{"id":6053,"date":"2022-07-07T15:55:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T15:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=6053"},"modified":"2022-07-07T18:20:18","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T18:20:18","slug":"how-to-trim-donkey-hooves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-trim-donkey-hooves\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Trim Donkey Hooves?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just a casual glance at donkeys\u2019 hooves will inform you that they are rather different from horses\u2019 hooves. In appearance, a donkey\u2019s hoof is more compact and has a more straight up-and-down wall. A horse\u2019s hoof is a bit wider and has a slanting wall. Donkeys\u2019 hooves differ from horses\u2019 hooves in more ways than just appearance, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we discuss the structure of donkeys\u2019 hooves and provide sound information on trimming and caring for them<\/a>. Read on to learn more on how to trim donkey hoove<\/em>s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Are Donkeys\u2019 Hooves Different?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Donkeys originated in desert settings where the ground is hard and dry and often rocky. Because of this, their hooves are able to absorb moisture efficiently in order to stay flexible and avoid splitting and chipping. Unfortunately, in the average horse pasture this ability can cause problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly to goats<\/a>, donkeys kept in a soft paddock setting or in a grassy pasture may develop soft hooves. This can be problematic in a couple of ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. First, softer hooves on softer ground don’t tend to wear down efficiently and can become overgrown very easily.<\/li>
  2. Second, soft hooves are more likely to develop problems with fungal and bacterial infections.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Another problem that often comes up for domestic donkeys is that they tend not to get enough exercise. Lack of exercise also causes lack of hoof wear. Many sedentary donkeys\u2019 hooves wear unevenly with the heel remaining too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Because this is the only type of donkey hoof many veterinarians and farriers have seen, it is often mistakenly considered the norm. This means that donkeys\u2019 hooves are often trimmed in a way that leaves the heel too high and the toe too short. This leads to hoof and joint problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How Often To Trim Donkey Hooves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You should schedule regular hoof trimmings every couple of months; there is no exact rule for that. As a donkey owner, you should take various things into consideration, such as availability of your farrier, the overall workload of your donkey, whether she is pregnant<\/a> or not, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When you’re looking for a farrier to trim your donkey\u2019s hooves, be sure that the person really knows about the important differences between donkey and horse hooves. Look for someone who has verifiable references from donkey-owning clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    11 Tips For Trimming Donkeys\u2019 Hooves<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    1. Rasp the hoof walls so that they are even with the sole.<\/li>
    2. Balance each hoof heel to toe and side-to-side.<\/li>
    3. The quarters may be rasped a bit shorter to keep the walls even with the sole.<\/li>
    4. Keep the heels short.<\/li>
    5. The tough, wide frog should be trimmed of uneven, dead material, flattened and kept in contact with the ground.<\/li>
    6. The bars should be kept intact and should slope from heel to cleft. Bars only need to be trimmed if they are overgrown and\/or are folded over.<\/li>
    7. Scrape and clear away any flaky material from the concave area of the sole.<\/li>
    8. Round the outer edge of the hoof wall into a brumby or mustang roll for a good barefoot trim that will resist chipping and cracking.<\/li>
    9. Front and back feet may not match one another, but front feet should be a matched pair in angle in length, and so should the back feet.<\/li>
    10. Schedule regular hoof trimmings.<\/li>
    11. Remember that donkeys (especially older ones) do not like to have their feet lifted very high. A good donkey farrier just lifts the hoof a few inches off the ground to work.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Hoof Trimming Donkeys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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      https:\/\/youtu.be\/WkwctOxWRyw<\/a>