Even Big Guys Need Mani-Pedis

Horses need mani-pedis just like humans. As you can imagine, the process is slightly different. Plus, even as horses go, draft horses have very big feet. Not all farriers (professionals who trim hooves and put shoes on horses) are up to the challenge of dealing with 2000 pound horses with their 7-8 inch diameter feet.


And not all farriers keep such giant "toes" as pretty as Marty Johnson, our farrier does. Horse feet are similar to human fingernails. They grow out and most should be trimmed regularly, especially when they wear shoes. Angeli's horses see Marty every six weeks to keep their hooves in tip top condition. I'm proud to showcase Marty's talented handiwork in this blog.


Our horses also wear special shoes, Smooth Walkers, that offer them better traction on all surfaces, plus cushion our horses' feet and joints. Many equine law enforcement units and others use these great shoes. An added bonus is that they leave no marks on clients' driveways like steel shoes will.


Here are some photos of the process of removing the old shoes, trimming the hooves and placing new shoes on one of our horses. It doesn't hurt, as the portion of the hoof that is trimmed or that the shoe nails go into is like the white part of your fingernail that is not living tissue.


Marty is a trained pro, so makes this look easy, but it requires anatomical and psychological horse knowledge. Skill is acquired over years and the work itself is hard on a person's back, as you can imagine.


I respect the care he puts into each horse. Marty makes sure the angles of each hoof are correct and the hoof "balanced". He proactively checks for signs of any problems, and places an emphasis on natural, healthy movement. There is an old saying, "no foot, no horse". Whether wearing shoes or barefoot, well-tended, sound feet are fundamental to a healthy, happy horse.


Here our white Percheron shows off the results of his mani-pedi.



You can reach Marty Johnson at 512-484-2586 for professional farrier and horse training services.

You may learn more about Smooth Walkers at http://www.smoothwalker.com. They make shoes to fit all sizes of horses. I encourage you to call Kepha there if you have any questions about what size you need. He was very nice in guiding us through the process, and his customer service is outstanding.