Introduction to Pacific Hoof Care Practitioners To advance through the slides: click your mouse, press the page up/down buttons on your computer, or press the enter or space bar
Table of Contents Section One: Our Mission Our Model Our Goals Section Two: Tool Recommendations & Selection
Our Mission To provide a supportive network and educational foundation for hoof care professionals and horse owners based on a holistic and progressive approach.
Our Mission To provide a supportive network and educational foundation for hoof care professionals and horse owners The PHCP started as a group of like-minded trimmers who found each other s shared knowledge and support invaluable in the sometimes uncharted world of natural hoof care. We hope to provide this same knowledge and support for our members through: hands on trimming mentorships with personalized in-depth evaluation forms in-person as well as webinar training and clinics trimmer advertising and information via our public website sharing, learning and networking via a private on-line discussion forum continuing education opportunities owner outreach annual meetings and other group events
Our Mission based on a holistic and progressive approach. We believe you cannot have a truly healthy hoof without recognizing and addressing all of the factors that go into a healthy horse. Some of these are:
Our Mission based on a holistic and progressive approach. The world of hoof care is dynamic and evolving even as you read this. Therefore, we have committed ourselves to staying on the cutting edge of related information so that we have as many tools in our tool box as possible, to help the horses whose hooves we are entrusted to care for. This means seeking out and continuing education for as long as we are involved in hoof care!
Our Model Our model is the outer form which allows the inner form to function optimally. Each hoof is a unique force which expresses itself to best serve that limb, on that animal, in that environment, at that time. The role of the trimmer is to support this natural process.
Our Model how we get there We approach our model through a non-invasive trim style that encourages and allows the hoof to develop into the soundest and most highly functioning form that it can be. This is done through trimming as well as various forms of hoof protection options such as boots, pads, casts, etc. These are used where necessary or beneficial to the horse as well as to help meet the owner s goals. We understand each trimmer will find their own style that works for the horses in their environment.
Our Goals To have a comprehensive, flexible and affordable program that teaches the student about the entire horse as it affects the feet, including diet and lifestyle. To embrace the different methods of trimming (without being invasive) so you can find your own style that fits you, your horses and their environment. To have a support network where you can get new information or help with specific questions and learn from others on the same path. To keep up with new research and offer advanced clinics to further our understanding and education.
Section two: Tool Recommendations & Selection
Tool Recommendations & Selection When you are first starting out, it is hard to know which tools are the best to buy, where to get them, which ones are important to buy premium quality and which you can get away with cheaper, and even which tools you will need right away and which are just nice to have. Tool handling and more in-depth explanations of the different options will be covered in further detail during your mentorships, but we have put together some information that we hope will help you successfully prepare for the trims ahead!
The Hoof Stand We have found that the Hoof Jack is the best hoof stand on the market. It is lightweight and nearly indestructible. It comes with a knob for addressing flares and doing the mustang roll, and a cradle for resting the hoof while you trim. It easily changes from one attachment to the other, and is very adjustable in height. The stand has rounded edges and rolls away quietly if the horse knocks it over. There are no sharp edges to injure the horse (or yourself!) and it is not noisy so there is less chance of it spooking a horse. It comes equipped with two strong magnets for storing your tools, and you can purchase additional magnets if you wish to replace them or add more. The cradle, post, sling and knobs are all replaceable. It comes in draft, standard and mini sizes (shown above), and the attachments are inter-changeable between the stand sizes. We recommend the standard size HoofJack to start.
Nippers Hoof nippers are one of the tools that you will not want to scrimp on quality. A poorly made nipper will frustrate and tire you, compromising the quality of your work, and will not be able to be sharpened or re-worked successfully. The most recommended are the GE brand, although we also like Lopez and MFC. We recommend that you choose the handle (or rein ) length Based on your skills and hand strength. The 12 models are more maneuverable and work well if you have fairly good hand strength or work on softer feet. The 14 and 15 models are useful for hard or overgrown feet, as they provide more leverage. Race track versions of a nipper mean the blade head is smaller, which can be helpful on hard feet as you are pushing the blades through less hoof material at a time.
Rasps Rasps are probably going to be the most often used tool in your tool box. You will find that the preferred feel of a rasp is a very individual thing. As they only last a short while, we suggest you keep trying until you find a brand that you really like. A new rasp especially will feel as though it grips the hoof wall, but should take a light stroke to easily remove the material. We highly recommend that you do not use a dull rasp to save money, as it will break down your body very quickly. We also recommend you use a rasp handle, which is another personal feel preference. There are many styles to choose from with metal, wood and plastic options.
Hoof Knives & Picks There are two different kinds of hoof knives, and you will need to determine which style works best for you. - One comes in a left and right handed version, most people will buy one of each. The different sides will allow you to cut in different directions on the hoof. - The other kind is the loop knife, which you can use with both your left and right hand or both directions on the hoof due to the two cutting sides on the same knife. Good brands of knives are F Dick, Hall, JH Forge, and The Knife. You will also need a good hoof pick. Models with strong, pointy metal picks are the best for cleaning the hoof without bending or breaking. A stiff nylon or metal bristled brush is useful for removing dulling grains of dirt and sand which will shorten the life of your trimming tools.
Chaps & Gloves There are many different brands of chaps (also called aprons). Good ones are lightweight but tough, and come with at least two pockets for tools such as knives and picks. Snap closures can be safer than buckles if a horse gets tangled in your chaps. Chaps protect your clothes from dirt and your body from sharp tools. Many trimmers choose rubber coated gardener gloves, while others prefer leather or suede work gloves. Gloves allow you to grip the hoof and your tools while at the same time protecting you from them.
Shoe Removal Pull Offs: Pull offs are a necessity when dealing with shoe removal, so if you are planning on trimming professionally you will need a pair. These do not have to be a premium item, any of the brands will work. Clinch Removal: You will also need to cut the clinches before you can remove a shoe. You can use a clinch cutter with a hammer to break off the clinched nails from the outside of the hoof wall. You can also use an old rasp to carefully rasp them away. Crease Nail Pullers: This tool is not required but is very helpful for grabbing nail heads, especially those in the recessed crease style horse shoes. Sometimes you can remove all of the nails this way so that the shoe is easily removed and causes less damage to the hoof wall.
Tool Sharpening Tool sharpening can be covered during your mentorships. You will develop preferred methods for sharpening that work for you and there are several sharpening options to choose from. Dremel: Dremels can be fit with many different bits that work for tool sharpening, especially knives. Bastard File: Bastard files look like a very small rasp, and are most often used when sharpening nippers due to the flat surface which can be aligned with the nipper cutting blades. Diamond File: Diamond files come in a variety of shapes and are typically used for knife sharpening. A tapered cone shape or slightly rounded rectangle is often used for sharpening knives and getting into the crook or the rounded area of a loop knife. Carbide Sharpeners: These are usually a small flat sharpener which can be used on straight knives or nippers.
Optional Tools Half Rounds: Half rounds are nippers which have a rounded blade surface that is helpful for situations where you have hard compacted hoof material to remove, such as overgrown bar or false sole. They take a melon ball shaped bite so they require skill and caution in use so as to not accidentally take too much material. Bonsai Nippers: Similar to small half rounds, these nippers were designed for trimming bonsai trees. They also take a rounded bite but are smaller and less expensive than half rounds. They can be used for cleaning up hard or difficult to reach frog and bar material. Compound Nippers: The compound leverage to these heavy duty nippers means the pressure at the biting surface is roughly 20 times what you are applying to the handles. This can be useful on big, hard feet such as drafts or severely overgrown feet. Compound nippers are very heavy and stiff to open, so they are not recommended for daily / standard trimming use.
Optional Tools Nipper Springs Nipper springs are small metal springs made by W Brand that you can apply to most nippers and half rounds. They enable you to nip one handed by opening the nipper head for you between bites. (You can also learn to chop stick the nippers to nip one handed). One handed nipping can be very helpful when trimming young, imbalanced or injured horses that cannot balance or hold their hooves up for very long or cannot tolerate the farrier hold.
Optional Tools Power Tools Angle grinders and other power tools can be invaluable for trimming hard and overgrown feet. We recommend that you master the use of hand tools before learning to use power tools, as there will be certain horses and situations which will require hand tools. A power tool clinic is offered as an elective clinic in our training program. For tools, visit: www.softtouchnaturalhoofcare.com
Where to buy your tools Many of the required trimming tools can be purchased from your local farrier supply. This way you can touch, feel and see exactly what you are purchasing, and you can often get a little local knowledge from the shop owners as to best selling items. Buying locally if possible is convenient and supports your local economy! However once you are confident in what you wish to purchase, you may be able to save money by purchasing products on-line. Popular sites include: www.shop.nc-toolco.com www.centaurforge.com www.washoevalleyfarriersupply.com Save Edge brand rasps and Hoof Jacks are available at a discount if you are an EasyCare dealer. Gloves can be purchased from most garden supply or hardware stores, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
Thank you for joining This presentation written & designed by Sossity Gargiulo & Asa Stephens