Barefoot Trim (Maintenance Trim Jack the Pony)

This video is a full length barefoot trim on this IR pony. He is trimmed every 4-6 weeks, so this is what I would call a maintenance trim, ie there is little distortion and we are just taking off the excess length. This pony has never foundered, but does suffer from IR and is therefore metabolically prone to suffering from laminitis. We regulate his weight diligently and restrict access to grazing.
For more info check out our website www.oksnhc.com

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Best detailed description ever of barefoot trimming process.

[@ckdesign429]

I am so glad I found this video, you go into the importance behind what angles you use and why for EVERY stroke and EVERY tool. So many videos don't and a few days ago I was narrowing down which owner courses I would take. I have had troubles finding a farrier and I was feeling confident enough to do small trims while I search for a farrier and take an online course. My horse has been overdue for about four weeks. I am not feeling as confident as I was three days ago. Farriers need to make more videos like these, stop being so vague, its better to knock the confidence levels down than to empower. I am going to keep looking for that special farrier who is willing to work with me and my goals. I am not looking to replace my farrier, just looking to learn more and do some work before things get dire so if I get a call saying the farrier won't make it out for another two weeks at least I can rest easy knowing I might be able to keep things trimmed but not too short the farrier can't fix any problems I create.

[@vanaruone6767]

This horse would benefit from more toe wall support so glad you didn’t take too much.

[@luv2rackon]

Really excellent video! You do a fantastic job of explaining what you do and why. This is a functional barefoot trim that is good for the horse.

[@gsimonin1]

So cool to see a lady farrier. Appreciate your description and teaching.

[@wendyyowell4300]

Thank you for such a wonderful video! And your camera angles from your perspective are so helpful! Thank you So Much!

[@sketchalater4656]

Amazing video! I love how in-depth you go on getting the correct heel angle, how much to trim the frog, leaving the sole alone, etc. I love this more non-invasive method of trimming

[@merle8664]

Absolutely great explanation! Thank you!

[@carolemartin6892]

I like the way you trim. Excellent commentary! Thank you for sharing.

[@alannabanks7978]

Great video, thank you! You explain things so well!

[@brentonkelly3780]

I love your explanations. You are a brilliant farrier! Thanks!

[@brentonkelly3780]

Well done. Well explained Kristy.

[@carysjenkins-iy6bu]

I appreciate you making this video. Not many do POV explanations and it’s literally impossible to grasp the depth of a hoof from accross the room 😂Thankyou for the education haha x

[@amorales9613]

Nice explanations and references to the hoof anatomy.

[@jayniestanley4730]

Thank u for making it easier for the layperson to understand. U do a great job. Awesome 👍😎

[@musiquefrique]

Thank you- really great video, great narration & teaching

[@CanadianCowgirl1955]

Awesome Kristi!!

[@paolo-7365]

Ai paura di sporcarti. Be afraid of getting dirty. The explanation is more than satisfying.

[@conniealthouse5013]

Great video! Thank you for sharing!

[@lynnesaro7772]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. When you explain the theory and logic behind the action it enabled me to rasp my horses hoofs. I still have more tools to buy and with your knowledge I will be able to make the right purchase.

[@elizabethhostetter1946]

i love the fact that a) you explain every step and reasoning, and b) you are freely using right or left hand as needed. (and that he's barefoot.) Thank you for a very informative video!

[@ironhorsehaven6376]

Thank you for these video so helpful and easy to understand

[@apogreba1997]

This has been so helpful. I am recently doing a huge amount of research on trimming my own horses feet after countless farriers in my area ghosting and not accepting new clients. This line of work is so hard to find a good, caring person. So thank you for explaining all the steps and the reasonings behind it.

[@Glorfinniel]

Same. I had a great barefoot trimmer who was the real deal and when I relocated to Montana, I can't find a farrier, let alone a bare trimmer who knows what their doing. I'm now trying to learn to do it myself.

[@randybutler4772]

Thank you for sharing.🐴

[@tiffersen]

Great video, thank you very much.

[@b4mayuko]

I live in Japan there are no houses around me but I do love your video.

[@googlenutzer4853]

Personally, I would remove the loose sole horn first and only then proceed with the nipper. This way you can see much better where and how much you can remove with the nipper. I also find that the bars are cut too slant. The bars must also be able to support the back hoof area, here I would work along the white line and try to straighten the bars by holding the knife straighter.

[@RaniTanny]

As I am learning I wonder what the effect of trimming the bar the way you suggested would be? Not arguing- just trying to comprehend. Thank you.

[@janickeduplessis3749]

Do you have a video of a few months after of correcting low heels? with the method you use of brining the heel back?

[@elisehermann6094]

You’re videos have been a tremendous help to me! Any chance you can post a similar video but trimming a hoof in mid summer where it’s hard and dry? I’m having challenges with my yearlings hooves and she has a lot of callusing that won’t exfoliate. Soaking the night before a trim didn’t help much so curious if you have any tips or tricks. I’m not confident with nippers yet so have stuck to a rasp for now. I did buy a mini nipper though the trim off some overgrown frog that was blocking her collateral groves but she’s so unbalanced right now and needs a lot of work done.

[@vanaruone6767]

There’s no such thing as toe leverage though, and horses land flat footed. You can’t remove flare from above, only from the bottom, it just has to grow out and look ugly until the new hoof angle grows down.

[@merle8664]

Could you make a video about how to sharpen the hoof knives?

[@oksnhc]

I will work on this for you! In the meantime I did one a while ago about sharpening a loop knife: fb.watch/5R_2sZhhQJ/

[@cindygulutzo9834]

hoof knife.. is that "the Knife" .. I used one years ago like it

[@anniehope8651]

May I ask why you are thinning the wall to address the flare? Because that's basically just for aestetic reasons. I understand that you need to do that for clients, but there's no need for that in your own horses right? In a different video you mention that you do it to reduce leverage in the flare. Wouldn't a big roll be a better way to do that?

[@oksnhc]

I disagree that it's for aesthetic reasons. Nothing I do in trimming is to make it look pretty. Removing flare from the top does thin the hoof wall, but when there is flare the wall is already weak and compromised. We can use a roll to reduce leverage but that roll will grow out in about 2 weeks so anything past that will be leveraging again. Thinning the wall by removing the flare from the top allows that wall to wear more effectively once the roll grows out so that it doesn't continue to destroy the connection up top. Thinning the wall where the white line is stretched or there is lamellar wedge present is to me acceptable because there is sufficient material there to do so.

[@thehappyhoof]

With each trim you reduce the size of the hoof capsule and eventually trim the pony into mechanical laminitis. I did these same trims for 10 years from 2005 to 2016 and I documented it all. And then discovered we were led by Jamie Jackson and Hildred Strasser to trim the feet out of these horses to try and form them into an image of that one dead wild horse cadaver jackson said was the perfect wild foot. How many horses have gotten laminitis that you have been led to blame on diet? How many horses really do not "transition" that are never mentioned that also gets blamed on diet? Well it's the trim, you are gradually trimming the whole back of the foot out of this horse and I will be surprised if his feet held together,, through some do, but I would like to see this pony now. the laminitis he's experiencing is from this kind of trim.

[@oksnhc]

We will have to agree to disagree. This pony is sound and happy and currently being ridden in lessons. He has not had a laminitis episode in years and after some weight loss is no longer metabolic.

[@elisehermann6094]

Hi Kristi - when I work with a horse with under run heels (not severe, but maybe low/moderate) should I still follow your suggests in this video on when I should stop?

[@oksnhc]

Yes, the trim is the same. You still want to bring the heels back, just not down. Really, under run heels are a toe problem, fix the long toe and the heels will be able to come in more upright over time.

[@elisehermann6094]

@@oksnhc thanks so much for replying! yes! I do know pulling the toe back is key when dealing with under run heels. I’ve been doing that about every two weeks myself and also learning from a semi retired bare foot trimmer (massive shortage of trimmers in my areas so looking to learn to trim my own horses). I’m curious your opinion when it comes to fixing mediolateral imbalances in the hoof (hope Im using that term correctly). I have my 18 month filly and when she stands on flat ground and I’m looking directly straight at her cornet band the medial side appears a tiny bit higher (slightly tilted versus straight). My vet did x rays 4 months ago confirming the imbalances in her bony columns (p3-p1). I know it takes time to fix these sort of issues as we are dealing with bones here, but wondering if the cornet band is even a good indicator to use? The Hair along her cornet band appears longer in some parts so it throws me off too. I do lay my rasp across her heels to check balance and look at the length from heel/hoof wall to digital cushion but I’m still developing my “eye” to spot those things. Any tips/advice ?

[@oksnhc]

@@elisehermann6094 The coronary band can be a good indicator, but keep in mind it is sitting directly over the lateral cartilages, and that is what is providing the structure under the coronary band that you are viewing as pushed up. My best advice would be to look at her hoof from the bottom and make sure your heel heights and quarter heights are even from the hairline to the surface on both heels and then both quarters. Often these imbalances can be evened out over time by re-levelling the hoof to be of equal length on both sides. I rarely use the rasp across the hoof to assess balance as I am not looking for straight across the hoof (unless using a composite shoe), instead I look hairline to surface.

[@reneeschwenig7164]

I love the way you explain very simply what you are doing and have nice results, but just want to ask a few things. Please be assured, this is not criticism, I am just trying to learn. Was wondering why you don't open up the collateral grooves at the back of hooves so that they self clean? . Also, why do you take the heels down to the collateral groove exit; why is that a factor in determining heel length? I think it's important to have taller heels to protect the bulbs and soft tissue on a barefoot horse. Also, I have not heard you mention the central sulcas or see you clean it out. Could you address my concerns please?

[@oksnhc]

Hi Renee, I don't open the back of the grooves as I don't find is necessary. If I have an overgrown frog, I might open them up by cleaning up the side of the frog, but only as necessary. On this pony I take his heels down to the collateral groove exits as that is one of the primary hoof indicators I use to determine heel height. It doesn't always mean I take them down to there, I have several indicators that I use, but in this case the collateral groove exits matched up with the sole height in the heel and periople skin. I don't leave heels high to protect the bulbs, I prefer to leave my heels at whatever height is necessary to protect and/or stimulate the digital cushion, this means it fluctuates depending on the hoof. In this horse the central sulcus didn't require cleaning. If it is exfoliating or thrushy or overgrown then it would, but in this case it was fine and didn't require my attention. It is extremely important to me that my trim is flexible, it adapts to each horse and circumstance as needed and isn't a one size fits all approach, therefore it changes frequently. Thanks for watching and for the great questions!

[@amorales9613]

You need to adjust your rasp when you are getting rid of flare so that it is actually mimicking the upper growth of the hoof wall.

[@rolandogonzalez335]

So would you use that method as well as for shoeing the horse?

[@oksnhc]

I would use a similar trim, but I would not apply the arch in the quarters or the bevel at the toe. I prefer to set the shoe back as well to make sure that the breakover is not extended.

[@rolandogonzalez335]

Got it, thanks for the reply, you be nice if you make a video shoeing a horse too . Thanks again

[@kimberly_erin]

You seem to have a much better method of of hoof trimming than other farriers in KZbin. All of them say they are doing one thing or another and then they do the opposite. They make the hooves look good but I think they are just perpetuating whatever issues the horse has. Could I ask you, do you think that dressing it on the outside like that wouldn’t make it more likely to flair even more when the toe starts to grow out?? It just seems to me that thinning them would make them more bendy, or does it not work like that? Edited : asked the question after the statement and deleted a question that was answered in a different vid :)

[@oksnhc]

I don't personally think thinning the wall will perpetuate the flare. The hoof is not bending as you describe :) Instead it removes the leverage so the new wall coming down does not flare.

[@crimsonlu89]

I'm so happy I stumbled upon your videos! Your explanations on trims are wonderful. I do have a question I'm hoping you'll answer. When you say your mimicking the depth of the collateral groove, what exactly are you meaning? Are you just rasping at the same angle the grooves run from heel to toe? Or is it something more that I'm missing ?

[@oksnhc]

I am just holding the rasp at that same angle when I rasp the heel surface. This ensures that the coffin bone is ground parallel at the peak impact phase of the stride.

[@judymiller5154]

​@@oksnhc I thought the coffin bone should be lifted by maybe 3-6° and that level would strain the ddft? Or are you saying level on impact of only heels, the toe would be lifted, and when the toe completes landing the coffin bone would be lifted? Do you have any xrays of hooves you trim? (Not arguing, owner trying to learn...my mare xrayed level and dx early navicular)

[@oksnhc]

@@judymiller5154 The coffin bone needs to be ground parallel at the peak impact phase of the stride, which results in a 3-5 ish degree angle at rest.

[@judymiller5154]

@@oksnhc ok, that makes sense. thanks much for responding. God bless ❤️😊❤️🐎

[@jefferyschirm4103]

Wait I gotta get my vet. medical dic . , now go !!?

[@Guruton10]

a very very poor job

[@vanaruone6767]

A rude comment with no explanation. She can do my horses any day.

[@bogiasterrens5934]

U are amazing