# Trimming your own horses' feet



## Kaitlyn (Feb 20, 2012)

I've noticed that a great many of you seem to do your own hoof trimming. Why is this? In the big horse world, at least where I am from, this is not heard of- professional farriers are the only ones who trim feet. After spending over a decade around the horse world, I have only come across one person who trimmed their own horses' feet.

If you are one of the ones who trim their own horses' hooves, how did you learn?


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## chandab (Feb 20, 2012)

Over the years, I have always watched my farrier trim my horses hooves, trying to learn all I could just to have the knowledge. Never really wanted to trim them myself, but had the tools for touch-ups and mishaps (such as pulled shoes, just in case). then, I moved to an area with bad horseshoers and no horseshoers, so started trimming out of necessity. Then I got the minis, and had a really hard time finding someone who would even work on minis. I did finally find a farrier that is worth his weight in gold, which is a heck of a lot; and so he trims the three saddle horses (I have a hard time getting the nippers through their hooves, but can do them in a pinch), the minis with issues and the others as necessary to keep them balanced (I trim the "normal" minis myself most of time, also trim a couple "normal" minis that have issues with strangers to reduce stress).

I know there are good books out there on trimming horses in general and even a few on trimming minis. I have a VHS on trimming minis, but I haven't even watched it, yet; I planned to eventually.


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## muffntuf (Feb 20, 2012)

Learned from my farrier.


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## Minimor (Feb 20, 2012)

How did I learn to trim feet? I learned on my big horses, and I learned from a good farrier that we had many years ago. I also learned from a vet who worked on a badly foundered gelding that we got years ago--we took him in for x-rays and the vet explained to the farrier how to trim (farrier at that time had never worked on a badly foundered horse before). I learned a lot from that situation.

Why did I start trimming feet on my horses? Because our good farrier quit and the farriers who we tried after him were nothing short of hopeless. In one case the fellow trimmed 8 horses and the next day I had to fix 5 or 6 of them--it would have been all 8 but the others were trimmed so short I couldn't do anything for them until their feet grew out a little. One mare was trimmed so crooked she couldn't walk 3 steps without tripping--once I straightened up her feet she walked without any problem at all. All of them were trimmed crooked--one heel long, one heel short....one quarter short, one quarter long...so each & every hoof went long heel, short quarter, long quarter, short heel. I was more than a little disgusted and decided there was no point in my paying out that kind of money for that kind of work and then have to fix it up myself when I could save the money & just trim everyone myself in the first place.

Now I trim all of our own horses plus a few outside horses. I've turned away other people that have asked me to trim for them, because I just don't have a lot of time to spare. I also limit my services to Minis; I've had several big horse people almost beg me to go & trim for them but I refuse--big horses are just too much work & my back really isn't up to it.


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## islandminis (Feb 20, 2012)

I learned to trim through instruction from a very good barefoot professional, but even then always brought in my trusted farrier at least twice a year to make sure I was trimming correctly - with doing minis I am following the same track. They are just a bit different from doing the big guys.


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## MindyLee (Feb 20, 2012)

I do it to save $$$ and for it to be done correctly...

I do it for others because it saves them $$$ and its done correctly...


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## TyeeRanch (Feb 21, 2012)

I started doing my own broodmares and such to save $. I have learned from two different farriers that we have had that were very, very good. However, after moving to an area that is very focused on working cattle/ranch/barrel racing horses, I have had a hard time finding a farrier that will take my minis seriously. Especially one that will work with a driving hoof or one that needs some correction. I have always touched mine up between trims and feel that unless a horse has some major corrective needs, I can do just as good as the farrier.


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## Jean A (Feb 21, 2012)

I have to say, that after my favorite farrier retired, and trying numerous younger fellas, we are thinking of taking trimming on as well. I just had 2 mini donkeys trimmed, and one was left with one front toe so long, he can't walk right. I know they are short, and a bit of a pain, but goodness me! I'll let him try to fix the problem, and move on..or trim myself. Wish I wasn't over 50, and arthritic. It will be a long learning curve for all of us.

The new horses will need attention, but will at least be a bit more cooperative. I hope...


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## Leeana (Feb 21, 2012)

My farrier comes from PA to trim all of our horses every other month, and is normally at the shows we attend and touches up at the shows on the show horses. I've been watching him trim for the last three years and can do a close enough job when I have to. But with him coming on a regular schedule, normally there is not much for me to do, unless I have one that is really long when it comes in and it needs work / taken down more often then he can come out. He is really good about putting a show foot on my show horses and really looking at the horse and watching it move and listening to me and what I want.


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## Riverrose28 (Feb 21, 2012)

I don't have the strength in my hands any more to trim hooves, but hubby still trims them. He worked as an apprentise for a farrier and then as his assistant for a year working mostly on arabs. Sometimes when he is sick I have to have a farrier come out and I use a guy that lives in the next state, as he is the only one that will trim my minis the way I like.


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## Genie (Feb 21, 2012)

I learned from the best farrier in Southwestern Ontario and have also been fortunate to obtain barracuda nippers. I worry that my nippers will break and I won't be able to find another set, since I am old and my arthritis is so bad that jar lids are getting to be a huge problem.

I trim for a few other mini owners when they are stuck. I don't need any more work and will only charge a minimal fee.


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## jyuukai (Feb 21, 2012)

When we first bought our filly, at 3 months, she was obviously very tiny. Our farrier would charge us $5 to trim her hooves but after a few trimmings he told us he would rather not bend down that far





He gave us a rasp and showed us how to do it ourselves. He checked our work the next couple of visits and declared that we were good enough that he wasn't going to bother with that anymore either!

Since then we have read a couple books and watched alot of videos and now are quite good at it. Part of our 'board cost' is trimming the hooves of our minis little pasture mate as well, and we have slowly been correcting his cracked front hoof.

In short, it was the farrier who decided we should do it ourselves, and we can hardly blame him because it's a real pain to lean down that far lol


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## Furlow (Feb 21, 2012)

I do my own trimming. I learned from my father when i was a kid. He would shoe horses for all our nieghbors. That was about 60 years ago.


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## Margo_C-T (Feb 21, 2012)

In the mid-sixties, living in Safford, AZ, I got so frustrated w/ not being able to find a decent farrier that I got an excellent book, read and studied it, bought a few elemental tools, and shod my own QH gelding twice, before we finally found another good farrier! It was VERY hard work, took me hours both times, and due to my short fingers, the shoe slipped back just a bit during the nailing, BUT, he walked away sound, and the shoes stayed on properly during plenty of riding for the 'standard' of about 8 weeks!

Therefore, when I got into minis in '84, I already had a knowledge base. I started doing my own mainly due to the cost, but also because I enjoyed it; later, it became clear that I could/would do a better job that about 95% of what I saw professional farriers doing on minis(sad to say.)

Tip: Buy QUALITY tools! What I had originally bought were 'one-side'cutters, and WAY too big for minis...blades too wide, handles too long. I bought 10' 'Diamond' brand nippers at the first AMHA Nationals I attened and used them for years, but never was too satisfied; though they'd been vended as being for use on miniature horses' hooves, turned out they are in truth, made to nip the ends off the driven horseshoe nails!



When I finally spent the $$$ for some GOOD 12" HOOF nippers, my job got a lot easier! GOOD nippers, a GOOD hoof knife, and at least DECENT rasp are most important, IME. I do use a less-expensive, but short, hoof rasp...not very expensive to just buy a new one when one gets dull.

I still do the 5 minis I have; albeit I work even MORE slowly,usually am 'up to' only one horse/day, depending on how hard/dry their hooves are...but still do a better job than most I've seen on minis!

Margo


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## OutlawStyle (Feb 21, 2012)

My Mom was trained by our farrier who was retiring. He was the only good farrier we could find, and we had bad experiences with others (either they were abusive or messed the feet up). Since she has been trimming them (big horses & minis) we haven't had problems. I will be learning how to trim also, but I'd rather only trim minis.


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## Tab (Feb 22, 2012)

I have trimmed both large and small, and it's mostly from first watching the farrier, observing the feet of many horses, researching, studying angles, and just doing it. I have gotten much, much better in time. Sharp tools and gloves are your friend! I like doing it myself. It cuts costs, allows me to be more self reliant with my horses, and is overall a part of training and enjoying my horses. When the weather is nice I do look forward to grooming and trimming hooves!

Also learned farrier skills out of necessity. I got a farrier out shortly after getting my first mini and the farrier was so afraid to cut too deep that he just rasped off a tiny bit and charged full price. I learned what must be done.


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## Charlie Horse Acres (Feb 22, 2012)

I grew up with horses and we have always done our own trimming. I use a ferrier to put shoes on or to trim a horse that needs special corrections or if I am getting ready to show so they look nicer.....(or if I am feeling lazy...LOL takes a lot out of you sometimes when they are all ready for a trim at the same time!) I will also use the ferrier on our rescue as it stresses him out so using the ferrier allows me to keep him calm while someone is working on him plus the ferrier can trim him closer than I feel comfortable and the trim will last longer. One of his fears is allowing his feet to be messed with.

So I guess I learned from my mom since we have always done our own. But my ferrier will also talk to me about the horses because he knows I do some of my own so he can let me know if there is something I need to watch on any of them.

I also did my own trimming on our goat but I found information on line and taught myself from that info how to trim them. I have never done my own shoes though. That is much more of a trained skill that requires a ferrier I beleive anyways.


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## HGFarm (Feb 23, 2012)

It's not something I would recommend for just anyone to attempt. I was married for years to an excellent farrier and learned from him. I learned to trim and to shoe (though I hate doing that- it's hard work!) and this is the only reason I trim my own. Otherwise I would hire a professional. I have seen some horses really crippled up from amateur trimming jobs.


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## attwoode (Feb 23, 2012)

I started doing ours in 2005 because our farrier was leaving too much heel but would take the toe down until they were sore. You can imagine that if this continued all of my young horses would have become club-footed. Farriers around here don't seem to understand that the little minis don't have as much weight on their feet and sometimes need a little help to get the angles correct and hooves to spread out. I've read lots of books and watched videos, bought all of the equipment, and gaining ezperience all the time.


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## Julie mustangglenfarm (Feb 23, 2012)

I just bought my two minis in Oct. they just had their feet trimmed before I went to pick them up. I just happened to pick up a card in my feed store for a farrier. I called a couple weeks ago and he said that he would do my minis. He came out and did really well with them. He said with the small horses/minis you have to be careful not to trim too much off the front. The horses are doing fine so he must know what he is doing. He said he started when he was around 14 and also went to farrier school. I believe he is in his 20s and told me that the other two farriers in the area probably won't do minis because they were older guys. I may try to learn to do some trimming or touch up when the minis need it so I won't have to call him as much, I know I wouldn't do large horses feet, I will stick to minis.


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## Helicopter (Feb 23, 2012)

I learned by watching farriers and from Barefoot Trimming books.

I do have a Barefoot farrier who takes care of my chronic founder girl and I get ongoing tips from her.

Really for a simple trim on a healthy little hoof and if you have a bit of a brain it's not difficult.

HOWEVER I wouldn't even dream of trying to trim the old Arab mare.


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## Lil Timber Buck (Feb 29, 2012)

The reason I do is because it is so hard to find someone to trim minis hooves that don't assume all minis are crazy. I get so tired of hearing that. Not to mention, they don't want to bend down that far or get on their knees. They want to charge full price for a half done job. I had to do it to make sure it is right as well. Minis are totally different in certain ways from big horses. I learned from my best friend who learned from one of the top large horse farriers in the area. It is actually cool to do and I love being able to do this for him.


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## Kendra (Feb 29, 2012)

I took a farrier class as part of my Equine Science diploma - we learned a bunch of theory and practiced (and were graded!) on cadaver feet. I've watched our excellent farrier trim for many, many years. I can see the angles, and I know what the foot should look like. Theoretically, I know what I'm doing. Every so often I give it a try on one of our old boys, and I always end up getting Grandad or Hans to finish it for me. I am just not good enough to trust myself with something so crucial to their well-being.

I should practice, I know. Chicken I guess.


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## Katiean (Feb 29, 2012)

I learned from my cousin that worked at a big QH farm in CA. I trimmed my big horses when I had them. So, when I got the minis it was just a given. I did then have a farrier from time to time. But, I never found anyone that did their feet right. However, my minis have harder feet than any BIG HORSE and I can no longer trim them. I found a super farrier that lives near where my horses are boarded so he gives me an excellent rate.


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