Have you heard the expression, “No feet, no horse.”? It means no matter how beautiful or how perfect the rest of a horse may be, without good feet they can’t perform and they can’t exercise. In fact, they can’t really do much of anything.
Hooves that are allowed to grow too long not only look bad, they affect the internal workings of the hoof and the tendons and ligaments of the legs, to the point where the movement of the horse is affected.
It’s easy to see that knowing how to properly take care of a horse’s feet is important. Let’s take a brief look at trimming a horse’s hooves.
There is no one trimming schedule that fits every horse and every situation. Horses kept on pasture and stable bedding, both soft surfaces for horses to walk on, would need to be trimmed more often than horses kept on harder surfaces. Hard surfaces naturally wear away and file the hoof. That’s why horses in the wild don’t need their hooves trimmed at all!
1. If a horse needs their hooves trimmed every 3 weeks, how many times a year will he have his hooves trimmed?
2. How many times a year will a horse see his farrier if his hooves get trimmed every 4 weeks?
Horse Talk – farrier: the person who trims and shoes horses’ hooves.
The cost for a trim varies from roughly $25 to as much as $45 per horse.
3. How much would it cost to trim 16 times a year at $25 a trim?
4. How much would it cost to trim 16 times a year at $45 a trim?
Click to enlarge
Let’s take a look at how often horse owners have their horse’s hooves trimmed. Here’s a graph showing the results of a survey asking people this very question.
5. What kind of graph is this?
6. How often do the majority of owners have their horses’ hooves trimmed or shod?
7. How many responders have their horses trimmed or shod every 8 to 9 weeks?
8. How much would you spend if your horse was trimmed 7 times a year and you paid $30 for a trim?
When you are responsible for a horse it is part of your job to make arrangements with the farrier for regular visits.
9. Approximately how often would you schedule your horse for a trim if they were trimmed a total of 7 times in a year?
Student at work in Kwantlen College’s farrier program.
Did you notice the ‘Other’ category on the graph? Some owners responded saying they do their own trimming every two to three weeks and keep their horses barefoot. Another responder explained that racehorses are done every three weeks!
As for cost, one owner said, “I have two horses. It costs me $70 once per month (for trims). I do not shoe my horses.”
10. How much does this owner pay per horse for a trim?
11. Which of the categories on the graph would include this owner’s data?
Another owner explained, “I pay $270 for six horses to be trimmed.”
12. How much does this owner’s farrier charge for one trim?
Were you surprised to learn how much hoof trimming schedules can vary? I know I was surprised to learn that race horses are trimmed every three weeks. Knowing they are kept primarily in stalls or on a racetrack, two soft surfaces, and knowing the need to compete at peak performance, it’s easy to see why.
Have you ever thought of becoming a farrier yourself? Here’s a list of farrier schools in the US. Here’s a list of farrier schools in Canada. Do you live in Australia, or New Zealand or the UK? Are there farrier schools in your country?
1. If a horse needs their hooves trimmed every 3 weeks, how many times a year will he have his hooves trimmed?
Answer: 52 (number of weeks in a year) ÷ 3 = 17.333. This horse would have their hooves trimmed about 17 times a year.
2. How many times a year will a horse see his farrier if his hooves get trimmed every 4 weeks?
Answer: 52 (number of weeks in a year) ÷ 4 = 13. This horse would have their hooves trimmed about 13 times a year.
3. How much would it cost to trim 16 times a year at $25 a trim?
Answer: 16 × $25 = $400. It would cost $400 a year.
4. How much would it cost to trim 16 times a year at $45 a trim?
Answer: 16 × $45 = $720. It would cost $720 a year.
5. What kind of graph is this?
Answer: Horizontal bar graph.
6. How often do the majority of owners have their horses’ hooves trimmed or shod?
Answer: Every 6 – 7 weeks.
7. How many responders have their horses trimmed or shod every 8 to 9 weeks?
Answer: 1740 × 17.8% = 1740 × .178 = 309.72. Three hundred ten people responded saying they have their horses trimmed or shod every 8 to 9 weeks.
8. How much would you spend if your horse was trimmed 7 times a year and you paid $30 for a trim?
Answer: 7 × $30 = $210. It would cost you $210 a year.
9. Approximately how often would you schedule your horse for a trim if they were trimmed a total of 7 times in a year?
Answer: 52 ÷ 7 = 7.428. Your horse would be trimmed approximately every 7 weeks.
10. How much does this owner pay per horse for a trim?
Answer: $70 ÷ 2 = $35. This owner pays $35 for a trim.
11. Which of the categories on the graph would include this owner’s data?
Answer: Every 4-5 weeks (This owner mentions she pays $70 per month. Generally, there are 4 weeks in a month.)
12. How much does this owner’s farrier charge for one trim?
Answer: $270 ÷ 6 = $45. This owner pays $45 per trim.
Common Core:
4.MD.A.2 – Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time
4.NF.C – Understand decimal notation for fractions, and compare decimal fractions
5.NBT.B.7 – Add and subtract money: word problems; Divide money amounts: word problems; Unit prices
6.RP.A.3c – Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100
Photos:
Ninemile Pack String by Forest Service Northern Region; CC BY 2.0
Farrier school by Deborah Stacey; CC BY 4.0
That’s good to know that it will cost about $400 per year to keep your horse’s hooves trimmed. I am interested in getting ahorse for my family to ride, and I would want to make sure that I take proper care of it. If I do decide to get one, I’ll make sure to add that to the budget so the horse can be well taken care of.