Who does their own hoof trimming?

I rasped my first hooves today!! I'm so proud. I don't know what I thought would happen. Hooves falling off? Legs breaking? It really was anticlimactic. I did work up a sweat, but I think that was mostly because I was fighting myself. I'm a little on the petite side and handling a rasp and a hoof was tricky. It did get easier with each hoof. I'm thinking about attending a two day horse owners' trimming clinic here in GA.
Anyone have any pointers for next time? I'm hoping to make this a regular activity. I feel like they'd be better off with weekly or biweekly rasping vs. a drastic trim every 6 weeks.

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Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on September 25, 2009 at 12:03pm

I have trimmed my barefoot horses' hooves for decades. You will get hot trimming hooves even if it is below freezing, so get used to sweating.
I find I do best if I can get a farrier to trim the hoof occasionally. That way I just have to keep the hoof within the form that the farrier decided was best for the horse. I usually try and do it once or twice a week. This can help horses with sore joints, their hoof angles don't change constantly.
By all means get some training.

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Permalink Reply by Kinni P on September 25, 2009 at 1:17pm

Wow, twice a week! I could lose a breech size that way.
Just so you don't worry about my sanity or my horses welfare, I'm not walking into this blind. I got the rasps and a lesson in how to use them from my farrier. I've also done a lot of reading. There are some really good resources out there for folks who are interested in trim-aerobics.

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Permalink Reply by Jen B on September 26, 2009 at 6:01pm

Ha ha, I know what you mean, why do we think it will be so dramatic?! Congrats. I have only done it a couple of times 'cause I too am nervous of cutting my horses leg off or something ;) I am also interested to hear how people make out with this, as it would make a lot of sense for my guys, who are all barefoot and a couple are retired. You are lucky your farrier showed you how, maybe I should get up the nerve to ask mine....