Trim Miniature Horses With Ease

King Arthur’s Tools has seen an increase in the number of its Merlin Electric Hoof Knife trimming sets sold specifically to trim miniature horses. Some farriers have shied away from this segment of the industry due to the difficulty in working with small horses, finding that the time invested isn’t worth the return. Using the Merlin, farriers find they can trim the hoof quicker and with less stress, and increase their production and profit margin. The tool pays for itself after just a few trims. 

— Allen DeWolf, King Arthur’s Tools, Tallahassee, Fla.

Avoid Damage To Your Crease Nail Puller

You can avoid damage to your nail puller by following a few basic steps. First, file or rasp the clinches. Then clean the dirt out of the crease on either side of the nail head so the tips of the crease nail puller reach the bottom of the crease at the base of the head. This allows the tips to slide under the nail head when squeezed (Figure 3). The nail will “pop” up when you squeeze, often making a distinct popping noise as it breaks loose (Figure 4).

You can now safely roll the handles of the tool forward and remove the nail. If the nail doesn’t pop up, you will risk damage to the tips if you use the tool like a vise grip, gripping only the top edges of the nail (Figure 2). It’s better to lift the shoe with a pulloff…