If you spend any time around Tab Pigg at various Vettec clinics, you might notice that the Azle, Texas, farrier uses an unconventional rasp handle — a golf ball.

“I get a lot of funny looks when people see that,” says Vettec’s central regional manager before kicking off the annual Hands-On Workshop at the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio. “I got the idea from the late Kirk Caudle from Bay Town, Texas. We were going to a lot of forging contests back then and he had a golf ball on a half round file. I picked it up and just liked the way it felt.”

The golf ball has been a staple for Pigg’s rasps since the early to mid ’90s.

“What I like about it is the pushing hand is right at the end of the rasp, not 3 or 4 inches away from the end,” he explains. “If you notice, a lot of the new handles on the market are doing the same thing, they just don’t look like a golf ball.”

Do you have a helpful tip that could benefit other farriers? Send them to Jeff Cota at jcota@lessitermedia.com.