# More questions regarding hoof root/care



## kiddoe (Oct 8, 2012)

I know there has been a lot of talk on hoof care today, but I have not seen one of the aspects of hoof rot in any of them.I tried looking it up using the search tool, but it brought up topics with no relevence. Please bear with me.

In the last few days I have been looking into how to trim hooves. I got a pair of hoof rot sheers from tractor and Supply. They seem extremely difficult to use, there is too much of an angle on them. Maybe the reason is due to inexperience, lack of a proper table, and being overly cautious. It took me an hour and a half to do just the 2 back hooves. He was squirming around, kicking his feet out of my hands, and kneeling down. I even placed him against a wall, put a bucket under his belly, had my boys straddle him to keep still.:GAAH: Boy was my back aching from being bent over, oh and not to mention a headache!

I know hoof rot has a stench to it. The stuff in my goat's hooves looked like manuer. Once I got that out and down to the white sole there was a foul odor. I also noticed that once I scraped the white part of the sole it looked like that of scraped candle wax. Am I describing hoof rot? I tried posting the pics from my Blackberry Dumbphone , but my computer wouldn't cooperate.

My other question is getting the sole even to the hoof walls. I read using some sort of plane and another tool that I forgot the name of. Today a friend of mine suggested using a Body Filler Rasp. It looks similar to a cheese grater. I will post some pics of different types. Would those be okay to use?


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I have used some of those..but I bought a micoplane cheese grater that I like. Mostly I use the clippers though.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I prefer the orange handled hoof trimmers. They are easier to work with.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I use the orange or green handle trimmers. If you have what I'm thinking, ? the long handle hoof trimmers kind of like the farriers use? If so that could be your problem. Like I said I have right now the green handled one's as that's what was available. 
I feel your pain with the squirmmer, did you put grain in front of them too? I'd try someone holding a lead rope (if you don't have a stanchion) with grain in front of them, when they pull i give just a second and then start clipping again. They'll get use to it. If it does take too long and they are new to it, maybe do front one day back the next- for your back sake.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I'm one who's asked hoof questions... so am by no means an expert. However I do LOVE my shears. I got these http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-12-79...TF8&qid=1352937523&sr=8-2&keywords=hoof+shear after reading LOTS of online reviews. Works GREAT for my little Nigerians. Maybe not as great for larger goats, but for those small lil feet I've got... they're awesome. Still looking for a planer of some sort for the soles... but these are wonderful for trimming the sidewalls.


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