How to Trim a Horse's Hooves

When it comes to your horse's hoof care, you probably have a regular farrier come out every six to eight weeks. He will trim or put shoes on your horse's hooves and then leave for another six to eight weeks. But what do you do when your farrier is backed up, and your horse really needs to be trimmed? You can trim a horse's hooves yourself if you follow a few steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Stand
• Hoof Knife
• Halter or Lead Rope
• Nippers
• Rasp
• Hoof Pick

1. Tie your horse securely or have a friend hold him for you. Most horses try to move around some when being trimmed.
2. Clean your horse's hooves with a hoof pick to remove all of the dirt and rocks.
3. Use the hoof knife to scrape the flat surface of the bottom of the hoof. This will remove the last bit of dirt and will make the bottom of the hoof flat.
4. Trim the toe of the hoof with the nippers. Just trim a little at a time until you reach the desired length.
5. Start trimming the rest of the hoof starting on one side and moving along the edge to the other side. Keep the hoof the same length as the toe.
6. Rasp the hoof around the edges to smooth any jagged edges.
7. Stretch the horse's leg to reach up on the stand. This is a better angle to finish rasping the hoof.
8. Place the horse with all four hooves on a hard flat surface and compare them. They should all be of equal length.

Tips & Warnings

• You should be able to pick up and handle all four of your horse's legs before attempting to trim his hooves. You should not try to trim his hooves and fight with him at the same time.
• Have someone else help you while you trim your horse. The horse may stand tied quietly, but having someone to hand you tools or steady the horse will be a big help.
• Do not attempt to trim your horse's hooves if you have never had any experience at all with horses or have never seen a professional farrier trim hooves up close.
• Never trim the hoof shorter than the pink line that will appear in the hoof wall. As you trim, the pink line will become darker. If you trim too far it will begin to bleed, meaning you trimmed too much.