cost of trimming.....

kerrysgold

Does anyone know the cost of barefoot trimming? I was told before it was about €10-€15 for a trim but not sure if that was the price for a trim-before-putting-shoes-on or a proper barefoot trim, if that even makes a difference? just trying to get my budget accurate. thanks.

doctor evil

Aren't you not jumping the gun since you have yet to get a horse so you can't foretell if you will get away with a trim.

Whatever you do make sure its by a registered farrier (if you are nowhere other equines it may be a bit more difficult to get a farrier out). Farriers have their own governing body, barefoot trimmers or what ever they call themselves don't.

Theres VAT on shoeing so there may still be VAT if a trim is being done. Price of petrol is going up so others prices could go up too.

kick-on

it usualy costs around 25 - 30 to get their hooves dressed, 50 to get dem shod so its worth ur while soeing dem if their gonna b on d road r dat

Less of the text speak please kick on

togster

KG i think we should have a thread stickied for all your questions!!

OT i haven't a clue.

xxkarenxx

I think the cost will vary from horse to horse depending on how much work needs to be done. If you have not got the horse yet you don't know how much will need to be done. I would imagine it would be more than €15.
Also barefoot does not suit every horse and if your new horse is better with shoes, then a farrier will charge;
€65 shoes with stud holes
€55 normal shoes
€50 reset
€30 trim all round
These are guidelines of course.

chevalfou

For the price of a trim (25 to 30 euros), you might want to get yourself a copy of the Horse Owner's Guide to Natural Hoof Care
at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Horse-Owners-Guide-Natural-Hoof/dp/0965800768/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226187449&sr=8-4 and do it yourself (OK, you will need some tool as well, at least a good rasp and a pair of gloves, but 100 euros, including the book, should get you going).
I wouldn't recommend it, however, if you have a bad back. If that's the case, choose your farrier carefully, as not all of them now how to do a proper barefoot trim. Also, some don't like it very much (as they can't charge as much), and can be very dismissive of it. Don't let them bully you into shoeing.
I have to disagree with most posts, horses generally don't need to be shod, and in fact, most of them are better off without shoes. However, if you horse was shod before, it might take as long as a year to rehabilitate his hooves for barefoot riding (it just means that for a while, you won't be able to ride much on the road, any soft ground is fine). But it's worth it.
I took the shoes off my 2 riding horses about a year ago. One of them adapted quickly (a few weeks), the other one was tender for good while. they now both ride happily on the road, they don't slip anymore, and I am saving myself a few hundred euros / year in farriers bill
Monty Roberts NEVER gets his horses shod...

MDFM

chevalfou wrote: »

for the price of a trim (25 to 30 euros), you might want to get yourself a copy of Horse Owner's Guide to Natural Hoof Care
at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Horse-Owners-Guide-Natural-Hoof/dp/0965800768/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226187449&sr=8-4 and do it yourself (OK, you will need some tool as well, at least a good rasp and a pair of gloves, but 100 euros, including the book, should get you going).
I wouldn't recommend it, however, if you have a bad back. If that's the case, choose your farrier carefully, as not all of them now how to do a proper barefoot trim. Also, some don't like it very much (as the can't charge as much).
I have to disagree with most posts, horses generally don't need to be shod, and in fact, most of them are better off without shoes. However, if you horse was shod before, it might take as long as a year to rehabilitate his hooves for barefoot riding (it just means that for a while, you won't be able to ride much on the road, any soft ground is fine). But it's worth it.
I took the shoes off my 2 riding horses about a year ago. One of them adaptated quickly (a few weeks), the other one was tender for good while. they now both ride happily on the road, and they don't slip anymore

Not completely true. Might suit your horses, doesnt suit all horses to go unshod.

chevalfou

The main reasons why we keep shoeing horses (I did it for 8 years) are ignorance (including that of farriers who don't know how to do barefoot trims) and habit. Conventional "wisdom" has it that the only horses who go without shoes are brood mares at grass:)
Yet, a lot of working horses (including draft horses working on the road) go barefoot. Barefoot horses have won international competitions. Monty Robert, NEVER shoes his horses (and is a keen advocate of barefoot horses).
And I don't know anyone who tried it and went back to shoeing.
In most cases, shoeing creates far more problem than it solves.
Anyway, I wonder what type of horses you think need to be shod? And why?

I would agree that shoeing a horse isn't natural.

However, neither is riding it or asking it to events such as showjumping and cross country. If shoes were so detrimental to a horses health, people woudn't do it. Having been around some top level SJers and eventers, the owners were always paranoid about the horses leg including the hoof. These horses (who were shod) had excellent hoof care and the shoe was a tool which allowed the horse to compete at that level (on an even footing!).

I get really, really pissed off when a NH person comes on blasts people for shoeing a horse. Shoes work. Generally, they won't harm the horse if the horse is looked after properly. It comes down to the fact that WE, as riders harm the horse - either though bad riding or bad care. Yes horses in the wild aren't shod, but they aren't doing x-country either. You can't really compare a wild horse to a domesticated one.

Shoes are tools, when used right they work well. If used incorrectly, as with anything, they can lead to problems.

If you want to do it the NH way, then thats fine. Your call. But I get really, really sick of NHers coming on and telling me that what I am doing is wrong and cruel and not good for the horse.
I don't bother you and I would like the same courtesy in return.

MDFM

chevalfou wrote: »

The main reasons why we keep shoeing horses (I did it for 8 years) are ignorance (including that of farriers who don't know how to do barefoot trims) and habit. Conventional "wisdom" has it that the only horses who go without shoes are brood mares at grass:)
Yet, a lot of working horses (including draft horses working on the road) go barefoot. Barefoot horses have won international competitions. Monty Robert, NEVER shoes his horses (and is a keen advocate of barefoot horses).
And I don't know anyone who tried it and went back to shoeing.
In most cases, shoeing creates far more problem than it solves.
Anyway, I wonder what type of horses you think need to be shod? And why?

I speak purely from my own personal experience and knowledge and relate to the horses i have, i do not generalise - like i've said before many times on this site, horses are individuals. I respect the fact that you endorse barefoot horses - i neither said it was right nor did i say it was wrong, which you should also bear in mind with horses in general - fair play it suits your horses, but it may not suit every horse. I don't believe that if i took the shoes of my showjumper that i'd be able to jump him in 1.20m - 1.30m's every weekend, studding him barefoot could prove difficult, hence why i speak from my own personal experience and knowledge. What do you do with your horses out of interest? I'm not criticising your decision to have your horses barefoot, i'm yet again harping on the fact that what works for you may not work for everyone else nor make it right at the end of the day. So please respect what other people do that is different to you.

convert

First of all, I take issue with your suggestion that the only reason I have my horses shod is due to ignorance. I also think it's an over-generalisation, too. I choose to have my horses shod due to the fact that I do a lot of roadwork, fast work and jumping. Despite the best care in the world, and regardless of how 'hard' a horse's hoof is or how much hoof a horse has, the chances are horses' feet won't stand up to that work.
I'm not completely against having horses barefoot, I tend to do that with most young horses, but I have tried competing (show jumping and showing) a barefoot horse and found it didn't work, especially when jumping on grass, as the horse's feet 'slipped' when taking off and ended up refusing to jump on grass as a result. The horse was quite confident jumping on all weather surfaces barefoot. As a result, I got the horse shod and immediately the horse's confidence returned jumping on grass. (And the horse's feet had been trimmed and maintained properly when barefoot, so it wasn't just down to bad care). I also had a pony who had the same issue.

Some horses just perform better with shoes than others. As previous posters have said, all horses are individuals and need to be treated and cared for as such.

AngelicRaindrop

I use both, I have one barefoot and she gos amazingly well that way, i also have a mare who can not go barefoot. on veterinary advice even when out at grass during the winter i keep her shod. where as normally they would not be.

its definately up to the horse, some do great barefoot others just cant deal with it.

napoles

chevalfou wrote: »

For the price of a trim (25 to 30 euros), you might want to get yourself a copy of the Horse Owner's Guide to Natural Hoof Care
at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Horse-Owners-Guide-Natural-Hoof/dp/0965800768/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226187449&sr=8-4 and do it yourself (OK, you will need some tool as well, at least a good rasp and a pair of gloves, but 100 euros, including the book, should get you going).
I wouldn't recommend it, however, if you have a bad back. If that's the case, choose your farrier carefully, as not all of them now how to do a proper barefoot trim. Also, some don't like it very much (as they can't charge as much), and can be very dismissive of it. Don't let them bully you into shoeing.

Are you seriously suggesting that the OP, who as far as I can acertain has never owned a horse, go buy herself a book and a rasp and use it as guidance to go and trim her own horse's feet, when farriers have to spend 4 years training to qualify to do their profession????
Also - do you seriously think that she would be more qualified with this book than some farriers as you are suggesting?
"If that's the case, choose your farrier carefully, as not all of them now how to do a proper barefoot trim."

I think you should be a little more careful with your advice - I have had horses all my life and I wouldn't consider myself qualified to trim their feet.

chevalfou

Sorry, I don't do Showjumping, so I am not qualified to speak, but you might want to look at:
http://www.thehorseshoof.com/barefootperf_jump.html

chevalfou

Well may be she should also get peter Ramey "Getting natural horse care work for you". It would be great to do a course as well, just to gain some confidence. Dan Guerera does one in Antrim, occasionnally, although I am not sure I would recommend him.
Although I only have owned horses for 8 years, I would consider myself capable of trimming my horses hooves, but then, I am the sort of person who, when I have a leaking tap, would get a spanner rather than a plumber.
Barefoot trimming isn't rocket science. You'll be slow in the beginning, you might make a few mistakes, but nothing that won't grow out in a few weeks.
Sorry if I offended a few people by suggesting that ignorance was the main reason they keep shoeing their horses. It was the main reason why I kept shoeing my horses for 8 year. They are now all barefoot, and everyone is the better for it, even my (ex)farrier (who has enought work anyway).
Ithink I'll start a barefoot thread

MDFM

chevalfou wrote: »

Sorry, I don't do Showjumping, so I am not qualified to speak, but you might want to look at:
http://www.thehorseshoof.com/barefootperf_jump.html

There you go again..you are the one who originally stated that people who shoe horses are ignorant...well look in the mirror, certain (i'll admit not all) people who proclaim barefootedness, imo, are ignorant. Just cos you have an opinion doesnt necessarily mean you're right or is it just a case whereby you want an argument??? Can you not acknowledge there is no right or wrong here?

chevalfou

Well, if you think you know better, keep shoeing.

MDFM

chevalfou wrote: »

Well, if you think you know better, keep shoeing.

I don't claim to know better, i do what suits my horses for their disciplines and treat them as individuals.

napoles

chevalfou wrote: »

Although I only have owned horses for 8 years, I would consider myself capable of trimming my horses hooves, but then, I am the sort of person who, when I have a leaking tap, would get a spanner rather than a plumber.

Chevelfou - I'm sorry, but 8 years is actually a very short time in horses... My family have had horses for all my life, which is 31 years and long before it and I still consider myself to be learning all the time and am always interested to speak to the old boys who have been in horses all their lives.

Personally I believe you never stop learning and am always, always willing to listen to the voice of experience, but I also do not have to arrogance to assume that I would know more than someone who has studied, qualified, practiced and earned their living as a farrier because I bought a book.

Sure, you might *think* you are doing a serviceable job, but with such little background knowledge, you are unable to see whether you are doing damage that could only be recognised by a qualified eye and may only come to a head in the future.

chevalfou

chevalfou wrote: »

but then, I am the sort of person who, when I have a leaking tap, would get a spanner rather than a plumber.
Barefoot trimming isn't rocket science.

You can't hurt a tap - if you get it wrong, you just flood your bathroom. You suffer for your action

However, get trimming wrong and you cause unneccesary pain and suffering for a horse. The horse suffers for your action.

needadvice

Chevalfou its always challenging when most other people come down on your opinions so I come on board gently.

I would dearly love you to give a reasoned explanation why barefoot trimming is better for horses in work than shoeing. Should you be willing to re-educate those of us who know little or nothing about it I'd be open to hearing it.

However I have read your posts and you do feel assured of your knowledge therefore please endeavour to point out the advantages and disadvantages of both in terms of hoof anatomy the direct effect on the horse's way of going veterinary risks to the hoof leg tendons etc.

I don't put this to you as some kind of smart challenge I have vast respect for master farriers and their work and am open to this new idea but need convincing.

please keep in mind that most of us watching this post are working on mixed terrain and different disciplines many hunting and in some level of competition training.

Anyway this is meant lightheartedly so bye for now.:);)