My old boss told me to always use a hoof stand for every trim, but I'm not so sure anymore.

He was a great farrier from Tulsa and said it was the only way to keep your back safe. I listened for a long time, but last fall I had a really spooky young horse that just would not stand for it. I tried trimming with the hoof between my knees like some guys do, and honestly, I felt like I had way more control. My back was fine, and the horse settled right down. Maybe it's just me, but I think the 'always use a stand' rule isn't right for every animal. How do you guys handle a horse that's scared of the stand?

3 comments

3 Comments

masonm701mo ago

Wait, you trimmed a spooky young horse between your knees? That takes some guts. I would have been worried about getting kicked in the chest. Your old boss had a point about safety, just maybe not the kind he meant.

andrew_rodriguez1mo ago

Honestly, my buddy tried that once with a green three-year-old. The horse freaked at the clipper noise and popped him right in the ribs. He was sore for a week and learned to always have a handler.

gracewebb29d ago

Yeah I used to think the knee method was asking for trouble, but that story about the green horse changed my mind. Sometimes you gotta adapt to what the animal needs.