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Hot take: I was trimming hoof walls way too short for years
I was working on a big draft horse in Spokane last Tuesday and the owner, a vet, asked why I wasn't leaving more sole depth. He showed me how my old method was making the horse sore on gravel. I've been using the 1/4 inch rule ever since, but is there a better gauge for different terrains?
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phoenix_bailey2mo agoMost Upvoted
It's like how we all have that one "right" way to do things until a pro points out the flaw. Happens with everything from cooking to car repairs.
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My uncle's old quarter horse went barefoot on rocky ground for fifteen years with a pretty short trim. Never seemed to bother him much.
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carter.joseph1mo ago
Man I had a similar thing with my old Appaloosa. I kept him barefoot for about 10 years on our gravel driveway and rocky trails, just kept his toes short and let the soles harden up. He was fine as long as I didn't let his walls get too long or let his frogs get all shriveled up. But once I tried that short trim on my younger horse and he went lame in a week so I guess it depends on the individual animal a lot.
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