This message is from: EmailUser bolinsj <[email protected]>
Hi Robin I have a bad back, and can tell you the flap disc trimming method is fantastic. It is easier on the horse as well as my back. I have the DVD, and bought a angle grinder at Harbour Freight Tools for $15 on sale, and they have a pack of flap discs (3), for $8. Just replace the grinding blade on the grinder with a 60 frit flap disc. They have courser grits if you need them. I was concerned about he noise, but it seems to just put the horse to sleep. Let me know if you have any questions. John Bolinski986 Irishtown Rd North East, MD 21901 410-398-0257 p.s.- The rule of thumb I use is to trime standard breds at 52-53 degrees on the front and 55-56 in the back. On Fjords, I find that since they are drafts , with their front legs set back, I trim the fron at 55-56 degrees and the same in the back. On Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 6:00 PM, Robin Churchill <[email protected]> wrote: > This message is from: Robin Churchill <[email protected]> > > > I know there are some people on the list who do their own trimming. I am > in a > situation where I am the only one with horses who lives on an island and > it is > pretty much impossible to get a farrier to come out here. so I have to > trailer > my horses off every time I have their feet done. I use the particular > farrier > I use now because he is a laminitis specialist and I have an older > warmblood > who has metabolic issues and has had laminitis and other hoof problems. > This > particular farrier will only do the horses feet every 6 weeks for reasons > that > I won't bore you with. I have 2 barefoot fjords. One of the fjords has a > nice > hoof conformation and is fine on a 6 week schedule. The other has a foot > that > is more of a flaring type compounded by the fact that in the front he wears > his feet slightly unevenly so he flares more to one side. If he is not > touched > up in between the 6 week intervals, he ends up not only tripping the > closer it > gets to the time for him to be > done, but also getting toe cracks where the hoof starts to flare. At > first, I > was trying to rasp him myself just to maintain the shape which helped some > but > I find his hooves to be so hard that I just don't get much off and it > requires > that I do it about once a week and I still don't get it as well as I'd > like. > In the meantime I found a guy who will touch him up in between and who gets > the toes a little shorter and the horse has stopped tripping. However, > again, > I have to trailer the horse to him which means trailering a horse about > every > 3 weeks just for farrier work not counting anything else that I want to do > with them. I have looked into barefoot trimmers and there don't seem to be > any in my area. There are some videos that are available on youtube to > show > techniques for barefoot trimming. I have also seen some special tools > advertised. > > My question is whether anyone has a preference for the type of > rasp they use. There are all different brands/types and I don't really know > the difference.(What I have now is a couple plain old 14 inch rasps and a > 10 > inch rasp. I also have one of those rider's rasps which is totally > worthless) > There is also something called a Pferd hoof plane that seems to be a little > more easy to use than a standard rasp or at least advertised to need less > effort. Today I saw something called a radius rasp, I think and some other > hoof plane thing that looked a lot easier for someone who is not a farrier. > All I want to do is keep the hoof shape between farrier visits and prevent > the > horse from tripping and the hoof from cracking and not have to trailer the > horses so much when it is inconvenient. Looking at the bright side, a girl > who > was helping me out here said my horses load on the trailer faster than she > has > ever seen 3 horses get on, so it has gotten them accustomed > to being trailered and I meet the farriers at different places sometimes > so > it does get them out, but sometimes I don't feel like or don't really have > time to take a horse someplace. It pretty much shoots the day. Any advice > would be appreciated. > > Robin in SW Florida where it is finally cooling down > but still have no see-ums. > > Important FjordHorse List Links: > Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e > FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw > FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
