Overheard a client at the feed store in Boise call a hoof pick a 'horse toothpick'

I was grabbing some supplies last Tuesday and this lady was telling her friend she needed a new 'horse toothpick' for her gelding. It took me a second to realize she meant a basic hoof pick. It was kind of funny, but it made me think about how we talk to owners. Maybe using simpler terms like that could help a new horse person understand the basics better. Has anyone else heard a totally wrong but kind of fitting name for a common tool?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer_ross8d ago

Oh man, that's a good one. I've heard some wild ones. Had a boarder call a sweat scraper a 'horse squeegee' once. Another person asked where we kept the 'horse hairbrushes' for the curry combs. It honestly does make sense if you're brand new. You just gotta picture the tool's job.

noahcampbell8d ago

My old trainer had a client who called the hoof pick a "foot key". Honestly, that one stuck with me because it's kind of perfect. The logic people use when they don't know the real name is usually spot on for what the tool does. I always liked "horse squeegee" too, it paints a clear picture. It's a good reminder that the fancy terms we use every day aren't always obvious to someone just starting out.