# Best goat hoof trimmer?



## Bekahbear (Jan 15, 2014)

my goats (Nubians) are all over due to get their hooves trimmed but I seem to have misplaced my trimmer so I am going to be buying a new one. 
What does everyone recommend as a really good sharp trimmer? Im more worried about function than price. If its a reasonable price that's great but my 1st priority in finding a trimmer is finding one that works really well.

I attached a picture of the hoof trimmer I had. It worked well overall but sometimes it had a little trouble cutting the hooves on my buck. (he seems to have harder hooves than the girls)


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

I really like this one and I've tried many:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...at-20&linkId=d7a7212af497aea142410eeb4273c2dd

I noticed a lot that I bought wouldn't even cut, it was awful.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I had an orange pair like that and didn't like them, it seemed like it would be okay for small breed, but uncomfortable to use for large breed - plus the safety switch rubbed my had and drove me crazy to the point I had to remove it.

Kind from TSC is the worst and overpriced. Sadly, that's what I've been using since I forget to get a new pair. I was actually going to see what the dealer at the state fair has and totally forgot...

This is what a lot of my facebook friends seem to be ordering, I've heard great things about them, and will most likely end up ordering them. 
https://thegoatshop.com/products/silverline-hoof-trimmer


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## Bekahbear (Jan 15, 2014)

I had a few people on Facebook recommend this hoof trimmer and say that they love it so I decided to give it a try. If I don't like it I can always look for something else after I trim them all up this time. I found the trimmers with next day shipping so they should arrive sometime tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing if I like them. I will post an update after I use them.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

These are my favorite!







they stay sharpest the longest and just feel really good in my hands. Second favorite is the orange handled without the black handle strap attached to it. Honestly the orange one probably feel better to use they just don't stay as sharp as the red ones.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I hated trimming hoofs tell my wife got these

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Goa...rds=hoof+boss&qid=1566362911&s=gateway&sr=8-1


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

fivemoremiles said:


> I hated trimming hoofs tell my wife got these
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Goa...rds=hoof+boss&qid=1566362911&s=gateway&sr=8-1


I like the idea of this. I am not steady enough to use a power trimmer. I also use the orange handle trimmer. I will just have to sharpen soon.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Bekahbear said:


> I had a few people on Facebook recommend this hoof trimmer and say that they love it so I decided to give it a try. If I don't like it I can always look for something else after I trim them all up this time. I found the trimmers with next day shipping so they should arrive sometime tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing if I like them. I will post an update after I use them.
> View attachment 161445


If you don't have very many, and you keep them dry and clean they may be okay, but otherwise unless you are lucky then you may not like them as IMO they don't seem to stay very sharp for long and rust very easy. This looks to be the same kind that TSC sells, and I have about 6 pairs laying around where they are too hard to use, so we just use them for random cutting (ropes, twine, etc.). I bought a pair back in May thinking if I take care of them they'll last a while, and nope, I was trimming feet a week ago and it was so hard because they weren't very sharp. I usually don't have to trim a whole lot in the summer, I trim more in the wetter/cooler months. 
Just one of those things - works great for some, but not for others.



fivemoremiles said:


> I hated trimming hoofs tell my wife got these
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Goa...rds=hoof+boss&qid=1566362911&s=gateway&sr=8-1


I'd be afraid I'd cut the goats foot off lol! I know you can buy sanders at the hardware and they will do the same thing as many people recommend them (much much less expensive and does the same job). But I am too paranoid to even do that. I'm lousy at trimming feet as is it. But you know... I really should show this to my husband and son. I really think if they were careful they could possibly learn how to use it. My friend bought the Hoof Boss, but didn't use it and I think she let someone else borrow it. If not I may be tempted to borrow it from her and let the boys try it out.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

The chainsaw attachment looks way scarier then it really it. It honestly doesn’t take much off at a time.....well depending on which one you get. The 4 tooth is more aggressive then the 6 but it only takes off like egg shell thickness. I know I had to think on it for about 6 months before I bought it but I’m totally sold on it. I have had does jerk their foot away and hit it but have yet to draw blood. Honestly I have had more oops with the trimmers then with the chainsaw disk. The other disks drive me nuts on how little it takes off at a time


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

i never use the chainsaw attachment. i have found that the blue disk works best and is fast. the chainsaw is for horses and cows


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## Bekahbear (Jan 15, 2014)

UPDATE: So I got all 10 of the adults hooves trimmed up but I still need to do the 4 youngsters that were born early this year. i will try to get to them this weekend. The trimmers weren't horrible but they weren't great either. They don't seem to stay very sharp. The first couple goats I trimmed I was actually impressed because they seemed to cut through the tough hooves like butter. After the first couple though, the blades were definitely not as sharp as they started out. They got progressively worse over the next few goats until they plateaued out to cutting about the same as my old trimmers did.

as usual for me, even with gloves, I have some lovely blisters on my hand after hacking away at my goats very tough hooves. these trimmers will work fine as a back up pair but I will be looking for something better to use as my main hoof tool.

the power tool for hooves seems nice in theory but I would not feel comfortable using it. with my luck (and lack of coordination) it would be an accident waiting to happen. I would end up hurting either myself or the goat when they randomly decide to kick/struggle to try to get their foot back.

I guess I will be continuing my search for a really good hoof trimmer. These 2 are the other ones in this thread that I am considering. Does anyone else have any experience with either of them or have any others they recommend? the more input the better. It gets expensive buying multiple trimmers so I would love it if the next pair is the winner.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...at-20&linkId=d7a7212af497aea142410eeb4273c2dd

https://thegoatshop.com/products/silverline-hoof-trimmer


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## Bekahbear (Jan 15, 2014)

UPDATE: So I got all 10 of the adults hooves trimmed up but I still need to do the 4 youngsters that were born early this year. i will try to get to them this weekend. The trimmers weren't horrible but they weren't great either. They don't seem to stay very sharp. The first couple goats I trimmed I was actually impressed because they seemed to cut through the tough hooves like butter. After the first couple though, the blades were definitely not as sharp as they started out. They got progressively worse over the next few goats until they plateaued out to cutting about the same as my old trimmers did.

as usual for me, even with gloves, I have some lovely blisters on my hand after hacking away at my goats very tough hooves. these trimmers will work fine as a back up pair but I will be looking for something better to use as my main hoof tool.

the power tool for hooves seems nice in theory but I would not feel comfortable using it. with my luck (and lack of coordination) it would be an accident waiting to happen. I would end up hurting either myself or the goat when they randomly decide to kick/struggle to try to get their foot back.

I guess I will be continuing my search for a really good hoof trimmer. These 2 are the other ones in this thread that I am considering. Does anyone else have any experience with either of them or have any others they recommend? the more input the better. It gets expensive buying multiple trimmers so I would love it if the next pair is the winner.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...at-20&linkId=d7a7212af497aea142410eeb4273c2dd

https://thegoatshop.com/products/silverline-hoof-trimmer


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

even with the Hoof boss i still trim the realy long hoof wall with a hand trimmer.
I use the serated trimmers from Premier One supply. Be careful with thees trimmers they are sharp and you can draw blood quick.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/the-premier-serrated-foot-trimmer?criteria=hoof+trimmers


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

So much depends on the size of your hands, and what is comfortable for you.  I like the orange handles - I sharpen them periodically, hate the green ones because my hands are small. When my husband helps he uses a box cutter of all things - but it works great for him. For bucks, I like to trim when their hooves have a chance to soften - ie rainy or most weather. You can soak the hoof to soften it up.


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> You can soak the hoof to soften it up.


That idea works really good!!! LOL!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I agree about trimming when it's been raining or you soak or bathe them. Our adult does and bucks can be very hard to trim, especially during dry times in the summer. So especially the ones my kids show - I try to trim them right after a bath. Otherwise it gets the point I have to have my husband help me, and no offense to him, but he is not good at trimming - he doesn't take off enough at all! Which is why one of the bucks especially has really long front feet compared to the other one that I have trimmed.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

HoosierShadow said:


> I agree about trimming when it's been raining or you soak or bathe them. Our adult does and bucks can be very hard to trim, especially during dry times in the summer. So especially the ones my kids show - I try to trim them right after a bath. Otherwise it gets the point I have to have my husband help me, and no offense to him, but he is not good at trimming - he doesn't take off enough at all! Which is why one of the bucks especially has really long front feet compared to the other one that I have trimmed.


I find the day after a rain is the best.

Because days that it has rained, while it is softest, the hooves are wet and muddy and I hate it.

The day after a rain, they have dried so are harder, but still not as hard as after days or weeks of dry weather.

So tomorrow, mine will be getting trimmed because it rained all day today.


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## healthyishappy (Mar 6, 2019)

Here ( where you never get any rain) I literally hose off part of my goats pen because their hoofs will crack if I dont get some moisture in them before I trim.


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

healthyishappy said:


> Here ( where you never get any rain) I literally hose off part of my goats pen because their hoofs will crack if I dont get some moisture in them before I trim.


mg:


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## healthyishappy (Mar 6, 2019)

Spades said:


> mg:


Not to mention that I can't even cut though it with anything!!!!!


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## Bekahbear (Jan 15, 2014)

healthyishappy said:


> Here ( where you never get any rain) I literally hose off part of my goats pen because their hoofs will crack if I dont get some moisture in them before I trim.


same here. I could count the number of times we get real rain in a year on my fingers. (its supposed to be monsoon season aka rainy season right now. it looked like we were going to get some rain last night but instead we just got a lightening storm that set the mountain north of us on fire) I hose the goats down before I trim to soak their feet a bit so that I can cut through their hooves at all. That's why Im trying to find a good sharp trimmer. the trimmers that work for most people just don't get through my goats hooves without a lot of effort.


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## healthyishappy (Mar 6, 2019)

Bekahbear said:


> same here. I could count the number of times we get real rain in a year on my fingers. (its supposed to be monsoon season aka rainy season right now. it looked like we were going to get some rain last night but instead we just got a lightening storm that set the mountain north of us on fire) I hose the goats down before I trim to soak their feet a bit so that I can cut through their hooves at all. That's why Im trying to find a good sharp trimmer. the trimmers that work for most people just don't get through my goats hooves without a lot of effort.


Ya, it's supposed to be monsoon season for us too! But nothing! 
I know, I really like this thread cause I need new ones too.


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## pwesthuis (Aug 7, 2015)

HoosierShadow said:


> I had an orange pair like that and didn't like them, it seemed like it would be okay for small breed, but uncomfortable to use for large breed - plus the safety switch rubbed my had and drove me crazy to the point I had to remove it.
> 
> Kind from TSC is the worst and overpriced. Sadly, that's what I've been using since I forget to get a new pair. I was actually going to see what the dealer at the state fair has and totally forgot...
> 
> ...


That one works great we have used it for a couple of years no complaints


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

This thread is 2019.


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