Do his hooves look ok?

[WashingtonCowgirl]

Left front:





Left hind:





The frog on his left hind looks wonky to me, I don't know if its just not shed yet, or what. His feet were pretty much untouched for quite a while when I got him, they were trimmed last week. His frogs has all but disappeared (compared to what they used to be) and he had thrush but they have started to grow again. I have moved him into a dirt lot that we have added a little more gravel to every week to toughen up his feet. I'd mostly like to know about that frog, but overall critiques would be great too

Right front:





Right hind:

 

[MindyLee]

left front...lil taller on right side heal

left hind... lil taller on left side heal

right front... lil taller on left side heal

right hind... lil taller on left side heal

Tuch it up with a rasp and will be more balanced on the heals.

also take more soul out but not too much

Hoofs look dry so may want to soak them in mud for a hr before continuing or even for next time...

Otherwise not bad if your doing it yourself.

Frog looks like it shed out and the others need to still. I see no thrush or white line so thats a plus!

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

A local hoof trimmer is doing them. She said that since his toes were so long that he was twisting his legs to make it easier to walk. He goes back in a few weeks and she said that she should be able to balance them out more then. I wish I would have gotten before pictures, they have gotten so much better in the short while since I've had him back.

 

[rubyviewminis]

She is full of balony for whatever that meant that she told you.

Edit, got ahead of myself- his long toes can be backed up from the front. You can do it yourself, just file them weekly a little to the white line or even to the inside edge of the white line. Wet the toe from the bottom and you will see the white line. Eventually his hooves will be the balance of 3,3,3 they should be and rounder. This will make a *breakover point* at his toe which is what she was probably talking about. With his toe so long out front, he can't break-over at the toe as he moves. She could have done all of this in one trim. Then with each subsequent trim keep up the toe back-up and heel balance.

Balance the heels like Mindylee said, can you see in the pics you took the slight difference in height? It is just slight, but that is a lot for a little hoof. rotate heel to toe when you look and if you see any high spot on the line of sight touch it lightly with a rasp. Heck I have even used an emery board when I had too lol. LEAVE THE SOLE ALONE! Do not take any sole off!!! If you start to see little plaque like flakes around the frog area on the sole later, THAT is natural wearing off of sole and you can pick it off, but never touch sole he is trying to build and pack in there. It will build up and callous like a callous on a human foot and drive up the inner structures (coffin bone) like it is supposed to tho not to the extent a large horse would due to weight.

He DOES have fungus going on in the frog/bulb there where you see the crease or crack going up behind the frog. And also down the center of the frog. The center should be open not closed or a crack. Don't use caustic remedies that will kill the tissue. Use something like equal parts generic triple antibiotic cream and antifungal foot cream from Walmart, mix it together and use a butter knife to fill a little syringe or just use your finger and fill the cracks daily. Although it is a good idea to pick out manure and debris first, I scrub the hoof quickly with a little bucket of blue Dawn and water and dab with a rag. It will clear it up fast.

 

[HGFarm]

If someone is not confident regarding reshaping or trimming feet, I would not recommend it. More harm can be caused. I would leave that with an experienced farrier.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

If someone is not confident regarding reshaping or trimming feet, I would not recommend it. More harm can be caused. I would leave that with an experienced farrier.

I totally agree. I am not going to touch them. If they are still off after his next trim or two than I will look for someone else. He has always had a longer toe than I like to see, as well as a couple other small issues, none of which I expect to be fixed in one trim.

 

[rubyviewminis]

Then why bother asking for opinions in the first place? In my opinion a horse owner can only benefit by LEARNING what they can about the health and welfare of their horses including hoof care. If you don't feel confident doing anything on your own, which is understandable, at least try to learn what they SHOULD look like since your the one paying the trimmer.

Balance and trimming properly aside, your horse has fungus issues and that is painful.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

Then why bother asking for opinions in the first place? In my opinion a horse owner can only benefit by LEARNING what they can about the health and welfare of their horses including hoof care. If you don't feel confident doing anything on your own, which is understandable, at least try to learn what they SHOULD look like since your the one paying the trimmer.

Balance and trimming properly aside, your horse has fungus issues and that is painful.

I do believe you answered your own question.

No need to get rude, he had massive fungal issues when I got him, and they are getting better.

 

[Ashley]

I honestly dont think they look that bad. Could use a bit of work, but pretty good if they really havent been done in a long time. I also agree, dont have to be rude because I person isnt confident in doing it themselves. Doesnt mean they dont know or cant understand.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

It is nearly impossible to judge how his feet are without seeing a leg shot too. What works on one horse doesnt on another. For a horse that had a massive fungal issue, he looks great! Also, if his feet were that neglected, its not always good to drastically change them at first to make them look 1000% perfect. The leg needs time to change too. Its like going from wearing high heels 24/7 to flip fops 24/7. No doubt a relief to your feet and legs, however, you will get aches in places for a little bit while adjusting!

My stud hadnt had his feet cut in god knows how long when i purchased him. I am guessing a solid year and a half. He was also 100+ lbs overweight. Thankfully, he didn't founder (god only knos how...) 6 mos later, they finally look like real pony feet, not lumpy, awkward ones! however, I also work as a hoof trimmer and in the animal health industry, and feel very confident working on him. I worked on him every week for awhile. I agree, if you are not confident,do not attempt. A case like this is not a good one to learn on anyway. Pick a nice easy horse, with a good foot up to date on trims, and learn on that one, not one that requires advanced skill!

I would say for a first or second trim after a very long hiatus from trimming, they look pretty freaking awesome to me! Good work

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

I would like to learn how to do his feet eventually. There are a few places that give clinics (this trimmer being one of them) and so I was getting opinions on her trims so I can decide if I want to spend the money to go to one of her clinics. If she trims like crap than I obviously don't want to go to one of her clinics

I've literally always had horses, but we had them in shoes about 24/7, fed sweet feed, didn't do teeth or clean sheaths or anything like that. My parents were in the mindset of out of date horse care, (vet knows all about animal well-being, farrier knows all about feet and whatever he recommends is best sort of things) and while the horses we had did fine and were very well loved and cared for, I just have a different way of thinking now

 

[MindyLee]

I think you should still go to her clinic!

Just because of a lil off balance in some parts of your horses feet, shouldnt keep ya from going and learning.

TRUE STORY!

I am a farrier, And I never went to school and cant 100% tell you every name/part of a foot. And yes I have made a couple of mistakes trimming in all my yrs of trimming. Im not perfect and some things can happen. I never crippled a horse BUT did make a mistake once trimming my own horse the day before a AMHR show. She has a club foot and took 1 more swipe of the rasp too many and made her sore which made her slightly limp on hard surfaces. The judge caught it after 3 classes and DQ'ed me from my last 2. Did I give up and never trim because of a mistake I made, NO!!! I learned from it. Never did that again to my mare and shes never been over rasped on her toe agian.

Mistakes can happen. Only depends if it is a true mistake or a GUESS that caused harm and he/she would never admit to it.

Dont let her work discurage you from learning or even using her again. I may see off heals, but also not seeing in person, I 100% cant tell you if heals are truly off as the foot may be held slightly crooked. Otherwise, not a bad job in my book.

Defently go to the clinic!!! You'll be glad ya did!

 

[Jean_B]

I do believe you answered your own question.

No need to get rude, he had massive fungal issues when I got him, and they are getting better.

Nicely answered. And don't stop asking questions.....because the ONLY dumb question is the one you have in your head but don't ask.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

I think you should still go to her clinic!

Just because of a lil off balance in some parts of your horses feet, shouldnt keep ya from going and learning.

I probably will. She has some amazing before and after pictures, and she loves to teach about proper hoof care and horses in general. After his trim we stood around and talked for a good hour We didn't agree on everything but I learned quite a bit in just the hour and a half I was there. Her clinic is just slightly out of my price range at the moment, but her next one isn't until spring I don't think so I might have the money to go by then

And don't stop asking questions.....because the ONLY dumb question is the one you have in your head but don't ask.

No worries there I am always questioning everything lol

 

[rubyviewminis]

I just got my internet back on,I do apologize. I looked for this post to say that when I reread my post, it did sound snarky and I really did not mean it in that context. I try my best to throw out advice for anyone asking because I think anyone taking the time to ask deserves information and really does care about learning. You can read all my posts and find I would never treat someone like that. I myself had to learn for my minis and I learned first on here. Many people helped me out, and because of where we live we both had to just learn to do it ourselves. I am still learning, and I would never do it if I didn't have others to send pictures and video to so they can tell us what we are doing right or doing wrong. I would give anything to have a trimmer take care of our little ones, I do have a real 'tude toward farriers in general who have the attitude that minis don't need or deserve a decent trim. Had too many experiences with them taking our money and leaving our little ones with really bad trims.

A search on here about hooves will bring up a wealth of information and pictures from people who know a lot about hooves.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

No worries

tone can be hard to convey in text