Getting Started

When selecting tools, choose those of good quality. They will provide superior service in terms of use and longevity. It is a rare feed store or tack shop that carries quality tools. Your best bet is to contact a farrier supply and order good quality tools from them. We will include a short list of our favorite tools in an appendix.

You literally need only a few tools to get started. Before I began, I paid a farrier to pull the shoes and do a pasture trim on my guys. This way I didn’t even need nippers. The only tools that I used in the very beginning were a right-handed knife, a sharp rasp, and gloves. Honestly, a hoof stand should be included on this list. I was OK for a short while without a stand, but I quickly found that I needed a stand to properly finish the foot.

If you want to start with only the minimum of expense, you can get by with only one knife. I used only the right handed knife for over a year. It may actually be easier to learn to use one knife first.

You will need a knife sharpener. There are many, many types, and you may need to try a few. Luckily they are inexpensive. Sharpening knives seems to be a totally individual task. Experimenting with different techniques is the only advice we can give. www.barefoothorse.com has excellent pictures showing how to sharpen a knife.

A good rasp is another necessity. I remember being surprised that I had to replace my rasp after a few months. It had never dawned on me that they wore out.

A hoof stand is strongly recommended. I didn’t have a stand for a few months, and it made trimming very hard. Make or buy one, but please don’t buy a cheap tripod stand. They are dangerous and a nightmare to work with. Whatever you use should have a wide, stable base.

Gloves are very, very important! Please wear them. We have found the rubberized gardening gloves help grasp the tools better. In the beginning, my hands were not strong enough to work in the leather gloves. The tools would slip when I wore leather, the rubber was a blessing.

Ruth has always stood while trimming, but I actually sat on a stool in the beginning. I had a small step stool that I used until I moved up to the fancy $20 mechanics stool that I got from Walmart. We recommend that you experiment with different positions.

Nippers are a real luxury. They make trimming easier, but you don’t have to use them. Everything that we show you can be done with a rasp.

Chaps are another luxury. I lasted two and a half years without a pair, but I would never go without again!

Must-Have Tools

Sharp hoof knife
Sharp rasp
knife shapener
Gloves

Recommended Tools

Hoof stand (NOT a cheap tripod stand - a wide, stable base)
Nippers
Chaps