How to Trim a Pygmy Goat's Hooves

A Pygmy goat's hooves grow continuously and need to be trimmed several times a year, depending on how fast they grow. Pygmy's that live on hard, rocky ground or spend a lot of time on cement or stone surfaces will see more wear in their hooves and will need them trimmed less. Those that live on softer ground will not have this advantage and may need their hooves trimmed up to once every six weeks. It is important that a regular schedule of trimming is adhered to, as excessive and untended hoof growth can lead to issues such as laminitis (inflammation of the hoof laminae), joint and tendon problems, and arthritis.

Things You'll Need

  • Hoof trimmers or
  • Rose trimmers or
  • Foot rot shears or
  • Pruning shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Restrain the Pygmy goat. Tie them up by the head standing up and against a wall or fence, which you can use as extra support as needed. Placing them on a bench where you can sit may help, as they are short and bending over to work on their feet may cause back strain. Make sure you have room to pick up their legs on the side for their front hooves and straight back for their rear ones.

    • 2

      Trim the dew claws. These are located a the back of the foot, above the hoof, and may appear to look like a round thumb pad. They should be round and somewhat flat, so if you see any sharp edges or points you will need to trim these away.

    • 3

      Trim the outside hoof region. When you pick up the foot, you will see that the hoof is divided into two parts. The one closest on the inside of the body is the inside region and the one closest to you where you stand beside the goat will be the outside region. Taking small amounts of hoof off at a time, trim any points or edges off of the toe and the sole area so that it is parallel to the coronary band (the top of the hoof where it joins to the leg).

    • 4

      Trim the inside hoof region. This should be lower than the outside region but still basically parallel to the coronary band. If the heel region of the hoof has gotten long, you can trim that area up much like the toe area, cutting away any points or edges and rounding it off. When you are done trimming, put the foot down and let the Pygmy stand and walk a bit to check the that the hoof is balanced properly.