New farrier - What a difference

[Trish]

Hello forum family,

I just wanted to share my joy.

Some of you might remember I've been helping this fella with getting his mini herd ready to sell and I kept running into road blocks

. He finally agreed to use a different farrier. I got a name from someone I knew and then I asked around the area about this fella, good reports. I contacted him and he was booked up, but gave me a different farrier to contact. I did and we met up with him this morning.

What a wonderful man. He was so gentle and kind to the horses, he did a fantastic job on all. I would recommend him to anyone in this area who has horses, donkeys or minis. He sat on the ground to be down to their level and trimmed them.

The two mares who have hoof issues, he explained what was going on to the fella and said with regular trimming about 3 weeks apart, over time they should be back to a semi normal hoof. The little mare with the bad back hoof is walking better already. He scheduled to be back in 3 weeks.

There are still good people in this world.

 

[Riverrose28]

That's wonderful news! I bought two colts this spring with tin can feet, one is already at a 45 degree angle and were still working on the ohter one, getting his hooves done again on Sunday! Good luck with your new guy!

That's wonderful news! I bought two colts this spring with tin can feet, one is already at a 45 degree angle and were still working on the ohter one, getting his hooves done again on Sunday! Good luck with your new guy!

 

[weerunner]

I've brought several horses back from what I would have called club feet to near perfect angles in less than a half a year. It's so important to have a good farrier who is willing to take the time to do it right. Most farriers around here do not want to do the minis, so I do my own and those I sell. I just dont know what I'll do when I get to old to take the bending.

 

[disneyhorse]

Riverrose... Are you exaggerating the 45 degree angle thing or is that what you strive for? My farriers try to keep my horses trimmed to an angle that is somewhere-in-the-fifties... Even up to 60 degrees is healthy for some conformed horses. If down to 45 degrees... Some heel needs to grow...

 

[LB27]

Does anyone have pictures they could share that show a good vs bad hoof?

 

[Sue_C.]

Pretty standard, unless it is a "special" hoof, to have an angle between 45-56 degrees...

 

[supaspot]

shouldnt the angle of the hoof be in line with the angle of the pastern

 

[chandab]

shouldnt the angle of the hoof be in line with the angle of the pastern

Yes, and also the angle of the shoulder; all three should be the same angle.

 

[Sue_C.]

Yes, and also the angle of the shoulder; all three should be the same angle.

Exactly so, and most times the 45-56 degree "rule" follows this ideal.

 

[Trish]

The previous farrier left this little mares feet in bad shape, had one front taller then the rest and wouldn't bring her down any on her heels like the vet instructed. The new farrier worked with her and got them down, but didn't take so much off that her feet would hurt. He will be back in 3 weeks to trim her and the other mare. Her right back hoof is really messed up. He was able to clean up the hoof and she is walking better.

When you find a farrier with a good heart and one that knows his stuff and he is honest, what a valued person.

These are before pictures. I will try to take new pictures to show the difference.

 

[rubyviewminis]

Dear lord, I inherited a few like that and worse. I gave up trying to find a farrier here, and started studying Pete Ramey's book, and now his DVD's. The reason is we see the mustangs a lot here and those studies by Pete and Jamie Jackson brought about natural thoughts on leaving horses barefoot, no shoes. We converted 2 big (1300 #) horses and had mustangs, so the minis were a natural. Our previous property allowed what they now call "paddock paradise" which wears the horses hooves naturally and it works but we didn't quite get it then. Instead of following the angle of shoulder and pastern, you follow the landmarks on the hoof. This is how I brought 3 minis down in the heel, slowly without causing tenderness since the inner structures of the back of the hoof are not driven up where they belong due to no trimming or bad trimming (tin can hooves)

It seems complicated. But once you get it and understand, you think Oh! that just makes common sense! So I keep the horses filed every 3 to 4 weeks because I can't use a nipper or knife. 8 weeks is insane even with shoes. Think of your own fingernails, they would break off and hurt if you didn't keep them filed (unless you have acrylics of course).

Here we are going to make our own paddock paradise on those flat dry lots to get our lazy minis moving and wearing their own little hooves! That is until we all learn driving.

 

[Riverrose28]

Riverrose... Are you exaggerating the 45 degree angle thing or is that what you strive for? My farriers try to keep my horses trimmed to an angle that is somewhere-in-the-fifties... Even up to 60 degrees is healthy for some conformed horses. If down to 45 degrees... Some heel needs to grow...

I'm confused now, are you saying that my horses now don't have enough heel? We have always tried to trim our minis just like the big guys, we don't drive, but do show halter, and since we've been working with this guy he has won two times at shows, the judges don't say anything about his hooves! I do know that the ponies have longer heels, but this is a 28" mini only a yearling, am I doing somthing wrong with having his hooves trimmed down to this angle? He is not lame, I do value your opinion. Others have siad it is OK, if you dont' agree please let me know.

 

[chandab]

I'm confused now, are you saying that my horses now don't have enough heel? We have always tried to trim our minis just like the big guys, we don't drive, but do show halter, and since we've been working with this guy he has won two times at shows, the judges don't say anything about his hooves! I do know that the ponies have longer heels, but this is a 28" mini only a yearling, am I doing somthing wrong with having his hooves trimmed down to this angle? He is not lame, I do value your opinion. Others have siad it is OK, if you dont' agree please let me know.

If the angle works for him and he's balanced, then its probably the right angle for him.

Full-size horses are the same, they should be trimmed to balance, so angles simillar to their fetlocks and shoulders. I don't know degrees, I know balanced to shoulder and fetlock.