit to keep growth under control and just keep them in practice. The radius rasp is a curved design which is handy if you've got normal sized horse feet but not much good for elephant draft horses. I am really clumsy too plus very one-handed which doesn't help!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I found the radius no good on teeny arab toes - the horn is too tough and I got nowhere.

 

[SEL]

I found the radius no good on teeny arab toes - the horn is too tough and I got nowhere.

I'm kind of glad it isn't just me! The FB barefoot page were raving about it, so I got one thinking it would be good for someone who has no coordination and it did one elephant foot and them seemed to give up. I liked the design but there was a real lack of white shavings on the floor when using it.

 

[TreeDog]

I have a radius rasp pro which I find works ok, doesn't take as much off as my proper rasp that I bought at a car boot for a couple quid, but it gives a nice finish and much less likely to cut yourself. I wouldn't bother with the standard radius rasp (the white one). They are expensive though and I mainly use my proper rasp, just use the radius for tidying up. It's much easier to trim when hooves are softer after rain or after a bath.

 

[DD]

https://www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/Tools/Rasps/Save-Edge-Original-Horse-Rasp.aspx this is the rasp I use it was recommended to me by my now retired barefoot trimmer.

 

[Twohorses]

1. Google Pete Ramey. He is the U.S. hoof go to. He has a plethora of articles, YouTubes, plus his main web site where you can purchase books and DVD's.

2. Ditto to ask your farrier for one of his old hoof rasps. While not sharp enough for him, it will work for your beginning needs.

When you're ready to buy a new rasp, most farrier's I know like Bellota (sp?). I like Valorbe but they make two models.

ALL hoof rasps come with a mild filing edge and a rough filing edge. Some of those rougher edges are more aggressive than others --- one of the Vallorbe models for example.

3. If you are trimming between 8-9 week farrier's trims, the heels are also going to need some rasping. Have your farrier also show you how to do that.

I think everyone who owns a horse should have their noses further into the hooves than just the occasional hoof picking. That old saying "no hoof no horse" really is true.

Best wishes

 

[ester]

https://www.atlantic-equine.co.uk/Tools/Rasps/Save-Edge-Original-Horse-Rasp.aspx this is the rasp I use it was recommended to me by my now retired barefoot trimmer.

that's what I use too.

 

[RHM]

Thanks for all the really useful advice guys, really appreciate it!

 

[Gloi]

I use one of these for keeping feet tidy, find it easier to use than a big rasp
https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-...vR9efjhImDR6kKrkAO8aAiMoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Suechoccy]

Wear gloves and old trousers, use a smallish (30-40cm high) traffic cone as a hoof rest (nice round top for frog to rest on and far cheaper than buying a hoof stand), buy a farrier's rasp. If your horse is skittish or snaps his feet up or back, wear a riding hat.

 

[Tarragon]

I do my own ponies' feet though I get a professional trimmer in about 4 times a year just to make sure they are balanced and he does give me their old rasps when they are no longer sharp enough for professional use.
My tip would be this ...
after each ride, especially if it included road work, look at the hoof and if it has been squared off at the tip I use the rasp to take off the bits either side of the squared off bit to round it.
I occasionally use my "Rider's Rasp" but as I find that now (a) I am quicker using a normal rasp and (b) the blades are very expensive to replace, I only use it to create that bevelled effect when I think it is needed.