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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
 
Location: IL | Well my farrier waited til the morning of my scheduled appointment, yet again, to text and say he's having "a bad day" and needs to reschedule. So missed yet another day of work for nothing.  Ugh! Why does finding a RELIABLE farrier seem as difficult as finding the lost city Atlantis?!?
Anybody ever just get fed up and learn how to trim their own horses feet? Nothing fancy, just trim? |
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 Poor Cracker Girl
Posts: 12150
  
Location: Feeding mosquitos, FL | Yup! 
It drove me absolutely bat**** crazy to beg someone to come to my house so I could give them money and then sit around waiting when they couldn't be bothered to turn up. I asked a friend of mine who she used and it was like a lightbulb came on when she said she was her own farrier. I had never even thought about doing my own before. We had a couple of feet classes, she sent me books to read, held my hand through the first few times, and now I trim my own.
Trim to live sole and be ruthless about any form of flare. My feet look better than they ever have before and my crew is sound at a trot on gravel. Love. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| I am watching DVD's right now to learn to trim my own. Wow, is it scary! But I have the same problem, my farrier comes from out of town and I have to take a day off from work to get them done. Problem is sometimes I don't find out he is not coming until 9 or 10 in the morning. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: California | I trim my own as well. It really helps to know for when something happens & you need it fixed like NOW. Or if you have the type of horse that needs to be trimmed every 4 weeks vs every 6-8 weeks. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 582
Location: Wherever They Send Me | Im getting close...Im currently in between farriers (last one had medical issues, and of the two I have used since: one I wouldn't call again and the second my jury is out). I would love to know how to do their feet; Im just nervous that Im going to mess it up.
Hats off to those who do!! |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I would love book recommendations!
My future brother in law is a farrier so he's going to mentor me. My little horse has been a chronic shoe pulled this summer through several shoers. So we are going to try barefoot and trimming him myself. We will likely try to do the same on all of ours. Exciting but nerve wracking, I'm glad we have a farrier in the family |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I used to trim my own but just found it easier to have the farrier come. But, he's reliable. We buy horses a few times a year that aren't being cared for too well and rehab, resale. If their feet are bad, which they typically are, I will trim them myself. Then have the farrier clean them up when he's out the next time. He has always commented that I do a fine job and that he's looking for an apprentice. Ha. I think once you get the hang of it and get a couple of trims under your belt, you'll be fine. It's not as daunting as it looks, once you know what a balanced hoof looks like. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Yes!! So glad to hear all your responses! I would love some good book recommendations as well. We live in the middle of no where and finding someone who will come out to us is difficult in itself. And then the not showing or cancelling last minute, I am just done. My only other option is to haul an hour or more away and that just isn't financially feasible for us especially for what my two require.
Thanks so so much everyone, keep the responses coming! Would love to hear from some more Do It Yourselfers!
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I love my guy but he is VERY hard to get on the schedule with. You guys will love this - I found a new guy, sent him a text - NO REPLY. The next day, I sent him this text, "Would you be interested in trimming 2 for me, I live within 5 miles of you, I pay cash, AND I TIP!" - Guess what - NO REPLY. About a week later, one of the new guy's clients who knew I was trying to reach him, texted me at 8:00 pm telling me he was going to be at her house the next day at 1:00 - I texted her back - "sorry, he was fired before he was hired because he can't return a text."
Do they not like MONEY or WHAT??
I was married to a farrier for 15 years and he kept appointments and returned calls - no wonder he was wildly popular. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| Good farriers that care are very few and far between, literally. I got lucky because my dad had these same issues when I was younger and went to farriers school. He was also very widely sought after but he quit doing it for the public not too many years later because of crazy owners lol really, mostly because hes older. But, he taught my husband to shoe my horses. I used to trim horses but my husband is a control freak and says I don't do as good of a job as him.
I really think if you wanted to learn then all you have to do is try, to be just as good as most farriers out there. I have seen some really bad jobs by "farriers" just because they don't care. However, please pay someone very good to shoe your horses. That's a whole nother ball game!
As far as books I have no idea. I have a bud beaston book and my dad has a huge book that he read through like 4 times before he went to school and it tells you everything there is to know, but Idk what it is called, so that doesn't help! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: California | www.abchoofcare.com |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118
Location: The South | We went barefoot because there aren't any good farriers around us. Should've done it years ago! We really like Pete Ramey's book. He explains things really well, it isn't as scary as I thought it would be. You can do it!!! |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | Griz - 2016-09-29 11:06 AM
I love my guy but he is VERY hard to get on the schedule with. You guys will love this - I found a new guy, sent him a text - NO REPLY. The next day, I sent him this text, "Would you be interested in trimming 2 for me, I live within 5 miles of you, I pay cash, AND I TIP!" - Guess what - NO REPLY. About a week later, one of the new guy's clients who knew I was trying to reach him, texted me at 8:00 pm telling me he was going to be at her house the next day at 1:00 - I texted her back - "sorry, he was fired before he was hired because he can't return a text."
Do they not like MONEY or WHAT??
I was married to a farrier for 15 years and he kept appointments and returned calls - no wonder he was wildly popular.
Is it possible he doesn't text? Maybe you should call him to see if he answers  |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Gunner11 - 2016-09-29 3:53 PM Griz - 2016-09-29 11:06 AM I love my guy but he is VERY hard to get on the schedule with. You guys will love this - I found a new guy, sent him a text - NO REPLY. The next day, I sent him this text, "Would you be interested in trimming 2 for me, I live within 5 miles of you, I pay cash, AND I TIP!" - Guess what - NO REPLY. About a week later, one of the new guy's clients who knew I was trying to reach him, texted me at 8:00 pm telling me he was going to be at her house the next day at 1:00 - I texted her back - "sorry, he was fired before he was hired because he can't return a text." Do they not like MONEY or WHAT?? I was married to a farrier for 15 years and he kept appointments and returned calls - no wonder he was wildly popular. Is it possible he doesn't text? Maybe you should call him to see if he answers
Not everybody text's, since you had his number you should have called, how can you fire someone that never did any work for you.  |
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 Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | LindsayJordan84 - 2016-09-29 2:32 PM We went barefoot because there aren't any good farriers around us. Should've done it years ago! We really like Pete Ramey's book. He explains things really well, it isn't as scary as I thought it would be. You can do it!!! His book is awesome. The videos are even better. And attending his trimming clinic was some of the best money I've ever spent.
I trim my own as well, took the leap after we moved where there aren't any barefoot trimmers to be found. Learned a bunch from the trimmers we were using before we moved (Barefoot Performance from Bozeman, MT, highly recommend). Also went to a Ramey clinic, he makes things so easy to understand. And my horses feet have never looked better!
Edited to add: We initially went the barefoot route because of an unreliable farrier. And I had a horse whose feet were continually getting worse, not better. We were lucky to have really good barefoot trimmers in our area at the time and they did a wonderful job. And then I became obsessed with learning more.............
Edited by ruggedchica 2016-09-29 6:14 PM
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Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | Paige Poss has a very good website called Iron Free Hoof. Lots of info there.
Also, look up David Landreville on facebook. His work is amazing! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | Thank you for all the suggestions everyone! I'm going to start learning as much as I can! |
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Regular
Posts: 51
Location: CA | Stephanie Krahl has some wonderful articles on natural hoof care.
http://www.soulfulequine.com/barefoot-hoof-care/ |
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | I learned to trim my own mostly to save money. Pete Ramey & Jaime Jackson's books are great, but I love Pete's "Under the Horse" DVD series. It was invaluable to me while I was learning the basics. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Gunner11 - 2016-09-29 3:53 PM
Griz - 2016-09-29 11:06 AM
I love my guy but he is VERY hard to get on the schedule with. You guys will love this - I found a new guy, sent him a text - NO REPLY. The next day, I sent him this text, "Would you be interested in trimming 2 for me, I live within 5 miles of you, I pay cash, AND I TIP!" - Guess what - NO REPLY. About a week later, one of the new guy's clients who knew I was trying to reach him, texted me at 8:00 pm telling me he was going to be at her house the next day at 1:00 - I texted her back - "sorry, he was fired before he was hired because he can't return a text."
Do they not like MONEY or WHAT??
I was married to a farrier for 15 years and he kept appointments and returned calls - no wonder he was wildly popular.
Is it possible he doesn't text? Maybe you should call him to see if he answers
It was some of his other clients who told me to text him, so yes, he texts. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-29 5:34 PM
Gunner11 - 2016-09-29 3:53 PM Griz - 2016-09-29 11:06 AM I love my guy but he is VERY hard to get on the schedule with. You guys will love this - I found a new guy, sent him a text - NO REPLY. The next day, I sent him this text, "Would you be interested in trimming 2 for me, I live within 5 miles of you, I pay cash, AND I TIP!" - Guess what - NO REPLY. About a week later, one of the new guy's clients who knew I was trying to reach him, texted me at 8:00 pm telling me he was going to be at her house the next day at 1:00 - I texted her back - "sorry, he was fired before he was hired because he can't return a text." Do they not like MONEY or WHAT?? I was married to a farrier for 15 years and he kept appointments and returned calls - no wonder he was wildly popular. Is it possible he doesn't text? Maybe you should call him to see if he answers
He texts - some of his other clients told me to text him, that is how they reach him, so he was "fired" because I can see a mile down the road that he will be unreliable and I don't have time for that - which is a shame because I have heard he does good work - IF you can get him to show up. This guy lost out on easy money, I live close, always pay cash AND tip and my horses stand nice. Oh well!
Edited by Griz 2016-09-30 5:59 AM
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4642
Location: Texas | I learned how to trim my own because I'd rather spend that money on entry fees than to pay someone to do something that I can do. |
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 Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | I've been trimming my own since I was a teen. But I was afraid to shoe them until I was forced by my farrier being injured and couldn't do my competition horse. I'd already tried every farrier in the area and they all sucked. You can learn and be very good if you want to. Most of the awful farrier work must be because they don't care about the animal or they don't understand how critical competent farrier work is. That's all I can think of.
Just remember horses can have different tolerances and needs. Not all can go barefoot under all conditions. I have horses that are just fine with no shoes in the pasture. But most need shoes if they are put under saddle. Even a sand arena can be abrasive and wear their feet down to nothing.
The single most important thing you will need to develop is your "eye". You need to visualize the bones in the horses foot when you decide where and how to trim. Some horses also have a flaw in conformation or a pathology that you will have to fight every time you get under them. Some horses don't grow heel which they desperately need to balance their foot. They just don't have it. Keeping their toes backed up so they stand with their foot loaded properly is a constant battle and one that is easier if they have shoes. Good luck. You can do it.  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032
Location: IL | OregonBR - 2016-09-30 12:25 PM I've been trimming my own since I was a teen. But I was afraid to shoe them until I was forced by my farrier being injured and couldn't do my competition horse. I'd already tried every farrier in the area and they all sucked. You can learn and be very good if you want to. Most of the awful farrier work must be because they don't care about the animal or they don't understand how critical competent farrier work is. That's all I can think of. Just remember horses can have different tolerances and needs. Not all can go barefoot under all conditions. I have horses that are just fine with no shoes in the pasture. But most need shoes if they are put under saddle. Even a sand arena can be abrasive and wear their feet down to nothing. The single most important thing you will need to develop is your "eye". You need to visualize the bones in the horses foot when you decide where and how to trim. Some horses also have a flaw in conformation or a pathology that you will have to fight every time you get under them. Some horses don't grow heel which they desperately need to balance their foot. They just don't have it. Keeping their toes backed up so they stand with their foot loaded properly is a constant battle and one that is easier if they have shoes. Good luck. You can do it.
That is great advice! Thank you! Im ordering one of Pete Rameys books and I've been reading everything I can find online as well as watching videos. I'm excited to start doing it myself but nervous as well. ?? I dint think I'll ever be brave enough to shoe one myself lol |
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Trimming your horses feet