I trimmed my goats' hooves for the first time this past summer, and I was actually surprised by how easily they cut! I got a brand new pair of sharp shears just for cutting their hooves, and the shears cut through the nail like butter. I actually enjoy trimming the hooves now. Haven't tried it with curved pruning shears, yet, so maybe that would be a little less enjoyable.
Do your goats stand still for it or do you have to put them in a head block or lay them down?
I haven't had them all that long, so I have only done it twice, but so far so good! They were fine with it both times. They are small, though (Nigerian dwarf goats).