Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Mmm....farrier! Tastes like peppermint

My farrier has been out for about three months with a broken arm. Not just any old broken arm either. He got nailed by an exploding fuel cell to a nail gun while he was burning a pile of construction trash. It not only broke his arm, it tore his arm open to the bone and did some nerve damage. Ewwww!!!

So, my ponies have been farrier-less all summer. Surprisingly though, their feet looked pretty darn good considered. They all "self-trimmed" and when he was finally able to get out and get them done Monday, he really didn't have to do much but trim back a flare and run a rasp over them. Nothing major at all. I blame it on the pastures and the fact that I don't keep them stalled.

Gabe loves the farrier.
Seriously.
Well, he loves to try to chew on him any way. Nom nom nom! I spend the entire trim keeping Gabe's lips and teeth off Don's hat, chaps, shirt and butt. He is one mouthy little turd, that's for sure.

I have decided that I need to find someone who will teach me basic farrier skills. I don't want to learn to shoe (mine go barefoot any way) or learn how to do any kind of major foot work. I just want to learn how to maintain those hooves between trims so maybe I can stretch out the time between trims a bit and be knowledgeable enough to be able to care for those feet when things happen that prevent the farrier from coming out on a regular schedule.

I did buy a rasp to have on hand, just in case, but so far I've been a little hesitant to apply rasp to hoof. My luck I'd rasp it all the way down to a nub.

So, that's my next goal (a non-riding goal!) learn how to do minor maintenance on my horse's hooves.

3 comments:

  1. OMG, crazy farrier accident!

    You are way more likely to rasp a knuckle off of your own hand than to take too much off a hoof. The pros make it look easy! With that said - you can trim, it's not that complicated. Wear gloves (the mesh gardening gloves dipped in rubber are my favorites), read up, go slow, and take lots of pics.

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  2. Dear Husband and I are flying out to Co in a few days to do just that- help an owner learn how to trim. You're post makes it four or five people now that are expressing more interest in learning more about hoof care for their horses.

    Best thing I can tell you, (and I plan a post on this sometime soon) is understand as much of the anatomy FIRST before you pick up a tool.
    Then work on looking for balance in the feet.

    *THEN* start messing with the tools. ;)

    Big tip- use a GOOD rasp- not a Diamond brand one. Diamond is heavier, won't last as long, and will make you work harder.

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  3. Mrs Mom will be a great service to you! She is awesome.

    My first barefoot trimmer, Sabrina, taught me how to do it.
    I would do it, then she would come and give me a check up, and do it the next 6 weeks..the times got further apart for her to come out, then I was on my own.

    I got nervious and hired another local "Barefoot trimmer." He allowed me to video him...so that is somewhere in my computer.

    A good Rasp yes...
    my # 1 essential is= "A hoof jack". I got the one with that name...cause I don't have a welder husband, that can make me one. I'm short...but the weight of the legs kills my back!
    Oh and Gloves! I've been knuckleless a few times.

    You'll love doing it...sometimes not, but most times yea!
    KK

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