c/farriers

Heard a vet in Kentucky talk about hoof wall separation at a clinic

She said she sees a lot of it in wet spring weather, especially with horses on rich pasture. Her big point was that a lot of it gets blamed on thrush, but the real fix often starts with adjusting the diet to lower sugar intake. Made me look at a few clients' horses in a new light this month. Anyone else run into this and have a go-to feed change they suggest?

I thought using a rasp on a hot shoe was just for show

A guy at the clinic in Springfield showed me how a quick, light pass with a sharp rasp on a warm shoe can set the clinches way cleaner. I tried it on a tough quarter crack case last week and it made the whole finish work smoother. Anyone have a different trick for setting clinches on hard feet?

That big draft horse in Lexington taught me a lesson about patience

I was working on a Belgian at a farm near Lexington last fall, trying to get a shoe on. He kept pulling his foot away, and I was getting frustrated, pushing harder. The owner, an older guy, just said, 'Let him think it's his idea.' I slowed way down, waited for the horse to settle, and it worked. Now I always give that extra minute instead of forcing it. How do you all handle a horse that just won't stand?

Saw a horse in Sedona with a shoeing setup that actually looked comfortable

The farrier there had a portable stand with a padded armrest, which let him work on a front hoof for like 20 minutes straight without hunching over. Anyone know where to get something like that, or have a good DIY version?

I finally stopped fighting a tough clinch by just changing my hammer angle

Had a draft horse in Spokane that kept throwing a clinch no matter how I set it. Instead of hitting harder, I tilted my hammer head about 15 degrees off vertical on the final strike and it seated perfectly. Anyone else found a weird little angle trick that just works?

Appreciation post: My 8-year-old niece asked me why horseshoes are lucky.

I told her it's because they keep the horse comfortable, and she said 'So it's lucky for the horse, not you.' Has a kid ever made you see your job in a totally new light?

An old timer told me my clinch was too tight about ten years back

He watched me finish a shoe on a quarter horse and just said 'You're squeezing the life out of that nail.' I was using way too much pressure on the clincher, thinking a tighter clinch meant a better hold. After that, I started leaving just a hair more nail to roll over, maybe an eighth of an inch. The shoes stayed on just as well and the hoof walls stopped getting those little stress cracks. Anyone else get a piece of advice that seemed small but fixed a big habit?

TIL a client in Austin was told by their old farrier to never trim a hoof with a slight crack, which is just wrong and can cause way bigger issues.

I mean, idk where that advice comes from but leaving a small crack to 'grow out' on a horse that works on hard ground just lets it split further up the wall, and I've had to fix three of those exact cases this spring alone.

Hot take: I swore by that old anvil stand until it collapsed last Tuesday.

It was a solid oak block I'd used for a decade, but the wood finally rotted from the inside out. I'm looking at a steel tripod base now, any recommendations for a heavy-duty one?

Heard a weird tip about using a dab of hoof oil on a rasp to stop it clogging

I was working on a big Percheron last week and my rasp kept filling up every few strokes, slowing me right down. An old timer at the feed store in Lancaster said to put a tiny bit of that Fiebing's hoof oil on the blade before you start. Tried it, and honestly, it worked way better than I thought. Anyone else have a trick for keeping a rasp clean on a really wet foot?

A stubborn draft horse in Montana showed me a better way to handle a nervous foot

I was working on a big Percheron last week who kept pulling his foot away every time I tried to clean the sole. After the third try, I remembered an old timer saying to press my shoulder into the horse's flank, not just lean on the leg. I tried it, applying steady pressure with my whole body, and he settled right down. It gave me the solid few minutes I needed to get the job done clean. Has anyone found other little tricks like that for the really antsy ones?

A rancher's comment about hoof balance got me thinking

I was trimming a quarter horse for a rancher near Boise last Tuesday, and he mentioned he'd seen fewer leg issues since I started doing his herd. He said, 'You know, it's not just about the shoe, it's about how the whole leg moves after you're done.' That stuck with me all week. I always focus on the foot itself, but maybe I should watch them walk away more often. How many of you make a point to check the horse's full stride after a shoeing?

I know everyone loves the new composite pads, but after using them on 8 different horses this month, I'm sticking with leather.

TIL a horse's foot can change shape faster than you think

I was trimming a quarter horse named Dusty in Boulder last Tuesday, same as I have every eight weeks for a year. This time, his left front hoof was way more upright than before, almost like he'd been standing on a hill. His owner said they'd just moved him to a new pasture with a steep slope. It made me see how much the ground they stand on all day really shapes the foot, not just my work. Has anyone else had a horse's feet change that fast from a new living space?

Saw a neat trick for holding shoes at the county fair last weekend

I was at the Clark County Fair over in Ohio, watching the draft horse pull. After the event, I got to chatting with one of the teamsters while his Percherons were getting their feet done. His farrier was using a simple, old leather belt looped around his own thigh to hold the shoe he was fitting. He'd just slip the shoe into the loop against his leg, keeping it warm from his body heat and right at hand. Said he picked it up from an old timer years back and it beats setting a hot shoe down on a cold anvil or fumbling in a apron pocket. It's one of those small, clever things you only see in the field. Has anyone else seen or used a method like that for keeping a shoe ready while working?

Watched a guy at the Spokane show try to fit a size 5 shoe on a horse that clearly needed a 2, and it's not just him.

I see way too many folks ignoring the actual shape of the hoof wall and just going by the stamped number, which leads to a bad fit and a lame horse, so how do you all train your eye to see the right size before you even pick up a shoe?

Finally saw the difference between a regular rasp and a 4-in-1 after a long day in the shop

The 4-in-1 cut through a tough quarter crack on a draft horse in half the time. Anyone have a favorite brand for those?

Pro tip: Don't cheap out on your hoof stand like I did

Bought a $150 'bargain' stand that collapsed after two months, costing me a $400 emergency vet call for a spooked horse. What's a truly solid brand that won't fold on you?

PSA: Had a horse in Redmond go down on me during a trim last spring.

Was working on a big draft cross, just finishing the front left. Horse shifted its weight weird, then just folded and laid down right in the stall. Had my nippers in hand, had to jump back fast. Owner was there, we stayed calm, just talked to the horse and waited. It got up after about a minute, seemed fine, just tired. Finished the trim with the owner holding the lead rope right next to its head. Anyone else had a horse decide to take a nap mid-job?

Remember when we all just used a rasp for everything?

Honestly, back in the 90s when I started, my whole finishing kit was a rasp and maybe a sanding block. I'd spend 45 minutes on a foot just trying to get it smooth. Then about 15 years ago, I saw a guy at a clinic in Lexington using a 4-inch grinder with a sanding disc for final prep. I thought he was crazy at first, but I tried it. Now I can do that same finish work in under 10 minutes and it's way more even. The old way felt more hands-on, but my wrists don't miss it. Anyone else make that switch, or do you still stick with the hand tools for the final touch?

Rant: I finally switched from a standard rounding hammer to a cross peen for my clinching

I used a standard hammer for years, but after a clinic in Boise last fall, I forced myself to make the change. The cross peen gives way more control on the nail tip, and I haven't had a clinch pop loose since. Anyone else make a specific tool switch that felt like a game changer?

My new $400 forge blower is a total game changer for shaping shoes.

It heats the steel so much faster than my old hand crank, saving me a ton of time on every job. Anyone else made a recent upgrade that actually paid for itself?

I switched to a new hoof knife after my old one got dull, and the difference in my trim speed is crazy

I mean, I was using the same hoof knife for like five years, just sharpening it when I could. Last month, I finally bought a new one from a supplier in Spokane. The first horse I did after that, a big draft cross, took me maybe 15 minutes less per foot. The blade just bites in and follows the sole so much cleaner. I'm not fighting the tool anymore. It's not even a fancy brand, just a fresh, properly sharp piece of steel. I used to think a knife was a knife, but now I get why the old guys are so picky. How often do you all actually replace your main knives instead of just grinding them down?

My new $300 hoof stand from the trade show was a total game changer... until it wasn't

Bought a fancy, lightweight aluminum stand at the Midwest Equine Expo thinking it would save my back on long days. Used it on a big draft horse in Springfield last week and it worked great for the first three shoes. Then the quick-release latch gave out mid-lift, and the whole thing folded like a cheap lawn chair. Had to finish the job with the horse's hoof on my knee like it's 1950. Anyone else have a tool that seemed perfect but broke at the worst time?

Pro tip: Forging each shoe by hand is better than grabbing factory ones

A lot of farriers pick factory shoes to finish jobs fast. I think this misses key fit points and can cause soreness later on. Do you see more lameness cases with pre-shaped shoes?