# hoof care



## Foothillsdweller (Jul 26, 2012)

My black and white boer female is favoring her back left leg. The points of the hoof appear to be coming together. Her hooves and feet look fine. I'm not sure if I have a hoof problem or a leg problem. My girls play a lot, jumping up then play butting one another. I'm wondering if it could be the leg. She does not wince with manipulation or massaging the whole leg and the foot doesn't seem tender to her. Is there such a thing as a goat ferrier?
She still runs when I bring out the feed.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Can you take a photo? There are farriers that do trim goats BUT most dont. Do you do the routine trimming yourself?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

And dont go with just a horse farrier, the one I talked to that does his moms goats just trims the extra groth, which would be ok but they were way over grown when she got them, and he does not get that the angle is different then a horse. You might be able to put a add on cl and see if there is any one that can check her out, or call the ffa or 4h in your area.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

This may help with the hoof trimming:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It might be injury....yet... if you haven't trimmed your goat...her hooves may be very overgrown... causing discomfort or even that.. she may have hoof rot.....
Do you know of anyone... that has goats near you? Maybe pay them to trim her if that is what she needs....I would recommend learning to trim...it is easy and if you can watch someone trim her first and teach you...that would help tremendously... Always snip very little at a time.... when you see pink ...Stop...next cut will be blood.... have iodine near to dip her hooves... If she is really overgrown... you may have to go back every 2 weeks and trim ...a bit a time... to get her back to close to where she has to be.... being overgrown wears on their joints as well....and may weaken her pasterns... :hug:


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## Foothillsdweller (Jul 26, 2012)

thank you all for your input! I so appreciate it! I have never trimmed their hooves. They are now 5 years old, I have had them for 1 year. The hooves look the same to me. However, because I can manipulate the full leg and foot, it seems to me, perhaps, the hooves are too long now, putting a strain on the angle of (sorry novice here) the ankle. I have asked our vet to come out and she will be here on Monday. I am praying it is as simple as trimming the hooves. I will be very "hands-on" and participate in the trimming so I can learn how to do this myself. I love this website. thank you for all of the comments.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your very welcome... :hug: 

Good luck ....hope you find a simple answer...and she will be OK..... :hug:


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## Foothillsdweller (Jul 26, 2012)

Thank you Toth! I will post the results! I love her so much. Thelma and Louise are like big dogs. They are spoiled and if I have neglected care I will just be so sad.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome... :thumb: 


Love the names by the way.... :laugh: :wink:


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## Foothillsdweller (Jul 26, 2012)

I would also like to say thank you to Woodhaven for the diagram. Very helpful. the vet will be out on Monday and I will be very hands-on. I need to learn what has been told to me to be a very simple process! I will post my progress. Thank you to all for your comments. What a great website especially for beginners!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Don't feel bad if you didn't know. Sometimes these things just take time and experience to figure out (=


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## Foothillsdweller (Jul 26, 2012)

Well, the vet arrived at 6:45 this evening. I did a lot of praying before she arrived! Our goats are 5 years old. We have had them 1 year. They used to live with cows, so they were NOT people friendly. It took months to get them to let us walk up to them and eventually pet them. They are spoiled now. They come to us, follow me around as I clean up the pasture, and they LOVE to be brushed. They had never had their hooves trimmed, but I guess the terrain where they used to live was more conducive to wearing down the hooves. So this was a first, for them and for me! The vet was amazing and I was indeed hands on! I will be black and blue tomorrow! She trimmed both goats. And Louise's problem????? She's too fat!!! Too much weight on hooves that were too long. She said that even little Thelma, the brown and white, could lose a few pounds! She is putting Louise on an aspirin regime for a week. She did a LOT of trimming and it took 1/2 hour for both. I thought that was good considering they weren't liking it! They did settle down though and I learned how to restrain a goat with horns. A good thing to know! Thank you all for your input! I'll keep you posted on our progress!


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## Foothillsdweller (Jul 26, 2012)

Well, I have downloaded specifications for building a milking stand. I have ordered goat hoof nippers. AND, most importantly, Louise is NOT limping! She has responded so well to trimming. We have cut the feed back and we will keep a close watch on the amount we feed. I thank you all for your input.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad it went well...it is a learning experience..... :wink: :thumb:


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