The gap in the white line or in the center of the frog? I will make a video response for you!

​@@hoovesbyvioletwhite line. Thx!

You’re welcome!

This really helps. Is there a guide you can use to make sure the angles line up?

@ thank you! The best way is to just go by your eye. I am going to be making more in this series of hoof shape and angles and would like to make a long form on it as well.

Good point! Most good things take time.

No molasses 👏 I just looked up the tough as nails it’s got a lot of good stuff in it!

Yes I suppose many humans would benefit too 😂

I had never thought of that! They do stick on there pretty good, scraping them off can be annoying for sure.

Yes, there are some breeds that have been bred to live in cold temps such as the Norwegian Fjords or the Icelandic pony, mustangs tend to grow a pretty thick winter coat as well as most pony breeds and draft horse breeds. Every horse is different, even a horse that was not specifically bred to live in cold if it’s born and grows up with cold winters it will probably grow a warmer winter coat then other horses of the same breed growing up in warmer climates. When choosing horse, you should be looking more for overall health and temperament of the horse that’s right for your skill level. If you end up needing to blanket because it doesn’t grow enough of a winter coat that’s totally OK. I was just saying that the majority of horses in the majority of climates are OK without a blanket. of course there are always excerptions, if you live somewhere really cold or if your horse is under weight or just doesn’t grow a thick winter coat. As you probably saw on instagram everyone has a lot of options on this 😂 I definitely believe that some horses in some situations do need blankets, but what I more often see these people putting blankets on their horses in the winter and often leaving them on during the day when it’s 40 or 50° and they really really don’t need it then and it’s actually causing more harm than good.

I have one more thought about this, if you do choose a horse that is very hard to keep weight on (some breeds such as thoroughbreds). It might get harder in the winters as they older since it’s pretty cold where you. are but with blankets and a barn you could make it work if it really was the perfect horse in all other ways.

⁠@@hoovesbyviolet Thanks for such a thorough reply, x2! As you mentioned, there are sometimes exceptions. I have a friend who has 2 OTTB and they both require blankets because their coats don’t get too thick and they’re a little older too. We also live in northern Maine 🥶. But I totally get what you’re saying: general rule of thumb is horses don’t need blankets but there are exceptions and sometimes they can cause more harm than good if not done properly. Got it!! It’s hard to make a short/ reel and speak in generalities without people coming for you with all the exceptions. 😂 I get it, I have a channel too and find if I’m not 100% explicit, people get their feathers ruffled. As always, thank you!!

I can’t totally picture it but I’m glad you found something that works for you and your horse 😂 I definitely have gotten in some pretty crazy positions to trim the older and arthritic horses. I have a few videos about it (shorts and one long one I think). But they definitely aren’t as safe and you need to trust the horse because you usually can’t move away as fast 😆

@@hoovesbyviolet yeah . Its odd but its actually really comfortable. You just switch hands and move to the other side of the leg after picking up the hind foot. So your directly behind the horse with your back side facing the leg that the horse is standing on. Its amazing really.

Thank you! It’s always good to hear from of of the herd 😂 yes I am it’s also hoovesbyviolet

You’re welcome. Thank YOU!

🤠😊

Thank you 😊

Thank you! 😊🤠

Yea, I can’t find the website I ordered it from previously but I looked on amazon and the Meablewse brand or Pure brand looks like the best for price and quality for 1 lb. I gave 1/4 cup to my horse each day last year when he had a laminitis episode and had to be on bute for about a week and a thyroid medication for a month.

Mine are angled too, it was a bit of a learning curve because they aren’t just smaller than regular nippers but nippers are flat across and not angled at all. Yes they are great for those flaps! Glad you are finding them useful!

You’re welcome 😊🤠

Yes! So really one of the most effective treatments is an apple cider vinegar soak. Because if the thrush is deep in the central sulcus you’re not going to be able to get a clay or anything deep enough in there. First clean up the frog and cut as much thrush as you can out and open up the central sulcus like a V. You can use a soaking boot or a small grain pan if you don’t have one… do about 2 inches deep in apple cider vinegar. Minimum 10 minutes but really you can do 30 plus minutes if your horse will stand there. Do this every other day for a week and see if you can see improvements and the you can do less often or switch to a hoof clay or topical thrush treatment that is less time consuming. There is product called hypozin that I have read really good things about and seen pictures of hooves that have been treated with this and it really seems to work. It’s in a syringe so you could get it down in there semi deep at least. I haven’t used it myself yet but I am going to be ordering some and documenting how well it works.

It’s so hard in these situations. Any kind of bone changes in the hoof are so scary and it’s just really really hard to see the horses suffer.

@@hoovesbyviolet yes. We blame ourselves but we just try to do the best we can. So much about the feet we just can see and most people have no clue. What you do is super important . I appreciate your channel. Thx

@@jennyrosd2003 I appreciate you watching 😊😆

Thank you! So glad you found it helpful 🤠

I know! It’s crazy to watch and then see all the comments saying things like “so satisfying” 😵‍💫

What do you mean he does better? What are the changes you notice? I’m assuming the hooves are bigger because they have flares? Are the flares all around the hoof or not at the toe or more on the quarters? You are correct in a more frequent trim cycle to help correct this. Anytime the hooves start to get long It will put access pressure on that lamina and cause it to separate and flare more. You should also do a bevel all around. As you can probably tell from my videos I not a proponent of ever using shoes so when I am trimming I don’t need to take into account of leaving room for the nails. It is usually safe to rasp the lower 1/3 of the hoof and I would usually recommend it for flares especially toe flares. It is hard to say for certain without seeing a picture.

One more thing… you should rasp the outer hoof wall as needed for the proper trim to grow out the flares not necessarily to make the boots fit. I have had clients use two different size boots when rehabbing from shoes. A bigger pair when the shoes first came off and a smaller pair as a new healthy hoof started to grow in.

@@hoovesbyviolet Thx. He is just more agile and sure footed with regular shoes. My other horse was better with boots but this one struggles a bit on off camber terrain or going through dead fall etc. The boots fit perfectly and I used them for quite a while before shoeing again and the difference was noticeable. I have a mule that does way better in boots as well so not sure what the problem is but I keep this horse shod in the summer and hes comfortable and sound. I tried the plastic shoes that nail on and he walked like he was sore. I assume the nails thru a flexible shoe must have some strange effects. So I find for him flat shod just works. They are all so different. But thx for your thoughts on the rasping. He flares a bit on his back feet but his fronts are nicely shaped. I'll experiment this winter to get them back right.

@@hoovesbyviolet good idea on the 2 sets of boots. Just realized he might fit into my old horses set . Duh! Thx.

@@jennyrosd2003 I would try glue on composite shoes. They are great alternative without the negative side effects.

Shoes are detrimental to horse’s hooves.

That’s amazing! How many horses do you have?

@@hoovesbyviolet thanks! I just have one gelding he's about 25.

At least we think he's 25 haha, he's a grade gelding.

@@bobcollinge4292 lol I know how that is, the older the horse gets the harder it is to get an accurate age from their teeth. Learning to trim one horse is a great way to start because you just have to learn what that horse needs and keep on a regular schedule to prevent issues from developing 😊

Aww thank you! No it’s never too late to remove the shoes, but the longer they have had shoes the more damage has been done and therefore the more rehab is needed. Putting shoes on and taking them off doesn’t directly hurt, because the hoof wall is like our nails. But having a shoe on does damage to the bone inside the hoof over time and causes things like arthritis due to lack of shock absorption and actually numbs the hoof because it reduces blood flow to the hoof as well. When you remove the shoes and the blood flow (and feeling) returns the horse then can feel pain from the damage done by shoes, that’s why you want to use boots so they don’t have to walk in hard and rocky ground before their feet can adjust and toughen up again.

@@hoovesbyviolet okay this makes perfect sense. I sure hope when I get a horse it doesn’t have shoes, because honestly I don’t know if I’ll be able to find someone here that does what you do. Thanks again, soaking all this up!

You're welcome! There are barefoot trimmers all over, getting a recommendation from someone who already uses them is your best bet to finding a good one. Or you could learn to do it your self 😉

@@hoovesbyviolet I would love to learn how and seeing your videos are very informative, but I definitely don’t have the skill. You should make an online course!! You know, in all your free time! lol But really, that would be great!

@@2.0mommy lol that been my plan, I’m part way through filming a mini course on how to maintain your horses hooves between professional hoof trim visits (basic anatomy and hoof function, how to use a rasp, how to check the gods balance and how to rasp the toes back and do a bevel on the hoof) the goal being you can have a professional come out less often then normal because you are doing some training in between. I’m actually supposed to film the second half of it on Monday 😊

I use them for trimming the bars and frog. They are actually made for bonsai trees but they work great on hooves too 😂 I made video just on the bonsai nippers a while back you can check that out too!

@@hoovesbyviolet oh cool. Never heard of such a thing. Ill check it out.

You’re welcome! It’s something I think gets overlooked most of the time.

😊🐴

You clearly don’t understand hoof function and anatomy

I’m so glad you find my videos helpful! They are very niche so they’re not for everyone 😂

There are always exceptions to almost any “rule” of horse care. For example if you have a very old horse or you live where there is lots of snow and it’s very very cold at night then brining them in for the night would be the best bet. But for the most part healthy horses do better choosing when to take shelter or not. My two horse love to go into their shelter in the winter, especially when it is pouring down rain. If it’s just sprinkling they would usually rather be out nibbling on grass or whatever they can find. As to why people do keep their horses locked up at night I think we humans have an idea of what is “nicer” or “cozier” or “more comfortable” but that’s to us, not a horse! They grow big winter coats for a reason and they are much happier having freedom to move and be with other horses. One more thing to mention is that when they have room to move around (ie not in the stall) they are staying warmer by moving. That is so exciting you are preparing to get horses! And so great you are doing your research, many people don’t 😂🤦‍♀️ feel free to ask any questions, I could make a video about it 🤠🐴

@@hoovesbyviolet okay this makes a lot of sense! Thank you! Wow, I thought there was a lot of controversy in parenting, but the horse world is just as bad. 😂 Lots of differing opinions on just about everything. I really appreciate your approach though. And especially loved when you mentioned using herbs as I’m really into that as well. I make lots of different tinctures for the family and maybe one day I’ll be using them on my horses. 💕 I live in northern Maine, so I’d definitely need to bring them inside most of the time. The stalls looked like the doors were chewed down quite a bit and I read that could happen when they’re bored or hungry. I suspect it’s from the previous horses being bored since our winters are so long. 🙁 Anyway, I downloaded your ebook and can’t wait to read it tonight! thanks again for so much information and for the reply!!

@@2.0mommy I will make a video of different herbs for horses and what you can use them for in the semi near future (I am also a mom so it’s hard to get anything done 🤪). You got it spot on there is lots of controversy, you just have to do your own research and find what feels the best to you, just like with raising kids 😂 As far as your winters in Maine as long as your horses are healthy and not skinny they would probably be ok being able to go in and out of the stall if they choose. Depending on the breed you will probably need to blanket, some horses are bred for the snow and can handle it very well. The thing about blankets is that when you put a blanket on, it mats their fur down so they can’t stay warm on their own as well. But sometimes their own coat isn’t enough! It’s very nuanced unfortunately 😆🤠 oh and water warmers will be a huge help! You can get water warmers that just stop the water from freezing or ones that actually keep the water warm, which are much better.

@@hoovesbyviolet thanks so much for all the advice! I appreciate it greatly!! I’m taking notes believe me. 😅 And I’ll definitely be looking out for that video whenever you get around to making it! I get it! 😂

Thank you!

Thank you! If you have any more questions feel free to ask 🤠

Thanks 😊

You’re welcome 😊

I am a barefoot hoof trimmer I don’t have a farrier and I would not take advice from one as I know shoes are terrible for horses hooves and health. Pigment has no effect on hoof strength. Blood flow and nutrients as well as moisture are all contributing factors but color is not and there is no scientific evidence that shows that.

@@hoovesbyviolet apparently your not a very busy one, listen folks she sounds good and she’s not wrong the science doesn’t back the claim. But the science is wrong I see it everyday from pony’s to thoroughbreds. Best advice you could get when it comes to buying a horse. Dark hooves historically across the country with every farrier are better and more conveniently sound. These barefoot all natural guys mean well but when they can’t seem to fix your horse call a real farrier and get away from the daydreamers. They are far less experienced, mean well but it’s all just fancy talk.

You’re welcome! It is kind of crazy for us to think we know better than nature 😆

The whole white and water line can be confusing for sure 🤔😆 I use my nippers at at about a 45 degree angle around the toe but a little less by the quarters and heels. Then I smooth it all out with my rasp and make sure it’s balanced. The bevel should be steepest at the toe and gradually get less steep out to the heels.

@@hoovesbyviolet thx