Tried a new rasp on a draft horse and it went sideways fast

I was working on a big Percheron in Springfield last week and grabbed a new Heller rasp I just got. The first few strokes felt fine, but then it started to grab and skip across the hoof wall like crazy. I realized the cut was way more aggressive than my old one, and I had to slow my pressure down by half to keep it from chattering. Anyone have a go-to rasp for heavy breeds that doesn't fight you?

3 comments

3 Comments

blakem131mo ago

Yeah, I was all about the aggressive cut for years. Then I wrecked a hoof on a Clydesdale and had to switch to a finer rasp halfway through. Now I just start with a smoother one, saves the headache.

kai_butler831mo ago

Ever try to use a wood rasp on a drywall patch? Learned that lesson the hard way.

piperb9317d ago

Oh man, I feel that. I used to think more aggressive was always better for just about any shaping job. Had a similar experience working on an old draft horse's hoof that was already pretty brittle and chipped. Going at it with a coarse rasp just made a mess of cracks and splits. Switched to a medium-fine one and took my time, ended up with a way cleaner surface and less stress on the animal. It's one of those things where slower really does save you a headache.