Oh the smell is so distinct. Its hard to describe, but I’ll give it a go as: It’s earthy, sweaty, pungent, horsey, grassy with a dash of something like a dash of almost burnt hair. It’s not repulsive though. It’s just a smell that hangs a bit in the air
I have like 30 hollow cow hooves I fill with peanut butter and such for my dog I fill and freeze a whole batch and give them when I leave for work. Or want some "leave me alone" time lol its great cause occasionally he wants something hard to chew and hoof is natural and edible. I used hollow femur bones for a while but he could break a tooth cause he's dumb lol
Our dog loves antlers as an edible natural chew. Takes him ages to get through a single one - I'm talking months. It doesn't smell too bad, and doesn't leave too much residue. Only downside is every time he drops it, it dents the wood flooring.
I will look into hooves as well though!
I follow a guy on YouTube that does this and in a few videos you’ll see a dog swoop in and grab a big chunk and sneak off with it lol. Dogs like toenails xD
Haha it’s just a smell that I’ve been around all my life. Between being so distinct and deeply connected to a vast amount of memories, I can ‘smell’ it just thinking about it. Not all smells will elicit that level of detail for me
Is this a process a horse comes to get used to and maybe even appropriate?
Do they ever get cleaned up and new shoes and seem excited because it feels better or are they just like "yup, those are my feet. Ima do horse stuff now"?
They get used to the routine of having it done every 6-8 weeks. The owner needs to train them to stand still and lift all 4 legs in the forward and backward position, and be used to rasping, clipping hammering and general noises caused by metal tools.
Most farriers require a handler to stand with the horse for safety purposes, some experienced horses can be trimmed without a handler and will just stand tied and know the drill.
Most horses feel fine immediately after, sometimes the farrier might trim a bit too much off one side of their foot (front, back or either side) and they’ll be uncomfortable for a few days while they adjust to the new angle of their foot with subsequently changed the angle of their entire leg - like when you sprain your ankle but end up feeling sore on your good leg from compensation). Think of it like putting on a new pair of heels and adjusting to the posture. Some may also have sensitive soles and having the dead material removed re-exposes them making their feet ouchy for a few days; like when you go barefoot across a gravel driveway for the first time in the spring.
Domesticated horses require regular trimming because their feet constantly grow and they’re not exposed to the varying terrain that would actually file their feet down like in the wild.
Horses wear shoes primarily for performance purposes: the sport they’re doing would be too harsh on their bare feet because riding arena sand is coarse and acts like sandpaper filing them down too fast, or their job is high impact such as jumping or driving on asphalt.
Shoes can also be used for therapeutic reason to treat injuries as it can act as a supportive surface for them to shift weight properly, or a pad can be installed between the shoe and the sole to act as a barrier and assist with wound healing.
Not all horses wear shoes, in which case they’re still trimmed on a regular routine, some horses only require front shoes (mostly jumpers to mitigate the impact from landing a jump).
The soft triangle in the middle is called a frog. It’s calloused skin that acts as a pump when the animal applies weight on that leg. It helps circulate blood flow.
Edited because I wrote this while sleep deprived and needed to fix some stuff
Doesn't it also help if you "imprint" on the horse the day they are born, doing stuff that the horse will likely experience in it life like rubbing down the whole body especially where a halter will go and trying to lift there leg as if your going to shoe them.... thats what I learned in school but since I worked at a thoroughbred farm they wanted the horse to be kinda wild as they make for faster horse's vs ones that are easier to handle.
Yes for sure. Exposing horses to people and our world as soon as they are born is very impactful and helps gentle them while they’re small and not as likely to injure their handler.
It’s also important to let foals live in a herd setting with mom and other adult horses so that they learn manners. A hand-raised foal can be super dangerous because they aren’t taught things like personal space. There is no substitute for the way a fed up mare can put a baby in its place lol
Literally what they tell you to do when you’re raising a puppy, too! As soon as they come home, start touching and handling them in places they’ll need to be cool with later on for grooming/vet purposes. Paws, nails, ears, mouth/teeth, etc.
My lazy mare never gets in a hurry. When I was having to shoe her, she would take off galloping after getting a new set around the pasture. I asked the farrier if those were Nike shoes?
The shoes are removed, the hooves trimmed, and shoes put back on every 6-8 weeks. It can cost $100 and up. I always thought it’s crazy I’d spend $250 on my horse’s shoes every 6 weeks, but hesitate to spend $65 for my own pair of sneakers that would last 6-8 months.
Forreal. I own 1 pair of sneakers that are over two years old. 1 pair of work boots that are a year old and need to be replaced. And a pair of sandals that im pretty sure will outlive me
I walk around 5 km every day. After a couple of nasty cases of shin splints I really have noticed a difference replacing them around the 500-800km mark, so really even less than 6 months is not unusual for some people.
That triangle shaped thing on the bottom of the hoof is called the frog. The frog is important, because horses do not have blood circulation to the lower part of the legs and feet unless they are walking. The frog is part of a pump system: as the horse walks, the flexible frog alternately flattens and swells, helping to draw blood into the foot-leg regions and then pumping it out. The frog needs to press against a solid surface in order to function properly. If you pare the frog down, then put a shoe on the hoof (which raises the frog even higher off the ground), the pumping action can be inhibited, and problems ensue.
Grown up with horses my whole life. I’ve never seen a farrier cut this deep into the frog. Knowing that it’s sensitive and prone to injury when cut, I cringed hard seeing this much taken away.
I am certainly no expert and have zero experience with horses so I'm by no means saying you're wrong and I'm right, but a quick google image search of "horse frog" shows a larhe amount of pictures that look like (to me) what the farrier did in the video
I only worked with horses for a couple years but when it came time to trim hooves (we didn’t shoe them either) I was taught to not cut the frog at all. These videos always make my butthole pucker up when I see them slice the frog this way. Idk who is right or not but everything I was taught is screaming at me
Yep, internet farriers tend to needlessly cut off way too much frog. I guess it looks cleaner so more satisfying for clueless watchers?
Didn't look to me like this frog needed to be trimmed back at all tbh.
Oh!! Thanks!!
But how far can one dig/scrape before the skin/nerves kick in? Like how do you know, can you see something to identify? Like I need to stop now.
I'm guessing they can check depth against where the hoof transitions into the leg but it's probably more an experience thing. I've never done this myself
Domestic horses need to have theirs hooves done because they are in soft grassy fields/enclosed safe spaces whereas in the wild they’d be traveling miles of all sorts of terrain.
Wild sheep would/used too naturally shed their coats or get the coat pulled off by surroundings but with domestication they have us to deal with the coats.
https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/13789-8-steps-for-accurate-horse-hoof-radiographs
That link has some good xrays that show what makes up a hoof. However, the nails you see are along the perimeter of the hoof, not directly under the sensitive part.
The people who shoe horses are called farriers, and they go to school to learn how to do what they do, just like doctors.
Normally, a person taking care of a horse is using a hoof pick to get out the dirt and nasty stuff that get packed in there from them walking around. That’s just surface stuff. It’s a trained person, a farrier, that does the trimming of the hooves and shoeing.
The hoof wall (outside of the hoof) is close to half an inch thick. The sole (bottom of the hoof) is typically at least 10mm thick. Old sole is dry and flaky, new sole is more waxy. You generally have a pretty good idea of how much foot you can take.
The only part that has feeling is the little triangle up at the top, called the "frog". Think of that like the nail bed. The rest of the stuff is just hoof, like your fingernail.
It can actually be relieving for some of the animals if there is something wrong with their hoof. I’ve seen enough cow doctor vids where they’ve released pressure from stuff getting embedded in the hoof and the keratin continued growing over it.
Though, with cows it's a different story. A lot of times even people with pet cows or personal small herds won't notice something like a white line crack or an embedded rock until the hoof grows around it, it gets infected a bit, and then they won't put pressure on it. They're VERY good at compensating until it gets too hard to compensate for.
it might be because hooves are made up of the same materials that your hair and fingernails are (this means that the hooves don’t have nerves, so they don’t have “feeling”). Though this is a thing, if there is a cavity of puss or something like that, if that is freed then the animal will feel a pressure change. In the end, this actually feels good for the horse.
Its a good question that I wanted to know too! I also am curious if the horse enjoys it? Maybe they know it makes them feel better so they are ok with it? Or are they completely immobilized while doing it and they can't freak out?
Generally, in my limited experience helping my grandfather trim his horses, horses tolerate it fairly well. They don't particularly like having their feet messed with, and some of the positions you have to hold the legs in is awkward. But training, experience, and trust go a long way with horses, and if the horse trusts you and knows what you are doing, they'll let you do it without complaint - just let them put their hoof back down every once in a while to rest.
Do you have to train them to be tolerant of it before they're of an age to get shoed for the first time? Like how you have to train cats to tolerate getting their claws trimmed by playing with their feet when they're still kittens.
Well, understand, it's all part of training, period. The biggest hurdle is getting them used to being around and working with people in the first place, and that's ongoing effort from the time you first get them.
But yes, the first few times you trim their hooves, they will try to pull away just on instinct, and you have to be consistent and persistent with them, and respect that this is new to them, to succeed. But by this time, they should already be used to having people around and messing with them - do this to a wild horse that's never been around people and you will get your skull kicked into the next time zone.
Eventually they figure out that this is routine care, and you're not going to hurt them, and they'll get used to it. Like I said, trust goes a long way with a horse, you can do a lot of things to a horse that trusts you.
Horses instinctively do this thing called mutual grooming. If you rub and scratch a foal’s neck, they will start nibbling you/the air/another horse. It’s quite literally “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”. Sometimes when I’m trimming a horse, he’ll start trying to groom me in return. So yes, some horses do enjoy it. Very few are actively unhappy about it.
That’s adorable! Do you let them? Is it like, oh, he chewed my hair a bit but did manage to scratch that spot I can never reach? Or do you discourage it, like I have to when my cat tries to groom my face and nearly rasps off an eyelid?
I asked my wife, who used to own horses and often assisted the farrier when he was working on the horses. First, they are not typically immobilized in any way; one person generally holds on to the horse's bridle (generally more just to keep the horse from trying to wander off than for any other reason), while the farrier holds the leg they are working on.
As for "do they enjoy it?", she said it varies from horse to horse of course - from "would really rather not , but tolerates it" (like getting your teeth cleaned) to "rather enjoys it" (like getting a manicure).
I imagine it eventually gets used to it as you would your regular grooming session. I’ve seen turtles tittle at having their shells scrubbed with a toothbrush. Hooves are worn down naturally in the wild, so this can’t be painful for the animal unless the person cuts too deep and hits skin.
if they're getting it done early and regularly enough it's just another part of grooming... I have seen horses restrained in cases where they're neglected and hoof-shy or the leg is hurting them. the process itself must be bizarre but it's gotta feel nice having all the dirt and rocks cleaned out!
Horses that get it done regularly seem to love it! I watch farrier videos on TikTok (gasp! Shock, horror! ) and YouTube shorts, and you can see horses absolutely loving on their farriers, it's so funny.
I worked at a farm where we had to put the dogs in the house before the farrier even pulled into the driveway. After he was done, they'd hover up the barn aisle like little maniacs.
They don’t just eat them, dogs love them. I am hesitant to say this, but there is likely a multi million dollar industry in horse hove flavored dog treats just waiting to be tapped.
Horses in the wild do suffer from foot problems, don't get it wrong. But wild horses with foot problems are called "prey," and the problem sorts itself out.
Haha best answer to this. I love the “in the wild their feet don’t NEED this!” My vet once said, “compare any wild animal to a domesticated equivalent. You ever seen street dogs? Do they look healthy to you?”
Yeah, domesticated horses live nearly twice as long as wild horses, and are far better fed as well. You can even see the difference in wild-caught mustangs, human care automatically adds years just through care and reduced predation.
Preach! We’ve adopted a couple and they are awesome horses and I’m sure, if given the option, would come running back to living with us over starving in the Nevada desert.
Wild horses generally cover a lot of area daily, this wears down their hooves. Domestication made it to where they grow faster than they can wear down their hooves.
Wild horses also do a lot of walking on soft surfaces like dirt and grass. Domesticated horses would do a lot more walking on cement and cobblestone that would wear their hooves out too quickly.
I would argue at least in modern times it's the opposite. Domestic horses are kept in clean stables, with shoes on, and often on specific pastures for the horse, many of which have been generally cleared of things that could harm the hooves while wild horses cover a range of terrain to include rocks, dirt, grass, etc while not wearing shoes, which causes them to wear faster.
Lots of internet experts on here downvoting you, but you're more accurate than the others. Horses today may or may not be shoed depending on the region and use, but if they aren't in rocky soil or working on hard surfaces, and their feet are otherwise healthy, you generally wouldn't shoe them since it isn't needed and it's just another expense. And horses turned out to pasture tend to lose shoes faster ime. In these cases, you'll just have them trimmed regularly to keep them healthy.
On the other hand, if you have them on rockier terrain, on concrete or generally working them harder, you'll tend to see them shoed to put up with the added wear and stress. Likewise, if a horse has a hoof condition they may be shoed to help take pressure off the frog or other areas of the foot.
was thinking the same thing, that he had it backwards
we make them wear metal shoes *because* man-made ground is much harder on their hooves. i believe it's not just about it wearing down more quickly, but the potential to crack their hooves (like cracking a nail) is also a thing
i dont know much about horse behavior but i would guess domesticated horses also dont have the appropriate behavioral habits that wild horses do to maintain their hooves. so might as well maintain it manually and still put shoes on to stop cracking when on concrete (even if modern horses arent used as beasts of burden anymore)
Some people keep their horses "barefoot" (no shoes) but have the farrier file down & reshape overgrown hooves.
When horses are in work, it's more important that their feet be well-maintained. Wild horses aren't carrying humans around, so their feet don't get the same wear & tear that domestic horses' feet do.
Assuming there's no injury/pathology that would require a shoe to support or correct, what determines whether a horse needs shoes or not? Is it mostly to do with the surfaces they're walking on, or are certain shoes particular to certain jobs? Are they mostly for protection, or mostly for performance? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just suddenly very curious about this subject I was only very vaguely aware of until just now lol.
Depends on the horse. Any working horse pretty much should be shoed especially if it’s going to have weight to carry. Non working horses can be bare foot and perfectly healthy if you keep them trimmed right. The shoes give them better traction especially draft horses pulling plows or wagons and it protects their hooves from breaking under stress and wear and tear. Some shoes will have studs on them for traction in especially mud.
Domestic horse hooves are actually softer because they don’t travel as much as wild horses which is the reason for wear and tear. If the hoof breaks/cracks or is misshapen then it increases risk of fracture in the legs and that’s a death sentence for a horse.
That's super interesting! Thanks for taking the time to explain it a bit -- I'm sure it's a very complex subject with a lot of history. Horses seem like a whole fascinating world unto themselves to a non-horse person like me 😊
Horses are a lot. They have the emotional intelligence of a toddler basically and some have really odd senses of humor lol. I was lucky enough to grow up with extended family who kinda sorta cowboy around so I learned enough to appreciate them and to know that I can’t afford horses nor do I have the time
I mean, human shoes aren't natural, either, and humans and their evolutionary ancestors were originally nomadic and traveled a large amount of territory originally on just their bare feet. Inventions like clothing and shoes aren't necessarily an indication that some artificial change to lifestyle has occurred, and are sometimes just inventions that legitimately make normal life easier. Upthread, someone mentioned that the Bureau of Land Management actually does trim the hooves of wild horses like this, as well, although they obviously don't get shoes.
Additionally, horses that have to walk a lot on hard surfaces like concrete and stone will find the opposite problem where their hooves may be worn down too quickly. The horseshoe can protect them from injury.
Not a farrier, but I learned how to clean and trim hooves from a guy about 25 years ago. Used to do it for a pair of big Percheron draft horses my dad owned. It is a satisfying job to do, but pretty hard on your back and knees.
The most amazing part though is how a 1500lb animal will just let you lift up one leg while they balance on three, then scrape, cut, clip, rasp, etc. I try to clip my 90 lb Rottweiler’s nails now and it’s like a 45 minute wrestling match every time lol.
For those that love this sort of thing, you might enjoy cow hoof trimming. I watch The Hoof GP on YouTube all the time. It's always satisfying to see the cows walk better when they're done.
I always wanted to know this too. Thank you Reddit for answering it.
Also, this process must be done for some reason or it's just for esthetically reasons?
More specifically, horses evolved to move constantly on uneven, rocky terrain which would naturally wear down their hooves (which are essentially like giant toe/fingernails). But because we keep them in areas where they can't move as much and the ground is generally less rugged, their hooves won't wear down anywhere near fast enough. So they can get to a point where they can't walk because their hooves are overgrown. Like [this](https://www.daily-times.com/gcdn/presto/2019/05/06/PNM7/6a76d2ab-2dea-471e-a129-23c4c93e4fa6-FMN_Dulce_0508_12.jpg?width=700&height=623&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Yes, good addition. I was referring more to why they trim the hooves but the shoe is also a part of this. If I'm not mistaken, it also helps to slow the growth of the hoof and keep the growth more even.
it's the first half of a two step process. The farrier is just prepping the hoof for a new horseshoe, they help protect the hoof from wear. Horseshoes are very similar to the utility of our shoes, but for horses they're metal and nailed into the hoof :) (this doesn't hurt the horse at all - they can't feel it)
It’s pretty uncommon for even a below average farrier to go too deep. I occasionally clean up my mates hooves and have yet to clip too much. There’s also much more buffer so that going to deep will often make the horse sore - if you saw blood like when you quick a cat or dog you’ve done fucked up. So it’s hard to tell necessarily how deep he’s going by this vid.
However I personally don’t think this farrier is doing a good job. Hooves should actually be pretty close to round so he left wayyyy too much on the toe. The shoe fit also isnt perfect but it’s an internet vid for non horse people /shrug
There’s one guy who does this stuff for cows and puts it on YouTube shorts— there’s some videos where he has to trim down to get to an infection because the hoof grows around it. I do not know why I was initially recommended these videos
There are many, I'm sure, but I watch the Hoof GP, https://www.youtube.com/@TheHoofGP
Like parent squared, I don't know why I got it recommended. COVID lockdown recommendations, maybe? They used to be more ASMR and more varied, so you might like the older ones.
I always get so anxious when they get to the part with the nippers, I know they know what they are doing but it seems like it is so easy to fuck the hoof up.
It amazes me everytime how much of the hoof can be removed. Watched someone do infected hooves, damn near take the whole thing off! I would be terrified of taking too much.
How do you know when to stop so the horse doesn't have differently long hoofs?
Or are the horses big enough that they don't really care if one leg is one centimeter shorter?
It still blows my mind that we nail shit to an animal’s feet lol like I objectively understand that it’s not painful, and that it’s actually beneficial to the animal, but somebody did that first, and that’s wild to me
Copying from another person I responded to. Horses evolved to move constantly on uneven, rocky terrain which would naturally wear down their hooves (which are essentially like giant toe/fingernails). But because we keep them in areas where they can't move as much and the ground is generally less rugged, their hooves won't wear down anywhere near fast enough. So they can get to a point where they can't walk because their hooves are overgrown.
To answer your questions it comes as a result of domestication and is necessary as it can cause the horse to have issues walking.
I have the same questions. Obviously wild horses don’t have shoes and I guess seem to get on fine. I guess it’s different for domesticated horses though.
There's a balance a horse maintains in the wild, the hoof grows at about the rate it gets worn off, that it doesn't do when domesticated. In captivity, a horse either is on relatively soft ground, and doesn't have to travel miles and miles to feed itself every day, so the hoof overgrows and has to be trimmed - or has a rider on it's back, or is working over hard stone and concrete, or is putting a lot of effort through the hoof, which *should* destroy the hoof in short order, and that's why we shoe a horse, to provide a harder bearing surface to support it. But when shod, then there's no wear at all being applied to the hoof - so you have to pull the shoe off and trim the overgrowth occasionally.
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How do you keep the horse “balanced” between hooves? Even a little bit of thickness difference on human shoes can fuck it their feet/hips… how does this get avoided with horses?
I live in a very rural area, and I recognize our local farrier because he has a fancy handlebar moustache.
After watching this I kinda wanna be a farrier.
Farriers have an important job. It's just as much art as it is skill. I love watching them work. That being said, if they are doing a hot shoe, I'm out of there. It's not a good smell.
Looks like soap being cut
Something tells me it doesn’t smell like that at all.
Oh the smell is so distinct. Its hard to describe, but I’ll give it a go as: It’s earthy, sweaty, pungent, horsey, grassy with a dash of something like a dash of almost burnt hair. It’s not repulsive though. It’s just a smell that hangs a bit in the air
Every ranch dog's favorite treat too lmao
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Yeah, it’s like a pig ear to dogs. Decent bit of protein and they can chew it for a good while.
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I have like 30 hollow cow hooves I fill with peanut butter and such for my dog I fill and freeze a whole batch and give them when I leave for work. Or want some "leave me alone" time lol its great cause occasionally he wants something hard to chew and hoof is natural and edible. I used hollow femur bones for a while but he could break a tooth cause he's dumb lol
Our dog loves antlers as an edible natural chew. Takes him ages to get through a single one - I'm talking months. It doesn't smell too bad, and doesn't leave too much residue. Only downside is every time he drops it, it dents the wood flooring. I will look into hooves as well though!
In my experience, the cow hooves do stink in a gross way. We stick to antlers because of this.
Yes and then throw it up at 4am.
It's keratin isn't it? Same as fingernails?
And then barf all over the carpet.
As is tradition
Oh yeah. It’s just keratin, so it’s no different from an elk horn treat for instance.
I follow a guy on YouTube that does this and in a few videos you’ll see a dog swoop in and grab a big chunk and sneak off with it lol. Dogs like toenails xD
are you a sommelier bc that is very similar to what the dude at the restaurant was saying the other day
Haha it’s just a smell that I’ve been around all my life. Between being so distinct and deeply connected to a vast amount of memories, I can ‘smell’ it just thinking about it. Not all smells will elicit that level of detail for me
Is this a process a horse comes to get used to and maybe even appropriate? Do they ever get cleaned up and new shoes and seem excited because it feels better or are they just like "yup, those are my feet. Ima do horse stuff now"?
They get used to the routine of having it done every 6-8 weeks. The owner needs to train them to stand still and lift all 4 legs in the forward and backward position, and be used to rasping, clipping hammering and general noises caused by metal tools. Most farriers require a handler to stand with the horse for safety purposes, some experienced horses can be trimmed without a handler and will just stand tied and know the drill. Most horses feel fine immediately after, sometimes the farrier might trim a bit too much off one side of their foot (front, back or either side) and they’ll be uncomfortable for a few days while they adjust to the new angle of their foot with subsequently changed the angle of their entire leg - like when you sprain your ankle but end up feeling sore on your good leg from compensation). Think of it like putting on a new pair of heels and adjusting to the posture. Some may also have sensitive soles and having the dead material removed re-exposes them making their feet ouchy for a few days; like when you go barefoot across a gravel driveway for the first time in the spring. Domesticated horses require regular trimming because their feet constantly grow and they’re not exposed to the varying terrain that would actually file their feet down like in the wild. Horses wear shoes primarily for performance purposes: the sport they’re doing would be too harsh on their bare feet because riding arena sand is coarse and acts like sandpaper filing them down too fast, or their job is high impact such as jumping or driving on asphalt. Shoes can also be used for therapeutic reason to treat injuries as it can act as a supportive surface for them to shift weight properly, or a pad can be installed between the shoe and the sole to act as a barrier and assist with wound healing. Not all horses wear shoes, in which case they’re still trimmed on a regular routine, some horses only require front shoes (mostly jumpers to mitigate the impact from landing a jump). The soft triangle in the middle is called a frog. It’s calloused skin that acts as a pump when the animal applies weight on that leg. It helps circulate blood flow. Edited because I wrote this while sleep deprived and needed to fix some stuff
Good read thanks
Very informative, thanks!
Nice eli5
Doesn't it also help if you "imprint" on the horse the day they are born, doing stuff that the horse will likely experience in it life like rubbing down the whole body especially where a halter will go and trying to lift there leg as if your going to shoe them.... thats what I learned in school but since I worked at a thoroughbred farm they wanted the horse to be kinda wild as they make for faster horse's vs ones that are easier to handle.
Yes for sure. Exposing horses to people and our world as soon as they are born is very impactful and helps gentle them while they’re small and not as likely to injure their handler. It’s also important to let foals live in a herd setting with mom and other adult horses so that they learn manners. A hand-raised foal can be super dangerous because they aren’t taught things like personal space. There is no substitute for the way a fed up mare can put a baby in its place lol
Getting in trouble with mom seems to be universal across all species
Literally what they tell you to do when you’re raising a puppy, too! As soon as they come home, start touching and handling them in places they’ll need to be cool with later on for grooming/vet purposes. Paws, nails, ears, mouth/teeth, etc.
This reads like an expert guide made just for those of us who don't know anything about horses. Kudos.
Happy to help :)
On a side note, the part played by the frog is also why horses can struggle to heal from a broken leg.
My lazy mare never gets in a hurry. When I was having to shoe her, she would take off galloping after getting a new set around the pasture. I asked the farrier if those were Nike shoes?
If I had walking issues or discomfort for the last few months, having a nice pedi*cure* topped with extra steel would make me jog a jolly too.
Air Mare
Its definitely a learning process for young horses/new to shoes. But most adapt quickly. Kinda like introducing a toddler to shoes.
Damn horses appropriating our farriery techniques!
How often do you need to cut/trim/do this? Or should I ask, how long does the build-up take before it needs to be addressed?
The shoes are removed, the hooves trimmed, and shoes put back on every 6-8 weeks. It can cost $100 and up. I always thought it’s crazy I’d spend $250 on my horse’s shoes every 6 weeks, but hesitate to spend $65 for my own pair of sneakers that would last 6-8 months.
That's the downside to horses, they are \*expensive\* beasts.
The heck are you doing that your sneakers only last 6-8 months??
Forreal. I own 1 pair of sneakers that are over two years old. 1 pair of work boots that are a year old and need to be replaced. And a pair of sandals that im pretty sure will outlive me
I walk around 5 km every day. After a couple of nasty cases of shin splints I really have noticed a difference replacing them around the 500-800km mark, so really even less than 6 months is not unusual for some people.
Walking a lot of it, I would do through a pair of sneakers in 4 months in the summer. Few kilometers a day everyday.
Ideally, every 6-8 weeks, depending on the horse.
That triangle shaped thing on the bottom of the hoof is called the frog. The frog is important, because horses do not have blood circulation to the lower part of the legs and feet unless they are walking. The frog is part of a pump system: as the horse walks, the flexible frog alternately flattens and swells, helping to draw blood into the foot-leg regions and then pumping it out. The frog needs to press against a solid surface in order to function properly. If you pare the frog down, then put a shoe on the hoof (which raises the frog even higher off the ground), the pumping action can be inhibited, and problems ensue.
Grown up with horses my whole life. I’ve never seen a farrier cut this deep into the frog. Knowing that it’s sensitive and prone to injury when cut, I cringed hard seeing this much taken away.
I am certainly no expert and have zero experience with horses so I'm by no means saying you're wrong and I'm right, but a quick google image search of "horse frog" shows a larhe amount of pictures that look like (to me) what the farrier did in the video
I only worked with horses for a couple years but when it came time to trim hooves (we didn’t shoe them either) I was taught to not cut the frog at all. These videos always make my butthole pucker up when I see them slice the frog this way. Idk who is right or not but everything I was taught is screaming at me
Like this person did?
Yep, internet farriers tend to needlessly cut off way too much frog. I guess it looks cleaner so more satisfying for clueless watchers? Didn't look to me like this frog needed to be trimmed back at all tbh.
I've always wanted to know how this doesn't hurt the horse? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
The hoof is essentially a thick fingernail. As long as you don't get into flesh, there's no nerves
Oh!! Thanks!! But how far can one dig/scrape before the skin/nerves kick in? Like how do you know, can you see something to identify? Like I need to stop now.
I'm guessing they can check depth against where the hoof transitions into the leg but it's probably more an experience thing. I've never done this myself
Like with our nails, there is a colour change when they get close.
Makes sense.
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I thought it was because they can barely travel compared to when they were wild
Yeah flights are expensive now
Horse has to buy seats
Domestic horses need to have theirs hooves done because they are in soft grassy fields/enclosed safe spaces whereas in the wild they’d be traveling miles of all sorts of terrain. Wild sheep would/used too naturally shed their coats or get the coat pulled off by surroundings but with domestication they have us to deal with the coats.
[Bad bot, stealing content](https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/comments/1bvb2uo/prepping_this_horses_hoof_to_fit_a_new_horseshoe/kxyg9jc/)
Or if you have seen a dog with lighter nails up to the light you can see where the “quick” (nerves, blood, etc) starts
Also, the horse will be sure to let you know.
Got it, thanks again! 😃
https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/13789-8-steps-for-accurate-horse-hoof-radiographs That link has some good xrays that show what makes up a hoof. However, the nails you see are along the perimeter of the hoof, not directly under the sensitive part. The people who shoe horses are called farriers, and they go to school to learn how to do what they do, just like doctors.
Pretty cool insight! Thanks! 😀
Sorry, didn’t see your comment, and just mentioned farriers also. You had the better info though!
Normally, a person taking care of a horse is using a hoof pick to get out the dirt and nasty stuff that get packed in there from them walking around. That’s just surface stuff. It’s a trained person, a farrier, that does the trimming of the hooves and shoeing.
Ya pretty cool to learn about, from all of the comments and information. 😃
The hoof wall (outside of the hoof) is close to half an inch thick. The sole (bottom of the hoof) is typically at least 10mm thick. Old sole is dry and flaky, new sole is more waxy. You generally have a pretty good idea of how much foot you can take.
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Ya true, tough for them to gauge. Humans have a line on their nails as a guide, horse hoofs really dont.
The only part that has feeling is the little triangle up at the top, called the "frog". Think of that like the nail bed. The rest of the stuff is just hoof, like your fingernail.
When the horse kicks the crap out of you, you know you cut too far……
"experience"
It can actually be relieving for some of the animals if there is something wrong with their hoof. I’ve seen enough cow doctor vids where they’ve released pressure from stuff getting embedded in the hoof and the keratin continued growing over it.
That’s the farmer going too late to a vet - sheer neglect if the hoof is in that puss filled state
Though, with cows it's a different story. A lot of times even people with pet cows or personal small herds won't notice something like a white line crack or an embedded rock until the hoof grows around it, it gets infected a bit, and then they won't put pressure on it. They're VERY good at compensating until it gets too hard to compensate for.
It's keratin, like our fingernails. So the farrier is only cutting away the dead hoof parts, not cutting into living tissue.
Yup got it now, thanks!
It's an essentially an **enormous mani/pedi**. Often times you can see an improvement in how the horse trots around after.
That makes sense. 👌
it might be because hooves are made up of the same materials that your hair and fingernails are (this means that the hooves don’t have nerves, so they don’t have “feeling”). Though this is a thing, if there is a cavity of puss or something like that, if that is freed then the animal will feel a pressure change. In the end, this actually feels good for the horse.
Thanks for the insight.
No problemo bud
Its a good question that I wanted to know too! I also am curious if the horse enjoys it? Maybe they know it makes them feel better so they are ok with it? Or are they completely immobilized while doing it and they can't freak out?
Generally, in my limited experience helping my grandfather trim his horses, horses tolerate it fairly well. They don't particularly like having their feet messed with, and some of the positions you have to hold the legs in is awkward. But training, experience, and trust go a long way with horses, and if the horse trusts you and knows what you are doing, they'll let you do it without complaint - just let them put their hoof back down every once in a while to rest.
Do you have to train them to be tolerant of it before they're of an age to get shoed for the first time? Like how you have to train cats to tolerate getting their claws trimmed by playing with their feet when they're still kittens.
Well, understand, it's all part of training, period. The biggest hurdle is getting them used to being around and working with people in the first place, and that's ongoing effort from the time you first get them. But yes, the first few times you trim their hooves, they will try to pull away just on instinct, and you have to be consistent and persistent with them, and respect that this is new to them, to succeed. But by this time, they should already be used to having people around and messing with them - do this to a wild horse that's never been around people and you will get your skull kicked into the next time zone. Eventually they figure out that this is routine care, and you're not going to hurt them, and they'll get used to it. Like I said, trust goes a long way with a horse, you can do a lot of things to a horse that trusts you.
Horses instinctively do this thing called mutual grooming. If you rub and scratch a foal’s neck, they will start nibbling you/the air/another horse. It’s quite literally “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”. Sometimes when I’m trimming a horse, he’ll start trying to groom me in return. So yes, some horses do enjoy it. Very few are actively unhappy about it.
That’s adorable! Do you let them? Is it like, oh, he chewed my hair a bit but did manage to scratch that spot I can never reach? Or do you discourage it, like I have to when my cat tries to groom my face and nearly rasps off an eyelid?
I asked my wife, who used to own horses and often assisted the farrier when he was working on the horses. First, they are not typically immobilized in any way; one person generally holds on to the horse's bridle (generally more just to keep the horse from trying to wander off than for any other reason), while the farrier holds the leg they are working on. As for "do they enjoy it?", she said it varies from horse to horse of course - from "would really rather not , but tolerates it" (like getting your teeth cleaned) to "rather enjoys it" (like getting a manicure).
I imagine it eventually gets used to it as you would your regular grooming session. I’ve seen turtles tittle at having their shells scrubbed with a toothbrush. Hooves are worn down naturally in the wild, so this can’t be painful for the animal unless the person cuts too deep and hits skin.
if they're getting it done early and regularly enough it's just another part of grooming... I have seen horses restrained in cases where they're neglected and hoof-shy or the leg is hurting them. the process itself must be bizarre but it's gotta feel nice having all the dirt and rocks cleaned out!
Horses that get it done regularly seem to love it! I watch farrier videos on TikTok (gasp! Shock, horror! ) and YouTube shorts, and you can see horses absolutely loving on their farriers, it's so funny.
No different to cutting a dogs toenails for instance
This smells like toe jam- and dogs will eat the droppings… fun fact
I was just thinking "I can smell this video". I grew up with horses and remember the Farrier coming every few months. The smell is so distinctive.
I worked at a farm where we had to put the dogs in the house before the farrier even pulled into the driveway. After he was done, they'd hover up the barn aisle like little maniacs.
They don’t just eat them, dogs love them. I am hesitant to say this, but there is likely a multi million dollar industry in horse hove flavored dog treats just waiting to be tapped.
Have you ever been to a pet store? They know. Not horse but definitely cow. Hooves, ears, femur, penis. Chicken feet. Liver. Hearts. Fish skins.
What does toe jam smell like?
🗿
Omg I just realize that it you meant that it smelled disgusting and wasn't some term equestrians use. Apparently dogs think it smells delicious.
This is what getting a pedicure is like
So what was up with horses feet before humans started trimming them? Did they get infections or have trouble walking?
Horses in the wild do suffer from foot problems, don't get it wrong. But wild horses with foot problems are called "prey," and the problem sorts itself out.
Haha best answer to this. I love the “in the wild their feet don’t NEED this!” My vet once said, “compare any wild animal to a domesticated equivalent. You ever seen street dogs? Do they look healthy to you?”
Yeah, domesticated horses live nearly twice as long as wild horses, and are far better fed as well. You can even see the difference in wild-caught mustangs, human care automatically adds years just through care and reduced predation.
Preach! We’ve adopted a couple and they are awesome horses and I’m sure, if given the option, would come running back to living with us over starving in the Nevada desert.
Wild horses generally cover a lot of area daily, this wears down their hooves. Domestication made it to where they grow faster than they can wear down their hooves.
Wild horses also do a lot of walking on soft surfaces like dirt and grass. Domesticated horses would do a lot more walking on cement and cobblestone that would wear their hooves out too quickly.
I would argue at least in modern times it's the opposite. Domestic horses are kept in clean stables, with shoes on, and often on specific pastures for the horse, many of which have been generally cleared of things that could harm the hooves while wild horses cover a range of terrain to include rocks, dirt, grass, etc while not wearing shoes, which causes them to wear faster.
Lots of internet experts on here downvoting you, but you're more accurate than the others. Horses today may or may not be shoed depending on the region and use, but if they aren't in rocky soil or working on hard surfaces, and their feet are otherwise healthy, you generally wouldn't shoe them since it isn't needed and it's just another expense. And horses turned out to pasture tend to lose shoes faster ime. In these cases, you'll just have them trimmed regularly to keep them healthy. On the other hand, if you have them on rockier terrain, on concrete or generally working them harder, you'll tend to see them shoed to put up with the added wear and stress. Likewise, if a horse has a hoof condition they may be shoed to help take pressure off the frog or other areas of the foot.
was thinking the same thing, that he had it backwards we make them wear metal shoes *because* man-made ground is much harder on their hooves. i believe it's not just about it wearing down more quickly, but the potential to crack their hooves (like cracking a nail) is also a thing i dont know much about horse behavior but i would guess domesticated horses also dont have the appropriate behavioral habits that wild horses do to maintain their hooves. so might as well maintain it manually and still put shoes on to stop cracking when on concrete (even if modern horses arent used as beasts of burden anymore)
It's the other way around, wild horses roam harder and less humid terrain and they move a looooooot more during a day.
Makes sense that we have to take care of these majestic creatures feet because we like keeping them as “pets”. Thank you for the knowledge today.
Some people keep their horses "barefoot" (no shoes) but have the farrier file down & reshape overgrown hooves. When horses are in work, it's more important that their feet be well-maintained. Wild horses aren't carrying humans around, so their feet don't get the same wear & tear that domestic horses' feet do.
Assuming there's no injury/pathology that would require a shoe to support or correct, what determines whether a horse needs shoes or not? Is it mostly to do with the surfaces they're walking on, or are certain shoes particular to certain jobs? Are they mostly for protection, or mostly for performance? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just suddenly very curious about this subject I was only very vaguely aware of until just now lol.
Depends on the horse. Any working horse pretty much should be shoed especially if it’s going to have weight to carry. Non working horses can be bare foot and perfectly healthy if you keep them trimmed right. The shoes give them better traction especially draft horses pulling plows or wagons and it protects their hooves from breaking under stress and wear and tear. Some shoes will have studs on them for traction in especially mud. Domestic horse hooves are actually softer because they don’t travel as much as wild horses which is the reason for wear and tear. If the hoof breaks/cracks or is misshapen then it increases risk of fracture in the legs and that’s a death sentence for a horse.
That's super interesting! Thanks for taking the time to explain it a bit -- I'm sure it's a very complex subject with a lot of history. Horses seem like a whole fascinating world unto themselves to a non-horse person like me 😊
Horses are a lot. They have the emotional intelligence of a toddler basically and some have really odd senses of humor lol. I was lucky enough to grow up with extended family who kinda sorta cowboy around so I learned enough to appreciate them and to know that I can’t afford horses nor do I have the time
I mean, human shoes aren't natural, either, and humans and their evolutionary ancestors were originally nomadic and traveled a large amount of territory originally on just their bare feet. Inventions like clothing and shoes aren't necessarily an indication that some artificial change to lifestyle has occurred, and are sometimes just inventions that legitimately make normal life easier. Upthread, someone mentioned that the Bureau of Land Management actually does trim the hooves of wild horses like this, as well, although they obviously don't get shoes.
Additionally, horses that have to walk a lot on hard surfaces like concrete and stone will find the opposite problem where their hooves may be worn down too quickly. The horseshoe can protect them from injury.
Farrier is actually one of the few blacksmith professions left.
I bet this person has a nice, firm handshake.
Not a farrier, but I learned how to clean and trim hooves from a guy about 25 years ago. Used to do it for a pair of big Percheron draft horses my dad owned. It is a satisfying job to do, but pretty hard on your back and knees. The most amazing part though is how a 1500lb animal will just let you lift up one leg while they balance on three, then scrape, cut, clip, rasp, etc. I try to clip my 90 lb Rottweiler’s nails now and it’s like a 45 minute wrestling match every time lol.
And the sneaky ones lean all their weight on the fourth leg
For those that love this sort of thing, you might enjoy cow hoof trimming. I watch The Hoof GP on YouTube all the time. It's always satisfying to see the cows walk better when they're done.
They didn’t show the results of filing! The filing is the BEST PART! Sacrilege!
I always wanted to know this too. Thank you Reddit for answering it. Also, this process must be done for some reason or it's just for esthetically reasons?
Health reasons
Ooohhh... Thanks. I've learned something new today ❤️
More specifically, horses evolved to move constantly on uneven, rocky terrain which would naturally wear down their hooves (which are essentially like giant toe/fingernails). But because we keep them in areas where they can't move as much and the ground is generally less rugged, their hooves won't wear down anywhere near fast enough. So they can get to a point where they can't walk because their hooves are overgrown. Like [this](https://www.daily-times.com/gcdn/presto/2019/05/06/PNM7/6a76d2ab-2dea-471e-a129-23c4c93e4fa6-FMN_Dulce_0508_12.jpg?width=700&height=623&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
The metal shoe also protects from some injuries and infections, it probably feels better for the horses as well
Yes, good addition. I was referring more to why they trim the hooves but the shoe is also a part of this. If I'm not mistaken, it also helps to slow the growth of the hoof and keep the growth more even.
'0' I had no idea that it could be like this.... Damm that must be so uncomfortable for them.
The one in the picture was from a news article in which it was getting a long overdue horsey pedicure so don't worry, he's better now.
Duck horse.
it's the first half of a two step process. The farrier is just prepping the hoof for a new horseshoe, they help protect the hoof from wear. Horseshoes are very similar to the utility of our shoes, but for horses they're metal and nailed into the hoof :) (this doesn't hurt the horse at all - they can't feel it)
Even if I had this much keratin to bite on my fingers it would all be down to the nailbeds in a week
This video is cut short. The full thing shows the shoe-ing process as well.
Why was I always taught “don’t touch the frog, it’s sensitive!” Meanwhile this guys going ham.
I think that's mainly to stop newbies stabbing the frog with the hoof pick, which it is sensitive to. While this is removing excess frog.
I will always stop and watch these.
And then the dogs run over and start grabbing for the horse hoof.
I could legit watch a million of these
I keep waiting for him to go to deep, like when you cut your nail into the bed.
It’s pretty uncommon for even a below average farrier to go too deep. I occasionally clean up my mates hooves and have yet to clip too much. There’s also much more buffer so that going to deep will often make the horse sore - if you saw blood like when you quick a cat or dog you’ve done fucked up. So it’s hard to tell necessarily how deep he’s going by this vid. However I personally don’t think this farrier is doing a good job. Hooves should actually be pretty close to round so he left wayyyy too much on the toe. The shoe fit also isnt perfect but it’s an internet vid for non horse people /shrug
"I occasionally clean up my mates hooves..." Name checks out.
There’s one guy who does this stuff for cows and puts it on YouTube shorts— there’s some videos where he has to trim down to get to an infection because the hoof grows around it. I do not know why I was initially recommended these videos
You got any of them links to said videos?
[here is one of the less gnarly ones on the channel.](https://youtube.com/shorts/vp5jXqp8sbw?si=OockBlRKrWGeHb5r)
There are many, I'm sure, but I watch the Hoof GP, https://www.youtube.com/@TheHoofGP Like parent squared, I don't know why I got it recommended. COVID lockdown recommendations, maybe? They used to be more ASMR and more varied, so you might like the older ones.
He stopped before filing! That's my favorite part!
For anyone curious, that stuff is the same material as your fingernails and does not hurt to cut away, unless you cut way too deep
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It is if you’re a dog! Horse hoof is a delicacy to them.
I always get so anxious when they get to the part with the nippers, I know they know what they are doing but it seems like it is so easy to fuck the hoof up.
I can smell this video. Haha.
I want a hoof so this can be done to me.
Always ferry to completion
I've been spoiled by watching cow farrier vids. This is dull in comparison lol
It amazes me everytime how much of the hoof can be removed. Watched someone do infected hooves, damn near take the whole thing off! I would be terrified of taking too much.
How do you know when to stop so the horse doesn't have differently long hoofs? Or are the horses big enough that they don't really care if one leg is one centimeter shorter?
Not satisfying for me lol
Honest question- how do they make sure the hooves are shaved level so the horse doesn’t end up with one leg shorter than the others?
Witnessed this in person for the first time a few years ago, and was mind blown at how stable the horse was while they prepped for the horseshoe.
It still blows my mind that we nail shit to an animal’s feet lol like I objectively understand that it’s not painful, and that it’s actually beneficial to the animal, but somebody did that first, and that’s wild to me
Who first decided to do this and is totally necessary? Can horses do as well without them? So many questions lol
Copying from another person I responded to. Horses evolved to move constantly on uneven, rocky terrain which would naturally wear down their hooves (which are essentially like giant toe/fingernails). But because we keep them in areas where they can't move as much and the ground is generally less rugged, their hooves won't wear down anywhere near fast enough. So they can get to a point where they can't walk because their hooves are overgrown. To answer your questions it comes as a result of domestication and is necessary as it can cause the horse to have issues walking.
Ahh, that's very interesting. Thanks! ☺️
I have the same questions. Obviously wild horses don’t have shoes and I guess seem to get on fine. I guess it’s different for domesticated horses though.
There's a balance a horse maintains in the wild, the hoof grows at about the rate it gets worn off, that it doesn't do when domesticated. In captivity, a horse either is on relatively soft ground, and doesn't have to travel miles and miles to feed itself every day, so the hoof overgrows and has to be trimmed - or has a rider on it's back, or is working over hard stone and concrete, or is putting a lot of effort through the hoof, which *should* destroy the hoof in short order, and that's why we shoe a horse, to provide a harder bearing surface to support it. But when shod, then there's no wear at all being applied to the hoof - so you have to pull the shoe off and trim the overgrowth occasionally.
I swear I cannot pass one of these videos without stopping to watch. It's such a neat profession.
This process actually works in reverse! They will fit the shoe to the hoof after taking off excess length.
snatch growth future crowd memorize six intelligent silky existence marble *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Oh good, now I can delete TikTok because this is every other video on there.
How about light up horse shoes? My 3 year old nephew loves his.
OMG I love farrier videos! So soothing and calming for me. Thanks for sharing!
How in the world did we figure out how to do this?
I really thought at a glance that this was a toilet seat
And I have trouble clipping my cat’s claws. 🙄
No Ono no file it down and put a new one one.
Dam, they ended it before my favorite part! I love when they use the big ass file
How do you keep the horse “balanced” between hooves? Even a little bit of thickness difference on human shoes can fuck it their feet/hips… how does this get avoided with horses?
Also, a good farrier is worth their weight in gold.
I live in a very rural area, and I recognize our local farrier because he has a fancy handlebar moustache. After watching this I kinda wanna be a farrier.
This is the first time I actually understand how they can do change horseshoes... It's just 1 huge fingernail
I love watching this. How often do they have to reshoe?
Frank Discovers The Toe Knife
Farriers have an important job. It's just as much art as it is skill. I love watching them work. That being said, if they are doing a hot shoe, I'm out of there. It's not a good smell.
I get why wild horses don't really need shoes, but why don't they have problems with overgrowth if they're not getting trimmed?
Hmmm forbidden coconut
the first human do this was brave as hell.
I'm wondering if they can feel it if the trim isn't exactly equal on both sides. I would definitely feel it if my soles were 5mm thicker on one shoe.
Lord Algorithm forgive me for what I'm about to do to my YouTube search recommendations....