Hoof Trimming Tools and Equipment

for Barefoot Hooves

The correct hoof trimming tools are essential if you are going to trim your horse's hooves successfully.

Below is a list of all the items that you will need. We have separated hoof trimming tools and equipment into different sections to make it clearer to read.

We keep a number of hoof measures in the yard. It is an essential tool. It will help you measure the hoof wall length, as well as the angle of the hoof wall. For more detail on these measurements and how to use it see the AANHCP manual.

Above the Hoof Measure

Hoof Jack

The hoof jack is probably the most popular hoof stand used barefoot trimmers. It has a magnetic plate on it to hold a rasp when you are not using it aswell as two heads, one so you can position the hoof on the stand when trimming the outside wall and then a cradle so you can position the hoof when you are trimming beneath the hoof i.e. the bars and heels.

Hoof Knives

Get a left and a right handed hoof knife. We have the Dick Hood farrier knives. In time you may well become skilled enough to only use one. Many experienced trimmers still however always use two. We always have both to hand.

As with any equipment it needs to be looked after. For example if the knives get dropped too often in time the edges will become blunt.

Hoof Knife Sharpeners

These are essential for keeping your knives sharp.

Although you may find keeping the knives sharp a little tricky at the beginning (we certainly did) it is however essential to keep them sharp as it will make your work so much easier.

In order to know if your knives are sharp enough, try cutting a piece of paper with them and see how they perform, they should be able to cut the paper. This is how sharp you want to keep the knives.

There are two types of sharpeners that you will need:-

one for the main edge of your knife
and one for the bent/crook end:-

The knife edge sharpener:-

Swiss-Sharpener - Professional - this is for sharpening the main edge and has a ledge for protecting the thumb.

A Crook End Sharpener:-

Dick-Pocket Sharpening Steel - this is for the curved,(crook) end of your hoof knife.

Sand Paper - to polish the soles and round the edges at the end of your trim.

Above sandpapering a hoof at the end of a trim

Apple Cider Vinegar - When trimming the feet, if you keep neat Apple Cider Vinegar available to hand with your hoof trimming tools, you can then spray this on at the end of your trim, if there is any signs of thrush.

Spray Dispenser - for apple cider vinegar if your frogs are thrushy and need treating.

Storage Basket

Storage Basket - Finally to keep all this kit together we bought this sturdy basket.

We used to use the tool carrier on the Jaime Jackson hoof stand but got frustrated if the stand fell over and all the tools fell out.

We searched the web for a suitable container or basket for our hoof trimming tools and found this one which we now use and is ideal. It is strong enough to hold all your trimming equipment, aswell as an:-

apple cider vinegar spray for any thrushy frogs
trimming gloves
and a back support etc.

It is an inexpensive item but anything that helps one to make this work easier is worth every penny.

Hoof Pick - The ones with a hook as well as a brush on the end are the most useful to have.

Stanley Wire Brush - a brilliant tool, which Nick Hill (AANCP) trimmer showed us.

Use it to really brush clean (after picking out the feet) the surface of the hoof. You can then see, very clearly the inner and outer hoof walls, aswell as the white line, sole, frog and bars.

Once the hoof is brushed clean, this makes it much easier to see how the hoof is doing and what may, or may not, need to be trimmed.

Use it more gently around the heel bulbs as the tissue here is more sensitive and when the brush is new it is quite hard.

Rasp 14" - Get a nice handle to fit your rasp so that it sits comfortably in your hand.
(NB. Rasps go blunt and need replacing every so often. They are like kitchen knives. We didn't realize this at first and kept using a blunt rasp, this made the trimming/rasping physically really hard work for us!)

Round Rasp - I still find this sometimes tricky to use, however, it is really good for trimming the bars. I wouldn't be without it.

Hoof Nippers - For use when the toe walls needs trimming quite a bit and is long enough to be "nipped/cut."

The above list of hoof trimming tools will provide all you will need if you are going to trim your own horses hooves.

Tools for Removing Shoes

Shoe Puller
Nail Puller
Farrier's Driving Hammer

Trimming Kit For You

Hoof Trimmers Apron

Essential for trimming. Make sure it fits round your waist securely. Most of them come with a pocket for holding a trimming knife. If you can get one with two pockets one either side this is even better.

If you can't and you can be bothered ask you local saddler to sew one on for you, it is just so handy to have two. Either for your knives or your hoof pick.

Anything that you can do to help yourself when trimming hooves will be worthwhile. It is quite a physical job.

Gloves

Trimming Gloves

Get a good strong pair which will protect your hands properly.

(As I am trimming quite a number of horses I do get through gloves - these are as "cheap as chips" so not a great problem. When you are using the rasp it is very easy for it to catch the gloves and rasp them. The lesson here is - always use gloves, if you value your hands...)

You can buy suitable gloves from farrier suppliers or alternatively you can get these flexible gloves as in the picture.

To buy these gloves click here.

Or if you want to know more about these gloves go to the Yard Glove section.

Back Support

Finally a great product that was introduced to me by a Strasser trimmer.

When Sarah Lentini (Strasser Trained barefoot Trimmer) came here to discuss and show me her trimming, she produced this back support. She said if she wears it she can trim 8-10 horses in one session as opposed to 1-2.

I promptly tried hers on and was very impressed.

I would say I am reasonably fit and strong but having this support is like having a pair of hands on your back supporting you, while you are bent over looking and trimming hooves.

She said it was the best £50 she had ever spent and I would now agree with her.

After she left I went onto Amazon and bought the same Mcdavid back support that day.........

I am between a size 10 and 12 in clothes, I bought size one, small, which is perfect and fits really well.

It needs to fit firmly/snugly around your lower back to be effective.

I would now add it is an essential part of our "hoof trimming tools kit"

Conclusion

If you are planning on trimming your horses hooves all the above hoof trimming tools are essential and will make everything that has to be done so much easier for you.

It took us quite a while to build up the above collection of hoof trimming tools and items but we now have all of these to hand and in good order.

As with everything if you have the correct hoof trimming tools to work with the work then becomes easier. Barefoot trimming cam be challenging, especially at the beginning when you are learning the art, so anything that can help is like gold dust.