Trimming goat hooves - am I really that much of a perfectionist?

[glenolam]

Here's the scoop.

Most of you know I've had the same few does for quite some time. I'll admit I'm attached to them and take great pride in their health. Afterall, healthy goats = less you really have to do for them, right?

I don't go around checking hooves on a weekly or even monthly basis, but I do keep on top of them. Call it a pet peeve if you want, but when I see a hoof that's starting to get that curl, it's gotta go. If I see the "toe" is pointy, it's gotta get clipped short. If they don't look like the "hoof trimming pictures" you see, I make it look like that.

I just aquired four new goats and, if you read my journal you know they wear fancy pants and come with registration papers. They've all been shown in 4H and/or ADGA shows.

So, why is it that their hooves were so overgrown it was causing them to limp, favor one leg, do what little g calls "Parade walk" (lifting up their hooves high as if to kick) etc? Don't take this as an attack against their previous owners, by the way. I know we're all different and have different views on what is "right". There was no neglect occuring at all and all girls are healthy otherwise - just had bad looking hooves, according to me.

That said, on the pretense that I'm not attacking anyone's ability or lack there of in trimming hooves, let me ask you - do you think it's me? I am that much of a perfectionist? Am I over-reacting when it comes to their feet?

FWIW my husband thinks so.

 

[Javamama]

Well, if it was causing them to have trouble walking, then it's not 'just you'. I like to keep up on mine too for the simple matter of the worse they get, the longer it takes me to fix them and the trimming position makes my back hurt. Plus, the more debris that gets stuck, the more chance there is for hoof rot.

 

[Damummis]

No, I am the same way. It is taking me forever to get my two goats hooves in shape and we are still not there. They were so long and over grown they were crossing each other. I will judge every goat owner by the shape of their goats hooves now. Unfortunately farmer ben has set the baseline for me.

Being an anal manicurist doesn't help either.

 

[glenolam]

Being and anal manicurist doesn't help either.

Oh must you bring me there????

 

[savingdogs]

I think the feet are very important. I'm very concerned about getting our goat area drier (still working on that) because I see splits in the hooves of my does. I think conditions are too damp and they get soft and split. The problem is that they spend so much time out where they are standing where it is wet, it is dry in their stalls but they only go in there at night.

I think keeping up with small matters like feet are an important aspect or they turn into big matter, such as the limping when let go too long.

We do not have to trim our goats hooves that often, it doesn't seem like it should be a big deal to keep up with it.

 

[glenolam]

Sorry....just couldn't resist.

It's not all of them that seem to have walking issues, but whenever I go places and see goats I do look at their feet. I keep quiet because I know that statement "to each his own" very well and have learned that my opinion is not always right (or wanted for that matter! ).

I'm just curious as to whether or not it's OK to have overgrown feet at times. I was talking to my sister who has a fancy pants dog that was/is shown in dog shows. She said that the dogs at her breeders house are never in good condition. They needs baths, nails trimmed, to be brushed, etc - but come "showtime" they look like the prize winning animals you see on TV.

 

[CrownofThorns]

I try to keep up with mine because it's good for them. That said. I haven't really done so. I last clipped them at a really weird warm up over Thanksgiving week, and haven't clipped them since, since it's too cold for me to spend several hours outside trying to clip frozen hooves.

I was just noticing this morning that I need to do it come this Thursday, not only am I trying to keep up with it, but 3 of my does have hooves that are so overgrown that this newbie doesn't even know if they will ever look like what they are supposed to.

 

[Denim Deb]

Couldn't tell you when the last time was that I had to trim my goats hooves. But, that doesn't mean I don't check them. Don't know if it's something in the ground around here or what, but they stay pretty short w/out me doing anything. Same w/the horses. I had Misty's feet done for the first time this year a couple of weeks ago. And, they really weren't that bad. Farrier didn't have time to check out any others-had to do a bunch of donks, and they were horrible! They didn't want to hold still-so, he ran out of time. We have a different farrier coming tomorrow, and I don't think that Stormy or Licky really need it either.

 

[Our7Wonders]

Glenolam, I wish you were here. My girls really needed their hooves done when they first got here but I waited a few weeks for them to settle in. I spent what seemed like forever working on them and I know I didn't do it quite right. It's been about 2 months or so since they were done and I want to do it again, but I'm dreading it because I hate not doing it right. It was more difficult than I thought it would be - I looked at all the diagrams, watched the youtube videos and bought the little "how to" book from Hoeggers but it didn't go like I'd expected it to. I'm ordering a hoof plane, and maybe that will help me get them more level this next time. Anyway, I wish I had a hoof perfectionist here to show me how it should be done. That, and drawing blood. I need a mentor.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Me too, Our7.

I've had goats for a year. The big girls were just getting to need it when the coyotes got them. Now I'm noticing one of the doelings' back hoof looks a bit long and pointed, and I guess they should all be done. They are all yearlings and never been trimmed yet, but I think some of the ground is hard enough that it's not going to need done more than 1-2 times a year.

What REALLY bothers me is that the llama's hooves are starting to look like they need doing, and it's soon time for her to submit to shearing as well.

At least I can look at it that I can get practice on the goats before doing her. I am NOT looking forward to that!