AK Farrier Service

27/02/2024

A nice day for some horseshoeing!

08/12/2023

Baby it’s cold outside! ❄️⛄️

Many people think of donkeys as hardy, low-maintenance “small horses.” However, while they have similarities, donkeys are a completely different species and as such have a different physical, mental, and emotional make-up.

As the weather gets colder, it’s important to remember that donkeys are more sensitive to changes in temperature than their equine friends. They don’t grow a winter coat like horses and their hair is less waterproof, so they require shelter from the elements (like a run-in shed or a waterproof blanket). Being stoic animals, they also won’t show signs of discomfort and hypothermia until they are very sick.

Remember that every animal is different depending on age, breed, and other health conditions, so be sure with your primary veterinarian to address any concerns or questions!
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

02/11/2023

Please have your horses feet clean and dry if it’s muddy!
Thank you to all my clients that always try their best to do so!

15/08/2023

Life update!
My baby boy Colton was born on August 4th and we are both doing well and enjoying our time at home together 🩵👶

25/07/2023

The list is endless but thank you 🤎

13/07/2023

Made it 8 1/2 months pregnant working under horses! Now to take some time off and get ready for this baby!

I will keep all my clients updated as to when I can return back to work in the fall.

13/06/2023

I am 30 weeks pregnant! 🤰

So thankful to still be hard at work and feeling good enough to continue working under horses!

I am scheduling only a couple trims throughout the month of July and then I will be taking some much needed time off in August-October, returning to work at least part time around November.

Thank you to all my clients who have helped make things a little easier on me and taking extra safety precautions! 😀

17/03/2023

04/01/2023

30/12/2022

07/10/2022

Trimmed up some rescued donkeys hooves today. Thankfully they are both at a good home where they will be trimmed on a regular basis now and will get there feet straightened out over time!

(The redness on the hoof chunks are from the sawzall blade not blood)

03/10/2022

Top 5 questions I get asked as a Farrier

🐴 What made you want to become a farrier?
(I wanted to work with horses and have a rewarding career doing something I enjoy)

🐴 Have you ever been kicked/bit?
(A couple times but I try not to work on horses that tend to be dangerous)

🐴 Is this your full time job?
(Yes it keeps me very busy!)

🐴 How often do horses need their hooves trimmed?
(Typically every 6-8 weeks depending on each horse)

🐴 Does your back hurt?
(Not all the time but if I do a lot of horses in a day then yes 😅)

09/09/2022

"Wow, you didn't even have to use your nippers! I guess that he didn't really need a trim yet, huh?"

As the summer winds down and we enter fall in this part of the world, we may see a slowdown in hoof growth and these kinds of comments come up every so often. The misconception is that a trim is simply to remove excess growth on the hoof - but that's actually not the case.

Our goal as hoofcare providers is to keep the horse comfortable and sound. We want to work to get the foot to function at its best, so the joints, tendons and ligaments up the limb can stay healthy for years to come. Our trim is about balance, equilibrium, and hoof health, not just removing gross length.

The last thing we want is to wait until the hoof growth is causing detrimental effects to the internal structures to try to remedy it; instead, if we can keep the foot at its optimal balance, then we can get ahead of issues before they start.

That means that often, our trims should even look fairly minimal. Finding a cycle length that allows us to do "less" actually allows for more targeted changes to the hoof capsule. Big changes don't just make for a nice looking before and after photo, they can have knock-on effects every cycle as the horse adjusts to new angles with the adjustments.

I always say one of my favorite things about hoof rehab is "suggesting" to the foot where I want it to be. If every cycle I'm doing two nipper runs to get the foot back to baseline, I'm probably not making much progress over time.

So next time you feel there wasn't much that needed to be done to the foot, consider whether it was truly because the hoof didn't need it, or whether it is actually simply keeping the foot comfortable and in balance with where it will function best. It's not about what we trim, but often about knowing what NOT to trim.

03/08/2022

I had some helpers today 😂

05/07/2022

17/06/2022

Long day of trimming horses but wouldn’t want to do anything else!

24/05/2022

This donkey should be feeling better after his trim today

17/05/2022

Being a Farrier is a lot of hard work but well worth it and wouldn’t want to do anything else!

20/04/2022

Front set with clips 🔥

16/04/2022

I love my job especially when I get to see little baby horses 🥹

22/02/2022

Gave this little guy a pedi today 👁🐽👁

12/12/2021

If you got a dream, chase it, cause a dream won’t chase you back 🌟

06/12/2021

Working with your horses feet like this, every day or as often as you can really does help and makes your farriers job so much safer!

27/10/2021

How often a horse needs their hooves trimmed all depends on how fast their hooves grow and how quickly they wear them down.
A lot of it depends on nutrition, environment and genetics.
Some horses need shoes for a few different reasons such as protection, correction and traction.
Not every horse needs shoes but every horse needs trims!

10/08/2021

Trimmed a little cow today! 🐄

Thanks Alexis Heinrichs for the photo and helping hold her!

23/05/2021

Here are some Tennessee walking horses that I shoe! They are great horses, always stand perfect for me!

26/04/2021

HOTSHOEING

🔥It helps to create a level surface for the shoe to sit on the hoof

🔥It kills any bacteria/fungi that can cause problems with the hoof

🔥When shoes have clips it burns the base of the clip on the hoof wall and helps lock it in place to stablize the shoe

🔥Working with hot shoes makes it much easier to bend and shape allowing for a more accurate shape to the horses hoof

🔥When done correctly it does not hurt the horse at all (some horses may just not like the smell or sound of the hot shoe going on their hoof)

09/03/2021

Importance of keeping your horses on a regular schedule! This mini was a couple months overdue for a trim, not only does it make it more difficult for them to walk and get around it causes more strain on their tendons and joints and can lead to more health problems.

19/02/2021

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it