When should a foal see a farrier?

[Fortanedancer]

My lads coming up to 7 months, I’ve had him a week and a half and he is picking his feet up lovely. When is the recommended first pair down or rasp? He has a few bits of dead frog coming away and they do look like they could do with neatening up when you lift them ??

 

[TheMule]

At 6 weeks old and every 5-6 weeks from that point on. It is the most crucial time for a horse to see the farrier as it's the only time you can really influence the feet and the limbs. There won’t be necessarily be huge amounts to do but that expert eye is essential.
If your foal hasn’t seen a farrier yet then that is a serious corner cut and I'd want him booked in ASAP

 

[dogatemysalad]

At 6 weeks old and every 5-6 weeks from that point on. It is the most crucial time for a horse to see the farrier as it's the only time you can really influence the feet and the limbs. There won’t be necessarily be huge amounts to do but that expert eye is essential.
If your foal hasn’t seen a farrier yet then that is a serious corner cut and I'd want him booked in ASAP

Totally agree with this.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

At 6 weeks old and every 5-6 weeks from that point on. It is the most crucial time for a horse to see the farrier as it's the only time you can really influence the feet and the limbs. There won’t be necessarily be huge amounts to do but that expert eye is essential.
If your foal hasn’t seen a farrier yet then that is a serious corner cut and I'd want him booked in ASAP

Yup, agreed.
My farrier at the time I was breeding, would meet new arrivals on his regular visit and handle them. He also watched them move so could assess footfall.
I had one filly dropped with contracted tendons and a part club foot, vet and farrier were onto that one in 24hrs. 6 months later you would never have known.

That said, there are plenty I've had that have been out on the hills with mum and not been touched till weaning, so OP, it's worth farrier looking and checking as soon ad you can, then booking regular appointments after

 

[paddi22]

yeah I usually start after 6-8 weeks and then every 6 weeks. it's amazing the tiny adjustments they make to straighten and balance

 

[Goldenstar]

Six weeks, check from vet much earlier in case you need them straight into plastic shoes .

 

[Sleipnir]

My colts' breeder is a farrier and she started trimming him (as well as the other youngsters on her yard) at 6 weeks old exactly for the reasons stated before in this thread.

 

[Equi]

As above. Mine saw a farrier from six weeks and every time the farrier was out. Even if they didn’t need anything done, they got a check over. In your circumstances get one ASAP, and regularly after that. Even if they don’t “need” done it’s good socialisation for them.

 

[Fortanedancer]

Thank you everyone hes booked in for Friday ??

 

[Megan V1]

My foal was a week old at her first visit from the farrier, he just picked her feet up and touched her with a rasp, every 8 weeks thereafter and she is now 27 still have the same farrier. She just stands to have her feet done, not tied or held, she is barefoot. I also have two ponies that I have had from five months old and again they have seen the farrier from the moment I have had them.

 

[PurBee]

This thread has reminded me of watching my geldings feet form from birth. The bundle of what looked like forward growing gristle underneath the tiniest ivory hooves. I really did marvel at the hooves developing..
When lifting his rear hooves at first, when around 4weeks + he would gently hold his whole leg straight out the back of him, like he was doing ballet! - he didn’t bend it at first...i think he was wondering what i was doing! “What...you want my leg? Here it is!” Pointed straight out back!

He then got the hang of it soon enough but his first reactions to things were always funny. That’s the reason i love foals. Their curiosity is huge!

good luck with yours fortanedancer, you handling his hooves and him being well behaved will have helped your farrier to introduce him to a gentle rasp session.

 

[lme]

As everyone else said ‘as early as possible’ Mine came out wonky and has had the farrier from when he had his first of 2 sets of plastic shoes at 2 or 3 weeks old.

He’s getting there now. Just one hind fetlock that doesn’t have enough extension. He went from too lax to too stiff and is now (we hope) heading towards ‘just right’.

On the plus side he is good with having his feet picked up and has beautifully straight front legs.

 

[Fortanedancer]

This thread has reminded me of watching my geldings feet form from birth. The bundle of what looked like forward growing gristle underneath the tiniest ivory hooves. I really did marvel at the hooves developing..
When lifting his rear hooves at first, when around 4weeks + he would gently hold his whole leg straight out the back of him, like he was doing ballet! - he didn’t bend it at first...i think he was wondering what i was doing! “What...you want my leg? Here it is!” Pointed straight out back!

He then got the hang of it soon enough but his first reactions to things were always funny. That’s the reason i love foals. Their curiosity is huge!

good luck with yours fortanedancer, you handling his hooves and him being well behaved will have helped your farrier to introduce him to a gentle rasp session.

such a lovely story. Thank you. pilgrim was amazing for the farrier he’s such a good little chap, it’s so important to start young.
he has a gentle curiosity about him which is so refreshing compared with my experience with my other youngster who I got as an untouched yearling. Lol