Basic farrier tools Knives, hoof rasps, sharpeners, gloves.

• Hoof Rasps
• S-Rasp
• Bar and Quarter Arc Rasp
• Hoof Knives
• Sharpener
• Gloves

Good tools are half the battle. Trimming hooves is hard work as it is; good and sharp tools make the job considerably easier! Below are the tools that we use ourselves and recommend to our students.

These are professional tools used by farriers and aren’t available just anywhere.

Once you regularly maintain your horse's hooves yourself, the tools listed below will suffice, though a farrier apron and hoof stand are highly recommended. For advanced users/professional trimmers, the hoof cutter is very advisable. Once proficient, you can nip off even the smallest two-millimetre edges of the hoof wall and even shape the rounding, making less work for the rasp (this saves time, and your rasp will last longer).

If the tools below seem expensive: They are quality tools, thus not cheap. We opted not to offer cheaper alternatives due to inadequate quality.

Note: The tools listed below are hand tools.

Hoof Rasps

The hoof rasp is the most essential tool for those who want to trim or maintain their horse’s hooves themselves. Indispensable for smoothing the underside of the hoof and creating the mustang roll.

These hoof rasps, Dick 14 and Dick 16, were selected for their favourable qualities and excellent price/performance ratio:

• Many rasps have a coarse side and a fine side, with the coarse side wearing out first. But this rasp has two rasp sections per side, totaling four. Three of these are coarse: instead of half, this rasp is 3/4 coarse rasp surface. Compared to a normal rasp, you get 50% more rasp for your money.
• This rasp lacks a handle, so you grip it by the rasping section. Thus, offering more control over the rasp’s movements, especially advantageous for less experienced and less strong individuals. Unlike standard rasps, it doesn’t matter which side you grip; alternating your grip wears the entire rasp section evenly, meaning a longer lifespan in practice.
• This rasp is crafted from superior quality steel, remaining sharper longer than the cheaper rasps found in hobby and consumer markets, and is incredibly effective (minimal effort, maximal effect!). The rasp isn’t rust-resistant; the manufacturer chose the best steel for creating an optimal sharp rasp. Don’t leave it outside in the rain and avoid placing the rasp on the ground if you don’t want it to become dull. Treated well, it lasts a very long time.

We are aware of other rasps that almost precisely replicate this Dick rasp but at notably lower quality despite their cheaper price. The difference is truly noticeable. Using this genuine, still fairly new, Dick rasp, sizeable chunks of the hoof wall fly off compared to dust-like results with cheaper versions. While everyone has a different budget, most bringing a cheaper rasp to our course end up buying a Dick rasp after trying it, noticing too much time spent rasping at home previously.

The rasps come in two sizes: The Dick 14 is 35 centimetres long, while the Dick 16 is 40 centimetres long and slightly wider. The smaller rasp suits those who aren't as strong and/or maintain smaller ponies’ hooves; the larger rasp is more suited for maintaining larger horses.

S-Rasp

This rasp is specifically designed for those wanting to easily create a lovely rounding (mustang roll). While a regular rasp can create a perfect rounding, we know from experience many people struggle with this.

Because of the shape of this rasp, you only need to move it back and forth to achieve a varying rasp angle, resulting in a beautiful rounding.

Since early 2009, we sell a new improved S-rasp made specially for us. It's forged, not cast, and has a larger curve for a nicer mustang roll.

Bar and Quarter Arc Rasp

Good news for those wanting to trim but prefer not using a hoof knife. From our extended experience teaching Natural Hoof Care courses for horse owners, many find it daunting to use a knife on the hoof. A knife is needed to trim the bars, otherwise it won't work. At least, not with tools previously available. We’ve developed something new: the bar and quarter arc rasp.

The bar & quarter arc rasp is a very convenient small rasp that’s easily used for trimming the bars. You can also use this rasp to easily create quarter arcs and remove the old layer of sole.

Besides standard hoof maintenance, the small rasp is very handy for trekking with your horse, given its compact size. Should a piece of the hoof wall chip, you can easily address it using this rasp. Multifunctional indeed.

Hoof Knives

Hoof knives are used for shortening bars, creating quarter arcs, and quickly trimming the hoof wall. Knives are made in both left- and right-cut versions; you need both.

Hoof knives come in various forms: An essential feature is the blade width. A wider blade cuts stably but makes creating bends (for quarter arcs) difficult. A too-narrow blade can make the knife unstable. The curve is key too: many knives are engineered to hollow out the sole, something not done with natural trimming. Natural trimmers benefit from a less curved blade. Most importantly, blade steel hardness is crucial: hobby knives often lack hardness, resulting in bent blades that are hard to control and quickly dull. The blade angle also matters: a sharp angle cuts best but dulls quickly, whereas a blunter angle doesn’t cut as smoothly but stays sharper longer. Cheaper knives tend to use a blunter angle due to softer metal constraints.

The knives listed below were chosen for natural trimming because of their ideal compromise between blade width stability and maneuverability, appropriate curve, and high steel quality. Additionally, their ergonomically rounded shapes and finely crafted wooden handles make them pleasant to use.

We offer two types of hoof knives in our product line. Both are high-quality professional tools, unmatched by those found in hobby shops.

Dick Ascot

Our Dick Ascot hoof knives are chosen for their top-tier quality. The blade is crafted from premium sharp-ground steel, the handle covered in beautifully finished rosewood, and the blade’s metallic part is conveniently short and perfectly shaped.

Need just a left or right knife? No problem, order the set and specify in the comments box that you desire just 1 of the 2 knives. Do not pay for the order before we adjust the price. The price is €1 more than half the set price. The knife image on this page is the right knife.

Dick BASIC

These knives are more budget-friendly. Compared to the luxury Dick Ascot knives, the cutting part is longer and wider, and the handle finish less polished. However, the sharpening angle, blade shape, and quality are excellent.

Sharpener

Hooves are often very hard and always have sand residues. Thus, hoof knives dull and require sharpening before each trim.

This Swiss sharpener makes sharpening effortless. It comes with a five-year warranty on the sharpening head, which lasts much longer and is virtually indestructible. Besides hoof knives, it sharpens numerous other implements. This is exactly why many purchase two: besides hoof knives, it’s ideal for sharpening kitchen knives!

During the Natural Hoof Care Course, we teach you how to precisely sharpen hoof knives using this sharpener.

Gloves

Size	1: (cm)	2: (cm)	3: (cm)
S	18	8	8.3
M	18.5	8.2	9
L	18.8	8.5	9.5
XL	19.5	9.2	10.5

Comfortable, supple gloves with extended wrists, specially designed for trimming! Also available in small women’s sizes (see table).

These gloves are made exclusively for us and are only available through our online shop. Also, they can be purchased from us and our course leaders during the Natural Hoof Care course.

Note: your cutting technique must be safe; no glove can prevent a well-sharpened knife from cutting through. Gloves are intended to comfortably hold a sharp rasp and offer protection if your horse pulls away, not to guard against poor cutting technique. Be aware of this and work smart.

Interested in a farrier apron, hoof stand, or hoof cutter?