# Overgrown hooves



## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

One of the new sheep has very overgrown hooves. He does not appear lame, but the hoof is curled under. Is there a long quick like an overgrown dog nail would have that had to be worked back over multiple trim sessions, or can that be trimmed back all at once?


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## grandma12703 (Jan 13, 2011)

Trim it back.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

Will do.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

The older ewe I picked up, never had her feet trimmed and took two of us. One person to hold her(tip her up like one does to shear), and me to trim. 
Took a number of months of work, to get her sort'a back to normal.
She was crazy over grown, measured 8" long and had curled over and back over.

Good luck!


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

bergere said:


> Took a number of months of work, to get her sort'a back to normal.


So what governed how much you could trim off in a session? This is the ram, I'd like to have as few sessions as possible. He is a gentle ram, but over-handling could change that.

I learned to put sheep on their rumps at Cornell (it was one of the very few practical exercises I actually got to do at the workshop between the lack of time and me being timid about some procedures), but these guys are much bigger than the lambs I worked with before, it will be interesting to see if I can flip them. I think they are accustomed to being worked on tethered on their feet, but you get a much better viewing angle of the hoof from the flipped position and drawing the foot up toward you.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

I had never, ever seen hooves so ingrown, overgrown, growing into itself... I couldn't find the pad.
So I have to take off a little at a time... until I could sort'a see where her pad was.

Would of been easier if her hooves had just grown long.... lets just say it was an impressive mess.

She was also a tough customer, DH had to hold her on her rump, but even then, she was flailing about so much... was really tough on my back. 

Now, I can do her hooves with her just standing tied... hooves still grow odd but if I keep them trimmed she does ok.


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## grandma12703 (Jan 13, 2011)

We put them on a blocking stand which makes it much easier. I can do it myself then. I recommend a blocking stand for those raising sheep, not just 4-H projects. It is a lifesaver for me. It saves my back when shearing for sure but many more things as well as working on hooves. They even have some that go up and down so there is no lifting of the sheep. (I don't have one that fancy but mine helps me a lot and it is not real high so I can put two hooves up on the end and lead them right onto it.


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## Farmerjonathan (Mar 11, 2013)

When my daughters were young and we had a herd of goats, so I didn't have to worry about this we build a pyramid of cement blocks. They loved playing on it and the advantage, their climbing, sliding and playing they kept their hooves in great shape!


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## grandma12703 (Jan 13, 2011)

I have actually seen something similar to that.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

grandma12703 said:


> We put them on a blocking stand which makes it much easier. I can do it myself then. I recommend a blocking stand for those raising sheep, not just 4-H projects. It is a lifesaver for me. It saves my back when shearing for sure but many more things as well as working on hooves. They even have some that go up and down so there is no lifting of the sheep. (I don't have one that fancy but mine helps me a lot and it is not real high so I can put two hooves up on the end and lead them right onto it.


 I'd love to have one but my sheep can't stand for me to bother with their back hooves much. They kick and kick backwards. Can you stop this with a stand? I'd think the'd fall off of it. 

I was thinking of having DH build me a sheep chair. Anyone use one of those? Can they still kick?


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Farmerjonathan said:


> When my daughters were young and we had a herd of goats, so I didn't have to worry about this we build a pyramid of cement blocks. They loved playing on it and the advantage, their climbing, sliding and playing they kept their hooves in great shape!


Need to that here, for my goats!


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Callieslamb said:


> I'd love to have one but my sheep can't stand for me to bother with their back hooves much. They kick and kick backwards. Can you stop this with a stand? I'd think the'd fall off of it.
> 
> I was thinking of having DH build me a sheep chair. Anyone use one of those? Can they still kick?


The old ewe with the weird hooves... I do trim her standing just like a horse.. now. First year I had to do it the two people not so fun way.
However she is a wicked pain with her backs.
I put her up against the round pen, and firmly shove my knee into her flank just before her stifle.. not enough to hurt her, my lower leg is place just before her leg and when I pick up to trim her hooves, she can't fight. 
Wish you lived closer, much easier to show in person than trying to write it out.
Only way I know how to Not get kicked by a grumpy old ewe.

For the chair, depends on the sheep. But yes, some of them can and still will kick out.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

bergere said:


> I had never, ever seen hooves so ingrown, overgrown, growing into itself... I couldn't find the pad.


Will the pad grow out excessively long if the hoof is too long and protects it? I had one sheep this summer with a hoof wall that bent over the pad. Wasn't too bad though because the pasture was wet the bit of hoof was flexible, so I just bent it back and trimmed it off.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

In this ewe, it did... first one I have even seen like that. 
Should of taken photos.... the nail part, also grew into and around the pad many times... no way to see, Which Way was Up, for awhile.


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## 95bravo (Mar 22, 2010)

I busted up some old concrete blocks and lined the shoot to the barn with the rubble. I think it greatly helps with hooves.


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## grandma12703 (Jan 13, 2011)

Callieslamb said:


> I'd love to have one but my sheep can't stand for me to bother with their back hooves much. They kick and kick backwards. Can you stop this with a stand? I'd think the'd fall off of it.
> 
> I was thinking of having DH build me a sheep chair. Anyone use one of those? Can they still kick?


They can but you just have to be ready to push them back up. They stop doing it after a few times. When we have to work on hooves extensively my DH helps me. If we work on the right back hoof he or I will hold the left front hoof just barely off the stand so that they decide to stay still so they won't fall.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

So we made a first pass at Rocky's hooves today. I started near the end and worked back, and stopped when I thought I saw a blood vessel inside. Back from there I tried to trim a bit of the outer shell without cutting the center of the hoof. We'll check again and see if the quick receded. These long hooves look a lot more similar to dog nails than healthy hooves. There's the outer outside shell, then that bulky soft material, with the blood vessel deep inside that. Hopefully they behave like long dog nails, and the soft material and quick will recede when you remove the outer shell.


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

I like this article quite a bit 
http://threegablesfarm.com/cheviot-sheep/sheep-hoof-trimming/


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

Rocky's rear hooves are way more overgrown than that. They curl under. The front are just a little overgrown like the picture and I was able to do then in short order.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

I guess I need to take my own pictures. I can't find anything on the net like it. He is not limping, which is a miracle.


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## Farmerjonathan (Mar 11, 2013)

What grossly overgrown goat or sheep hooves I have trimmed can best be described by me as opening an ear of corn. Peeling the leaves back one at a time. I would take my hoof nippers and clip the first layer to the edge, then do the next layer without cutting into the sole or pad. The nippers will stay horizontal/parallel with the hoof's bottom. You can end up with a very pointed toe that is just a pocket for dirt. As the pad/sole recedes they will eventually reconfigure and be together/normal. What you do with this pointed toe, if it is muddy, manure, I would clip this point off so there isn't a place for thrush. Just my two cents worth.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

I'm debating if it is worth acclimating him to the dremmel. With that tool I can pare back the horn a little further without touching the pad.

To be clear, the soft white part that does not bleed is pad, and the red dot inside is quick?


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

I'm afraid somewhere during this long process he will be lame for a bit if I overdo uncovering the pad in one session.


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## Farmerjonathan (Mar 11, 2013)

Here, let's see if this helps and improves understanding.

http://showwethers.tripod.com/hoof-trimming.html


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