How to File Down a Horse's Feet

Owning and caring for a horse is not a task to be taken lightly. Horses require regular grooming and hoof maintenance to keep them in optimum health and riding condition. While many horses wear shoes that do not require any filing, horses with bare hooves must have their feet filed with a special file, called a rasp. The rasp is used once all the hooves have been trimmed using nippers. This tool levels the bottom of the hoof, removes any burrs on the hoof and rounds the edges of the hoof's wall.

Things You'll Need

  • Rasp
  • Hoof stand
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Instructions

    • 1

      Hold the horse's front leg steady, supported between your knees. If you decide to start with the back legs, the horse's leg is supported by laying the leg across your lap with the hock underneath your arm.

    • 2

      Level the bottom of the hoof by holding the hoof in one hand and the rasp in the other. Press the hoof against the rasp while at the same time moving the rasp in the opposite direction. When you use the rasp, make sure it is flat against the hoof, making contact with both sides of the hoof's wall. Once in position, you can begin filing.

    • 3

      Use the rasp in a motion that goes from the heel to the toe, and back from toe to heel. Using the rasp sideways can dig into the horse's quarters.

    • 4

      Check your work after every one or two strokes. The rasp files away the hoof very quickly and you can cause the hoof to bleed if you are not careful. The hoof is level when you see that the hoof wall is perfectly flat.

    • 5

      Place the hoof in a hoof stand when it is level and use your rasp to file the bottom edge of the hoof. This will round the hoof's wall. Repeat the above steps to complete the rest of the horse's hooves.