The Castle Rock MARE-TERNITY WARD
Message Boards => Follow Our Growing Foals => Topic started by: Rocklone on November 24, 2016, 09:58:22 PM
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Meadows been done twice, so based on a normal 8 week routine is just about right but i find she has a mix of banners small, narrow contracted hooves, and charms quickly growing ones. I'm very worried about any issues this may cause her in growing correctly but im not sure im worrying over nothing..my farrier is lovely and comes whenever i want him to, but the rest of my littles don't usually need a trim for months! Is it just speedy foal growth?
Attachment is her hoofses as of Tuesday.
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She definitely could use those toes shortened, but maybe in between your farrier visits you could just rasp those toes! There is always one in the bunch that needs something special, and I also had some foals whose little hooves grew so fast! I did learn how to trim them -- which I hated and was happy for a good farrier while he was till in the business -- and sometimes he would just stop by on his normal rounds while I was at work, and take care of the foals that needing an "in between" trim! He'd just leave me a note on the barn to say he'd stopped by and did ____ foals! I was so sad when he moved away!
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I must get a rasp and give it a go. My farrier would come out every few weeks if I asked but for something so minimal I'd love to just do it. Sooo rasp on my to do list! I might get him out to do them then after that rasp the toes maybe once a week or so / I think they're too long for me to do anything to. Charm could use hers done too
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I'll bet he'll show you how to best rasp her little hooves, too. My farrier did, and it made the chore go smoother!
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Also, you can ask your farrier if he has a "worn out" rasp that he'd be willing to let you have or pay a small amount of $$ for. A "worn out" rasp is one that he may not want to use on his client horses due to affecting amount to take off or his speed in getting his job done BUT is already "broke in" to use easily yourself for a little one's hooves. That means less damage to both your own hands and your little one's hooves.
I've gotten several from my own farrier that way. Wonderful!!
Also, speak to your farrier about how often you really do need to do that rasping. I have found that doing too much when they are sucklings and weanlings (mine are BIGGER and that may be why!) meant they sometime grow very wonky when they are yearlings and twos. I have several now 4 1/2 year olds having some issues now - and I wonder if it's because their bodies weren't allowed to grow their hooves more naturally. We often trimmed them every 4 weeks when they were sucklings/weanlings. Since their 2 yr old year(s) started, they have gone consistently longer between trims @ 8-10 weeks. They have not yet started any official training other than basic handling, vetting and farrier work.
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I have the farrier out every 4 weeks , normally the little ones are done every 8 weeks but I have one TB that has the worst front hooves you could imagine and its certainly not due to lack of care. He has the most brittle feet to which I think Ive tried every cream,oil, supplement, pallet known to Man/woman. They come up quite well once they have been trimmed but seem to crack and go back to their worst overnight if not done on the day of the fourth week.
I have always believed a "Good Farrier" will talk to you whilst doing each hoof and will then discuss with you at the end of the session, the plan moving forward.
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Absolutely, Ryan! I had a farrier like that, and was so sad when he moved away. He was the "BOMB" when it came to hooves, and I so missed him when he left!
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Yes they become part of your Family in a way :)
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I did have one like that and he was a barefoot specialist, but he has now retired. He was about 100 when he came to me so fair play!
I will ask the farrier about rasp, but i imagine he will say "don't touch them yourself, you'll ruin them"
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Lol Mine would say that too and he would prob say that he wasnt coming back. He went off one day when a friend had borrowed one of my biggies to take down the beach.
She had asked me and I said yes, but my farrier was far from impressed.
He is as reliable as they come and has always been there within the day if I needed him, so couldnt quite understand why I didnt call him.
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The best farrier we had taught my son to do our horses hooves, and offered him a job. My son will still do mine, but not as often as I like, so I do a lot on my own. Much easier with the minis than the biggies!
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If you have a good relationship with him, don't know why he'd be offended if you wanted to do some rasping between visits. I understand he may be looking at it from an economics point of view, that just seems a bit short-sighted to me.
If he's concerned about you "ruining" them, he should be willing to coach you as to the correct way. If, after a couple of visits, he finds you are creating issues he needs to correct, then would be the time for him to recommend you not do it yourself. In my opinion, of course. ;-)