How to Trim Horse Hooves

Horses should have their hooves trimmed on a regular basis. You should trim horse hooves every four weeks for horses that are kept in stalls or pins. Horses that are allowed to run in pastures should have their hooves trimmed ever six weeks. When you trim horse hooves your goal is to return the hoof to the proper shape and length. The horse hooves should be level across the bottom with the walls on each side should be the same length.
Most full grown horses hoof length is usually 3 to 3 ¾ inches. This is measured from the top center of the hoof wall to the center of the toe where the hoof meets the ground.

1 Trim the hoof wall with nippers to remove any excess over growth.

Nippers should be used to remove the excess hoof wall from the hooves. The nipper's blade should be parallel to the horse's foot while trimming. Make sure you have one hand on each handle of the nippers while you are trimming to get a smooth even cut. The handles should be straight up and down from the foot when cutting not at an angle.

When trimming the hooves you should always start from the heel and work to the toe on one side then move to the other side and work again from the heel to the toe. You should only attempt to trim the hoof wall at a rate of half the length of your nipper blade. This will allow you to make sure you line the cuts up and give a more even finish to the bottom of the hooves.

** Make sure you keep a straight line when trimming the hoof wall. You should keep in mind the hoof its self will curve in so do not follow the sole of the hoof but rather the line you are creating with your nippers from the heel to the toe.

** Since your starting point if the heel many people will tell you to trim the heel to the widest part of the frog and this is fine but if you are new to the practice or unsure it is safer to leave a little extra than to trim too much!

2 Use a rasp to smooth and level the bottom of the hoof.

When using the rasp to smooth the bottom of the horse hooves make sure you go from the back or heel of the hoof toward the toe. Each stroke should go the complete length of the hoof to make sure there are no ridges or uneven pieces left. Go over the complete hoof with smooth strokes and even pressure. When using the rasp tool you should use one hand to push the rasp and the other to pull the rasp across the hoof. Making sure to apply equal downward pressure from both hands while moving in a steady forward position.

Make sure the rasp if level on the hoof making contact on both sides prior to moving the rasp.

** Never use the rasp from side to side; only from heel to toe (you can go from toe to heel if needed but its best to stay in one direction if possible).

** The rasp will remove a lot of tissue with each pass. Make sure you are checking for levelness with every couple of passes. If you do not check the level you could very easily remove more than intended and harm your horses hooves.


3 Trim the sole of your horses hoof also known as lowering the sole with a hoof knife.

You should only trim the sole of your horses hooves as needed. This is only done to remove excess dead tissue. Any tissue that is living, elastic feel when stretched between your fingers, should not be trimmed. Also do not trim your horses sole to an unnatural shape or too thin as this could cause the sole to be easily irritated. The main goal in trimming the sole of your horses hooves is to relieve pressure from the sole and frog areas and return it to the hoof wall where it is naturally intended to support the weight of the horse.

4 Trim the frog section on the sole of the hoof with a hoof knife

Again you should only trim the frog area of the hoof as needed only removing the dead tissue. The frog should touch the ground when the horses hooves are on the ground.

5 Rounding the hoof walls with a rasp

After all the excess dead tissue has been completely removed from the horse hooves you should again rasp the entire hoof to ensure the surface is level and uniform across the complete hoof. Next you should rasp all the edges of the hoof to make sure the edges are rounded, this will help prevent the hoof wall from chipping if it comes in contact objects like rocks.

You should only round as much as necessary to remove the edge. Never round the hoof so much that you are rasping all the way to the hairline as this will remove the waxy coating (periople) that is necessary to maintain moisture in the horses hoof.

6 If at any point you cause your horse to bleed you should immediately clean the wound and add a covering to protect it for possible disease organisms. Next you should consult a veterinarian for assistance.

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How to Build a Horse Shelter

Horses need adequate shelter from the weather even if you live in a mild climate. Horse shelters must be built safe and sturdy to withstand the abuse it will take from the horses. A three-sided shelter is the most economical and easiest shelter to build. Learn how to build a horse shelter by following these steps.


1 Find a flat, level area to build the shelter. The area should be high and not prone to flooding or standing water. Water should run away from the shelter, not towards it.

2 Determine what direction the open side of the shelter should face. The north and west winds are the strongest in most areas, so the back of the shelter should face these directions.

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3 Determine how tall you will need to make the shelter. It should be big enough that the tallest horse can walk in, throw his head up, and not hit the roof.

4 Know how many horses are sharing this shelter. One horse can use a 12 by 12 foot shelter, but a bigger shelter is need if more horses are in the pasture. Make the shelter no more than 12 to 14 feet deep. Add the additional space in width, not depth. If you have a pasture with many horses, consider building more than one shelter.

5 Dig four holes for the corner posts. Use strong, sturdy posts for the corners. Dig the holes at least four feet deep, adding cement in the bottom of the holes to secure the posts before refilling with dirt.

6 Use 2-by-4 lumber to build a frame on three sides of the shelter. A minimum consists of a board along the top, one along the bottom and one midway on the sides of the shelter. More boards should be used on the roof to hold roofing material.

7 Cover the roof with with plywood and shingles or tin. Tin is the most economical and easiest material to use.

8 Get thick plywood or use planks for the inside of the shelter. You can use tin or planks on the outside as long as the inside is covered from the floor to at least midway up the shed with thick plywood. Horses can kick through tin, severely injuring a leg. The plywood may split and planks can break, but it will prevent the leg from going through to the tin.

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How to talk to a Horse or Horses

Is there really such a thing as Horse Whispering? Yes and No. This article tell you why and how can anyone able to do this.

1 Learning to talk to a horse in its own language is not magic. Anyone can learn to talk to a horse. Truly, the only thing required is patience, and the ability to adapt to a language that uses the body far more than it uses sound. The first, and most important step in learning a horse's language, is to spend time watching horses interact with one another. Watch them especially when horses are eating, fighting or when they are with their foals and/or friends. Pay attention when they groom one another, and any and all social interaction that takes place between different members of the herd.

2 Plan on making observations over a long period of time. In fact, lifelong horsepeople will spend as much time as they can each day just observing the horses. People who watch more than speak are true experts. By watching, observe how the horses talk to one another. Very rarely does actually vocalizing take place. The equine, body language and "energy" is horse communication. When a horse chews and licks its lips, it is relaxed, and its ears will rotate out and relax. Anger is displayed through tensed lips, pinned ears, narrowed eyes and flattened nostrils. If this is not enough to get the message across, a snort or a warning kick will be added. Still not enough? Be prepared for a savage bite and a whirl and kick out with both hind feet. Contentment is a heavy sigh and a cocked hind leg. There are as many ways for a horse to display feelings through its body as there are ways for people to talk with language.

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3 Watch and learn from books, tapes, and whatever other media are available, then put it into practice. Go out into the horse's world and say hello. How does one say hello to a horse? NOT by patting its nose. Horses, when they meet in the wild and wish to be friendly, will sniff one another lightly in greeting, then will rub each other on the neck, down by the shoulder. This will quickly progress to mutual grooming behind the withers and along the backbone. Make a proper happy greeting to the horse by approaching him with a hand out to the horse's neck. Touch the horse there. If a nose is offered, gently blow into the horse's nostrils. Pat the horse on the neck and scratch him. He will quickly communicate where to scratch, so continue to do so.

4 Do not allow a horse to crowd or push to earn respect. Horses are very physical creatures, and demand respect from one another. If a horse pushes, stab at his flank with stiff fingers to get the horse off. Squared shoulders and a firm voice make the horse know what is happening. As soon as the horse has listened, immediately back off. Press and release.

5 Use these steps and begin a wonderful lifelong conversation with horses. Horses are incredibly subtle creatures. For example, to calm a fractious horse, speak softly and soothingly, caress his neck and shoulder, and concentrate on thinking calming thoughts. Natural energy will communicate itself to the equine, and the horse will respond. If the trainer is upset the horse knows it. The energy of angry feelings is sensed and acted on by the horse. Never underestimate the sensitivity of these creatures.

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How to Make a Horse to Swing Out of a Old Tire

Old tires can become a pain in your neck. Nobody wants them, and most waste management companies will not take them. You cannot burn them, and dumping them is illegal. Leaving them in your yard creates an unsightly eyesore. So what are you supposed to do with them? Turn those old tires into a horse tire swing for your kids

1 Design the template on a piece of paper or large poster board. Place the bias-ply tire on top of the paper and sketch both the outer and inner parts of the tire on the paper.

2 Draw the template inside the tire sketch. You must draw the horse shape inside the two circles. See the References section for the template. Be sure to copy the template exactly. This includes labeling the places on the template that will need holes cut. Cut the excess paper so you are left with only the template

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3 Cut the tire according to the template. Cutting a tire is not an easy task. You must cut through both sidewalls of the tire evenly to form the correct shape of the horse.

4 Turn the tire inside out. Heat the joints if you are having difficulty turning the tire inside out. Spread the tire lengthwise; you will see the horse start to take shape.

5 Shape the tire along the joints and secure it in place with bolts. Start with the nose and bolt the cheeks together through the neck of the horse. Bolt the horse together and move down from its head to the neck and down to its back and haunches.

                                                  

6 Loop the tail piece of the horse back upon itself and attach with a bolt. This creates the seat and jaunty tail.

7 Place a long bolt through the saddle to keep it from losing its form. Cap the ends of the bolt to prevent injuries to the riders.

8 Hang the swing by looping a chain or rope through the cut that is at the head and the tail loop

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