Trimming hooves

[Mini Mouse]

Could someone please give me a little insight into trimming hooves. When you trim, do you also cut the frog? The farrier I use has trimmed one of my horses too close the last two times he trimmed him. It seems the frog is below the hoof therefore causing him to walk more on the frog than the hoof. It has been five days now and his feet are still tender.

I WILL NOT be using this farrier again but would like to know if there is something I should be doing for the poor little thing's feet.

He is so afraid of getting trimmed now that he is afraid to come near my husband because he was the one holding him.

 

[Alex]

Dont work him or anything, and yes, get a farrier YOU like!

No, my farrier doesnt take of the frog, you can if you want tho.

 

[JourneysEnd]

I usually only trim any damaged or thrush eaten part of the frog, but I also don't want the horse landing on his frog. It is okay to trim the frog back, just don't over trim.

If you can get Durasole or Hoof Freeze you can put that on the bottom of his feet to help toughen them up.

Have you told your farrier your concerns ? A good farrier will listen to you without taking an attitude.

 

[Fred]

Forshners hoof packing or sole pack will help take some of the tenderness out of the feet if he is trimmed too short. Some horses have a protruding frog and they do just fine and are not tender its just the way they are built. The bigger draft and light draft horses are typical of this. The frog should only be shaped and rough edges taken off as well as flaky sole. You really are just taking off the excess and not anything more when you trim. If he is really tender try taping some sanitary pads on the bottom of his feet. Linda

 

[Mini Mouse]

I usually only trim any damaged or thrush eaten part of the frog, but I also don't want the horse landing on his frog. It is okay to trim the frog back, just don't over trim.

If you can get Durasole or Hoof Freeze you can put that on the bottom of his feet to help toughen them up.

Have you told your farrier your concerns ? A good farrier will listen to you without taking an attitude.

Thank you, I will go look for some Durasole or Hoof Freeze today.

Yes, my husband told him that I was upset last time because he cut them too short and his feet were sore. Farrier said they always get sore after trimming. Also, last time he trimmed my horses left front foot started toeing out. Husband told him that and he said a trimming had nothing to do with toeing out that all these show horses had surgeries to make their legs so straight ..

I went through the roof when my husband told me that.

My husband is not a horsey person and I think he believes a lot of that crap. The farrier has only came one time while I was there and now only comes when hubby is there, but he won't be coming again.

I'm so mad I could spit!!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Farrier said they always get sore after trimming.

Oh, BULL!!!!

Do your fingernails get sore after every trim? NO. Only if you trim them too short! Grrr.... Sure I give my boys a day off after trimming and expect them to be a little less bold on pavement or gravel for a couple of days but sore is not okay.

Also, last time he trimmed my horses left front foot started toeing out. Husband told him that and he said a trimming had nothing to do with toeing out that all these show horses had surgeries to make their legs so straight ..

Sounds like someone making excuses for what he doesn't know. Idiot.

As you may have noticed, these issues are near and dear to my heart. My Kody used to be so sore after every trim with an excellent farrier we've had for 20+ years and we worried but kept thinking he must be more sensitive than normal as our Arabs' feet were always perfect with this guy. Never a sore day in their lives, barefoot or shod. But finally it got to be too much and when I asked him one time too many to leave the hooves a little longer he washed his hands of the mini and we had to find someone else for him. It took me nine weeks or so and you know, when his hooves were given that much time to grow all of a sudden he could trot out on pavement for the first time! OH! Ever since then we've kept his hooves on the long side and he's NEVER footsore anymore. Any farrier who thinks that is a normal and necessary aspect of trimming needs to get his head examined and look at maybe taking some responsibility. Anyone can make a horse they aren't familiar with sore. Once. After that, they need to examine their methods.

The toeing out thing is definitely affected by trimming too. My gelding's right front foot has a tendency to toe out but his previous farrier kept it carefully balanced so that the joints aligned properly and he traveled as straight as was possible for him. The new farrier didn't know about that and trimmed him crooked a couple of times but was WONDERFUL about coming back out and fixing it when I asked and now has him balanced nicely. I'm excited to work with someone who is willing to let the owner be part of the process and is so open to respectful corrections or requests. It's so nice to have someone open to idea like glue-on shoes, etc.! It's definitely worth it to find a good farrier.

Leia

 

[Minimor]

Your farrier is a perfect example of why I do all of my own trimming, and have for years now!

 

[BuckNappy]

MY FARRIER DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE.HE DOESNT TAKE MUCH OF ANYTHING OFF.THIS IS THE SECOND FARRIER I HAVE HAD THAT DOES THIS.WELL ACTUALLY THE 2ND FARRIER I HAVE EVER HAD...IF I HAD A HORSE GOING OUT TO A NEW HOME I WOULD HAVE THEM DONE WITHIN A WEEK OF LEAVING.SEVERAL HAVE GOTTEN BACK TO ME ASKING WHEN THE LAST TIME WITH FARRIER WAS OUT BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY WERE NOT DONE IN WEEKS/MONTHS.SO I GOT A NEW FARRIER WHO WAS JUST OUT 2 WEEKS AGO,I NOTICED HE BARELY TOOK ANYTHING OFF LEAVING EVERONES HOOVES LONG....ARE GOOD FARRIERS HARD TO COME BY??????????? I WOULD PREFER THEM A LITTLE LONGER THAN SORE THATS FOR SURE BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE THEM CORRECT!

 

[Fred]

As a farrier who is married to a farrier I will tell you most of the guys hate to do minis. [A lot of it is ego, they hate getting tossed on their butt.] My husband does not touch mine. He is so afraid if he messes one up he will be living in the doghouse. He's right too. I will also tell you I don't go to many farrier clinics much anymore because the testosterone level makes me want to puke. I go to a couple that are more informative than bragging because I want to learn not listen to who did what. There really and truly are some great farriers out there it just takes some looking and a little education. If you don't like what they are doing don't use them. There are so many fads in every industry and the farrier world is no exception. I have been shoeing horses professionally for over 20 years and doing my own for close to 40

. I also work with vets in the area and we regularly exchange information and ideas to further educate ourselves to help clients horses. The day I know everything is the day I quit and if a farrier says he knows everything I wouldn't hire him. Linda

 

[Mini Mouse]

As a farrier who is married to a farrier I will tell you most of the guys hate to do minis. [A lot of it is ego, they hate getting tossed on their butt.] My husband does not touch mine. He is so afraid if he messes one up he will be living in the doghouse. He's right too. I will also tell you I don't go to many farrier clinics much anymore because the testosterone level makes me want to puke. I go to a couple that are more informative than bragging because I want to learn not listen to who did what. There really and truly are some great farriers out there it just takes some looking and a little education. If you don't like what they are doing don't use them. There are so many fads in every industry and the farrier world is no exception. I have been shoeing horses professionally for over 20 years and doing my own for close to 40

. I also work with vets in the area and we regularly exchange information and ideas to further educate ourselves to help clients horses. The day I know everything is the day I quit and if a farrier says he knows everything I wouldn't hire him. Linda

Linda, I would love to do my own if I had someone to teach me how. How would I go about learning that.

 

[Fred]

I've taught plenty of people how to trim. My 11 year old daughter does her own. She rides with me every day and will be attending farrier school when she turns 16. The best way I have taught is to watch and practice on the brood mares. Its not hard. It's pure common sense. I have a lot of people whose horses I shoe in the summer but they when they pull the shoes for the winter they trim their own and then call me if they have a problem. The BEST farrier school is American Farrier School in Virginia, it used to be called Eastern and it is run by Danny Ward. The only american farrier ever asked to judge a farrier competition in England.

 

[dangerranger]

alot of ag collages have trimming classes. and after ride along with a ferrier for a few days. many enjoy having someone to hold the horses for them. DR.