If your just starting out on the journey of learning how to trim your own horses it can be a bit daunting, very challenging, at times discouraging especially when people tell you all the "stuff" you need to buy and all the clinics you need to attend.

 

There are many reasons people want to do this task themselves

 

1.  They're too far for a trimmer to come

2.  They prefer doing all the care for their horses

3.  They want to save money especially if they have many horses

 

I think the number one reason is the cost for monthly trimming adds up when you have a lot of horses.  All of the above applied to me when I took this journey.  Along my personal journey I came across a lot of cross roads in the beginning that had to do with making the decision to pursue my certification in which I ultimately did. 

 

Here is a short questionare you should ask yourself while deciding what your goals are whether to learn to trim your own or have a qualified trimmer do it for you.

 

1.  How many horses do I own?

 

 

2.  How many are pathologically sound?  Example: do they have laminitis issues, founder, navicular etc...

 

3.  How much does a qualified trimmer charge to trim my horses on a regular schedule?  (5 weeks is average for natural trimmers depending on the horses' environment and ability to self trim)

 

4.  How much will learning materials, workshops and tools cost me to get into it?  I run my workshops about every 2 to 3 months)

 

5.  Do I have to purchase all the tools and materials at once?

 

6.  What trim method do I prefer to study by?  Example:  AANHCP, Strasser, Martha Olivo, AHA etc...

 

7.  Am I physically able to handle the task?

 

There are probably many more questions, but these are pretty basic and may help you decide if the journey is cost effective.

 

Here is a run down of the basic tools you will need

 

Rasp  around 18 to 22 bucks

Sole Rasp      20 bucks

Nippers  around 80 to 180 bucks

Hoof Knife from 10 to 150 bucks

Hoof Stand from 80 to 200 bucks

Apron  from 80 to 200 bucks

Learning materials total from 100 to 300 bucks

Clinics 200 bucks each (you should take at least 1 or 2 with a qualified clinician)

My workshops 75 bucks every 3 months or so (none are required, just an idea of what expanding your skill would cost)

 

so in about a year you would spend around $1000 to $2000 depending on whether you purchase all at once or spread it out and if you go to any clinics or do most of you learning from the books and videos. and it also depends if you buy the most expensive or cheapest tools. 

 

Just remember you get what you pay for.   I stay somewhere middle of the road.  If you're just starting I wouldn't go expensive unless you know for sure this is what you want to tackle.

 

How long do you think you'll stay with your horse(s)?  How many do you think you might end up with?  How difficult is your horse to trim?

 

Trimming one horse around 45 bucks (exclusive of mileage) about every 5 weeks (11 times a year)

 

In a years time on one horse it would cost you around $500.00 to pay a trimmer to come out and trim that horse.

 

Is a trim by a farrier the same as a natural trim?   NO

Are all natural trims the same?                           NO

 

Why are all these things important to consider?   For me it was because of the expense and investment you will be making, let alone the physical strength that is required to trim your horses.

 

That being said one of the advantages of trimming your own is you can take your time and believe me when you start out it will seem like an eternity to trim 4 feet.

 

All these questions and the ultimate decision can only be answered by you the horse owner to do all the research you can about this subject....There is a ton of information online that is free, this is probably the most time consuming part but you will need a clear understanding of what natural hoof care means to your horse and you. If you want personal consultation most, if not all professional trimmers will charge you by the hour for this.  Why?  Because we invest a lot time and money to be educated and skilled trimmers so not only is our time valuable but so is our knowledge, so don't get offended if they tell you they charge for what you want to know.  I do not charge for initial consulting and I don't charge for fact finding information on your horse, but if it gets to instructional type consulting I will charge an instructional fee. 

 

The most common question I get is "how do you know how much sole to take off"  and my answer is always the same "Well, that's the $5000.00 question"  That's about the initial investment to get to that answer as a professional trimmer.  This is not what a horse owner trimmer will have to invest but they could if they wanted.

 

What I ran into when I got started, as you will as well, is it looks pretty simple and basic because your just looking at the motions and movement by the trimmer, but when you pick up that foot with a tool in your hand, it's a whole other story.  The first question that should pop in your head is, "wow, where the heck do I start".  If your not asking yourself that question and you just start trimming and hacking away you shouldn't be doing this yourself.  Your number one concern is to CAUSE NO HARM, this is part of the AANHCP creed.

 

 

 

Why because even though the initial cost is a bit pricey, the blades are not only quality blades but they are replaceable at a fraction of a new knife.

 

There are a lot of great knives out there, I just found it to more since to have replaceable blades.

 

 

Although I have not had the opportunity to try out all the rasps available out there I have tried a few and this one stays sharp for a long time.

 

 

 

Best I have found, they are an investment but a very long lasting one.