Watch a farrier at work and it can look like a blur of tools. In fact there are just a handful of essentials, and each one has a clear job. Here they are in the order they're usually used.
1. Clinch cutter
Shoe nails are bent over on the outside of the hoof wall to form clinches. Before a shoe comes off, a clinch cutter (also called a buffer) is used to cut or open them so the nails can come out without tearing the wall.
2. Nail puller or shoe puller
A nail puller has jaws shaped to grip a nail head and draw it out individually. Taking nails out one at a time is kinder to the hoof than levering the whole shoe off.
3. Hoof nippers
With the shoe off, hoof nippers trim back the excess wall that has grown since the last visit. Longer nippers, such as 15" heavy duty nippers, give more leverage on big or hard feet.
4. Rasp
A double-sided rasp levels the foot and smooths the edges. The coarse side removes material quickly and the fine side finishes.
5. Hammer
A farrier's driving hammer drives the nails when a new shoe is fitted. Most have claws for twisting off the nail ends. Our 4pc farrier hammer set gives a choice of faces.
6. Clincher
Finally, a nail clincher bends the nail ends down neatly against the hoof wall, forming tight clinches that help hold the shoe in place.
Buying a kit or single tools
If you're starting out, a matched set saves money over buying each tool separately. Our 5pc Farrier Hoof Trimming Kit includes the clinch cutter, nail puller, nippers, clincher and a 16.5" rasp. For smaller jobs there are 2-piece sets, such as the nail puller and clincher set.
A note on shoeing in the UK
In Great Britain, shoeing horses is restricted by law to registered farriers (with limited exceptions, such as emergency first aid). Horse owners can keep tools for trimming, removing a loose or twisted shoe in an emergency, and general hoof care, but fitting shoes should be left to a registered farrier.
You'll find all of these tools in our Farrier & Vet Tools collection. If you have a question about which tool you need, send us a message and we'll help.