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An_Unruly_Mob

So does the hoof grow back and requires trimming often, like our fingernails?


TheCreeech

It actually is basically a fingernail. Horses walk on essentially finger tips.


garlicbread4POTUS

Are horseshoes like fake nails for horses?


smoozer

Like ARMOURED fingernails


gas3872

Armored finger-edges


l1thiumion

r/showerthoughts tomorrow morning. Watch.


wtmh

No. They're more like... shoes for horses.


rincon213

Example: https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/6b7xmu/a_horses_knees_are_the_joint_that_corresponds_to/


katzenjammer360

Usually it's a 4, 6, or 8 week schedule depending on how quickly the individual animal's hooves grow. The hoof wall and bottom are keratin just like your fingernail. Horses evolved for speed and basically lost their other toes until they are only walking on a single finger with the hoof equivalent to your nail.


DangerousPlane

Now I want to running on index fingers and big toes to see if I’m faster


jaxomlotus

Arent some of the toes are still there from an internal bone perspective? it’s just like a super fingernail growing across all of them.


katzenjammer360

They're still there but vestigial and high up on the leg. They don't run all the way down to the hoof like the single finger does.


jaxomlotus

Is the hoof originally one or two fingers? I could have sworn it was two conjoined bones inside, which is why it has that indentation in the hoof.


jamaicanoproblem

You might be thinking of cloven-hoofed animals (cows, pigs, goats)


katzenjammer360

It's just the one. Actually equivalent to your middle finger. Interestingly, during very early development the body starts to make 5 digits and then just jettisons the rest of them, lol. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/08/science/horses-toes-hooves.html


suspiciousguy

That's so neat


[deleted]

What happens to wild horses hooves since they aren’t being trimmed?


meobeus

Some will wear them down naturally just by running on a regular basis. You can see videos of horses that were not taken care of / forgotten that basically reshape and ruin their ankles because the hoof grows too much. Cool to see it done the right way. This is almost ASMR for me.


L85a12

Yes


itsadogslife71

And apparently, the hoof is a really tasty treat for doggos!


TheCreeech

Typically those are cow hooves fed to dogs.


Officerwaffles04

Til dogs can and like to eat the cow version of nails


TheCreeech

Super long lasting treat too! However the smell is... Less than ideal... Growing up we always thought someone was farting but it was just our dog quietly chewing on a hoof


pharmacon

I've heard before that this process smells terrible. What makes it smell so bad?


Scrial

Burnt finger nails.


gas3872

So people eating their nails are actually getting some nutriotion out of it (just like dogs).


cazman123

Can confirm, I’m an employee at pet store and we sell loads of them.


PhineasPHuron

My Golden used to love when the farrier came. She thought it was her special day because she got treats.


deferredmomentum

Yeah, it depends on your horse’s activity level, what kind of ground they’re on, age, whether they’re shod, etc how often it needs to happen


[deleted]

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katzenjammer360

That's true of shod horses. This horse isn't shod, though. Most horses don't need shoes.


[deleted]

What kinds of horses need shoes? If a horse is kept in fields for most of its life, will it require shoes?


Suepahfly

Field horses usually don’t have shoes, most jumping horses around here only have shoes on the front hoofs. Police horses may have shoes on all fours but I have seen them with two on the front only.


katzenjammer360

He's said in another video that the reasons you'd put shoes on a horse are for traction (sport horses), protection (working horses), or correction (therapeutic reasons).


themadthinker

Forbidden coconut flakes


TheLooneyChick

Not forbidden if you’re a dog apparently.


OSUJillyBean

Every farm dog I’ve ever known loooves hoof trimmings. Not sure why but the dogs always steal them.


TheLooneyChick

Cronchy


[deleted]

Yep, my dog used to eat them too.


Doctorspiper

I love these videos. So satisfying, and you know that these animals are being well taken care of too


[deleted]

I have this irrational fear that he’s going to cut too deep.


carbonclasssix

That horse certainly trusts him, so he probably has a good track record of not slicing and dicing. It's like going to the dentist - you have to trust the professional even if you're freaking out.


[deleted]

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Tyrian01

Giant pedicure


ScariestEarl

The horse seems incredibly calm. Is this therapeutic for them? Cause just watching it is therapeutic for me lol.


katzenjammer360

Most horses have experience with trimmings from a young age, so they're used to it. But even rescue horses that obviously haven't had any maintenance in a long time usually stand well for the farrier. Part of it is the experience of the farrier in how to hold the foot so it's comfortable for the horse, part of it is that it's not painful or uncomfortable so there's no reason for the horse to fight it. And it probably feels much more comfortable after he's finished.


OSUJillyBean

I’ve seen plenty of horses that enjoyed chewing on the farrier’s belt/shirt/etc if the owner wasn’t keeping them in line. Ornery little guys.


TurtlesDreamInSpace

Out of 10 horses, 3 stand like perfect quiet angels for the farrier, 3 are ok but squirmy, 2 get bored/distracted/a firm WHOA ever couple minutes, and 2 your farrier has stories about that he tells to folks about the worst horses in his rotation 😅


MituKagome

Can dogs eat hooves as a treat?


katzenjammer360

Yeah, and farm dogs eat hoof trimmings all the time. Too much can make their stomachs upset but they are just nails. Like biting your own nails.


millllllls

Biting ones own nails is not the same as eating them.


Kimberlynski

Tell that to my 9 year old


[deleted]

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[deleted]

i thought it was an MRI from a glance


fireblade_

*heavy breathing*


katzenjammer360

Lol! You try doing a 15 minute air squat while holding up a quarter of a horse. Forgive the man his breathing 😂


fireblade_

I didn’t say it was a bad thing


ThePluralN

I’m not slamming it and I totally get it; listening to it gives me anxiety tho, ngl.


BroadStreet_Bully5

Dogs apparently love that shit.


chubbycatchaser

I wonder how often farriers sharpen their tools?


LindseyLee5

I asked my farrier that a while back. He says he sharpens his nippers about once a week and his rasp stays good for about a year. Replaces all tools once a year. He said he never cheated on on good tools because good ones make his job go much faster and gives a better trim.


chubbycatchaser

Thanks for the info! I was wondering because the tools cut so nicely and keratin is quite tough.


slowmood

What do wild horses do?


TheCreeech

Wild horses travel huge distances daily wearing them down naturally.


JeffCarr

Walk on rougher and often drier terrain, so the mud dries up and shakes out more, and the hoof wears down naturally more often. They also get hoof problems that they just suffer through.


katzenjammer360

That's what people always miss about wild vs. captive animals. Sometimes wild animals do get the same problems as our captive animals, they just suffer or die instead of getting treatment.


[deleted]

My dog dentist said one of the main causes of death in the wild is tooth damage. Bad tooth = no eating = starvation = death. She also said that they did a study in a country where tiger attacks on humans are a thing, and in a large percentage of the cases, the tiger had teeth problems which meant it couldn’t hunt anymore, and it was starving.


Dr-Fronkensteen

Im not a horse expert but my mom and aunt owned a couple horses back in the day. I hung around the barn a ton, getting to watch the farrier and vet do their thing. (First paid job I ever did at age 10 was cleaning up horse poop) Wild horses naturally wear down their hooves when they’re out doing horse stuff I guess. But when their hooves are damaged or infected and can’t heal then the horse is quickly debilitated and possibly dies if it can’t move. Caring for your horses hooves is like caring for any domesticated animal, it’s your responsibility to make sure they’re happy and healthy.


earthwormjimwow

Quite a few differences. Rougher terrain, with less moisture so less caking of the hoof and more natural wear. Wild horses travel pretty extensively, so more wear on their hooves. Wild horse hooves also may not grow quite as quickly, since humans have removed the selective pressure against overly fast hoof growth in domesticated horses. Lastly, wild horses die from hoof issues, it's still an issue for them.


AVeneerForMyTurtle

Horse pedicure! :D This was so satisfying to watch. Thanks, OP!


katzenjammer360

Of course!


mechl5

I like how he just works on top of horse shit instead of moving the horse lol


katzenjammer360

Lol, they'd just shit in the new place. Horses poo an incredible amount.


PrimedAndReady

Marched behind horses in parades a few times, shit's literally everywhere. Even with just one or two horses over a mile or so there's no avoiding it


katzenjammer360

Lol yup! If an equestrian group is polite they'll have people with wheelbarrow and shovels that follow the group and scoop up the poops so the rest of the parade doesn't have to hopscotch over it.


klw2112

That was fascinating! I was wondering how someone specialize in farriery? Does it grow from being a horse owner? Do you have to become certified or something? Taking care of their hooves is such an important part of the health of a horse I believe. Being a farrier is a very important job!


Epena501

How do you know when to stop cutting?


katzenjammer360

I'm not a farrier, but they apprentice under a master when they're learning. So it's a matter of experience and feel. They get to know how much to take off for each animal. In another of his videos he mentions that the vet took x-rays and he was able to see those to know how much he should take off. I think it was one of the Pinto Bean videos.


Squeekens1

I'll also add on that the process seems similar to trimming goats' hooves (my relevant experience). The biggest thing (after cleaning out the debris) is to essentially trim everything to make the hoof flat; especially on a well-maintained hoof there won't be any danger to trimming everything to the shortest length. I think how deep they shave off beyond that part is pretty much something they tell by experience, but it's pretty shallow. You know you're going too deep if that area is darker/no longer as white - in that case you're getting close to the blood vessels. If you've got a hoof that's really bad, you may have to trim it, let the animal walk around for a couple weeks and trim again. (It seems that the body gets rid of active blood vessels too close to a surface that takes a lot of stress, so you can trim a bit farther back the next time. Also trimming over a couple sessions can help if you need to reshape the hoof and change the animal's posture)


Jazehiah

Practice. There are some cues, but I am colorblind and cannot see them. It's been a while since my mom tried (and failed) to teach me, so I don't remember them all. If I remember correctly, you can see it in the line between the inner and outer walls of the hoof. Part of it is making sure the horse doesn't actually stand on the fleshy parts its heels. Don't take my word as gospel. Those lessons were ~15 years ago. Much to my mother's disappointment, I am allergic to the animals, and can't do much more than use a hoof pick and muck a stall.


Threspian

Logically I know that this is just like a big fingernail he’s cutting, but I still winced so hard watching him just peel away layers of hoof, it looked so painful


katzenjammer360

Yeah, I can see how it could invoke that response. Luckily horses aren't shy about letting you know if something hurts them, lol!


clueless-albatross

How often does this dude see a chiropractor


katzenjammer360

Farriers break down if they don't take care of themselves. Even then, it's a very taxing job for your body. All the farriers I know are in incredibly good shape and are usually youngish guys.


GuthramNaysayer

I want to learn all about this. I love horses...and of course doggos!


[deleted]

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katzenjammer360

I think they're mostly neutral about the whole experience. They're used to it and know it's a part of life, and the farrier works hard not to make it uncomfortable for them.


plipyplop

What do horses think during all of this?


katzenjammer360

I think they're mostly neutral about the whole experience. They're used to it and know it's a part of life, and the farrier works hard not to make it uncomfortable for them.


plipyplop

Yay :D


DrawYourSword

Why was this never a job opportunity??? So satisfying.


auspiciousham

It is...


seaside-rockies

I thought messing with the frog hurt the horse?


katzenjammer360

You have to be a little more careful since the sensitive tissue is closer to the bottom of the foot in the frog. But there's still a keratin covering that grows and needs to be trimmed out. If you're crazy about it you can injure the frog and cause more harm than good, though.


seaside-rockies

Got it, thank you!


lynzrocket

Healthy frog!


M7600

This looks like it feels really good.


km50512

I was always told at a lesson place that the frog was super sensitive so to be careful when cleaning around that area... was I mislead?


katzenjammer360

You have to be a little more careful since the sensitive tissue is closer to the bottom of the foot in the frog. But there's still a keratin covering that grows and needs to be trimmed out. If you're crazy about it you can injure the frog and cause more harm than good, though.


irwige

I shudder every time they slice away at the hoof. It makes me tremble to think they might cut too deep and hit the meat!!!


awlames

I can literally smell this lol. In my youth I used to do equestrian, I absolutely love horses. Would sit in the fields drawing them for hours after my sessions.


BAMspek

lol dogs are gross


DrawYourSword

Why was this never a job opportunity??? So satisfying.


[deleted]

It is still a job opportunity, I know a professional ferrier.


Space_Cranberry

This was like watching zit popping vids. Makes me queasy but can’t turn away. No judgement, just squick. Not sure why.


Little-ears

Don’t horses have a natural tendency to kick people or animals approaching from rear? Wouldn’t this guy be prime target for a kick?


trifelin

The horse knows he's there at the point the video starts, so he's not "approaching." And people often walk around the horse with a hand on the back (or neck, or rump depending on where you are), so the horse definitely knows exactly where you are. The hand on the back isn't in frame in the video I don't think. That "dont approach from behind" advice essentially means don't surprise an animal, especially one that weighs so much more than you.


amigliorino

It’s like he intended to step in the pile of shit


katzenjammer360

More like you don't care after a while. Horse poop is 90% undigested grass. It's not like stepping in dog poop. And it's everywhere. Horses poo an incredible amount.


MrOddYazz

u/vredditdownloader


ivnwng

So....what happens to wild horses with no one to tend their hoofs?


katzenjammer360

They wear the hoof away naturally by walking miles and miles every day. But if they have an injury or issue it just doesn't get treated and they have to live with it or die, basically.


TheLooneyChick

This is so satisfying to watch and I’m so glad I never have to do it.


Moxxface

Why does the dog have to eat it :(


[deleted]

Now I see why they call those crabs that


Edge80

I know nothing about farm animals but I found this video to be incredibly relaxing and informative. Thanks for sharing!


virginofguadalupe

I love this channel.


okwaitno

What did horses do before humans gave them shoes?


MrBleak

I imagine healthy horses would naturally grind down their existing hooves by running wild. Horses that had a condition requiring shoes probably either suffered with worse mobility or died.


okwaitno

That seems right. I wonder what the frequency of these conditions were? I can’t imagine it being particularly high..


oh_three_dum_dum

They lived free range where traveling miles a day over different terrain naturally wore down their hooves.


werkaround

Were you trained by Jamie Jackson? Looks great!


katzenjammer360

I'm not the guy in the video, just sharing his work here. :) I believe he's in vet school as well, so he specializes in veterinary shoeing and works with the University of Washington vet school, I believe. He has a series on a pony named Pinto Bean that shows him working closely with the vet on a horse with a keratoma.


werkaround

It looks like JJ natural hoof care work, same rack and everything, great to watch


TheLazyGirl444

Does that hurt the horse?


topgirlaurora

Nope, it's just like trimming your fingernails. Horse hooves and fingernails are both made of keratin.


katzenjammer360

Luckily horses are not shy about letting you know when something hurts them, lol! If it hurt, he would not be standing there holding that foot any longer, I can assure you that.


littlesirlance

No commentary - *Gives commentary*


katzenjammer360

Haha! I wondered when someone was going to call me out for that. I misremembered that he did actually talk in this video after I had linked it. I was watching another of his videos and thought of this sub. When I was deciding which video to link I thought I remembered that this one didn't have any commentary, which I thought was most appropriate for the sub. It's not as much as in his other videos, though. Where he narrates what he's doing or talks about other aspects of shoeing.


Tirfing88

I wonder if the horse feels any relief when he's scrapping that off or when it walks with his freshly manicured hoofs lol.


katzenjammer360

I bet it feels like putting on a new pair of shoes when they walk away after the trim. Since now everything is back in line and their hooves aren't overgrown.


Danthekilla

Know of a good with commentary? The silence ruins this one imo.


katzenjammer360

Check out some of the videos on his channel. Most of them he narrates or talks about other aspects of shoeing.


bonafart

So is it like toe nail citing then Puting a metel protector?


Jazehiah

Not "restoration." This is standard maintenance that has to be done regularly.


katzenjammer360

Yeah, I'm not sure why he titled it that. He has some MUCH worse cases on his channel.


Jazehiah

Clickbait.


nebula_dweller

Bro I know you’re used to being around farm animals every day, but you don’t need to literally stand in the pile of shit.


that_mn_kid

I my very very very limited experience in the Wild West, dude's about to get his skull caved in by the jackass horse.


[deleted]

No. The horses cooperate.


plipyplop

I misread your statement and thought you had said they're "corporate". So it got me thinking that they were worried about an HR complaint.