# does anyone do their own farrier work?



## harvestgirl (Apr 29, 2005)

all mine are barefoot. wondering if trimming is something i can do myself. i love my farrier, but wondering if i an get by w.o him? 

for years all my horses just get trimmed. no shoes etc....


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

I do my own. I learned how from my farrier - a two year apprenticeship and also 3 months of school. Easy!


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## harvestmoon1964 (Apr 24, 2014)

I was wondering the same thing about my doctor. I can learn most of what he does from google and though I like him and he does a great job, wondering if I can get by without him too. 

I always wonder if we couldn't just reduce skyrocketing airline fares by divvying up the pilots job among the passengers. Again, nice guy/gal, but maybe we could get by without them too?


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

harvestmoon1964 said:


> I was wondering the same thing about my doctor. I can learn most of what he does from google and though I like him and he does a great job, wondering if I can get by without him too.
> 
> I always wonder if we couldn't just reduce skyrocketing airline fares by divvying up the pilots job among the passengers. Again, nice guy/gal, but maybe we could get by without them too?


Yeah, I mean, you can learn how to do anything from YouTube videos these days. And I'm especially sure that everyone who posts a YouTube video is an expert on the subject, so no worries, you're watching a professional!


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

harvestmoon1964 said:


> I was wondering the same thing about my doctor. I can learn most of what he does from google and though I like him and he does a great job, wondering if I can get by without him too.
> 
> I always wonder if we couldn't just reduce skyrocketing airline fares by divvying up the pilots job among the passengers. Again, nice guy/gal, but maybe we could get by without them too?


Dr just make educated guesses.... they arent god. 

No reason a person can do their own farrier work if they are willing to learn some basics.

Heck, I had a farrier mess up my donkey hooves.... I, the non trained person, had to correct his boopers.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

mrs whodunit said:


> Dr just make educated guesses.... they arent god.
> 
> No reason a person can do their own farrier work if they are willing to learn some basics.
> 
> Heck, I had a farrier mess up my donkey hooves.... I, the non trained person, had to correct his boopers.


The key word is educated. Most professional farriers have an education plus years of apprenticeship. Just how many horses do you have to practice on, ie make sore or lame, before you learn some basics? 

I've been involved in one aspect or another of the horse world for over 40 years and still would never attempt to trim my own horses. I know my limitations.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

And, on the flip side of that coin, I do trim my own horses. 

I don't know anything about shoeing, but I can trim my own and have been for several years now. I have had two abscesses on two different horses in the last ten years. No other lamenesses. I know that a lifetime of imperfect angles can affect the longevity of a horse's usefulness so there's definitely non-catastrophic damage that I could conceivably do with my trims, but we are just farmers here and don't ask our horses for a lot of dexterity on a regular basis.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Not something I would tackle. Life time of horses here too. I will rasp off a chip or whatever but it has no appeal to me.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

Irish Pixie said:


> The key word is educated. Most professional farriers have an education plus years of apprenticeship. Just how many horses do you have to practice on, ie make sore or lame, before you learn some basics?
> 
> I've been involved in one aspect or another of the horse world for over 40 years and still would never attempt to trim my own horses. I know my limitations.


I agree. Not only that, but I would be SO SLOW, that it wouldn't really save me money or time. My farrier can provide an excellent trim in 20 minutes or so. I'm sure it would take me three times as long, and still be unacceptable.

It's one thing to try to follow the proper angles your farrier has established, but if you don't really understand the structure and function of the hoof...you are in trouble if you have to fix a problem, or...as is more likely, that you won't see the problem you are creating until its too late.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

harvestgirl said:


> all mine are barefoot. wondering if trimming is something i can do myself. i love my farrier, but wondering if i an get by w.o him?
> 
> for years all my horses just get trimmed. no shoes etc....


I guess you probably could and people do learn new skills but do you have enough basic experience to tackle such a job? 

It's a common misconception that if a horse doesn't need shoes, they don't need any special care.


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## mulemom (Feb 17, 2013)

Farriers make it look easy because they've built up the strength and had the practice to do it evenly and quickly. It is a lot harder than it looks and unless you're doing it every day it's a very good way to mess up your back as well as your horse's foot. Good nippers will cost you around $200 dollars, cheap ones don't cut well and require a LOT more hand strength. Even rasping takes a lot of arm strength, your stroke needs to be level across the hoof. That said I did my own trimming and shoeing until about fifteen years ago so it's not impossible. If you're determined - start with a rasp and see if your legs (you have to hold the front leg with your knees) and your back will take it, and if your horse will tolerate your fumbling around. If you've always been the one holding the lead and haven't really watched the process I would not try it.


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## jbo9 (Oct 30, 2012)

I mostly taught myself how to trim years ago, but haven't ever tried shoeing. If need be, with a bit of re-reading, I could give it a go.

But...

I watched and watched farriers do what they do. And I read a great big book from a farrier school to understand the hoof function and shape. And I tried it on an old mare that went lame any time she was trimmed. So I started, a little bit at a time. Both front feet one time, both back feet the next. I didn't get aggressive at paring down the sole, but only took off the worst of the lumps and trimmed the walls. And the mare didn't go lame.

The interest in trimming was born out of necessity; it was next to impossible to find a farrier who could do a decent job. After watching three different farriers (all that were withing a 50 mile radius) mess up a horse, because they couldn't see he didn't naturally land flat, I realized I could do just as good of a job at trimming as the professionals.

Since then I've trimmed quite a few, one summer keeping 10 head in shape for trail rides/ riding lessons. The last time I trimmed up my horse, a barn manager was around. He was going to show me something about helping out the feet, he just had to go get his shoeing stand. When he came back, he was rather surprised that I had the hoof cleaned up to improve how it wore off and prevent flairs and chips. 

But if you like your back, a trim by a farrier might be the best money you spend.


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

I just have to say I was really surprised by the first couple of the answers! I thought people are supposed to stay nice in these forums! OP asked a legitimate question....


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

ufo_chris said:


> I just have to say I was really surprised by the first couple of the answers! I thought people are supposed to stay nice in these forums! OP asked a legitimate question....


The responses were legitimate as well. I'm not sure of Harvestmoon's background, but Malinda has been a farrier for many years. I'm sure she's cleaned up a bunch of DIY messes. 

All the you tube videos together simply don't equal an education at a farrier school and apprenticeship, or apprenticeship and experience. 

How nice is it to post just to point out that you think something is mean?! Most people respond because they have experience in what is being discussed, do you?


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## TRAILRIDER (Apr 16, 2007)

My DH was a farrier and showed me how to trim feet. It is best to have someone show you the basics first. It also helps if you have very quiet willing horses and a good strong back. No matter how fit you are, you will use different muscles when you do feet. So take it slow on your self and slow on your horses feet. 
I was very lucky that my mare was so gentle and patient with me, if I wasn't able to hold her foot between my knees while trimming and rasping, I could sit on my mounting block and lay her foot on my thigh. She would hardly move a muscle. But I DONT recommend anyone try this, unless they really know thier horse. Being in a sitting position like that is pretty dangerous around the wrong horse. And it will also depend on your horses feet. What they need in the form of a trim. You have to learn to "read" a horses foot. The answer is "yes' you could learn to do it. It would be a good skill to have, even if you only trimmed in between your farriers visits.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

At two seperate periods, due to a shoer going through a divorce and another sinking into alcoholism, I was forced into a period of doing it myself. They so frequently didn't show up. And it certainly can be done but it was hard, hard, hard. 
It took me an hour to get one foot balanced right. And luckily for me, I was so timid about trimming, I had lots of foot to work with. My sweet horses did not lose patience. Thank goodness. 
I imagine I would have become better but nothing replaces the experience of a person doing hundreds of horses. Even people who have gone to school have a learning curve when they start doing it for a living.
It certainly can be done. And I think everyone ought to have a good knowledge of trimming and shoeing for emergency purposes. But I gladly hand over more than most here have to pay to have someone else do it.
That said, my current shoer went to school to learn to do his own horses and only later turn professional. People do do it themselves.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

A common theme in the responses seems to focus on bad farriers and the OP did indicate they had one they liked very much and is thinking they can save a bit of money.


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

wr said:


> A common theme in the responses seems to focus on bad farriers and the OP did indicate they had one they liked very much and is thinking they can save a bit of money.


That is true. But because of having a bad farrier experience it taught me that I don't have to have a farrier for each and every trim.

Had I had a great farrier I wouldn't have been forced to learn that one can indeed do some work themselves.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

mrs whodunit said:


> That is true. But because of having a bad farrier experience it taught me that I don't have to have a farrier for each and every trim.
> 
> Had I had a great farrier I wouldn't have been forced to learn that one can indeed do some work themselves.



And it has been my experience that when someone gets rid of a good farrier to DIY and then finds out its harder than it looks or they gimp a horse, discarded good farrier is not often inclined to come back.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I've been using the same farrier for over 15 years, I can count on one hand the times he's called to reschedule an app't, he's Cornell trained, keeps current on his education, and I value his skill enormously. 

He was here this last Monday, and during conversation he said he was glad that his app'ts would slow down. I assumed he meant shoeing but he said that many people pull shoes or have a trim done in October/November and don't have him out again until April or May. He drops most people that do this the first year but there are some long time clients that do every winter. He went on to say that it makes his job 10 times harder than it should be, they all want it done in one appointment, and they want their horse's feet "pretty."


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

where I want to said:


> And I think everyone ought to have a good knowledge of trimming and shoeing for emergency purposes.


Well, I don't disagree that we should be able to rasp/nip off a big chip or pull a shoe that is already half off...but without actual training, I don't think anyone should really just start trimming their own horses feet.

I had a discussion about this not long ago with my own farrier; I have a Cushings pony that has had so many instances of laminitis in his life that his feet are permanently wonky and grow extremely fast. The person I got him from two years ago used to trim him herself, so that she could keep him "in balance" between trims. So we talked about the ridiculousness of this idea -- that the pony with the worst feet in the world should ever be touched by someone with no training...no wonder he is permanently lame!

In comparison, I commented to my farrier that if I wanted to learn to trim a horse, I should use my APHA mare, since her feet are "really good". And he said I was dead wrong - she was the 2nd to last one he would trust to an amateur because of her conformation. He felt that she would be the most likely to suffer a suspensory injury from imbalanced feet, and that she would become underrun very easily. 

So...clearly, despite watching him trim for 10 years now, I still have no idea what he *does* to each horse to correct that individual horse's feet. I could probably make their feet "smooth and round looking" but that is just not enough to keep them healthy. 

My farrier apprenticed for 4 years and then worked with that same farrier for years to build up his own clientele. He still works with that farrier 1-2 times a month to help him out and learn. He also goes to all kinds of demos and training, and has traveled to spend several days with notable farriers across the country. No way could I do what he can do.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

wr said:


> And it has been my experience that when someone gets rid of a good farrier to DIY and then finds out its harder than it looks or they gimp a horse, discarded good farrier is not often inclined to come back.


Exactly. I will and have many times dropped a client who 'wanted to save a few dollars' by trimming their own in between my trims, or those who skip several months during winter. The horses' foot care/quality is my most important advertisement and I won't jeopardize my reputation with a client who wants to save a few bucks and do their own.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

malinda said:


> Exactly. I will and have many times dropped a client who 'wanted to save a few dollars' by trimming their own in between my trims, or those who skip several months during winter. The horses' foot care/quality is my most important advertisement and I won't jeopardize my reputation with a client who wants to save a few bucks and do their own.



My farrier recently dropped a client that figured they would take turns timing for that reason.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

offthegrid said:


> Well, I don't disagree that we should be able to rasp/nip off a big chip or pull a shoe that is already half off...but without actual training, I don't think anyone should really just start trimming their own horses feet.
> 
> .


I wouldn't have started but, having a shoer not show up for two months in a row and not being able to get another with everyone using those shoers trying to book the remaining ones at the same time, I really meant that it's good to be able to know enough to cope for the horse's sake. From pulling a shoe to doing a trim. 

I value the good shoer (and dread the bad). It's not as simple as it may seem to develop a knowing eye. But it's good to know you can do a passable job in a pinch.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

where I want to said:


> I wouldn't have started but, having a shoer not show up for two months in a row and not being able to get another with everyone using those shoers trying to book the remaining ones at the same time, I really meant that it's good to be able to know enough to cope for the horse's sake. From pulling a shoe to doing a trim.
> 
> I value the good shoer (and dread the bad). It's not as simple as it may seem to develop a knowing eye. But it's good to know you can do a passable job in a pinch.


I am lucky to live in an area where I would probably always be able to get a good farrier, even if I had to trailer out for it. Not everyone has that ability, I realize. In my case, I am sure I would be worse than just finding another farrier, except in an emergency (like a half pulled off shoe). And actually, the only time that happened to me, I called my farrier and he talked me through getting it lined back up with the remaining nails and had me duct tape it on until he could get there 2 hours later to pull it properly and reset. I am very lucky to have him.


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## Kathie (Sep 24, 2004)

Just hope you have a strong back used to do mine learned from a gentelman had done it for years i was no pro but could if i had to. Now a few years later say 15 and a back that don,t forgive as easy still can but might be 1 hoof a day 2 if i'm lucky. Cecil


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Kathie said:


> Just hope you have a strong back used to do mine learned from a gentelman had done it for years i was no pro but could if i had to. Now a few years later say 15 and a back that don,t forgive as easy still can but might be 1 hoof a day 2 if i'm lucky. Cecil


Funny- I did the same thing. I could do two front or two back but never all at once.


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## jbo9 (Oct 30, 2012)

A simple question for the professional farriers, what percentage of horses that you trim or shoehave some sort of working life? And how many are simply pasture ornaments? 

I ask because I'm surprised at the comments about clients being dropped for doing some of their own work. For working or performance horses, I guess I can maybe see why. For horses with an easy life, I guess I'm still scratching my head why on that one.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

My farrier said it's because it makes his job harder to clean up after a DIY trim. 

I'm not a professional farrier, I've never even played one on TV  ) but it's my opinion that even pasture ornaments deserve to be pain free and have proper trims.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

I didn't do my two horse's hooves but my father trimmed them periodically when the farrier couldn't be booked. The thing was, my dad was a farrier in the US Army pre WWII vet. corps. Think Col. Potter on MASH. 

And he had the smashed toes and bad nack to prove it.

If a farrier came to put shoes on my girls and didn't use a portable forge to shape the shoes, they weren't asked back.

Dad had a clear set of rules as to what constituted a proper set of horse shoes.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

jbo9 said:


> A simple question for the professional farriers, what percentage of horses that you trim or shoehave some sort of working life? And how many are simply pasture ornaments?
> 
> I ask because I'm surprised at the comments about clients being dropped for doing some of their own work. For working or performance horses, I guess I can maybe see why. For horses with an easy life, I guess I'm still scratching my head why on that one.


I explained why in an earlier post.

Why would any professional let someone else work on their 'client' without any quality control?

I don't have time for owners who want to save a few bucks. It's not my job to subsidize their hobby. I will say I sometimes entertain the idea of taking the clients back, though usually the price I quote them leaves them looking for someone else, and I don't feel a tiny bit bad about that.


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

Irish Pixie said:


> The responses were legitimate as well. I'm not sure of Harvestmoon's background, but Malinda has been a farrier for many years. I'm sure she's cleaned up a bunch of DIY messes.
> 
> All the you tube videos together simply don't equal an education at a farrier school and apprenticeship, or apprenticeship and experience.
> 
> How nice is it to post just to point out that you think something is mean?! Most people respond because they have experience in what is being discussed, do you?


The point is ,the answers could have been a lot nicer than they were! She never actually said that she was going to do it she wanted an honest opinion if it can be done. A lot of people answerd and told her how much work it is and how much experience it takes to do it right and that's what she needed to hear not the sarcastic remarks in the beginning.


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## jbo9 (Oct 30, 2012)

malinda said:


> Why would any professional let someone else work on their 'client' without any quality control?


That right there does more to answer my confusion than anything else.


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## AugustRED (Apr 18, 2010)

I trim my own - combination of my previous farrier's work declining in quality & had a hard time finding someone new who wasn't rough. In the midst of going from one farrier to another I had an equine dentist out that I knew also did farrier work (but doesn't do much anymore due to a back injury) - when I asked her to trim a new horse who's hooves I wasn't sure how to approach (overgrown) she instead asked if I'd rather learn to do it myself at which point she watched/guided me as I trimmed. I also continue to study hoof function & trimming technics - never stop learning, that's my motto. On the flip side it's a lot of work & you still have to pay for the correct tools so it's not like it's free or easy. I would NEVER want to do it for a living - I'd be crippled by 30, I really don't know how they do it day in and day out. I normally try to trim about one a week so everyone gets done every 5-6 wks - cuts down on how long it takes & sore muscles! I use hoof boots as needed but if I ever wanted something shod I'd find a regular farrier. In short - yes, you can technically do your own trimming but I don't recommend it unless you have the time & commitment to learning & are willing call in help when needed. Just because someone says they're a farrier or went to such & such school and everyone in the neighborhood uses them it still doesn't mean they know spit about what they're doing - it just means they trim/shoe for income & apparently haven't lame too many horses. They may be great or they may just service horses who's owners don't know the difference...


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

AugustRED said:


> I would NEVER want to do it for a living - I'd be crippled by 30, I really don't know how they do it day in and day out. I normally try to trim about one a week so everyone gets done every 5-6 wks - cuts down on how long it takes & sore muscles!


 I know this is sort of a tangent - but I think the reason my farrier can do this for a living is because he does it day in, and day out. He is so strong through his abs and back that he doesn't even realize it. He says it's his arms that get tired, not his back (or legs, or abdominals).

I think it must take a long time to build up that strength...so for someone that does it every day, it seems normal. To those of us that don't; it's impossible.

(That said, I know my farrier has good and bad days; horses that are "easy" and not so easy -- e.g. my APHA mare that doesn't seem to feel the need to hold up her own feet....but still...in comparison to average people that don't use their core in that way, my farrier is a beast.  )


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

My farrier is so incredibly excellent in his work, I have absolutely no desire to take it over from him! He is a Master Farrier, his dad is a Master Farrier...I figure they know what they are doing, and I can rest easy getting on any one of my horses knowing their feet are in very, very capable hands that have them trimmed/shod knowledgeably and correctly. 

Besides, I get enough of a workout just running this crazy ranch and working horses all day, feeding, cleaning stalls/barn/etc, grooming...sigh. No, I like having a farrier do the hard stuff


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

Simple answer: Yes, it's doable. Complex, long-winded answer, I would never recommend it without a LOT of research about the anatomy and stucture of a hoof, and one-on-one instruction by a really good farrier. 

I have always done barefoot. For many years, I watched our farrier do her job, and over time, she began instructing me to how file and fix issues in between. That morphed into additional instruction on actual trimming and evening things up. My first "DIY" equine was a donkey, the hooves of which seem to be much more forgiving to an amateur. They are shaped slightly differently and bear weight slightly different than a horse. I asked my farrier if he'd be willing to work with me to learn. He agreed. I would trim once, and then he would come and check things 6 weeks later, and do any clean up. After a year, he said he never really had to do clean up because I had done well enough. 

Now, we have morphed to the big drafts. Honestly, I'd rather not do their hooves, as my back can't take it (I broke it in 3 places years ago). Out of necessity, though, I do have to do cleanups for 1 or 2 cycles, before hauling to a farrier, because our farrier is 2 hours away--one way. He is understanding and willing, and so far, he's only complimented my work. We have been completely unable to find someone to do drafts in our area, so I'm stuck with that. It usually takes me 2 days to do one horse to save my back--one day for the front, one for the back. It isn't ideal, but it works for us.


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## mulemom (Feb 17, 2013)

Certainly agree about the bad back thing. When I was a kid we had trotters and pacers, angle, level, length of toe and type of shoe were all critical to the way they moved and how fast they could go, many had to be done every four weeks. My dad had a bad back and used to sit on a three legged stool with the horse's leg in his lap. Some were good and some needed some serious education but he got it done.


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