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Hoof pick.....
It may seem goofy but I am so tired of hoof picks I hate. I steer towards those with the brush on the end like this one -
http://www.valleyvet.com/zoomimage.h...es/12105_A.jpg
But find the pick part to be too short and made of soft metal and wears out easy. I bought another fancy handle type with a brush and it hurts my hand... can't get the leverage needed to get the mud out of packed hooves.
Please let me know of your favorite hoof picks! Thanks.
My old farrier in St. Louis made hoof picks out of old rasps--he'd roll the rasp part into a cylinder at his forge, bend the tang over and twist and heat it to a point. I have one and it is my FAVORITE piece of gear ever. I've had it for 20 years! :) It is long and heavy and pointy--no ice-packed hoof is a match for its beefy leverage! I keep dropping hints for my farrier to make me a couple more, although I will never willingly part with the original.
Ugh, I HATE those ones with the brushes. They're useless.
I like hoof picks in this shape:
http://www.amazon.com/Hoof-Care-Oste.../dp/B00019RB3O
I happen to own the Oster ones, but the name brand isn't as important as the shape of the pick. Plenty enough leverage to pop snow out of a shod hoof, pointy enough to really get into the hoof grooves, etc.
The Ultimate Hoof Pick is roughly the same idea.
http://www.ultimatehoofpick.com/testimonials.html
Ah goes to show you what a personal decision hoofpicks are :lol: I prefer ones with brushes as I have to brush the hoof anyhow, and I hated the Ultimate hoof pick, not ergonomic and I have boyish hands.Quote:
Originally Posted by jn4jenny
I don't like hoof picks with the circular shape, I like them flattened, I feel it gives me more leverage and I can get in deep spots better.
I actually have discovered this hoof pick: http://www.horze.com/Horze-Softgrip-...,en_US,pd.html and it is fantastic. Handle has a good feel, albeit a bit large. Pick is long and sturdy. And the brush (if you like brushes) is extra long and extra stiff, perfect for a muddy hoof.
And Horze frequently has 50% off sales. I bought one just to get my total up to the free shipping threshold, and was so pleased when I received mine I went back and bought a dozen more for stocking stuffers this year. Everyone loves them.
My favorites are the big, heavy ones I make out of used shoes. The shape is similar to the Epona Magnapick, which is very sturdy, thin enough at the tip to get into little spaces, and fits easily in a back pocket.
Agree with you that hoof picks are very personal. I don't like the Ultimate Hoof Pick either. I was just expressing that it's the same idea, meaning it curves the pick in a way that's supposed to help some people get leverage. The optimal leverage angle is going to depend on your hands, your grip, etc. I happen to have little girly hands, so the smaller Oster hoof pick works better for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by buck22
As for brushing the hoof, I prefer to carry a second tool for that. I can see how that system might annoy other people, but I want a bigger brush with more leverage on the handle.
My favorite is my handmade one that an old farrier made for me. It is made out of a horse shoe, has a great feeling handle, and a big, pointy pick. The things I can lever out of a foot with that thing are remarkable.
If I go commercial, I prefer the ones with the brushes...and if I'm going to be very particular, I really like the silly ones with the horse head on the opposite end. I just like the feel of that one in my hand best. I don't really care about the brush or not, I just like one with a good handle.
I have the cheapy little ones hanging on all my stall doors. Usually, I go through the barn with MY hoofpick when they come in, but occasionally I'll grab the cheapy off the door of someone to do a quick pick (like to knock shavings out or if I forgot to pick or whatever), and I am INSTANTLY reminded why I like the fancy handmade.
My new favorite - http://www.horze.com/Horze-Softgrip-...,en_US,pd.html
if I have an ice-packed hoof, I use the tool my farrier uses-- a sturdy flat-head screwdriver with a wide tip. Since that situation is the exception rather an the norm, my everyday hoofpick is the Oster one. Very comfortable and the pick doesn't bend. I use it with the pick held sideways to scrape along the sole & push big qtys of dirt off-- works pretty much like the brush would-- and then use the point to get the sulcus clean.
i like a straight hook. the one i use is like the first one posted, though i think the hook on mine is bigger. I like the brush to brush the hoof clean after picking. It's the one i've used the most over the past decade.
The best ever: http://www.bigdweb.com/HOOF-PICK-DEL...ctinfo/STPICK/
After 30 years of various hoof picks, from cheap to expensive, the Hoof Pick Deluxe is the best. Truly fits your hand, no matter the size. No slip and extremely tough. The color makes them easy to find even at the bottom of your grooming tote.
I trim for several clients outside my own two mares and everyone who sees that hoof pick says "Oh I love it! I want one!"
Thank you for the ideas.. I ordered a few of those and we will see which one works. I guess a girl can never have too many hoof picks. :)
So I started to answer this and realized I may have a bit of a hoof pick problem!
Most of the time, the Anvil hoof pick is my go-to. Feels GREAT in the hand, and is pretty indestructible. I have several!
http://www.anvilbrand.com/SOUNDMOUNT...TEEL-P395.aspx
I use that in conjunction with my favorite brush from Nunn Finer: http://www.nunnfiner.com/product-p/2248.htm
Now my horses live outside, so this time I've year I'm feeding and picking feet in the dark, and the Illuminated Hoof Pick is fabulous for that! (Seriously, it's awesome)
http://www.englishridingsupply.com/e...?prd=301714320
And lastly, all of these are a bit too wide for my mini's collateral grooves, so I've become a big fan of the Haas Joker Hoof Pick, which I also like best for picking out ice.
http://shop.haas-manufaktur.de/Clean...rirh1uh1sc2af6
Alright, I actually had to check the poster name when I started reading here, because this sounds exactly like what I would write :lol: I was a bit confused, since I didn't recall posting on this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowbritches
(Although mine is made out of bar stock, not an actual shoe.)
I bought a couple of these as backups, but don't like them as much as mine. The shape is good, but the actual pick head part is quit wide and it's tough to get into the grooves. When I have a horse that is shod, I will ask whatever farrier I use then to hammer the very tip of the pick a little narrower for me.
I got a Cavallo hoof pick with a brush for free when I bought some boots. It's much better than the cheapo ones with the brush. I love it!
http://www.cavallo-inc.com/us/Groomi...allo-Hoof-Pick