# Hoof trimming?



## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

Im just learning how to trim my goats hooves by watching YouTube videos and things like that. They don't have bad hooves and the breeder showed me a little how to do it but 1 if mine is pretty old and has really blocky hooves. They are really tough and its like they are curved kinda (ill post a pic soon). I even tried putting her hoof in a bucket of water for a little while before i tried to trim it to try to get it softer and it just ended up smelling horrible lol. 

The rest are pretty young and i have only trusted myself to trim the hoof wall part so far on them. It was easy doing the first few young ones because i didnt have to do much and the trimmers were new but when i got to the older doe it was pretty hard.

I have the green handle kind from tractor supply and someone even recommend them, but i think they are too dull. They won't really clip the hoof itself really good but they are fine for just the wall. Am i doing it wrong or am i supposed to sharpen them? I probably do have to sharpen them but how? Is it like sharpening a pocket knife? And after a few goats it started to get stuck every now and then, like when you are using a bad pair of scissors to cut paper and instead of cutting, one side of it goes on one side of the paper and the other on the other side and they are fully closed ( very bad illustration lol ) and they won't open very easy when that happens. They are brand new and the guy said to be careful because they are really really sharp. Should i get a new pair? Any suggestions?


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## phydough (Jun 3, 2011)

You shouldn't need to sharpen them..not after a few goats. You could oil them though. I'm gonna wait for your pic and then I'll tell you how I'd clip them if they look like my goats. I have a big buck that has thick nails. There's been times that I had to cut a little bit at a time, use my old horse hoof nippers or a rasp when they are really dry. Thank goodness its monsoon season here and all hooves are so soft and easy to trim  I'd prefer the green handled ones to cut because I can get exactly where I want. Watch for the pink when cutting. They are like fingernails. If that hoof is still smelly, spray or dunk it in bleach/water.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

A pic will help.


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

Ill try to get a pic tomorrow, a few of them are like that a little, but one is a little worse. They arent to bad though. its hard to explain so ill wait till tomorrow. I guess i just need more practice and im a little scared im going to cut them. But im getting used to it and maybe it will get easier.  

A neighbor just got a new doe that has horrible feet that are way too long and hasent fixed her or tried anything yet. And i know that dosent feel very good to her. Im trying to get good enough to take on that challenge and im planning to tell him something like asking him if i can practice on his goats or something like that so he won't get offended. But that's a whole different thing ill bring up once i figure it out better. 

Thanks guys


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## phydough (Jun 3, 2011)

That would be a kindness trimming your neighbors goats. He'd probably never realize they were trimmed if the goats came to visit one day and the hooves were trimmed by some mysterious force. lol


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

I kinda tried to clip them some, im thinking the toe part is too long. I only got 2 pics and my dad called me to go pick up feed with him and i haven't really made it out there again with a camera. Ill try again tomorrow, school starts the day after tomorrow and i think ill be a little busy after that so im going through my barn checklist making sure everything is running smooth lol.

It's kinda funny shaped and my goal is for all the young upcoming does im keeping, for me to keep them perfect so when they get older they won't be this hard to do. Im thinking the wall kinda grew up or something? The left side is straight but the right curves out weird. Is is supposed to look like that? The people we got them from had at least 100 and i guess it was hard to keep up with them all.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes more needs to be taken off the toes. 
On the outside of the inner heel you can trim that a bit as well.
When you pick them up both cloves should be even with each side & with the other foot so the weight is distibuted evenly.
This may take a few sessions over the period of a few weeks or so.
We've had the orange handled ones for years but have to sharpen them now.


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

How do you sharpen them? With a pocket knife sharpener? I think that might help if i sharpen mine a little they are a little dull even though they are fairly new.


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

If it's hard for you to take more off at one time, revisit the goat's feet weekly until you can get them perfect and then manageable so you can take 3-4 weeks off in between. Sometimes bad hooves are daunting.

If the hoof clippers aren't working like you want them to, you can sharpen them with a knife sharpener but you don't want them sharp enough to be a danger. You might want to try other clippers too. I was lucky that I could try out a couple of pair at a friends and just bought the ones that I liked best.

For the record, we just visited a farm that the hooves were pretty bad. I don't think it's uncommon. I am contemplating asking them if I can come up for the day just to trim hooves.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

That outside toe is almost curled over. I would start at the toe and trim the outside wall back towards the heel so you can take off the curled over heel with it. Then trim the inside wall. On the inside toe, you should just be able to trim the inside and outside walls down level with the sole. Just take off what is sticking up. Also trim the inside of the heel on the inside toe, put the trimmers parallel to the hoof to take off the part of the heel that is sticking out. When the heels grow on the inside this can cause the toes to separate. Try soaking her hooves in epsom salt. Works wonders on horse hooves. There is also a product made for horses you can get called "Rain Maker" You can dress the hooves with this to try to make them a little softer. They look really hard. If you try to just trim the top of what is sticking up you probably won't get it to cut since the hoof is so hard, start at the bottom of the walls, laying the trimmers level on the sole. You won't take off too much if you keep the walls level with the sole.

Hope that makes sense!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice by all.

Always do it a little at a time, if you are unsure.

Rule of thumb, if you see pink "Stop" the next snip, may be blood.


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

Thank you.  i tried again today since it rained this morning and they were a little softer but not by much. Im going to try soaking them and maybe try the rain maker stuff. Her dang hooves are big as my fist haha, she isn't even the biggest goat but she has by far the thickest hooves. 

Would using clippers then a hoof rasp work better? On videos ive watched, some with even the same clippers, it looks so easy and turns out perfect. But when i do it, it takes forever and looks like crap compared to others haha. I've only seen a few people use them and never tried one, but does it help get it smoother?


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

Are the clippers comfortable for you to use? If they're too big or too small for your hand it makes it harder to use them effectively.

I think when you have problem hooves it's not going to be perfect until you get it completely done and perfected. There is a big difference in trimming a goat that has good hooves that only need a trim, and fixing a hoof issue.

I've never used a rasp so I can't give you an opinion.


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

I would put some dawn or palmolive dish soap in the water and let them soak. The soap will soften the hooves better than plain water. Think of it as a manicure, they soak your nails before they cut them. I would work on that hoof wall that's trying to curl under.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

You can use a rasp. After you trim off the excess that is sticking up, you can rasp the toes to make them more level. There is less chance of taking off too much with the rasp too.


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

Today i tried again and actually managed to get a little more off!  her front hooves are a little better than the back ones. Ill try again Saturday, i know i have dawn soap on hand so ill try the soapy water to soak them first and try again. And i need to make a feed store run this week too so ill look into getting a rasp im thinking it will help. They are a pretty good fit maybe? I dont have enough experience to compare but i guess they would work better if i knew how to use them. Lol. 

When i was attempting to clip them i saw that its like the wall has got little chips in it and has little pieces missing, not cracks though. Could it be a diet problem, or just week hooves from walking on them uneven? We have hoof strengthening polish and conditioning polish for the horses, would putting some of that on them help? I guess it couldn't hurt but i dont want to get her toes stuck together or anything. That probably sounds dumb haha.

Thank you for all the help.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

The chips are probably just the hooves trying to break off themselves. If you use the rasp, just make sure to wear gloves, also push down and push in one direction, lift off and start over again. You always run the rasp in one direction. If you have a side grinder you might try using that too if the hooves are still really hard. Just do it slow so you don't take too much off.


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

Thank you


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Good word on operating the rasp Ptgoats.
And yes always wear a leather glove on at least your hoof holding hand.
Most of mine have small chips; they like to stand on woven wire fence.
Georgiagirl sounds like you're making progress!
I do like to trim the hair around feet so I have a good visual line for the angle of the hoof, which should be paralell to that line.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

My buck has feet like that- I took sections of trash bags, and made boots, then filled them with soap and water and 
let them soak while on the milk stand, while I did all the milking, feeding, etc. chores. They were actually soft enough to cut, 
after I got the chores done. (1/2 hr. or longer soak!)

The curving, I am still fighting to get that straight.


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## georgiagirl98 (Jun 30, 2013)

Thanks ill have to try that  when i try to soak them in a bucket or something she goes nuts, and even when she is in the milk stand she still manages to get her feet out one way or another. I think that will help alot.


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