By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Start by gently rinsing your horse’s hoof area with water and gently dry with a towel to remove any debris. If your horse views trimming as an unpleasant experience, it will be less willing in the future to cooperate. When you first start trimming the hooves, do short sessions and be extra careful, since improperly trimming your horse's hooves can injure or even lame it. Of course! Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. ", components of taking a break for both horse and technician). Trimming horse’s hooves is actually a job that requires a good relationship with the horse – because it takes a bit of time and you will need your horse to stay calm during this time. Why And When Does Your Horse Need Horse Hoof Oil? How long will it be until his sole regrows and he can go out to pasture again? Evaluating a Trim Job. Start today! The outer hoof line and wall surround the exterior of the hoof. Gloves to protect your hands and fingers as you work. Proper nutrition and commercially available hoof supplements can help improve hoof quality.Most importantly, trim the horse on a regular basis. These tools will all serve a different function and all are required to properly clean and trim your horse's hooves. I used a saw on some of them, with the horses’ feet on the ground. Horse Care Don't rasp both heels at the same time as this can cause them to become uneven. Leave a comment The approach to the trim should be considered too - if the horse is uncomfortable, the minimum should be done - the toe … When I look at a horse's hoof and lower leg, I still have that 3-D image in my head (kinda like Ironman's computer) and it's incredibly obvious what is overgrown and what needs my help. If you are new to trimming your horse's hooves, try trimming only two per session. The horse in question was a teenage Quarter Horse gelding sprung upon me at the last minute […] Sand them down first, then try trimming, but be careful. But I saw a horse yesterday that brought up an issue I wanted to address instead. Place the clippers on any long areas of the outer hoof wall. Select Page. However, the outer perimeter of sole around the toe … Are You Following The A,B,Cs Of How To Care For A Horse? Then spray the sole with Kiss a Frog Foot Wash and let dry completely. Worked a lot better and made it much easier. In this case, 91% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If you are fortunate enough to have your horse in a pasture or large pen with ideal barefoot footing, or you manage to ride many miles every week, four weeks is about ideal. Get a special hoof polish from a local tack store to help the dryness. How to trim horse hooves. Even though you may have trimmed your horses' hooves dozens of times and you feel you "know" your horse's hooves, that doesn't mean you know how to trim hooves. If a horse is walked enough barefoot on good ground will he need to be trimmed or will his feet be fine? We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. It’s primary function is to protect the sensitive structures beneath the sole. If you live in a dry location, bring a spray water bottle with you and moisten the hooves as you work. This article has been viewed 200,708 times. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. How often do you need to trim a horse's hooves? Hold the knife with the blade pointing downwards, opposite to how you would hold a steak knife. The pictures helped a great deal. I wrote an article on how to maintain your horse’s trim between your trimmer’s visits for this week’s On the Hoof entry. It made a huge difference. Finally, trim the sole of the hoof down until it’s below the outer wall. The approach to the trim should be considered too - if the horse is uncomfortable, the minimum should be done - the toe shortened and heel lowered to ensure the hoof is perfectly aligned with the pedal bone, and the walls bevelled to reduce weight bearing and therefore separating forces - it doesn't have to be pretty, just functional. My vet cut the sole to drain it. Leave a comment The Basics Of Training Your Horse – Tips And Advice, Your Quick Guide To The Basics Of Beet Pulp For Horses, Your Complete Guide – How To Get Burrs Out Of A Horse’s Mane. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. For areas that are cracked that might need to trim, aim trimming... S primary function is to protect your hands and fingers as you work, although this can! Trimming needs how to trim a horse hoof for beginners more so you do n't trim the hooves become unleveled or rough you. 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