Article on trimming mini hooves

[MajorClementine]

I was googling around and found this quick read article on trimming minis. I thought it was a good article since neglecting to lower the heels seems to be a big problem in trimming minis.

https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/879-trimming-minis-is-no-small-deal

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Enjoyed that article. Frank Lupton just resigned as AMHA treasurer. They used to post on this forum, but have not seen them post in quite a while. I've seen his horses' feet and they are always very nice.

 

[Jean_B]

Frank is right on and knows his stuff. I fired 4 farriers when I lived in Arkansas because they refused to trim the heels appropriately...and then I found a real gem. And the guy I have now back home here in Wisconsin is awesome. Finding the right farrier can be stressful because you could end up with a messed up horse until you do.

 

[MajorClementine]

Do other people have to trim heels only every couple of weeks?? Clementine especially grows heel like crazy. Today before we drove I nipped her heels and rasped her feet. I leave her a little hoof wall since we drive mostly asphalt and she wears them down a bit but dang those crazy growing heels!

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I trim my own. My mini I trim every 3 weeks. My pony has one kind of clubby foot that I rasp the heels down every week on, I trim her every 6-8.

When I used to show it bothered me so much. So many very NICE little horses standing on tin can hooves!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I trim my own. My mini I trim every 3 weeks. My pony has one kind of clubby foot that I rasp the heels down every week on, I trim her every 6-8.

When I used to show it bothered me so much. So many very NICE little horses standing on tin can hooves!

Yes, and their frogs are way up in there. Very strange.

 

[wingnut]

I wish there had been photos to go along with the description. If anyone could share theirs it would be great.

 

[Jean_B]

I wish there had been photos to go along with the description. If anyone could share theirs it would be great.

Not my pictures, but they are quite educational:

This one shows a hoof with a very deep heel, overgrown frog, which cannot be kept healthy because the heel keeps it from pressing down with each step. Pressure improves blood flow. When the frog is overgrown, manure collects under it, causing thrush.

This one shows a whole bunch of incorrect angles - the 2nd from the left is the angle you want.

Another excellent article:

http://www.anvilmag.com/farrier/balancin.htm

 

[KLJcowgirl]

My girlie came to me with long heels and WAY over grown bars. I've been trying to lower them, as I didn't think they looked right, but I just haven't been aggressive enough, didn't know if I should or could do more. This has been really helpful, as I've always been told minis and ponies just have taller feet.

 

[MajorClementine]

My girlie came to me with long heels and WAY over grown bars. I've been trying to lower them, as I didn't think they looked right, but I just haven't been aggressive enough, didn't know if I should or could do more. This has been really helpful, as I've always been told minis and ponies just have taller feet.

I believe it's better to trim a little bit frequently to lower heels rather than do one aggressive trim. You can stress the ligaments by suddenly dropping a heel drastically. Taking them down slowly once a week will get you the same result over a month or so with less stress to the animal. I've found that if I keep up on my horses (minis and biggies) every 2-3 weeks (once I've got their feet in good shape) it's so easy to just hit them with a rasp and go rather than trim every 5-7 weeks and have to get the nippers out and spend twice as long.

Jean_B: Thanks for those pics. Great example. The first pic is what both my minis feet looked like when I first got them. It took me a couple of months to get them in good shape then about 6 months after that for them to get "conditioned" and looking the way I like them (toe callous and all).