Gloves to protect your hands and fingers as you work. Hoof nippers will be used for the actual trimming of the hoof. A rasp is used to level off any rough areas of the hoof. A hook knife can help you dig out any material that is caught in your horse’s hoof. Farrier chaps are optional, but offer protection to your legs while trimming your horse’s hooves.
Have your horse soak their feet in water or mud for around 15 to 20 minutes. If you live in a dry location, bring a spray water bottle with you and moisten the hooves as you work. If the hooves dry out during the trimming process, take a break and soak them again.
Hold the knife with the blade pointing downwards, opposite to how you would hold a steak knife. Keep your wrist straight and use your whole arm to make your strokes. While facing the horse’s rear end, hold your horse’s leg between your legs to keep the hoof in place while you work. Use one hand to hold and manipulate the hoof while the other hand cleans it. The hook knife can also be used to cut away areas of the frog if it has grown across the sole. [4] X Research source
The outer hoof line and wall surround the exterior of the hoof. The coronary band connects the hoof to pastern, which is the part of the leg where the fur starts. The sole of the hoof is the entire area on the bottom of the hoof inside the outer hoof wall. The white line is just inside the outer hoof line. This area is very prone to hoof problems. The frog makes up a large portion of the hoof, starting at the heel and ending in a point at the center of hoof.
If you’re unsure how much to trim, aim for trimming less rather than more so you don’t injure your horse. If you trim off too much of the hoof, your horse will be very sore. Look for areas that are cracked that might need to be trimmed. Judge how long the the outer hoof wall is. Decide if the front of the hoof will need to be trimmed. See if the outside hoof wall is asymmetrical in any areas.
Hold the front leg by lifting it up and back, towards the horse’s chest. Rest the hoof on your thigh. Lift the back leg directly up and place your own leg in front of it. Bend over and reach down to work with the hoof. When lifting the horse’s leg up, always make sure it is bending with the natural motion of that joint. Don’t try to lift the hoof if the horse isn’t cooperating.
Place the clippers on any long areas of the outer hoof wall. Clamp the clippers down to cut the long areas of the hoof wall away. Work slowly and make sure you are trimming to the length you need. Trim the front of the hoof at a 45 degree angle to avoid a sharp toe.
Don’t rasp both heels at the same time as this can cause them to become uneven. Keep your strokes short at first until you gain more control and have more practice rasping. Keep your strokes as flat as possible in order to keep your horse’s hoof flat.
The outer wall of the hoof should be longer than the sole.
Check for symmetry in the hoof. Try to make the hoof even on all sides. The bottom of the horse’s outer hoof wall should be flat.
If your horse has an injury or health issue with a hoof, you should hire a professional. If your horse has unusual or uneven growth patterns to its hoof, a professional can work to make sure your horse’s hoof is even. In some cases, your vet needs to do an X-ray to check your horse’s bone placement within the hoof to make sure your horse’s growth is balanced. If you have concerns, check with your vet to find out if your horse needs X-rays and to schedule the procedure.
If you are new to trimming your horse’s hooves, try trimming only two per session. Trim either the front two or the rear two. If you get tired or annoyed while trimming your horse’s hooves, take a break and come back to it later. Never lose your patience with your horse. If your horse views trimming as an unpleasant experience, it will be less willing in the future to cooperate.
