I read this. (click above link) Found it interesting. I’m going to need to re-read it to wrap my mind around it and comprehend it a little better. I love reading and learning more about horses hooves! I look at my horses hooves every day. I’m not sure if you would call it a passion, or an obsession?
I just got a pneumatic angle grinder to help with trimming my own horses hooves. I’ve posted some photos in Facebook of one horse belonging to a friend – before and after fronts were trimmed with nippers and a rasp. Before and after hinds included the use of a grinder. If you are on Facebook you can clickand see the photos – send me a friend request or email me and I”ll send you one. While I do work on my horses feet, I’m absolutely NOT a professional at it. My husband went to farrier school and shod my horses for me for a few years before I decided to try barefoot. Now, we share the “hooves” – I have been trying to do more myself and have him check things over. He offers advice, shows me what I could do better and corrects me when I do goofy things (don’t even ask!). I definitely do not want to be 100% responsible for my horses feet
This hoof was "trimmed" only two weeks ago by a "professional"!!
It may not be rocket science, but it is not something that I feel comfortable being responsible for at this point. I admit that I still use measuring tools – such as I measure my horses angles and toe-length while I work on them. That is because I have a long history of knowing that their measurements have been while they have been competing ‘sound’. So I know to pay attention to anything that changes and question it – is that a good change, or not a good change? Plus, I remember that research study where they scientifically measured the work of master farrier’s and found that they were nowhere near perfect with the jobs they did. I have also measured the work that other “professionals” (people who make their living) in hoof care have done and have not been very impressed. So, I keep using the tools as a guide to help me.
I’ll post more later on using an angle grinder. I think it’ll help make things easier for me. My horses never need a lot of work done because I usually keep up by doing small bits every two or three weeks. My horses self-trim and are all exercised and ridden barefoot as well, which helps. Yet, they still do need some and this time of year it can be more work as things dry out and get rock hard. So far I have used the angle grinder on three Arabians — all endurance horses — and none have had ANY issue with it whatsoever. Let them get used to it turning on. Mine may have done a little jump, a little “twitch” kind of thing, but no freak outs or drama queen acts.
If you do use a power tool to trim a horse – use caution, good sense and be careful! Have a helper. The horses I worked on so far have all been body clipped and have had their teeth done with power tools – plus have been exposed to multiple types of ranch equipment and machines – so this was not a big deal. Today I rode Rocky – barefoot – and ponied Bo along with us – also barefoot. I also spend time today working in the arena with both Chief and Bo. Bo is about the easiest horse I have ever ponied – I can just lay his lead rope over my lap across the front of the saddle and he follows right along. I have about three feet of rope hanging off on the other side to grab if something does happen – so most of the time as long as the trail is wide enough, I don’t have to even hold onto him! If he were to get loose, he would just head for the nearest clump of grass.
During our ride, I gave Bo to Dave (who walks on foot, with our dogs) — because i wanted to ride ahead on Rocky and get some cantering in on him. This is always good to see how both horses react when they get separated. Bo was fine. He wanted to eat grass <yawn>. When I did my run and then headed back towards them, it was Rocky who got excited at seeing the other horse (ughhhh). At least now, after having him for 17 years – I don’t get nervous if he acts up. He threatens and acts like he’s going to do something really bad, but he never does – and I scold him and he knocks it off. He is SUCH a teenager!
I will be anxiously following your experiments with a grinder. Ppl keep telling me to use one, but I am so leery of “doing too much” as I have even taken off too much with a rasp or nippers before… If I were to use it, since I travel to the horses, I would also have to find a battery driven one (wonder if Mikita makes grinders? LOL) though. I don’t even use gloves wen working, as I like that ‘feel’…there are some horses though (esp drafts) where it would sure be WAY easier on me than rasping and nipping!
I just recently used a new trimmer who uses battery powered grinders. He uses Wahl (sp) hand tools and carries several battery packs with him. It took a little while for one of my horses to become comfortable with the noise, so we used up a couple battery packs for desensitizing. He used the grinders to take off a large portion of extra hoof, then fine tuned with a rasp. He used a smaller grinder (head shaped liked a cone) to take off small tags of frog and for lightly grinding in the bar/heel area. I was very impressed with the accuracy in using the grinders over nippers/rasp, etc. I have already asked for “tools” for Christmas. :>)
I use the Cummings angle grinder. I lik it for finish work. But, I still found the Heller rasp to be faster. I guess once you get the hang of rasping, it makes for easier work.