# Hoof Trimming



## WV_RoyalWhite (Dec 29, 2010)

I started to trim the hooves today for the first time and want some advice as to how to do it.  I trimmed the ends of hooves that are growing long and starting to touch each other.  However, do I trim the bottoms off.  Here is a picture of what I'm referring to.  The flat portion between my thumb and forefinger.  Does this get trimmed down.  Its soft and I didn't know if its a tender part or just a softened hoof that needs trimmed.  We have snow and mud on the ground from the melting snow. Also how far back do I clip the tips.  Thanks.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Dec 29, 2010)

Looks like they have not been done for a while.  You wanna take a little bit for the first time and come back in a couple weeks and do more till you get them in good shape.   Be careful...they bleed and hurt and can infect if you take too much off...so at the first site of pink stop cutting there.  You start at the walls and take the excess off.  Its hard to explain for me anyway...Its definately a show me thing.  I would look for instructions on U tube...and look at this chart I sent...it might help.  But I cant stress when they are long like this..it will take a few trimings to get them in good shape.  Dont rush..you will only hurt him/her?  But dont trim the heal just yet...and easy on the tips.  Get the walls cleaned up 1st.  The stuff on the sides that are curling in...To get a good look at the hoof I would clean them up with water and a brush so you can see what your doing and when you hit pink.  

Hope this helps.  Im having a hard time explaining it.  Sorry...Good luck. Have blood stop handy if you nip her/him.


http://www.tripleeboergoats.com/Hoof Trimming.html
http://www.boergoatshome.com/hooves.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-vnw0uIRzo&feature=related


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Dec 31, 2010)

Something that always helped me is the top and bottom of the hoof should be parallel to each other. Also, the part of the hoof closest to your thumb is commonly referred to the "ball" of the hoof around my house. Also, the other part is the only part I've ever tried trimming, however i've never tried the ball part.


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## ChksontheRun (Jan 1, 2011)

When we got our goats last fall, their hoofs were in horrible shape too.  It took quite a few trimmings to get them in reasonable shape.  We had to trim the "ball" of the hoof just a little to allow them to walk evenly.  Now the rocks that they walk on wear that down for us.  Look at the videos and web sites to get an idea of what the trimming looks like.  I think that you will need to look around for some that show white hoofs as most of the examples I found showed black hoofs and it does look just a little different.  Good luck!


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## nmred (Jan 1, 2011)

Fias Co farm also has a good tutorial with pictures to show you how they should look. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/hoof-trim-rf.htm


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## Ariel301 (Jan 2, 2011)

You've got a good bit still to trim off those toes, they're really long. I do trim the heels back if they need it, and it looks like that goat does. The whole bottom of the foot should be flat. Go slowly and only trim a little at a time, if you start to see the bottom of the foot looking pink, stop, because the pink area is the sensitive part that will bleed and hurt if you cut down into it, just like cutting your own nails too short. I have found that if you have goats with hard feet that are a pain to trim, wait to do it after wet weather or soak the foot in some warm water before for about 15 minutes, it makes those really hard feet easier to work on. White hooves like that one are usually easier though. 

 The tutorials already mentioned are good resources.


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