A Farrier Check-in

4/28/2016

When I first got Izzy, he had been living out in pasture for more than a year and a half. Actually, I think his owner might have had him on pasture for pretty much his first six years of life. While pasture is fantastic, especially for young horses like Izzy, it can be pretty tough on their feet.

Izzy had developed a crack up the front of his hoof, but I knew it would grow out with good farrier work. While Izzy was with the "leg wrecker" trainer (start here and scroll back to find the beginning), I had her farrier shoe him because he was starting to get footsore (he was barefoot). It was a fairly mediocre shoe job at best.

Mediocre shoe job in December 2014

Re-shod by my former farrier in February 2015

Within just two or three visits by the farrier, the crack disappeared, and the hoof started taking on a much more balanced shape. Farrier work is one thing I don't try to micromanage. I always have good farriers and trust them to do their work. I can recognize a really bad shoe job, and a nice shoe job will stand out just as easily. Outside of that, I leave the angles and length to them. So far, that has worked out okay.

My current farrier has been working with my horses for almost a year, and both of their hooves look really great. Speedy has been able to go barefoot, which I love (no more lost shoes), and Izzy only needs to be shod in front.

My farrier was out this week. I forgot to take pictures of Speedy's toes, but I did get some shots of Izzy's freshly shod feet. They have really changed shape over the past year and look like they are now an excellent weight bearing structure.

Right front (same one that was cracked)

Left hind

Right front

Left hind

I follow a six week shoeing cycle, how often do your horse's feet get done?

Stampy and the Brain link

4/28/2016 07:00:41 am

I switched farriers just over a year ago myself after some serious issues using my barn's farrier (hoofgate 2015). The boys were on a 5 week schedule for most of this past year as part of a clean up the angles plan but have been on 6 weeks for the last few months. I regularly discuss concerns with my vet regarding my horses' feet (hence the farrier move despite some slight drama over it) and will pass on any tidbits she provides that are pertinent but leave the actual work to the professional.

Bakersfield Dressage link

4/28/2016 07:12:42 am

I don't usually get to be there when my farrier is working, but if I have a question or concern, he's very reachable via text, voicemail, or call. Changing farriers is a nightmare, I know. I am glad your new farrier seems to be working out.

SarahO link

4/28/2016 07:33:34 am

Glad to hear Speedy and Izzy's feet are doing well!

My awesome farrier just decided to stop trimming altogether so I'm in the process of finding a new farrier. I'm super sad to see my old farrier go. I've been burned in the past so trying to find someone new is stressful. For the mean-time, I had the barn-owner trim my mare last time since I didn't have time to sort out anything else (she is good at simple trims, I know because my old farrier had looked at her work a few times, but I would like an actual farrier for the long-term in case things ever become not simple).

Kachina has great feet and is able to stay fully barefoot which I love. I always chose my trim schedule based on my farrier's recommendations so it varied a bit throughout the year based on hoof growth rates. For the last couple cycles she has actually been on 10 week intervals!

4/28/2016 09:39:59 am

I am not surprised by ten week intervals. My farrier pretty much just waves the rasp over Izzy's hind feet. He keeps them worn down pretty well by himself. I had two horses who needed to be shod on a 5 week cycle - they grew that much hoof. Most of the time my farriers recommend 6 weeks, but every horse grows differently.

Lauren link

4/28/2016 08:09:31 am

That's a huge improvement! Nothing like a good farrier.

4/28/2016 09:40:26 am

Isn't that the truth. :0)

Carly

4/28/2016 11:26:43 am

His feet look fantastic!

4/28/2016 12:05:16 pm

California's dry, hot climate has a lot to do with that. You don't see too many seedy toes or mushy soles here. :0)

Tracy link

4/28/2016 12:33:33 pm

A good farrier is worth their weight in gold, IMHO. Izzy's feet look great!

4/28/2016 06:10:45 pm

Thanks, Tracy - California's dry climate has a lot to do with it, but you're right - good farrier's do their part as well. :0)

Megan link

4/29/2016 08:33:19 am

They look great! So much better than last year. Ugh both of mine get done at minimum every 4 weeks. Rico because his toes get so long that they pull on his tendons and irritate his coffin joints and TC because he has a flare that will make his sidebone worse. One day I will have a horse who is an easy keeper!

4/29/2016 01:05:54 pm

The last mare I owned had to be done every 5 weeks and not a day late. She grew toe like nobody's business, but her heels were another story. It got expensive. Both of these boys can easily go a full six weeks and even a little more, but I try really hard to get them done within the sixth week. I hate long toes for the reasons you mention.

Val

5/1/2016 12:40:21 pm

Izzy's feet look great and I like the bevel on his bare hinds. I think it is awesome that Speedy is now barefoot, too.

Harley is bare and I have been trimming his feet for years. I only use a rasp so I must trim about every three weeks to keep it manageable for me. He grows a lot of hoof! I can trim less often in the winter, but sometimes must trim at two weeks in the peak season (right now). Since he is the only horse that I have ever trimmed, I do not know how his hoof growth compares to other horses, but it seems like a lot to me.

9/12/2016 06:06:03 am

If you need to do it every three weeks, he probably grows a lot. Both of my horses grow toe quickly, especially Speedy. Speedy has been barefoot for over a year and a half. He was whacking himself so hard that he was bruising his feet. Barefoot, he can pick up his feet more quickly and the whacks aren't as painful.

Izzy needs shoes in front. He's such a heavy horse that I doubt his front feet could handle all of the heavy work. Someday my farrier might recommend barefoot. We'll see.

Mia

9/11/2016 04:37:04 pm

Anyone with a good and reliable farrier is super fortunate. We've been through four in five years. My mare cme to us with high/low front hooves, the low very underrun and collapsed. The first farrier said that is her 'normal' so no point to mess with it. The toes just seemed to get longer and longer and she was prone to trip. After several months our vet commented they didnt look correct and we did radiographs that confirmed negative palmer angle. Farrier was only angry and defensive about improving this. Second farrier recommended a wedge on low foot, was never on time, just failed to show numerous times without even calling to say he wasnt coming, told me I should just let him come when he wanted without me being there. I was then told by someone they saw him slapping my horse and there was an incident where she broke a halter rearing while tied while he handled her. That was the final straw between inability to keep appointments and being uncomfortable with him handling my horse without my being present. Third farrier did something that caused hoof capsule distortion indents around quarter clips on the shoes. The heels in the wedge started crushing more as well. When questioned about these rather extreme changes was defensive. Fourth and current farrier was referred after in desperation to find a truly competent and professional farrier we consulted with the university veterinary clinic. We had to go on a waiting list for this farrier and a vet spoke to him on our behalf. He sounded great and was happy to work cooperatively with vet on improving angles. First trim resulted in one month of lameness. 😣 But although it wasn't a good thing she reacted to his rather severe trim both he and vet maintained long term getting the hoof capsule in more normal shape and taking the toe back would be positive long term. He took her out of any wedge saying they only deform the hoof further and used a pour in fill for a few cycles. Heel did drop a bit, hooves looked more matched, angles good, horse happy and moving well. By spring she was wearing a normal non orthopedic shoe and comfortable and moving well. We were so pleased. Then summer came and because he is so busy or on vacation he just will not come sooner than eight weeks. This horse should never go that long in summerwhen hooves grow faster. Toes running forward now, all the heel she gained has pretty much disppeared, developing quarter cracks. I haven't had the angles measured but they look about as bad as they used to. She is tripping sometimes now. I try to beg, plead for him to see her more frequent but I get excuses and claims eight weeks should be sufficient and denials the hoof really looks that bad. I feel everything we went through for nothing. If this is the best farrier we can get we are now out of options. I fear everyday what this means for her soundness.

I call way ahead for appointments, always have my horse ready and groomed with clean feet for appointments, I tip and give Christmas bonuses, we have a covered area to work in, I offer cool or warm beverages depending on season. My horse is beloved and I am not interested in skimping on her care or trying to save money on her hoof care. But I simply can't for the life of me get a truly professional and competent farrier to take care of my horse. I am starting to think I need to learn it myself but it is a scary idea. The 'professionals' can't even get it right or agree what is correct. I would be so afraid of harming her. I love her and enjoy riding her so much. I want us to have as many years together possible, but really I am starting to feel I wouldn't do much worse than the 'profis' at this point.

9/12/2016 06:03:20 am

I am so sorry that has been your experience. How incredibly frustrating. We have good farriers here, and some people even bring in farriers from the LA area.

In your position, I might be tempted to at least trim my own horses. A lot of people do it, and it sounds like you know enough to do a better job than some of the "professionals."

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