Trimming the Donkeys' Hooves

August 13, 2020

There's a lot of activity going on in the stable - it's time to trim the donkeys' hooves.

Every six to eight weeks, my farrier, Linda Friedman, comes by the stable to check the donkeys' hooves and give them a good trim. Their hooves are constantly growing, and they support the entire weight of a donkey's body, so if left unmaintained, they can split or get too long causing uneven strides and soreness. Linda is an expert in shoeing and trimming equine hooves, and she is very passionate about her work and the horses under her care.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: The donkeys know visitors are in the stable. Here’s Jude “JJ” Junior on her step to see what’s happening outside her stall.

: The three older donkeys, Clive, Billie, and Rufus, are in the hall ready for the farrier. These three are very well behaved and easy to work with – they are accustomed to their grooming routines.

: Here are Linda’s tools – a rasp, nippers, and a hoof knife.

: Linda begins by using a hoof knife to remove any debris and trim the sole of the hoof.

: Then she uses the nippers to cut the overgrown hoof wall. This step requires considerable knowledge since the area is so close to the sole.

: Here is what is trimmed from Clive’s hoof – not much.

: Sarah also grooms Clive to keep him distracted and calm. Sarah uses a round metal curry comb and shedding blade over Clive’s back to remove any dead coat hairs.

: The next step is to clean up any rough edges around the hoof. Linda does this with a filing tool called a rasp. Clive is not giving Linda any resistance. He’s accustomed to her and trusts that she will not hurt him.

: Rufus looks on with curiosity. Donkeys bond very closely with the others in their herd, so these three are always kept close together.

: Here’s Billie waiting her turn quite patiently.

: Here’s a closer look at Linda using the rasp to smooth out the edges.

: Linda also feels around the hoof to make sure she did not miss any uneven spots. Linda often pauses to inspect her work and then proceeds as needed.

: Linda does the same for all the hooves on these three donkeys. After trimming 12 hooves, the three amigos are done. Here they are with nice, manicured hooves. Billie in front, then Clive and Rufus’ ears can be seen over Clive’s neck.

: Next – the youngest of our donkey herd – Truman “TJ” Junior and Jude “JJ” Junior.

: This is the first time these youngsters are getting their hooves trimmed outside their stall. Linda takes special care for this session, so they feel comfortable having their hooves done in a different environment. Donkeys have powerful rear legs, which they use to kick when they feel threatened or nervous.

: Linda begins the process all over again on the next hoof – first, removing any debris. Here, she is using a hoof pick. Picking out the dirt and mud is done every day, not just when the hooves are trimmed.

: Then, she carefully trims off the excess hoof wall. Proper handling of nippers is very important. Linda is very cautious to not take off more hoof than necessary.

: And here is what came off. A bit more from this hoof.

: Jude “JJ” Junior appears very comfortable with Linda. Here, she is resting on Linda’s back as she works. I think she may even be falling asleep.

: Ultimately, the objective is to get the hoof wall cut even with the sole. Here, Linda finishes off with a good filing with the rasp before she is done.