Howdy! Can someone help me learn how to trim goat hooves safely? I've trimmed horse hooves, but am not quite sure how to get the cuts right on a goat who REALLY needs a trim! Thanks folks!

-- Jennifer (oortiz@tstar.net), April 21, 2001

Answers

First, clean out the hoof as best you can. That way you'll be able to see what you're doing a bit better. Then you'll want to trim off the excess hoof wall up to the base of the hoof. I use the smallest equine hoof clippers I could find but a lot of people use hoof shears. You want the end result to be a fairly vertical hoof, so you'll need to trim the excess toe off also. You also want the bottom of the hoof to be fairly level, so you'll need to trim the soft part of the hoof enough to level it (similar to trimming the frog on the horse) You'll need to go easy on a goat hoof as compared to a horse hoof - there's a lot less there to trim on a goat! I often trim one day and tidy up the next so I can watch the goat walk around a bit. Goats are much more forgiving of a bad hoof trim than horses are - they'll wear the rough spots off themselves to a certain extent. If you can get your vet or a fellow goat enthusiast to run you through it that would be best. If you don't know anyone who has goats in your area, ask some of the older people. You may find someone who had goats in the past and would be willing to talk you through it. Horses feet are much harder to do than goats (in my opinion) so you'll be fine once you get the hang of it.

-- Sheryl Adams (radams@sacoriver.net), April 21, 2001.

I found some great trimmers from Fiskars that work well. I think they are really for trimming small shrubs or something. I am left- handed and have nerve damage in both hands so I need something that works easily. Wait until the hooves are damp to trim them. They will trim easier (they will be softer).

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), April 23, 2001.

Sounds like you described it better than I could. The only thing is that you can use srub trimming trimmers but make sure that they have straight edges. Where you cut at the sharp part

-- lindsey shamhart (l_shamhart@hotmail.com), April 25, 2001.