Learning to trim - the RIGHT way, without going to farrier school

[fivestrideline]

Okay, yes, another DIY trimming thread. But, I can’t find recent answers!

Farriers, as we all know, are becoming few and far between, and quality farriers even more so. I’ve had so much trouble finding a good pro in my area, and with only one horse I’ve even bought a truck and trailer specifically to take my finicky footed gelding to an offsite farrier. With a full time job however, hauling out is expensive and difficult to schedule.

I’m considering learning to trim my own, partially because he has good quality feet but his angles have been wrecked by poor trims over the years. I do NOT want to learn to shoe, but would happily trim him and pay a farrier to put the shoes on if needed - and I think many of the ‘mostly okay’ farriers I’ve had at boarding barns would be able to do this as it’s the trim that’s been the issue.

I’m not interested in going to full farrier school to learn to trim, but I don’t trust the gimmicky barefoot courses either. Does anyone know of reputable courses or places to learn? I’ve done my fair share of research and reading, but with one horse (currently shod in a fancy package all around) it’s hard to practice. And I want to do it RIGHT. I just don’t know where to start!

[LilDunFilly]

@fivestrideline

Okay, yes, another DIY trimming thread. But, I can’t find recent answers!

Far

I started by asking my farrier (who was incredibly flaky) to show me how when he was doing my mare. She had no issues and good growth so he say no issue with me trying to work on her feet myself. When he eventually returned he’d check my progress. There really isn’t a way to without just practicing a bunch, hence why people go to farrier school.

[ChampChomp]

my partner is a full time barefoot trimmer & got started due to a similar situation where we moved someplace that has awful choices in farriers.

So, there isn’t really a whole course i’d recommend right now as they’re either very expensive or they’re trying to get you to keep buying into their method.
I’d start by joining barefoot hoof groups on FB and just digesting it all until you get to a point that you can at least match the terminology to pictures. Hoofcare & rehab is my fav group! You can also post your horses hooves on there for specific feedback on how you can trim them.

There is also the equine documentalist, he’s very math focused & does shoe but posts excellent write ups. If you’re in the southwest US (I am) hoofcare can be a little different - look into David Landerville!

Read Pete Ramey’s ‘care and rehab of the equine foot’ & jamie jacksons ‘Horse owners guide to hoofcare’ (it’s free on Hoopla w/ a library card!) ‘The essential hoof’ book is also really good & aimed at beginners. Pete & Jamie are old, and some of their ideas are outdated now - but 99% of what they say is enough for you to learn to then think for yourself lol, but the tool use & terminology is very digestible.
& then for in person learning - you can learn enough in one clinic to start to do your horse.
I’ve taken Daisy Bickings clinic and although she’s a specialist trimmer it’s still good for beginners! Like I said about the books, you can almost take a clinic/lesson from anyone and get comfortable with tool usage and terminology and THEN you can apply it to your horse without needing to follow anyones specific program.

You can check on the Progressive Hoofcare Practitioners website if there’s a trimmer anywhere near you who would be willing to show you the ropes. Many people have found trimmers willing to do an initial set-up trim and then keep in touch online to offer advice moving forward. I have also seen people swap every other 6 week trim schedule with trimmer doing one, then owner doing it the next time.

I hope some of that was helpful instead of just making it more confusing. Barefoot hoofcare is still the wild west a little bit so getting educated as an owner is kind of a mad scramble for information

[fivestrideline]

Thanks for this! I’ve read most of the literature and am in that group (I think) but I got pretty overwhelmed so I appreciate the spelled out ideas!

[equinelaundry]

Check out Ida Hammer. Love her! In class beginning and intermediate trimming is done on cadavers. She has online classes as well but I love the in person learning because you have her experience, your experience and the experience of other owners and professionals that are attending. You’re surrounded by others who found her because of their own reasons!

I have 6 of my own-2 Standardbreds, 2 donkeys and 2 foundered minis that I would have had to euthanize if I didn’t take over. I hauled my minis to IL a few weeks ago for my advanced trim and graduated. I have no intention of doing it professionally but I’m confident in my abilities.

Kristie
Hoof Nerd

[rulex]

@ChampChomp posted an excellent list of resources to get started.

You could start by trying to do touch ups in between trims from your regular farrier. See if they are willing to show you how to do that.

I was thrown into the deep end and started learning on my own with lots of reading and feedback from photos and from my horse. It’s been ups and downs and I’m sure it would have gone a lot smoother if I had a good pro teaching me in person. But my vet thought I was doing a better job than the barefoot trimmer I had tried using before I took over. And when I asked a local farrier for feedback they just had some minor feedback. And my horse’s feet and comfort have been slowly improving which is what’s important to me.

Unfortunately as you know it’s really hard to find a good barefoot trimmer so the bar is pretty low in terms being able to do a better job than the available options out there.

As for gimmicky barefoot courses, if they are local to you, I would be inclined to just take one and cherry pick what you want to learn from it. You might learn some valuable tidbits, or you might learn what not to do. But there’s no harm in taking a first step to start on the learning journey.

[fivestrideline]

Yeah the struggle is real - I may have found a farrier for now (who if I like I’ll definitely be asking to teach me to touch up rasp), but the horse is shod all around at the moment so no “practice” rasping for me. I’ve just had to move a lot so finding a good farrier is a huge struggle every time, and this horse is particularly sensitive to poor angles. I’m currently rehabbing a suspensory injury the vet thinks is a result of bad feet + a crash. I’d like to avoid a repeat

[gothedistance]

I initially learned from a book. But that was in 1978 long before the internet existed. I learned the skill myself when a farrier lamed my eventing horse and cost me a lot of $$$ in vet bills to return her to soundness. I was pissed enough to say “never again”, and from that point on I did my horse (and all my future equines) trims and shoeings myself. I perfected my skills by watching a good professional do a trim and shoeing, then modified his technique to my own timeframe and strength. It came in handy when I began endurance and shod my gelding in aluminum shoes for its lightness. Same with my pairs of driving ponies, also shod in aluminum which doesn’t slip on pavement. Will say it is harder to trim than it is to nail on shoes. Nailing on shoes is a piece of cake once the foot is properly balanced.

Since your horse is currently shod and unavailable for practice, you might see about shadowing a farrier who does trimming (perhaps free) for rescue horse organizations or for broodmares. They might be more amiable to your observations since the horses aren’t a valuable performance horse owned by a private individual. Given time, if you show enough interest, the farrier may well let you try your hand at using the rasp or nippers.