My farrier pares a little of the frog and a little of the sole. It appears to
me that he cuts off any loose pieces on the frog, and seems to take off any
sole near the walls, as if it's part of cutting off the excess hoof that's
grown (when the horses are barefoot I don't see him cutting sole).
My mare has over 2600 miles. She has never had pads, & has done some very
rocky rides (Old Dominion). She's still sound & going strong, so whatever the
farrier is doing, seems to be working.
I will ask him about the paring next time, as I'm sure he will not mind
explaining what he does. There may be no hard & fast rules, to pare or not to
pare may be more a function of the type of trails (rock vs mud), if the horse
is shod or not, & the horse's hoof quality & shape.
With more questions for the farrier,
Nancy