What is the difference between a qualified b/foot trimmer and farrier

[custard]

As it says really. My farrier is well respected and recommended by vets and customers alike. It has taken me several years to get on his books and don't want to lose him. I would definitley prefer to stay with him, may want shoes on again in future!

However, am thinking of going down the barefoot route again with Will for several reasons.

One being the new horse will take the work load of Will for a while so he can have a lay off or just 2-3 days a week.

Two, he's torn his feet to bits having pulled one off this week.

Three, already have several sets of old macs to turn out/light work in.

So what do they do that's so radically different from a farrier doing a barefoot trim?

 

[burtie]

Probably about 5years in training

Serioulsy as far as am aware to be Barefoot trimmer requires no formal qualifications although some bodies do offer them. I would not use anyone who says they where a trimmer unless they were alos a qualified farrier. My farrier has always done my horses barefoot or shod. In fact my horses are only shod in front so he does a bit of both

 

[the watcher]

You'll be wanting to start a lively debate with this on and I predict a forum invasion by the NH bunch.

I have never met a qualified barefoot trimmer and don't know of any and am quite happy for my farrier to do trims as and when we need them (at various times most of mine have only been shod in front).

You do hear some horror stories about brutal barefoot trimming, although these are probably exceptional...the whole barefoot thing seems to develop cultish behaviour in the same way as Parelli.

 

[touchstone]

In my opinion a farrier has trained to shoe a horse and fix feet by nailing on metal - a barefoot trimmer will work without resorting to shoes, but may use boots and pads. There are good and bad on both sides - I've seen some farriers I wouldn't let near my horses with a very long bargepole and the same applies to some trimmers.

If you are happy with your farrier then I'd discuss it with him and see how your horse progresses being trimmed.

One thing I think is important whichever professional you use is to do your own research and get to grips with understanding the science behind trimming and shoeing - it is far more beneficial to your horses if you know what is going on with their feet yourself.

One thing I do like about the barefoot trimmers is that everything is viewed as a larger picture (diet, environment etc.) which I feel is also important in good foot care.

My horses are barefoot, but I'm certainly not 'cultish' about it, I think that some trimmers have become defensive in light of some disreputable trimmers' actions, but that also happens in the farriery world too!

 

[custard]

[ QUOTE ]
You'll be wanting to start a lively debate with this on and I predict a forum invasion by the NH bunch.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! I can see me getting a visit from the sandal wearing, tree hugging, botherhood then

Seriously though he's got some real issues with his feet and we've been down the barefoot road before for about 18 months. The only reason IMO it flopped was because the YO at the time couldn't be arsed putting his slippers on to turn him out etc and in some ways I couldn't blame her, it's a fiddle when you have 20 other horses to do.

We're now on a lovely yard and he's chosen to yank a shoe off just as I'm about to go away and the farrier is away too. His just qualified apprentice is coming tomo and I just don't know whether to get him to try and put it back on or bite the bullet and have the other one off too and tidy them up as best he can.

I was planning to turn him out in his Old mac's for a couple of weeks and take it from there but they have rubbed today. I'm quite prepared to shell out for some Boa boots but do they stay on and do they rub?

I'm getting in a right old state TBH. I've embraced the ethos of changing his diet (I won't bore anybody with all the details) and he won't eat his f***g magnesium, aaaaarrrgghh!!

 

[Donkeymad]

The main difference is the price they charge!!!

 

[mrsbloggett]

IMO any good farrier would be happy to trim and allow a horse to go barefoot as long as it is in the interest of the horse.

Take the advice of your farrier to the extent your horse can go barefoot or not. My concern would be a trimmer will do their best to persuade you to keep barefoot when in reality the horse would be more comfortably with shoes.

 

[_daisy_]

For me its either a sound or unsound horse. My mare went barefoot with a Natural Barefoot trimmer in March after 4 years ish of intermittent lameness which was put down to health issues. Since going barefoot she has come out of retirement as is now in work and loving every minute of it again.

Like people have said, farriers have about 5years of training whereas some of these trimmers have all of a couple of days. You just need to watch out for the unscrupulous ones.

 

[kizzywiz]

Defo stick with your farrier if you are happy with him up to now, he will be happy to help you barefoot or shod, like some other posters mine are both shod in front & not behind. Stick with the experienced, well trained & qualified farrier, not a sandal wearer who may cripple your horse! (Sorry, apologies to those who are wearing sandals during this hot spell)

 

[elsielouise]

Oooh don't get me started on this on. As others have said, to me the difference is a sound or lame horse. My horse was three 'trims' away from permanent lameness according to my vet and remedial farrier. Several hundreds of pounds later and six months in light work she is perfectly sound. i foolishly trusted a 'qualified' barefoot expert and ... PAH! NEVER AGAIN. Way too many people going on two day courses and decalring themselves trained for my liking.

I know there will be people out there who can do a good barefoot trim but I'd never trust anyone who hasn't been through the training of a farrier first.

EVER

 

[nuffield]

difference betwen a BF trimmer and a farrier? a lot of £sssss
my farrier charges £5 to trim. our local BFT charges £70.
A farrier has a proper apprenticship (3 yrs?) and is a skilled craftes man.

 

[ISHmad]

Your local BFT charges £70 - blimey, does he or she drive round in a Bentley then?!!!

A farrier generally trims a foot to always be able to receive a shoe. Which is different to the barefoot trims which load the walls correctly to stimulate the sole, heels etc. and get the correct angles needed to support the pedal bone etc. A good farrier could of course do this too, no question. But for example if a horse has underrun heels, no shoe in the land is going to stimulate that heel. Whereas taking the horse barefoot and using conditioning pads and walking over various surfaces etc will help to stimulate the foot and get the heel back where it should be. You can then decide whether you want to continue with or without shoes.

I am not anti-farrier or anti-trimmer, other than Strasser which I am DEFINITELY against.

 

[custard]

Thanks guys have calmed down now, shoe back on (at least for now!) and staying on. BF is ok for some but not this chappie.

 

[Tia]

Almost all of my horses are barefoot (most horses around this area are) and my farrier trims them. I wouldn't use a barefoot trimmer to be frank - I want my man to have years of training, not a couple of weekends!

 

[nelgonde]

The answer is... it depends on the trimmer....

All I can say is that Trevor Jones has been brilliant for us over the last 4 years. He follows the KC La Pierre stuff and quite simply focuses on barefoot trimming and conditioning.

Some methods are similar and some, like using CleanTrax for seedy toe/wld and SoleMates in Old Macs G2s are different.

The truth is, your farrier is your safe option (unless you've got a crap farrier). If you want extra, try reading around some of the barefoot stuff out there.

 

[Doublethyme]

To me its not about whether they are a farrier or a trimmer, its about whether they are a professional, experienced person who can help my horse. If that's a farrier fine, it its a trimmer fine.

I know plenty of farriers I wouldn't let within a mile of my horse, my trimmer I trust, but then I think I am lucky as I use Trevor Jones (DAEP) too and he is in my opinion one of the best in the country. There are certainly crap trimmers out there, but also atroscious farriers, so unfortunately its for us owners to make ourselves educated and aware.

OP - sounds like you have a good farrier who you believe in, so no reason to make any changes just because you might like to try your horse barefoot.

 

[jaimep]

How can I resist? Firstly I'm an Equine Podiatrist, that is a fully qualified EP (not DAEP, I hold but chose to rescind that qualification) registered with the EPAUK.

Secondly I'm not 'against' shoeing if the situation requires it.

Thirdly, yes there are a lot of unqualified and incompetant barefoot trimmers out there... believe me I am probably more 'sorry' about that than anyone else here they certainly do not do me any 'favours'

Fourthly, I don't wear sandals... I wear steel toed boots... (particularly for the shod horses I work on)...

In answer to your original question (if i may qualify your question by substituting EP for b/foot trimmer)..

A farrier is trained (in essence) to make horse shoes and to fit them to horses feet. An EP is trained to provide your horse with the best possible footcare (please not this may include sugesting the horse is shod, althought this is rare as it in itself causes problems).

A farrier is not neccessarily trained to trim a foot for a barefoot lifestyle (he is trained to trim a foot to take a shoe, very different). n.b. that is not to say he cannot do it, there are clearly similarities and many farriers would make great barefoot trimmers.

The trim (unless you get it 'wrong') is only a very small part of it.

An EP will assess the whole horse and it's environment , including gait, condition, balance, health, nutrition, exercise routine and come up with reccomendations for optimal hoof care by adjusting the environment in between visits. It is true to say whether you are successful in having a horse barefoot is probably more dependant on what you do or do not do withyour horse in between the EPs' visits than what your EP does when he/she is there.

Put it this way, I can trim a horse up in I dunno 15 - 20 minutes. a full consultation takes at least two hours and I will answer all of your questions and leave you with a whole list of things to do to make your horse feet (and the rest of their body) better...

I'm not saying a farrier could not do that but the training they recieve does not allow them to nor have I ever met one who does... because once they understand they tend to stop being a farrier... (and I do know a few of them...)

 

[Enfys]

[ QUOTE ]
Almost all of my horses are barefoot (most horses around this area are) and my farrier trims them. I wouldn't use a barefoot trimmer to be frank - I want my man to have years of training, not a couple of weekends!

[/ QUOTE ]

Likewise Tia.

As you know, in desperation when I first got here I did use a 'Trimmer' and I use the term lightly. The first trim was OK because I stood over him, but he still took AN HOUR for each horse (I have 5! ) The second he pushed his luck too far, he started hacking away at soles and one mare was lame by the time he finished. I stopped him, paid him and said I'd be in touch. He had had two days training with a lady called Kate Rumenenko and watched a few videos.

I now have a qualified farrier who is quite happy to trim all my horses in a lot less than 5 hours.

He is also cheaper!