How to Clip Hooves

Goats need regular grooming. While goat grooming is not as intensive as horse grooming, failure to regularly maintain your goat causes issues. Regularly checking your goat's hooves and keeping them at the appropriate length keeps serious illness and even death at bay. Hoof clipping takes time to learn. However, once you grow more comfortable with the chore, the task becomes much easier.

Things You'll Need

  • Rope
  • Hoof pick
  • Hoof shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Hold the goat still. Tie the goat to a fence or stall with a rope. Tie one end of the rope around the goat's neck and the other end around the slat of a fence.

    • 2

      Sit down behind the goat. Lean against the goat to hold it in place. Gently lift up the back leg of the goat, bending it at the joint so the hoof faces up.

    • 3

      Remove all dirt, rocks and feces stuck in the hoof with a hoof pick. Dig out dirt between the hoof walls and toes.

    • 4

      Trim the overgrown sides of the hoof with hoof shears. Trim off one layer of hoof at a time until the sides are even with the rest of the hoof and you reach the white sole.

    • 5

      Trim the heels of the hoof with the hoof shears. Stop trimming once you see the light pink sole of the hoof.

    • 6

      Place the foot of the goat back on the ground. The hoof must be even and sit flat on the ground. Trim the hoof a little at a time until it is even. Repeat with the other back hoof and work your way to the front hooves.

    • 7

      Clip any hanging remnants off the hoof so the sides are smooth and even.