Introduction to PHCP - Pacific Hoof Care Practitioners

Introduction to
Pacific Hoof Care Practitioners
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Table of Contents

Section One:
◦ Our Mission
◦ Our Model
◦ Our Goals

Section Two:
◦ Tool Recommendations &
Selection
Our Mission
To provide a supportive network
and educational foundation
for hoof care professionals and horse owners
based on a holistic and progressive approach.
Our Mission
To provide a supportive network
and educational foundation
for hoof care professionals and horse owners…
The PHCP started as a group of like-minded trimmers who found each other’s
shared knowledge and support invaluable in the sometimes uncharted world of
natural hoof care. We hope to provide this same knowledge and support for
our members through:

hands on trimming mentorships with personalized in-depth evaluation forms

in-person as well as webinar training and clinics

trimmer advertising and information via our public website

sharing, learning and networking via a private on-line discussion forum

continuing education opportunities

owner outreach

annual meetings and other group events
Our Mission
…based on a holistic and progressive approach.
We believe you cannot have a truly healthy hoof without
recognizing and addressing all of the factors that go into
a healthy horse. Some of these are:
Our Mission
…based on a holistic and progressive approach.
The world of hoof care is dynamic and evolving even as you read this.
Therefore, we have committed ourselves to staying on the cutting edge of
related information so that we have as many ‘tools in our tool box’ as
possible, to help the horses whose hooves we are entrusted to care for.
This means seeking out and continuing education for as long as we are
involved in hoof care!
Our Model
Our model is the outer form which allows
the inner form to function optimally.
Each hoof is a unique force which expresses itself
to best serve that limb, on that animal,
in that environment, at that time.
The role of the trimmer is to
support this natural process.
Our Model – how we get there
We approach our model through a non-invasive trim style that
encourages and allows the hoof to develop into the soundest
and most highly functioning form that it can be. This is done
through trimming as well as various forms of hoof protection
options such as boots, pads, casts, etc. These are used where
necessary or beneficial to the horse as well as to help meet
the owner‟s goals.
We understand each
trimmer will find their
own style that works
for the horses in their
environment.
Our Goals
To have a comprehensive, flexible and
affordable program that teaches the
student about the entire horse as it affects
the feet, including diet and lifestyle.
 To embrace the different methods of
trimming (without being invasive) so you
can find your own style that fits you, your
horses and their environment.
 To have a support network where you can
get new information or help with specific
questions and learn from others on the
same path.
 To keep up with new research and offer
advanced clinics to further our
understanding and education.

Section two:
Tool Recommendations &
Selection
Tool Recommendations & Selection

When you are first starting out, it is hard to know which tools are the
best to buy, where to get them, which ones are important to buy
premium quality and which you can get away with cheaper, and even
which tools you will need right away and which are just “nice to have”.

Tool handling and more in-depth explanations of the different options
will be covered in further detail during your mentorships, but we have
put together some information that we hope will help you successfully
prepare for the trims ahead!
The Hoof Stand
We have found that the Hoof Jack®
is the best hoof stand on the market.
It is lightweight and nearly indestructible.
It comes with a knob for addressing flares
and doing the mustang roll, and a cradle
for resting the hoof while you trim. It easily changes from one attachment to the
other, and is very adjustable in height.
The stand has rounded edges and rolls away quietly if the horse knocks it over.
There are no sharp edges to injure the horse (or yourself!) and it is not noisy so
there is less chance of it spooking a horse. It comes equipped with two strong
magnets for storing your tools, and you can purchase additional magnets if you
wish to replace them or add more. The cradle, post, sling and knobs are all
replaceable. It comes in draft, standard and mini sizes (shown above), and the
attachments are inter-changeable between the stand sizes. We recommend the
standard size HoofJack® to start.
Nippers
Hoof nippers are one of the tools that
you will not want to scrimp on quality.
A poorly made nipper will frustrate and
tire you, compromising the quality of
your work, and will not be able to be
sharpened or re-worked successfully.
The most recommended are the GE
brand, although we also like Lopez and MFC.
We recommend that you choose the handle (or “rein”) length
Based on your skills and hand strength. The 12” models are more
maneuverable and work well if you have fairly good hand strength or work
on softer feet.
The 14 and 15” models are useful for hard or overgrown
feet, as they provide more leverage. “Race track” versions of a nipper
mean the blade head is smaller, which can be helpful on hard feet as you
are pushing the blades through less hoof material at a time.
Rasps
Rasps are probably going to be the most often used tool in your tool box.
You will find that the preferred feel of a rasp is a very individual thing.
As they only last a short while, we suggest you keep trying until you find a
brand that you really like.
A new rasp especially will feel as though it
„grips‟ the hoof wall, but should take a light stroke to easily remove the
material.
We highly recommend that you do not use a dull rasp to save
money, as it will break down your body very quickly.
We also recommend you use a rasp handle, which is another personal feel
preference. There are many styles to choose from with metal, wood and
plastic options.
Hoof Knives & Picks
There are two different kinds of hoof knives, and you will need to determine which style
works best for you.
- One comes in a left and right handed version,
most people will buy one of each. The different
sides will allow you to cut in different directions
on the hoof.
- The other kind is the loop knife, which you can
use with both your left and right hand or both
directions on the hoof due to the two cutting
sides on the same knife.
Good brands of knives are F Dick, Hall, JH Forge, and The Knife.
You will also need a good hoof pick. Models with
strong, pointy metal picks are the best for
cleaning the hoof without bending or breaking.
A stiff nylon or metal bristled brush is useful for
removing dulling grains of dirt and sand which
will shorten the life of your trimming tools.
Chaps & Gloves
There are many different brands
of chaps (also called aprons).
Good ones are lightweight but
tough, and come with at least
two pockets for tools such as
knives and picks. Snap closures
can be safer than buckles if a
horse gets tangled in your chaps. Chaps protect your clothes
from dirt and your body from sharp tools.
Many trimmers choose rubber coated gardener
gloves, while others prefer leather or suede work
gloves. Gloves allow you to grip the hoof and
your tools while at the same time protecting you
from them.
Shoe Removal



Pull Offs: Pull offs are a necessity when dealing with
shoe removal, so if you are planning on trimming
professionally you will need a pair. These do not have
to be a premium item, any of the brands will work.
Clinch Removal: You will also need to cut the
clinches before you can remove a shoe. You can use
a clinch cutter with a hammer to break off the
clinched nails from the outside of the hoof wall. You
can also use an old rasp to carefully rasp them away.
Crease Nail Pullers: This tool is not required but is
very helpful for grabbing nail heads, especially those
in the recessed crease style horse shoes. Sometimes
you can remove all of the nails this way so that the
shoe is easily removed and causes less damage to the
hoof wall.
Tool Sharpening
Tool sharpening can be covered during your mentorships. You will
develop preferred methods for sharpening that work for you and there
are several sharpening options to choose from.

Dremel: Dremels can be fit with many different bits that work for
tool sharpening, especially knives.

Bastard File: Bastard files look like a very small rasp, and are most
often used when sharpening nippers due to the flat surface which can
be aligned with the nipper cutting blades.

Diamond File: Diamond files come in a variety of shapes and are
typically used for knife sharpening. A tapered cone shape or slightly
rounded rectangle is often used for sharpening knives and getting into
the crook or the rounded area of a loop knife.

Carbide Sharpeners: These are usually a small flat sharpener which
can be used on straight knives or nippers.
Optional Tools



Half Rounds: Half rounds are nippers which have a
rounded blade surface that is helpful for situations where
you have hard compacted hoof material to remove, such as
overgrown bar or „false sole‟. They take a „melon ball‟
shaped bite so they require skill and caution in use so as to
not accidentally take too much material.
Bonsai Nippers: Similar to small half rounds, these
nippers were designed for trimming bonsai trees. They also
take a rounded bite but are smaller and less expensive than
half rounds. They can be used for cleaning up hard or
difficult to reach frog and bar material.
Compound Nippers: The compound leverage to these
heavy duty nippers means the pressure at the biting
surface is roughly 20 times what you are applying to the
handles. This can be useful on big, hard feet such as drafts
or severely overgrown feet. Compound nippers are very
heavy and stiff to open, so they are not recommended for
daily / standard trimming use.
Optional Tools – Nipper Springs
Nipper springs are small metal springs
made by W Brand that you can apply to
most nippers and half rounds. They
enable you to nip one handed by opening
the nipper head for you between bites.
(You can also learn to “chop stick” the
nippers to nip one handed). One handed
nipping can be very helpful when
trimming young, imbalanced or injured
horses that cannot balance or hold their
hooves up for very long or cannot
tolerate the „farrier hold‟.
Optional Tools – Power Tools
Angle grinders and other power tools can be invaluable for trimming hard
and overgrown feet. We recommend that you master the use of hand
tools before learning to use power tools, as there will be certain horses
and situations which will require hand tools. A power tool clinic is offered
as an elective clinic in our training program.
For tools, visit: www.softtouchnaturalhoofcare.com
Where to buy your tools
Many of the required trimming tools can be purchased from your local
farrier supply. This way you can touch, feel and see exactly what you
are purchasing, and you can often get a little local knowledge from the
shop owners as to best selling items. Buying locally if possible is
convenient and supports your local economy!
However once you are confident in what you wish to purchase, you
may be able to save money by purchasing products on-line. Popular
sites include:
www.shop.nc-toolco.com
www.centaurforge.com
www.washoevalleyfarriersupply.com
Save Edge brand rasps and Hoof Jacks® are available at a discount if
you are an EasyCare dealer. Gloves can be purchased from most
garden supply or hardware stores, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
Thank you for joining
This presentation written & designed by Sossity Gargiulo & Asa Stephens