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| AMERICAN Volume 41, Number 8 FARRIERS JOURNAL • Your Industry • Your Stories • Your Ideas • • YOUR MAGAZINE! • 14 Are Arkansas You farrier Practicing veterinary practice act after Legally? An and lawmaker changed 18 he discovered horseshoeing ban. By Jeff Cota Shane (front) and Todd Allen (back) com- pare notes on what they see with this horse and how they will trim and shoe it. 18 Footcare farriers in Committee provides opportunity By A gathering of several western Pennsylvania to discuss each other’s approach to hoof care. By Jeremy McGovern 30 Shoeing For and correct Stifle principles can help ease Conditions Accurate vet diagnosis farriery 30 pelvic limb lameness. By Stuart Muir 36 Thoughts On Defining The “Good” Foot Approaching the concept of a “normal” foot led to an exercise in thinking about the elusive “good” foot. By Jeff Ridley 40 It All Started Because Someone Wanted To Show Off A Shoeing Truck And 38 years later, Danny Ward’s Eastern Farrier Conference is still spreading the word on hoof-care education. By Pat Tearney 50 Preventing And Addressing Hoof Flares Identifying and correctly managing deformations are critical to keeping horses sound. By Audrey Pavia Make sure shoe modifications you choose, like widening the lateral branches, will help without creating unintended consequences. 40 ON THE COVER: The cover photo was taken by Mollie Bailey from Chronicle of the Horse who captured this view of a horse and rider in Guadalajara, Mexico. See Page 6. © 2015 by Lessiter Media All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher. American Farriers Journal (ISSN 0274-6565) is published eight times a year (January/ February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November and December) for $47.95 per year by Lessiter Media, 16655 W. Wisconsin Ave., Brookfield, WI 53005. Editorial, Advertising and Business Offices: American�Farriers�Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. Periodicals postage paid at Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: American Farriers Journal, 16655 W. Wisconsin Ave., Brookfield, WI 53005. Telephone: (262) 782-4480. Fax: (262) 786-5564. Email Address: info@americanfarriers.com. Web site: americanfarriers.com. December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Farriers of all levels shared tips on forg- ing and shoeing during a North Carolina Horseshoers Association competition. 3 |
| 54 A Hands-On Approach To Sharpening Your Hoof Knife A multi-step process may be old school, but results in a sharpened knife. By Chris Gregory 58 Nothing Goes To Waste In This Farrier’s Shop Farrier’s most important lesson is to think outside the box when at the forge. By Jeremy McGovern 61 All The King’s Horses Tennessee farrier has his work cut out for him with a tough case at Elvis Presley’s Graceland. By Jeff Cota AMERICANFARRIERS.COM The information below supplements the articles in this issue. The online content listed below will be available Nov. 30 at americanfarriers.com/1215. 64 Pricing For Success Tips On Changing A Law 67 Are You Choosing The Right Nail? Read farrier and lawmaker Jim House’s advice for those who wish to change the veterinary practice act in their state. California farrier offers valuable tips on how you should be charging your clients. By Jeff Cota A wider selection equals options for your shoeing job. British farrier David Nicholls shares his thoughts on making the business side of farriery more pleasant. By Jeremy McGovern 70 Improve Eyesight And Prevent Slippage With Specialty Specs Clic reading glasses keep specs in place with a special neckband and bridge. By Ian Gronau 72 How Practical Are Venograms? Early damage assessment is vital for acquiring best results and impacting shoe selection. By Jeff Cota DEPARTMENTS 6 Frankly Speaking 8 Briefings 10 Letterbox 12 IHCS Preview 39 Book Notes 47 Farrier Q&A 74 Product Preview 77 Shop Talk 78 Spotlight On Hoof Care 81 Events 83 Classifieds 85 Index To Advertisers 86 Research Journal THE NEXT ISSUE Shoeing For A Living In Arizona American Farriers Journal spends a day riding with farrier Chad Lunderville. Measuring The Force Placed On The Foot And Much More… 4 Shoeing For Elvis Travel 20 years down memory lane and read about International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame farrier Lim Couch’s memo- ries of “Shoeing For Elvis”. The Golden Ratio Watch Scott Lampert explain the golden ratio and demonstrate his proportional balance protocol. Venograms And Shoe Selection Watch equine veterinarian Amy Rucker describe how venograms can guide shoe selection in laminitic horses. t Improving Your Bottom Line t 68 Quick Tips For Get Our Daily Update And Email Newsletter Subscribers can receive daily email updates, alerting them when news is posted, a comment is added, when a new video is available or whenever any new material is on hand. Complete with links directly to the items, this is one more feature to help you keep up on the latest hoof-care information. If you’d like to receive these email updates, as well as our e-newsletter, simply visit americanfarriers.com and register. If you are already registered and aren’t receiving the daily emails, log-in and update your profile, adding AFJ’s daily email updates to your choices. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
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| FRANKLY SPEAKING… Do You See What I See? By Jeremy McGovern, Executive Editor I ’m not an artist, but I know a few painters — and not the house vari- ety. When looking at a work of art, I can appreciate the ability that goes into creating a piece, but artists have a deeper appreciation of it. They have the different knowledge of what goes into a work and have a deeper understand- ing of the skills necessary to create it. They see what I don’t. It is a perception developed from sight and experience. I suppose in some way, thoughts on how sight and experience guide a farri- er’s perception is in each AFJ. Take this issue’s “Shoeing For A Living” (Page 18). The purpose of the day was not so much about the horses shod, but more so about Vandergrift, Pa., farrier Todd Allen wanting to borrow perceptions from others to evaluate and recalibrate his own. In other words, how well is Allen processing what he sees with the horse and appropriately applying that information to how he trims and shoes its hooves. Looking At The Same Picture, But Seeing Different Elements Perhaps the loudest statement on sight and perception is made with this issue’s cover. The interesting thing to me is that the photograph demonstrates what some people see and others miss when looking at the same thing. Mollie Bailey, a photographer and writer for Chronicle of the Horse, gave me this image months ago. She shot the image in 2011, but it was never published in that magazine or on its website. Why would it? Chronicle’s mission is to celebrate the horse and rider. In that world, it is an unflatter- ing shot because the typical reader 6 is looking at the horse and rider as a whole in this captured moment. For many of those readers, their perception is on performance and judgments of whether the horse is overfaced or lack- ing athleticism. Unless they are really into girths, the left shoe is missed. Maybe sport horse farriers would see the image in that light too, but I doubt they would with their first impres- sion. Instead, I believe all farriers are drawn to the feet and would immedi- ately see the situation going on with the left forefoot before they recognize anything else about the horse. Taking this snapshot, questions will arise in a farrier’s mind of how did it happen and what could have been done differently, if anything, from a footcare perspective. So what is an inappropriate shot for an equestrian magazine is often a terrific one for a farrier publication. To prove my point, I passed the image along to several farriers who are in different regions and stages in their careers. Based on immediate reac- tion, everyone noted the left front in their responses. I imagine any footcare professional reading this would have done the same without us having drawn attention to it. However, the equestrians whom I showed the image to never noticed the shoe. That also shouldn’t be a surprise. It isn’t where their skill set rests, and footcare isn’t their passion. In essence, that honed perception drives your daily work. What you see with each horse and how you make decisions on its footcare is something that few owners understand. The client may not see what you see, and may not recognize how you keep horses sound or help them overcome lamenesses. And while most owners don’t have that depth of understanding, it doesn’t mean that the good clients don’t value what you do every time you work with their horses. After all, someone doesn’t have to be an artist to appreciate the beauty in a painting. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL DECEMBER 2015 Volume 41, Number 8 Editor/Publisher Frank Lessiter - lessitef@lesspub.com Executive Editor Jeremy McGovern - jmcgovern@lesspub.com Associate Editor Jeff Cota - jcota@lesspub.com Assistant Editor Jaime Elftman - jelftman@lesspub.com Senior Account Executive Erin Baayen - ebaayen@lesspub.com Media Sales Representative Sarah McQuin - smcquin@lesspub.com Production Manager Amy Johnson - ajohnson@lesspub.com Manager Of Print & Magazine Production Christopher Nielsen - nielsen@lesspub.com Manager Of Creative & Design Services Jeff Lazewski - jlazewski@lesspub.com Graphic Designers Lewis Horn III - lhorn@lesspub.com James Kolterman - jkolterman@lesspub.com Web Editor Michelle Drewek - mdrewek@lesspub.com Vice President Of Audience Development Patrick Sharpe - psharpe@lesspub.com Senior Manager Of Data And Ad Services Bree Greenawalt - breeg@lesspub.com Circulation Operations Manager Marie Escobar - mescobar@lesspub.com Circulation Manager Sue Ramstack - sramstack@lesspub.com Directory Manager Donna Schwierske - dschwierske@lesspub.com Marketing Manager Dallas Ziebell - dziebell@lesspub.com President Mike Lessiter - mlessiter@lesspub.com Vice President Of Finance And Administration Michael Storts - mstorts@lesspub.com Accounting Manager Jim Perszyk - perszyk@lesspub.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Raul J. Bras, DVM, CJF Travis Burns, CJF (TE), AWCF Matt Cooper Dave Farley, APF, CF Randy Luikart, CJF Stephen O’Grady, DVM, MRCV Amy Rucker, DVM Bob Smith, CF Steve Stanley The techniques, viewpoints, information and ideas expressed in American Farriers Journal articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of the advisory board members or our magazine staff. Not every magazine article is reviewed by the members and not all AFJ Editorial Advisory Board members review each of these articles. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com American Farriers Journal P.O. Box 624 Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 16655 W. Wisconsin Ave. Brookfield, WI 53005 Telephone: (262) 782-4480 Fax: (262) 786-5564 Email: info@americanfarriers.com Website: americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
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| Briefings Keeping Records Of Foot And Stock Measurements If measuring the foot for and building a shoe, Jacob Butler says consistency is the key in building your system. That system comes as a result of experience. “There are many variables involved,” says the Butler Professional Farrier School instructor. “I keep a notebook on the different things I’ve tried, such as with width or length. Now I have a record. So when I need a specific type of shoe, I can reference that book and be more accurate because I have an experience. Once you gain that experience, you’ll become more confident in what you are able to do.” A Shoeing Cycle Reminder For Clients During his lecture at the Northeast Association of Equine Professionals annual seminar in September, Grant Moon reminded the farriers and veterinarians in attendance that frequency is a critical part of shoeing. “What is important to remember is it isn’t how well a horse is shod,” says the Welsh farrier. “Given time, all shoeing will become imbalanced and horses with better conformation will have less distortion than those with defective conformation. So for horses with imbalance problems, the best idea is to shorten the shoeing cycle to minimize excess stress.” Professionalism Requires Action And Attitude British farrier John Ford thinks the word “professional” is used too liberally among some farriers in the United Kingdom. In an editorial he submitted to Forge, Ford believes a true professional farrier exercises those quali- ties not only in the work with horses, but also with the business management of a practice and clients. This becomes evident, he believes, when farriery is compared with identifiable professions like doctors or attorneys. “They have a professional attitude when dealing with clients, attending professional meetings and when confronted by the media,” says the Bristol, England, farrier. “If these people don’t know something, their pro- fessional attitude allows them to seek advice or refer a case to someone who is better qualified to deal with it.” News And Notes Republicans in the United States Congress have called on the Bureau of Land Management to revise its strat- egy for addressing wild horse herd oversight … About 40% of horse owners who participated in the American Horse Publications Equine Industry Survey reported that the cost of horsekeeping is their chief concern … AAA believes that despite the annual increase of fuel costs during the holiday season, motorists should expect continued low fuel prices through the remainder of 2015 and into early 2016. Preparing Your Practice For Long Periods Of Time Off In 2010, Point Pleasant, N.J., farrier Mike Heinrich and his wife Taryn came up with a detailed system to manage clients about 6 months before Mike’s scheduled bilateral knee replacement. The couple created a spreadsheet that included vital information about the horses on Mike’s books. “The spreadsheet was made with the ‘replacement farrier’ in mind,” Taryn says. “We gave copies to the farriers who would be working on Mike’s horses. We wanted them to know a little about the horses — what shoes they wore, client information, when the horses were last done and when they were due, etc.” — American Farriers Journal Editors 8 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL TM Learn From Hoof-Care Experts From The Convenience Of Your Home Our FREE Online Hoof-Care Classroom webinars provide one-of-a-kind education with pictures/diagrams, audio, video demonstrations and the opportunity to ask questions on a variety of footcare topics. Most episodes of the Online Hoof-Care Classroom series are eligible for continuing education credit from the American Association of Professional Farriers. Below Is A Small Sampling Of Topics We’ve Covered Already: Equine Nutrition And Hoof Health Nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining quality hoof care. But, in today’s Internet age, it can be difficult for horse owners and farriers to digest all of the information provided. Dr. Christine Skelly helps to separate the fact from the fiction in this webinar. Sponsored by Absorbine To see all our Onlin of e Hoof-Car e Classro to date, v oms isi American Farriers. t c Treating Hoof Avulsions webinars om/ Leighton, Iowa, farrier Jeff Ridley explains the farrier’s role in . Working With High-End Hunters And Jumpers Before he passed away, Hall of Fame Farrier Red Renchin showcased the show season of Wellington, Fla., profiling four active farriers working with high-level hunters and jumpers. Sponsored by 3M handling difficult to treat hoof avulsions and presents case studies to explain his reasoning behind specific treatments. Sponsored by Sound Horse Technologies Hoof Pads: When To Use Them And When To Lose Them Travis Burns, a farrier and faculty member of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., uses case examples to discuss when to use a hoof pad and what type to use. Sponsored by Equilox Using Hoof Boots In Your Farrier Practice Parksburg, Pa., farrier Daisy Bicking uses many hoof boots in her farrier practice. She gives tips in this webinar on how to select, fit and introduce boots to horse owners. Sponsored by EasyCare Learn about upcoming webinars and stay up-to-date by registering for our Daily Email Update at AmericanFarriers.com, as well as following us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. |
| LETTERBOX “Continuing to ignore these responsibilities and opportunities lead nowhere but to frustration …” Opportunity For Licensing As sure as there is a “tomorrow,” if we don’t recognize the imperative to professionalize our practice, someone else will (“Are Farriers Losing Control Of The Footcare Game?,” Sept./Oct. 2015 AFJ). There is an opportunity to get outside ourselves and our collective ego and make a positive change for the future. The keys are professional educa- tion and training, minimum standards, objective testing and credentials that reflect our skills and knowledge. These are the factors that make us recognized and accepted as professionals. Continuing to ignore these responsi- bilities and opportunities lead nowhere but to frustration and being subservient to others’ demands and expectations. — Walt Taylor, Albuquerque, N.M. Will Kill Freedom Imposing licensing requirements on farriers would artificially restrict the supply of those willing to provide services and would merely raise the price to have your horse shod. If $60 is all a client can pay to have a horse shod, and someone is willing to do it for that price, that is equilibrium brought about by the freedoms we enjoy without having life legislated everywhere. You should be able to choose the level of “value” that you deem best for you and your horse. Nobody else should decide that for you. This is America — land of the free. Let’s keep it that way. — Jeff Hearty, Mona City, Utah want!) licensing for everybody else that’s not us. Our doctors, veterinarians, electricians and plumbers all have to be licensed, so why should farriers be any different? It’s hypocritical to want licens- ing from other people while not wanting the same for you. Instead of discussing possible benefits or necessities of licensing, your survey focused almost exclusively on how a number of hostile groups are going to wrestle control of farriery from us. — Mauro Reis, New Britain, Pa. Alarmist Survey This survey is alarmist to the point of being ridiculous. (“Farrier Licensing, Still Divisive As Ever,” Nov. 2015 AFJ). It has the tone of a political rally. “Aren’t you afraid the United States government and the vet- erinarians are going to take control of your choices as a farrier?” Seriously? You could have phrased the questions in a more productive way, to promote actual discussion as opposed to fear and the “us vs. them” mentality. Instead, they’re all stated in very negative terms to coax a negative response. I don’t care one way or another about licensing. However, we accept (and “Destructive Nonsense” The slanted bias of your licensing survey is offensive and I resent it. “1. I am strongly opposed to any form of licensing and believe it will never become a requirement.” Why do I have to say it would never become a require- ment? Whose requirement? Can I have the option of just saying I am strongly opposed? “2. Should hoof-care organizations be concerned about farrier education, licensing and registration issues?” Only if you keep pushing the topic of licensing and registration. I am opposed to AFJ reviving such a divisive issue in our industry. You should focus on common ground that is useful. I ask you to focus on education and “how-to” instead of this unnecessary, negative, distracting and harmful rerun of conflict to our industry. I resent your current path. Go back to writing about things that are important and stop this destructive nonsense. — Julie Plaster, Moberly, Mo. Our Letterbox Policies... This “Letterbox” column serves as an open exchange of ideas of special interest to American Farriers Journal subscribers and is based on the following policies: 1. Letters must be exclusive to the American Farriers Journal. 2. Letters must include the name, address, phone number and signature of the writer. They must be verifiable and will not normally be printed without the writer’s name. 3. Letters should be timely. If you have an opinion on a particular article or 10 letter appearing in the magazine, don’t wait 15 months to write your response to us. 4. Letters must not be libelous or be personal attacks on people within the shoeing industry. 5. Letters are subject to editing for content, style, grammar and length without changing the essen- tial points made in the letter. 6. Mail to: Letterbox, American Farriers Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. Fax: (262) 782-1252. Email: jmcgovern@lesspub.com. Editor’s note: We respectfully dis- agree about the necessity to cover the subject. For a number of reasons, it is a subject of great interest to the hoof- care industry. Although we do not have an official opinion on licensing, as a publication for farriers, we have a responsibility to present various thoughts on this in our series. While some aspects of this series and the survey may appear slanted, please wait until the entire series is published before evaluating it. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| ENTER THE SUMMIT MAIL-IN FORGING EXERCISE Build this unique shoe for a FREE T-shirt and your chance to win a belt buckle. S ponsored by Victory, this new forging exercise will be tied to the International Hoof-Care Summit. You don’t need to attend to participate — mail in your aluminum shoe with a steel bar made from a rasp to enter this free contest. IHCS attendees can save on the postage and drop off the shoe at the Summit. This exercise is free to enter and every entrant will receive a free T-shirt, as well as brief notes from the judges, who will select the winner during the Feb. 2-5, 2016, IHCS. The top finisher will receive a buckle and free registration to the 2017 Summit in Cincinnati. Learn more at americanfarriers.com/summitshoe. 5¾˝ Sponsored by: 5¾˝ 4˝ Instructions on building the shoe and entering the exercise are at americanfarriers.com/summitshoe. Don’t wait, entries must be received at the AFJ office by Jan. 27, 2016. December, 2014 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 11 |
| Gain More From The Summit There is quality and value to be found in Cincinnati beyond the general sessions and classrooms. FREE Subscription All IHCS attendees with paid registrations will receive a FREE 1-year subscription to American Farriers Journal. FREE DVD All attendees will receive a FREE DVD featuring the presentation slides and audio files of participating speakers following the Summit. Half-Off For Apprentices All apprentices who attend with their mentors will get in for half-off the regular registration. This is also valid for hoof-care and veterinary students. Make Connections Spend 4 days swapping ideas and networking with footcare professionals from around the globe. Your Chance To Win All IHCS attendees will be entered for a chance to win one of more than a dozen educational prizes. FREE App Download our IHCS application for your smartphone after Jan. 1 at www.americanfarriers.com/ihcsapp. FREE Wi-Fi Summit attendees who stay at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati will receive FREE Wi-Fi in their rooms. Reserve your room at (888) 421-1442. ZERO RISK A serious refund guarantee. If you aren’t satisfied by your Summit experience, we’ll refund 100% of your registration. Download the Summit program at www.ihcs2016.com. Call (800) 645-8455 to register. 12 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December, 2015 December, 2015 |
| Save These Summit Dates And Reminders Here are some important dates and details you’ll want to take note of concerning the 2016 International Hoof-Care Summit. When Is It? The International Hoof-Care Summit runs Feb. 2-5, 2016, in Cincinnati, Ohio. General sessions, classrooms and the trade show will be held in the Duke Energy Center. Roundtable discussions and additional general sessions and classrooms will be held in the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati. L ike The Summit Facebook Pa ge By Jan. 15 Anyone who “likes” the International Hoof- Care S ummit page on Fac ebook by Ja n. 15, 2016, will receive a FR EE downloadab le report on Jan. 16. R e g iste r For The F R E E S m ar tPak C la ssro om will pres- On Feb. 2, SmartPak Tips from ent “Smart Nutrition Danvers SmartPak,” featuring rmand. This Child and Jessica No s, and will is free for all attendee n register at be held twice. You ca om/smart americanfarriers.c ) 432-0388. pak or by calling (262 Re gister For Th e FR EE Vettec Clin ic On Feb. 2, Vettec will present two hands-on clinics prior to the start of the Summit. Each is limited to 100 IHCS attendees and you must register for this clinic. You can register at americanfarriers.com/vettec or by calling (262) 432-0388. Sign Up For The Ride Share ASAP Registe r By Jan . 5, 2016, To Save $30 If you register by the date above your registration will be $359. What could you buy with $30? er for our The earlier you regist the more ride share program, u up with likely we can pair yo ing to the another farrier com match Summit. We can also ing hotel those in need of shar rooms. Register at american by calling farriers.com/ride or (262) 432- 0388. Thank You To Our Educational Partners! December, 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 13 |
| Are You Practicing Legally? Arkansas farrier and lawmaker helped to change the veterinary practice act after he discovered horseshoeing ban By Jeff Cota, Associate Editor A re you practicing farriery law fully in your state? Many believe you are, but in point of fact, some truly don’t know. For several years, Jim House be lieved that he, too, was shoeing horses legally in Fayetteville, Ark. He learned the truth from a constituent while stumping for votes on horseback during his second campaign for the Arkansas General Assembly. “The gentleman said he was in the business of teeth floating,” recalls House, who’s been a part-time farrier for 45 years. “He said, ‘The veterinary board has sent me cease and desist orders and told me I can’t do that anymore. If you will read the veterinary practice act, you will find that you, as a horseshoer, are not practicing legally either.’” Sure enough, Arkansas Code Annotate 17-101-101 outlawed horse shoeing unless the horse owner, the owner’s employee, a neighbor or a veterinarian, performed the task. The Arkansas Veterinary Practice Act defined the practice of veterinary medicine, among other things, as the diagnosis, treatment and an attempt to correct disease, defect or deformity. “It’s the fact that it says no one but a veterinarian can correct a deformity,” says House, who’s a graduate of Bud Beaston’s Oklahoma Farriers College. “Well, I’m sorry; in my mind, that catches horsesho ers right in the middle. So, if you’re going to manage a toed-in horse, that’s where the veterinary medical association comes in. “They don’t want us to say we dia gnose anything. ‘Farriers make assumptions,’ a veterinarian told me. ‘Veterinarians diagnose.’” The words contained within Arkan sas’ Veterinary Practice Act didn’t sit well with House. He set out to change them, but not necessarily because his profession was outlawed. His aim was much more broad and inclusive. “My legislative intent had to do with livestock owners and whom they choose to hire to do what they need done,” explains the American Farrier’s Association certified farrier. “It had more to do with massage therapists, acupunc turists, equine dentistry and the routinely accepted livestock management prac tices like dehorning cattle, castration and vaccination — things that, at least in Arkansas, are done by many, many non-veterinarians for livestock owners.” Words Are Important Jamie Cooper, an attorney at the Houston, Texas, law firm of Martin, FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Disiere, Jefferson & Wisdom and the spouse of Cleveland, Texas, farrier Matt Cooper, strongly encourages farriers to read the veterinary Jim House practice act in the locations where you provide footcare. “The words are important,” Cooper says. “No one can tell you there is one rule. The rule varies Lee McGrath greatly, depending on where you live. You have to look at the words you’re dealing with in your state, in your county, in your location. You have to be familiar with them and you must know what they mean.” Many of today’s practice acts that are in place follow the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) model, explains Lee McGrath, the managing attorney for the Minnesota office of the Institute for Justice. “Like all trade associations, the AVMA exists to support and benefit its members, including at state legislatures,” he says. “Its model act is written very broadly and benefits members by protecting their eco nomic turf by reducing competition.” The preamble to the AVMA’s model act states its purpose is “to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public It’s critical that you read and understand the veterinary practice act that governs the areas in which you practice farriery — you might be shoeing illegally. Nearly three-quarters of all veterinarians believe farriers should be exempt from the definition of practicing veterinary medicine. An overwhelming percentage of equine vets — 85% — believe farriers should be regulated. 14 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com ABOUT THIS SERIES This is the third in a series of articles about veterinary practice acts and their role in farriery. The first two ar ticles in the series were published in the September/October and November issues. December 2015 |
| and animals by ensuring the delivery of competent veterinary medical care.” After taking veterinary boards in multiple states to court, McGrath’s view of the acts is notably different. “Veterinarians’ claim that occupa- tional licensing laws which protect the welfare of animals is often motivated by veterinarians’ economic self-interests,” he says. “When it comes to animal husbandry, there is precious little that veterinarians learn about farriery, teeth floating or birthing of large animals in the 28 veterinarian colleges in America.” Uphill Battle After introducing Arkansas House Bill 1055, which called for the exemp- tion of about 15 practices from the definition of veterinary medicine, House conducted an interim study. Yet, the wheels of political influence already had begun moving against the bill. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 822 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 Should farriers be “I told the veterinarians up front what we were doing, exempt from being because I just thought that was regulated under the way we ought to do it,” he state veterinary says. “They brought in the big No guns from their national associa- practice acts? 27% tion. When it came down to it, the people who said they would — 2015 American Farriers Journal Survey of Equine Veterinarians work with me never showed up.” Negotiations with vets regarding the of medicines for the prevention or treat- bill did not go well for House. ment of animal disease, semen services “We were not able to get the veteri and nonsurgical artificial inseminations. narians to give on much,” he says. “As a The bill was signed into law on matter of fact, we couldn’t pass the bill.” April 4, 2011. In the meantime, House lost in the following general election, “partially Veterinarians’ Views because of the push from the veteri- For their part, veterinarians over- narians and partially I lost for other whelmingly want farriery exempt from reasons, as well.” the definition of practicing veterinary That didn’t stop the legislative push, medicine that’s contained within the though. Ultimately, House Bill 1763 veterinary practice acts. According was drafted after veterinarians agreed to to a recent exclusive survey of equine exempt horseshoeing, training, selling veterinarians conducted by American Yes 73% See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 829 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 15 |
| Which of the following best describes your feelings about the Farriers Journal, 73% believe farriers possible licensing of farriers? should be exempt. There are nine states — Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Vermont — that exempt farriery or horseshoeing from the definition of practicing veterinary medicine. “I feel farriers should be exempt,” says Karen Hassan, an equine veteri- narian from Newcastle, Calif. “I am not a farrier, nor are they veterinarians. There is a line between our practices. They should not practice veterinary medicine, just as I do not shoe horses.” Laura Harris, a Scottsdale, Ariz., equine vet, also favors exemption. “Farriers should only come under veterinary board scrutiny if they diag- nose, prescribe or perform surgery,” she says. “Some procedures — for See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit FARRIER TRAINING DEVICE All procedures you can perform on a live hoof can also be performed on Blacksmith Buddy’s interchangeable hooves. Made with prosthetic joints and weighted for tension, Blacksmith Buddy feels like a live horse. 100% 80% 60% 40% 85% 20% 0% In Favor 15% Opposed — 2015 American Farriers Journal Survey of Equine Veterinarians example, those that require injectable sedation — should be done in coopera- tion from a liability perspective.” Another 27% believe that farriers should not be exempt, including Cindi Lacroix of Scottsdale, Ariz. “Certain procedures,” she says, “should be overseen or performed only with a veterinarian.” If the survey results of the exemp- tion from the veterinary practice acts were overwhelming, their opinions on licensing of farriers were loud and clear — 85% of vets favor it. “It will take a complete change in the mentality of the horse community, but I think it is possible and I think it would be for the betterment of our patients,” says Marathon, Fla., vet Stephen Soule. “As I’ve long said, we don’t need more farriers; we need better trained farriers.” A mere 15% oppose licensing, including Michigan City, Ind., veteri- narian Maureen Fehrs. “However,” she says, “I would like clearly defined requirements and con- tinuing education for farriers using the titles certified and journeyman.” McGrath’s nonprofit law firm is dedicated to fighting occupational licensing and he has strong views toward anyone seeking it for farriers — including farriers. “There is a pox on their houses,” he says. “Occupational licensing is a polit- ical tool based on a health and safety pretense. Such laws block opportunity for workers and they don’t protect owners or horses better than a farrier’s reputation. “A reputation spread among horse owners says more about credentials and protects horses better than a piece of paper hanging on a wall with the word ‘license’ printed on it. There is no need for the government to step in the middle of the relationship between a horse owner and a farrier.” MORE ON THE WEB Read Jim House’s advice for those who wish to change the veterinary practice act in your state by visiting americanfarriers.com/1215 See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Blacksmith Buddy Jr. Hoofjack not included. BLACKSMITHBUDDY.COM 800-856-SHOE(7463) Select No. 814 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 16 Select No. 845 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Farrier Urges American Horse Council To Back Footcare Standards It would entail development of a program to include education, training and eventual licensing of all farriers By Frank Lessiter, Editor/Publisher F or more than 4 decades, Walt Taylor has favored the licens- ing of farriers. But for years the founder and long-term president of the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) accepted the wishes of the AFA membership to develop an in-house certification program as an alternative to licensing. Finally realizing that no change was going to come from the AFA or from most of today’s farriers, the Albuquerque, N.M., farrier has changed direction in recent months. He is now campaigning for profes- sional education and training of farrier students that would eventually lead to the licensing of all farriers. Horse Owners Listening At last June’s annual meeting of the American Horse Council (AHC) in Washington, D.C., Taylor spoke during an open forum where attendees were encouraged to bring up equine topics. “I talked for a few minutes and brought along a handout favoring my personal views on farrier education, training, test- ing and credentialing,” he says. “Those in attendance were very supportive and inter- ested. Many did not know that there are no standards for farrier education, training, examination or regulation.” This exchange of ideas with the horse industry’s top lobbying group led Taylor to launch an all-out campaign to encourage farrier professionalism. Since that meeting, Taylor has rec- ommended to the AHC that farrier licensing be part of the Prevent All Soring Techniques (PAST) Act being considered in Congress. The AHC is working hard to secure passage of this bill that has 308 House cosponsors, 60 December 2015 Senate cosponsors and the support of 65 national and state equine, farrier and veterinary groups. “I suggested this would be the perfect time to add an amendment to require all farriers, regardless of whether or not they are working on or with gaited horses named in the origi- nal Horse Protection Act (HPA) or the PAST Act, to be licensed,” says Taylor. “However, the AHC position is that if the HPA or PAST Acts were reworked or amended at this time, it would delay Congressional action.” If farrier licensing was part of the PAST Act, Taylor says farriers could have their license put at risk if involved with soring. Farrier licensing could then fall under the Long-time hoof- HPA rules, which care industry w o u l d m o v e leader Walt Taylor licensing closer maintains it’s time to professionalize to being a federal the farrier industry. requirement. AFA Takes Issue Taylor’s efforts have gained enough attention that the AFA recently put out a statement in their newsletter pointing out that he is acting as an individual — not as a representative of the organization. The note from AFA president Tom Dubois of Wallkill, N.Y., says Taylor launched his initative without the prior knowledge of the AFA Board of Directors. Because of its potential impact, Dubois says it is critical that farriers be aware of such proposals. “The initative that Taylor is promot- ing as an individual has been a source of division for the AFA as a group,” Dubois writes. “Consequently, since AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com individual members hold differing opinions and in the interest of the asso- ciation as a whole, the focus of the AFA remains to promote and support the AFA’s five foundational tenets (educa- tion, innovation, research, certification and communication) and the associa- tion’s mission statement.” Validate Farrier Skills As the AFA grew in numbers and influence, Taylor says many old-time farriers and people who had not been formally trained or educated didn’t like the idea of licensing. He thinks much of the resistance was due to the fact that some folks doubted their ability to pass required tests while other old timers felt it was an insult to be asked to let someone else judge their footcare knowledge and skills. As a result, licensing quickly became a divisive issue and a dirty word among many AFA members. Taylor says it has remained that way over 4 decades. As an alternative, AFA voted in 1979 to develop a certification program. “While I was not persuaded that this was the right course over the long term, as AFA president I accepted the man- date and proceeded with certification,” says Taylor. Even though time has proven that farrier certification is the crown jewel of the AFA, Taylor believes the pro- gram lacks credibility since there is no independent monitoring. Taylor says the certification process is self-serving, with little regard to the welfare of the animals or the consum- ers. There’s no legal remedy for a person or animal that is harmed, no procedures for the withdrawal of cre- dentials for a wrongful act or violation of any professional ethic or standard of practice for certified farriers. 17 |
| Footcare By Committee A gathering of farriers in western Pennsylvania provides opportunity to discuss each other’s approach to hoof care By Jeremy McGovern W hat’s a typical day for a far- rier? Well, define “typical.” How often does one set out to trim and shoe horses without a curve ball coming out of nowhere that dis- rupts that day’s plans? Is that no longer a normal day? The purpose of “Shoeing For A Living” is to present a featured farrier’s common practices of the art, science and business of hoof care. Although the types of horses worked with and the issues addressed with their footcare vary, this column has usually followed that template. But for any farrier practice, how typi- cal is a day in which several farriers drop their schedules and come together for more than 6 hours to provide hoof care for 10 feet? This unique September day was orchestrated by Vandergrift, Pa., far- rier Todd Allen. It isn’t something he does routinely, so in that sense this Tuesday wasn’t typ- ical for his practice. But based on his commitment to education, it was fitting for “Shoeing For A Living.” 11:45 a.m. The day is off to a late start, which actually is strange for Allen. Typically he prefers a much earlier start to the day. But with his brothers Shane and Nate visiting from out of town to attend the Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners (NEAEP) seminar in nearby Pittsburgh, Pa., it was tough getting out the door earlier. Also, we began the morning with a tour of Exim Rasps in Gibsonia, Pa. Todd routinely tests their products in development and offers his feedback. 18 After the tour, we head to the only stop for the day. During the drive, I get a quick Allen family his- tory detailing how the brothers became farriers. The Allens, Shane being the oldest and Nate the youngest, grew up in Harlan, Iowa, on a family farm that raised horses and cattle. However, the farrier bug didn’t bite until they were in college at Northwest Missouri State University. Hall Of Fame farrier and shoeing school instructor Dr. Doug Butler taught equine science, which Todd Allen earned his degree from in 1985. He also offered a horseshoeing course through the univer- sity. All three brothers earned degrees from the school, and learned horseshoe- ing under Butler at varied times. They had hoped to become just good enough to keep their horses sound. After graduating, Todd made his way east to the Pittsburgh area at the prompting of Butler. There, he appren- ticed under a skilled horseshoer. Shane followed him about a year later, and both became active shoers and competitors, making all handmades for the first 8 to 10 years of their practices. They have an impressive list of mentors, including Randy Luikart, Dean Pearson and Bob Pethick, to name a few. But as Todd Allen points out, among the most skilled and knowledgeable shoers are those who aren’t as well known through- out the country. “Dave Bittner was that mentor for us,” he says. “Dave was ahead of his time and helpful to a lot of farriers around here, but wasn’t really well known outside of this area.” After being on the road and shoeing horses in Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia and other states, Shane now lives and works in Ocala, Fla. After graduating from NMSU, Nate attended graduate school at Colorado State University and headed the far- rier services for the university’s horses. After earning a Master’s degree, Nate moved to Tucumcari, N. M., to take over the farrier program at Tucumcari Area Vocational school, which was started by Jim Keith. The college transformed into a community college, now known as Mesalands Community College, and Nate led the addition of agricultural programs and a college rodeo team. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| The Allen brothers Todd (left), Shane (center), and Nate (right) discuss how they would address the hinds on this horse during a rare gathering of the trio and several other farriers. During the 12 years at the school, Nate earned his doctorate at Texas Tech University while working at Mesalands. Ten years ago, he began working as an administrator at Central Community College in Grand Island, Neb. He now serves as the dean of instruction for the business, skilled and technical science programs across Central’s multiple cam- puses and learning centers. He still shoes to stay connected to the industry, which usually means on weekends. 11:59 a.m. We pull into the prop- erty of Silver Crest Equestrian Center in Valencia, Pa. This barn has been on Allen’s books for most of his career. With the exception of one horse, his practice covers a 30-mile radius outside of Pittsburgh. Not one for travelling for December 2015 the job, Allen keeps the tight circle and plans his days so that he can provide the necessary services for his clients with- out being late for the next appointment because he had to drive across the state. In addition to the Allen broth- ers, more farriers are joining us at the barn today. Todd’s son Carlton Allen Smith, who’s also apprenticed with him for 5 years and is well on his way FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Work with other farriers you trust to make sure you haven’t fallen into a rut with your footcare practice. For horses that could benefit from a pour-in pad, try applying the material freehand so you can directly control the volume and placement. A small bungee cord hooked on both sides of the halter can occupy a horse that is pawing and restless. Don’t apply hoof oil to a wet foot. Otherwise you’ll trap in moisture and com- promise the hoof wall. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 19 |
| to establishing a full book, has already set up the trailer and work area. Local farriers Lauren Altman, Jim Houk, Jim Keiser, Howard Krovak and Josh Teets have joined the party, taking time from their shoeing schedules to glean some insight from the Allen brothers. These are farriers who apprenticed with us or that we’ve worked with,” says Todd. “Between Nate as a teacher and Shane and I having numerous appren- tices over the years, we hope we’ve helped the profession that’s given us so much.” For today, the farriers will take their time analyzing each horse, discussing the varied ways to address its footcare. The others will jump in and out of the COLLEONI FORGES NOW AVAILABLE conversations throughout the afternoon and evening. The timestamp really has no relevance for measuring the day’s action. Although the other shoers came to the sport horse barn to absorb knowledge, it is Todd Allen who is most concerned about learning today. “Sometimes you get so wrapped up in your own work that you wonder if you are seeing things correctly,” he says. “Having everyone here looking at the same feet and giving their opinions will help me evaluate my thinking and work.” 12:23 p.m. Todd walks the horse down the barn aisle, letting Shane and Nate evaluate it before putting it in the crossties. This is a school horse that grows a lot of foot. Allen sees the geld- ing about every 6 weeks. Generally he likes to keep his performance horses on If you get the trim wrong, it doesn’t matter what you put on the foot … EXCLUSIVE U.S. Inquiries Welcome DISTRIBUTOR Dealer visbyproducts.com 3101 Fairlane Farms Rd Ste #6 Wellington, FL 33414 phone: 561-965-9602 | fax: 561-228-1073 Select No. 870 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 20 this schedule, but will stretch that for some horses during winter until they have grown enough foot to require trimming. Carlton pulls the hind shoes and brushes out the sole. Like any horse they work with in warm months, Todd uses fly spray and ties the tail, the latter serving as a safety and evaluation mea- sure. Todd Allen prefers more lighting than what he usually finds in a barn. He uses four halogen shop lights set up at the corners of a rectangle, each facing the horse in the crossties. As the eldest brother should, Shane goes first, picks up the right hind and shares what he sees. “There’s not a lot that we’re going to change with this foot because Todd’s been managing it,” he says. “Evaluating this foot before we trim it, I note the length of the heel from the top of the bulb to the end of the heel on the lat- eral side vs. the medial side. This horse is hard on its outside, maybe this has something to do with being base narrow and loading more on that side.” AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit During this day, Shane Allen shared shoeing modifications that he uses with his sport horses. Shane does note that he wants to back the medial heel down. Also, he doesn’t want to get the horse high on the out- side toe because base narrow horses will often twist between load and push off. “If you get them high there, because you’re trying to balance things too far to the inside, you’ll be in trouble,” he says. “You need to find a happy medium for that foot. There are a lot of horses made this way.” Todd agrees and adds that constant evaluation during your work is necessary because of what you may miss earlier in your evaluation. “So perhaps later I’m dressing the foot and I notice a toe quarter that is pushing out a little bit,” he says. “That’s a red flag. I’m coming back to take a second look at the bottom of the foot again. Shoe fit may come into play also to address that issue.” Nate and the others come by and pick up the hind foot to measure what they see against what Todd and Shane do. 1:26 p.m. The brothers will alter- nate at times between trimming and shoeing, with Todd doing the majority of the work. Carlton pulls, clinches and finishes. Shane will shape and nail on these hind shoes. Shane goes into the trailer to shape the shoes. Todd pulls a 4 Star Trailer that was outfitted by Bay Horse Innovations. After he increases the lateral width of the shoes using his brother’s hammer and creaser, Shane jokes that using another farrier’s hand tools and anvil is as strange as trying to cook on someone else’s barbecue grill. The horse wears size 4 Kerckhaert Selects on the hinds. After discussing Continued on Page 25 December 2015 Select No. 821 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 21 |
| Shoeing Solution For Timed Event Horses By Todd Allen, CJF, APF As farriers, we know that clients won’t hesitate to call when their horses aren’t at optimum performance and a lameness is suspected. Oftentimes the trainer or rider reports the horse has exhibited small changes over time and there is a lameness. I work with a significant number of timed event horses and often see these problems with these horses. My wife Cathy and daughter Casey are avid barrel racers. Casey also is a skilled breakaway roping rider. So I know the pressure of keeping these horses competing. In dealing with problems I find with timed event horses, I’ve found consis- tent success using pour-in pads. Thoughts On Arch Support As comparison, if a person has a bruised arch, lack of support will allow the arch to move each time Black or White Sharpening Compounds that person bears weight on the foot. If positive pressure is applied to that damaged and inflamed area, it will cause pain. The best way to provide comfort is using a custom arch sup- port. This type of support will minimize movement within that area and allow for a speedy recovery. Optimal arch support is achieved by having a healthy frog and sole on a hoof. Because the frog and sole are taken away from the ground when we apply a shoe, it’s crucial to provide support to the frog and sole. When there is proper frog and sole support and protection for the hoof, there will be minimal internal hoof damage and maximum healing ability. On a higher heeled horse, the frog can be more recessed in the hoof. By utilizing pour-in pads, horses gain stimulation and engage the frog, making it healthy and functioning. High-heeled horses, like Quarter Horses, are prone to develop navic- ular disease largely as a result of lack of support to the hoof’s internal structures, which can cause damage over time. Pour-in pads will help to support even weight distribution throughout the hoof. This minimizes compres- sion on the heel on a low angled hoof and on the toe of a high-heeled hoof, thereby allowing more even growth after a proper trim is performed. Applying The Pour-In More often than not, I use Kerckhaert Triumphs with Equi-Pak for pour-ins on my timed event horses. I like the shoe for its traction, its vari- ety of nail holes. Sometimes I need more width and I’ll work that width in the shoe for a lateral heel or other modification. After trimming the foot, I will shape the shoe for fit and then place mesh between the foot and shoe. The important thing is using mesh because it will bind the material and make it stronger. Otherwise your chances for success are minimized. I’ll then nail on the shoe. Where I differ from other shoers is in my pour. I prefer doing it freehand. I place Play-Doh at the back of the heel as a dam, and then I pour for my pref- erence (Figures 1 and 2). I always want less at the toe for more traction. I don’t want as much pressure there compared to how much I want in the back of the foot. I call this method a “heart bar effect.” It is a little heavier over the frog. I’m trying to emulate what a heart bar would do along with engaging the back half of the foot. I’ll control the pour by tipping the foot. This works well for me because I can shape it the way that I want. I don’t feel the need to complicate it by adding frog plates. Once I have the consistency and depth I need, then I’ll hold the foot for about 30 seconds and then it is finished. This is a great application because it also protects the foot from the ele- ments. The feet won’t ball up with dirt $12.00 each 1-800-994-OLEO (6536) OLEOACRESFARRIERSUPPLY.COM Select No. 854 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 22 Select No. 827 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| or snow, depending on the conditions or footings. Another benefit I find when using this application as a snowball pad is that when the snow melts and leaves ice, I don’t have to deal with as many bruised soles caused by the frozen ground. Figure 1 I think a common mistake is when farriers pour too much material. Instead of keeping the pour just below the level of the shoe and light in the front half of the foot, they over-pour. The result is an uncomfortable horse. The farrier then thinks the product Figure 2 didn’t work, takes it out and doesn’t realize they erred in the application. For example, maybe the case involved a thin sole and the farrier poured too heavy. Every type of foot we see is different, and requires a slightly different application. Of course, there are many more opinions and applications for address- ing this problem — many with their own merits. Also, I should remind that this application doesn’t fix every issue. However, with sound trimming and correct application of this shoe- ing, I’ve been able to successfully address many lameness issues with barrel racers and roping horses. I’m sure I will find new reasons to use this application in the future. Its my responsibility to keep look- ing because when it comes to timed event horses, when their feet hurt, they aren’t performing at their best. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit TRUSTED BY THE FARRIERS OF CHAMPIONS “I have found that the glue does exactly what it’s name says it bonds and it flexes. In the year 2000 I had two horses running in the Kentucky derby that required glue on shoes I put my trust in Bond N Flex and it proved right as they came in first and second making Fusaichi Pegasus the first horse to win a Kentucky Derby in glue on shoes, thank you Bond N Flex.” 50 ml BUFF BNF (also avialable in 200 ml ) 50 ml BLACK BNF (also avialable in 200 ml ) — Wes Champagne Farrier for American Pharoah 30 days after being shod with bond-n-flex NAIL FREE SHOEING 50 ml GUN (also avialable for 200 ml ) post ym e .co m | 8 0 0 - 8 5 8 - 6 8 5 6 Select No. 856 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 23 |
| Getting together and questioning approaches to footcare isn’t unique for the several farriers in this “Shoeing For A Living.” Once a month they’ll get together for an evening or a couple of days of footcare education. “Farrier Fridays” was the idea of Dr. Jim Zeliff, the founder of Allegheny Equine Associates in Murrysville, Pa. Two years ago, he offered use of the clinic, including its diagnostic equipment, for local farrier educational events. They’ll usually meet once a month over the late fall and winter. The goal is to have a positive interaction among the farriers and learn from each other. Typically, they’ll draw 25 to 30 horseshoers. “It’s about putting your guard down to learn from each other and help horses,” says Todd Allen. Although the format changes from time to time, Farrier Fridays will typi- cally feature a guest lecturer brought in with funds raised by the attendees or donated by an individual. In the past, they’ve hosted clinicians Mike Wildenstein of Cynthiana, Ky.; Dr. Raul Bras of Rood & Riddle in Lexington, Ky.; and Luke Proulx of Stevensville, Ontario. The guest lecturer will present a talk, which is followed by a live shoeing of a horse with issues. Zeliff will conduct a lameness exam and shoot radiographs at any stage the group calls for. Operating in a roundtable format, each farrier will discuss what they think the issue is and how they would approach the shoeing application. The varied ideas are discussed, and the group votes on the ideas. Pennsylvania farriers gather in early The strategy with the most votes is what the clinician will do. The attendees will talk about the shoeing and they’ll compare pre- and October at Allegheny Equine Associates post-shoeing radiographs. Again, everyone is encouraged to participate, and fo r a fo rg i n g d e m o n s t ra t i o n by Stevensville, Ontario, farrier Luke Proulx. sometimes the discussions have the farriers talking until midnight. “Having Jim open the doors to the clinic has been a great benefit to our local farriers,” says Allen. “We’re improving the knowledge of those who come, See us at the which reflects positively on our farriers. We’re bringing different ways of thinking International together without egos.” The first Farrier Friday (and an additional Saturday session) of 2016 is Hoof- Care Summit Jan. 8 and 9 with Lafayette, Ind., farrier Danvers Child as the clinician. Visit americanfarriers.com/events for other future dates. Photo: Allegheny Equine Associates Clinic Improves Camaraderie And Education Among Local Shoers Horse wound management for the hoof See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Merry Christmas From: HoofSolutions specializes in hoof wound management for soundness. We offer a suite of products that are durable, easy to use, and effective. NOW ACCEPTING DEALERS www.hoofsolutions.com e-mail: customerservice@hoofsolutions.com call: 817.295.4999 Select No. 860 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 24 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Select No. 839 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 |
| See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Continued from Page 21 what the horse does and how different shoes could affect the horse, they choose to stick with that shoe and size. Shane notes that many farriers might prefer a wider stock based on the size of the foot. But he reminds to always be aware of the footing the horse will work in. Todd had added some width on the heels the last time he shod the horse, but Shane wants more lateral support based on how hard the horse is on the outside. “If he’s going into certain kinds of footing, especially grass, I prefer these shoes too,” he says. “It allows him to get into the ground a little easier without added traction devices.” But as much discussion there is throughout this day about shoes, there is much more discussion about the horse regarding the trim. “If you get the trim wrong, it doesn’t matter what you put on the foot,” reminds Todd Allen. “The shoes should be an extension of your trim.” 1:57 p.m. With the hind shoes on, the group moved to the fronts. There’s considerable discussion about the trim, but Nate Allen also stresses the need to read shoe wear. As expected with the horse being base narrow, the stock on the medial side is much thicker due to uneven wear. Opinions on trimming the foot were mostly consistent among the farriers today, with most differences being of small consequences. December 2015 Select No. 843 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 25 |
| International Hoof- Care Summit The Allens share a common belief that hot fitting is beneficial, but they are very light and short with their burns. “It shows you how hard he is on the outside,” he says. “It is definitely worn on the outside, but not extreme. But what is interesting on the right front is he has as much heel wear as toe wear. Usually it is just toe wear. “When you find what you expect to see, you’re headed down a good path. It always is easy to pick at what you need to do differently, but sometimes we don’t assess what’s going well.” 2:15 p.m. They will use size 4 Kerckhaert DFs, which are the same size and type as before. As he goes to shape the shoe, Shane mentions that with a lot of his sport horses, he safes the inside foot surface of the shoe. “Ideally, the hoof typically doesn’t have edges,” he says. “We shouldn’t leave them — we should round the edges. I want the same with my shoe. I’m going to roll the toe, box it and safe the inside. That way if he steps over on himself, there is less of a chance of him grabbing something and pulling it off. Also with the rounded edge there is less of a chance of the horse hurting himself. “Another advantage is that safing nar- rows the inside of the branch from the ground surface side. We gave it width on the outside and we’ll narrow it just a bit on the inside. “I’ll grind the toe and put some roll in it. Some guys will look at this and call it a square toe, but I call it a blunt toe. I’ll pull it back off the toe a little bit to round everything up so the horse can breakover where he wants to.” 2:53 p.m. With the lesson horse finished, they’ll work with a 15-year-old that has some suspensory issues with the right hind. Todd has only worked with this horse once before. The forefeet present a classic high- low case. When addressing these cases with a different approach, Todd Allen says you have to educate the owner early on about what you’re doing because it will affect the horse. “I explain that tight muscles cause tight tendons,” he says. “I’ve had great success using a reverse wedge pad to find that safe zone.” “I tell them, ‘Your horse will feel lame for 3 or 4 days until the muscles relax.’ Then the horse feels better and you’re the hero. I don’t want an angry call about a lame horse. “I also educate them about stretching the legs. Now the owner knows and can See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 878 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Select No. 825 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 26 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| feel the difference. I have their attention and have them active in the care.” 3:44 p.m. Todd and Nate nail on the front shoes of this horse. Todd notes how he uses a subtle distraction device with many of his horses, including this one. As soon as a horse starts pawing, he hooks a thin bungee cord that stretches several inches on each side of the halter and rests on the horse’s top teeth and gums. “It works well, sort of like a pacifier,” he says. “It preoccupies the horse with- out being too tight across the top gums and agitating it.” 3:56 p.m. Todd starts to trim the right hind with his nippers, but says he views himself more as a “rasper.” “Using the rasp gives me more play- ing room,” he reasons. “I see a lot of farriers nip too short, and then they have no where to go when they recognize they missed something. I want to leave myself enough foot.” Todd and Shane have trimmed both hinds, but before shoeing, they evaluate the hinds again. Shane says that at this point they are just nitpicking the work. “We want to be in the ballpark, but that’s a small ballpark,” he says. “We get the horse as close as we can to where we want it, but maybe we don’t do more because we don’t have a substantial foot. There are always considerations.” 4:32 p.m. Before nailing on the hind shoes, Shane notes there was a bacterial spot on the hind left. He digs it out with a hoof knife, careful not to go too deep and draw blood. He heats up a pritchel and cauterizes the interior of the hole. He says although you must be cautious, you also must be aggres- sive enough to reach the bottom of the spot. Otherwise once you cauterize the spot, you’ll seal in the bacteria. Todd likes to also fill the hole with a mixture A short, thin bungee cord hooked on each side of the halter provides a great distraction for a restless horse. of Keratex Hoof Putty and copper sul- fate — a trick he learned from the late Red Renchin. 5:16 p.m. Carlton has finished the feet, and his father brushes a dressing on the hooves. It is a mixture passed on by local farrier Marty Kelly, a local farrier from years ago. The ingredients are high in sulphur crude oil and pine tar. “In the past, the feet I worked on that had hoof oil on them were worse than those that didn’t,” says Todd. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 868 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 27 |
| “The key is to apply hoof oil when the feet are dry to keep moisture out. Never put oil on wet feet or you’ll trap the moisture in.” 5:25 p.m. The last horse presents an interesting case of two clubfeet, with the left being more pronounced. It is due on the schedule, but Todd will only trim the hinds on this horse. Because of the clubfeet, it was volunteered for a live shoeing at the NEAEP seminar. Dr. Vern Dryden of Rood & Riddle Equine worked on the front and applied Sound Horse Series III cuffs to the feet. 6:57 p.m. The last hind trim was taken care of about an hour ago. There are always more horses to do, but sev- eral side conversations about shoeing have taken off. It is getting late and other duties call. Todd serves on the NEAEP board and has some tasks to take care of in anticipation of the next See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit day’s meeting and the weekend’s live shoeing. Throughout his career, Todd has improved his knowledge and ability through every type of educational oppor- tunity available to farriers, but seems to enjoy the peer-to-peer sessions because they compel him to look at things differ- ently. As we pack up, he shares a story to illustrate this point. Trenton, Ohio, farrier Diana Yo u n g e r m a n m e t To d d a t t h e International Hoof-Care Summit and traveled to Pennsylvania to see how he manages feet. After trimming a horse, Allen was perplexed that the coronary band didn’t drop at the medial toe. “She asked for my hoof knife, which I was a little hesitant to hand over, not really knowing her ability,” he recalls. “She took off some of the extra sole I had left, but still came down to a very safe sole depth. It allowed the foot to move a little better.” Youngerman says earlier in her hoof- care education, she learned to look for areas of pressure where typically not expected. She noted the area with excess sole and just took off that little extra. MORE ON THE WEB Get further hoof- care insight from Vandergrift, Pa., farrier Todd Allen at americanfarriers.com/1215 Shane Allen took time to give Cartlon Allen Smith hands-on tips for using a gouge when finishing. Despite Youngerman coming to learn from Allen, he took home a lesson that day. “Don’t get stuck in a rut, doing the same thing over and over,” Allen says. “Try something new. Someone else can always offer a different way of looking at things, no matter how long the other person has been shoeing. “I can’t understand how a farrier can do this every day and not see the benefits of continuing education.” There was plenty of willingness to share ideas today. Maybe only three horses were trimmed and shod over several hours, but that’s not the point. Instead, it was about farriers coming together to share insight and learn from one another. If you want to be successful “Shoeing For A Living,” you can’t go about it alone. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Finger Lakes Manufacturing Serving the farrier industry since 1998 Finger Lakes Custom Manufacturing is happy to give our customers a hand crafted Neal Baggett rasp knife as a thank you for your business! Contact David Landolfi, Sales davidlandolfi@gmail.com Select No. 858 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 28 – Financing Available – Find us on Facebook 1 (717) 226-3970 Select No. 833 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
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| Shoeing For Stifle Conditions Accurate vet diagnosis and correct farriery principles can help ease pelvic limb lameness By Stuart Muir, NZCEF, CJF, APF T he stifle joint is one of the larg- est, complex hinge joints in the equine skeletal system. The role of the stifle joint ranges from locomo- tion, through to a fundamental role in the reciprocal apparatus in the pelvic limb. Compared anatomically to the knee joint in human anatomy, the stifle has a locking mechanism that enables the pelvic limb to stay ridged and allow the horse to stand resting for long periods while exerting minimal energy. First, a brief anatomical review is necessary by the farrier following the vet’s exam and diagnosis. Anatomical Review The stifle is considered a complex joint due to the number of bones, numer- ous ligaments and muscular network that surround the structure. The tibia and femur create the large hinge joint of the stifle. While the patella is not regarded as part of the femorotibial joint, the patella is responsible for the unique stay apparatus of the pelvic limb. In a 2002 paper written by Sue J. Dyson, VetMB, PhD 1 , she states, “Accurate knowledge of functional anatomy is crucial for understanding the role of the stifle in the reciprocal apparatus of the hind limb.” The femur. The femur is the upper long bone of the pelvic limb and is the largest long bone in the horse’s body. Proximally, the femur forms a ball-and-socket joint with the pelvis to form the hip joint. Distally, the femur meets the tibia and patella at the stifle joint. It also serves as an attach- ment point for the deep and middle gluteal muscles. Tibia. The tibia bone lies distally from the stifle to the hock. The proxi- mal end of the tibia provides attachment for the patellar ligaments around the stifle region. Patella. The patella could be con- sidered the equivalent to the human kneecap. Proximally, the patella is supported by the quadriceps femoris muscle, and medio-laterally the femo- ropatellar ligament. Femorotibial joint. The femoro- tibial joint is formed by the femur and tibia. The menisci cartilage that lies within the joint is a tough fibrocartilage structure that helps compensate for the incongruences of the articular surfaces and is located on the distal and proxi- mal extremities of the femur and tibia respectively. The menisci fibrocartilage in the stifle joint is also responsible for helping reduce concussion caused through movement. FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Heat, swelling and lameness often are the earliest signs of a stifle injury. Before shoeing the pelvic limb, interpreting hoof capsule distortions and understanding simple biomechanical theories is helpful. Early diagnosis of a locking patella can be difficult because it might appear to be a low-grade lameness or a behavioral problem. Watching the horse dynamically, as well as gathering as much information before picking up the foot, is strongly encouraged. Evaluating locomotion is critical to successfully shoe the pelvic limb. 30 Ligaments of the patella. The stifle is supported by three main patella liga- ments; the medial patella ligament, the middle patella ligament and the lateral patella ligament. All of these ligaments offer support to the stifle and bony anatomy of the region. Cruciate ligaments. The cruciate ligaments of the stifle are a pair of lig- aments that lie across each other and connect the femur to the tibia to give rigidity to the adjoining bones. Collateral ligaments. The collateral ligaments function like other ligaments of a joint by providing support to the adjoining bone, thereby helping limit abduction and adduction of the bony column. Reciprocal apparatus. The recip- rocal, or pelvic stay apparatus, is a collection of cables, levers and pul- leys that provide stability while using minimal muscular effort that allows the horse to rest. The reciprocal appa- ratus has three main components — the patella, which is capable of locking the stifles’ range of motion; the reciprocal mechanism that utilizes the muscles and ligaments; and also the check appa- ratus of the lower limb. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Common Conditions When an injury occurs, heat, swell- ing and lameness are often the earliest signs of stifle pathology. According to a paper written by Jennifer H. Brooks, “Assessment will involve visual obser- vation of the horse’s conformation, palpation of joints and limbs for heat, swelling or tenderness, along with observing the animal at movement, looking for visual demonstration of signs and symptoms mentioned above.” 2 Gait analysis is unique when a stifle injury has historically occurred or is present. The horse’s leg may be in a locked, straight position that quickly snaps back and then has a normal range of motion. Or, in a less severe case, Dyson states, “The horse may move with reduced hind limb impul- sion, rather than overt lameness. This restriction in gait may be much more obvious when the horse is ridden.” 1 Generally, stifle conditions can be divided into two categories — develop- mental and acquired conditions. Developmental refers to conditions such as osteochondritis dissecans, bone cysts and patellar luxation. Acquired conditions can include cruciate tears, ligament strain and fractures. Once the source of lameness has been located to the stifle, the primary location of pain can be identified and treated. Trauma. The stifle is as susceptible to a trauma injury as any other location of the horse. From a lack of fitness, to slipping in the paddock, the femorotib- ial joint and surrounding structures can suffer from fracture, tearing and strain. Dyson notes possible trauma-related conditions may include desmitis of the patella ligaments to full and partial fractures or osteoarthritis. 1 Therapy for stifle conditions will depend on the pathology in the region. Therapy is not limited to, but may consist of rest, anti- inflammatory medication and surgery along with therapeutic shoeing. Osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis (OCD) dissecans is one of the most common lamenesses in the develop- ment of the stifle in young equines. Osteochondrosis is an acquired or developmental condition that is identi- fied by abnormal cartilage within the joint. This condition not only affects the articular cartilage in the stifle, but also often involves the subchondral bone just beneath the cartilage surface. In a paper/ study by C. Wayne McIlwraith, 3 he writes, “Animals usually present with a sudden onset of joint swelling and lame- ness. … Lameness sometimes may be very mild, with a stiff action and short- ened stride being observed, rather than the horse having a prominent lameness.” Osteochondrosis is commonly associ- ated with some type of trauma to the stifle See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 876 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 31 |
| Under-slung heel conformation gen- erally requires more length of shoe. Stuart Muir typically achieves this with extended heel modifications to offer more support. region. Although the condition can be bilateral, it is usually evident in one stifle at a time. According to a breed distribution study of 161 horses done by McIlwraith, Thoroughbred horses were the highest percentage in OCD frequency at 50.9%, with Quarter Horses at 24.2%, Arabians 9.9% and other cross breeds making up the See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit REVOLUTIONIZING LAMENESS TREATMENT AND HOOFCARE THE JEAN-MARIE DENOIX, DVM, PHD DENOIX ONION LATERAL ROLLER “Upon asking the horse to move from a stand still into a walk, one or some- times both stifles can be locked into an extending position, identified by the animal’s inability to protract the leg forward.” In severe cases, Brooks continues, “The horse may hop on three legs, dragging the affected leg behind.” 2 Upward fixation of the patella can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages as it may present itself as low-grade lameness of the pelvic limb or in behavioral tenden- cies that are consistent with training issues. Four basic conditions are associated with upward fixation of the patella. Conformation. Pelvic limb con formation plays a role in the stifle joint, too. As with any joint, the more func- tional the limb conformation, the more optimally the joint will function. Upright or straight leg conformation enables the patella to fixate in a locked position in an unfavorable manner. Limbs with upright pelvic limb conformation geographi- cally change the medial femoral trochlea position, putting it closer to the patella, therefore facilitating upward fixation. Joint laxity. Joint laxity in relation to upward fixation of the patella nor- mally refers to excessive length in one or more of the distal patella ligaments. This also places the patella closer prox- imally to the medial femoral trochlea and can therefore lock or catch itself, causing this condition. Exercise and fitness. Horses that are returning from extended turnout can be candidates for intermittent upward fixa- tion of the patella. Brooks states that a horse with “low muscle tone from poor THE PERFECT HORSE “The Hoof Mirrors the Total Health of the Horse” ® N LD OZE SO FR KES H A ES FL FR OR This shoe has a strong bevel from the last nail hole continuing around to the opposite nail hole. The strong bevel reduces the diameter of the surface contact while raising the center of rotation. These two properties help reduce the force needed to rotate the hoof capsule in any forward direction. Beneficial in: Osteoarthritis of the coffin and of the pastern joints Bilateral collateral ligament injuries Sold as “eaches” Available in sizes 5-12 remaining figures. 3 The condition is often noticed with joint swelling and lameness. Arthroscopic surgery is the most common treatment in young horses and the prognosis is typically regarded as good. Following surgery, stall rest is usually rec- ommended. Post-operative rehabilitation is continued via controlled exercise. Nutrition is thought to play an impor- tant role in the pathogenesis of OCD. OCD lesions in young equines have been linked to horses with high calorie diets. Nutritional imbalances (deficiencies or over feeding) in young horses that have had access to excessive amounts of high-calorie food tend to be more prominent candidates for the develop- ment of OCD lesions in joints. Excessive feeding stimulates the juvenile joint cartridges to grow in a disorganized manor. Therefore, care- ful monitoring of the development of growth spurts in young horses is essen- tial to managing joint health. Typically, feeding a well-balanced low starch diet is suggested to limit the occurrence of OCD lesions in developing young horses. Upward fixation of the patella. Locking of the patella in some instances is very normal and is the foundation for the reciprocal apparatus, but when the patella locks intermittently during exercise or rest, it can be considered abnormal. The clinical signs of upward fixation of the patella can present themselves in various ways and severity. From resis- tance of acceptance on taking certain leads to difficulty in making upward and downward transitions in gait to complete limb lameness. Brooks states, MICRO-NUTRIENTS FOR HORSES with Crystalloid Electrolyte Sea Minerals GRANDCIRCUITINC.COM 888-427-5521 or 502-969-6949 info@grandcircuitinc.com Select No. 837 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 32 Farriers See The Difference First (877) 357-7187 | www.ThePerfectHorse.net Select No. 824 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| conditioning, combined with low activ- ity, is prone to upward fixation of the patella.” 2 Fitness or strength in the quadriceps femoris muscle can result in decreased muscle tone, therefore a lack of patellar ligament fitness. With decreased supporting muscle and ligament tone, it’s possible for the patella to lock on the femur and cause the effect. Shoeing The Pelvic Limb Shoeing the pelvic limb can be as complicated as the equine forelimb. Interpreting hoof capsule distortions and understanding simple biome- chanical theories will help make your shoeing prescriptions more detailed. It’s always my intention when it comes to routine shoeing that horses’ athletic longevity will be extended if the shoeing prescription is accurate and com- plete. With good shoeing practice, farriers can help delay any pathology that may be in its infancy or developed over time. I believe that hoof capsule distortions are normally more apparent to the farrier before upper limb lameness occurs. So vigilant identification of these changes in hoof capsule conformation is beneficial to the horse and rider. Typically, when observing hoof cap- sule conformation, be it a fore limb or hind limb, I like to try and observe the strongest, robust structures of the hoof capsule. I identify the structures that are coping well under the load they are carry- ing. From there, I’ll also be able to identify which structures are not coping with the current load they are designated to carry. Internal hoof capsule conformation may also play a part in stifle health. The insertion of the deep digital flexor tendon and corresponding insertion of the digital extensor tendon create one of the fulcrum foundations of the reciprocal apparatus. A hoof capsule of the pelvic limb with Beware of shoeing the hind foot too short. Note the hemorrhage through the hoof wall because of lack of support. crushed or under-slung heels can indicate less than desirable strain on the tension of internal flexor tendinous structures. Identifying palmar angles in the hoof capsule also can be useful in helping to diagnose potential stifle pathology. A horse with negative palmar angles and intermittent upward fixation of the patella can sometimes be related and eased with elevating the angle of the coffin bone. When I am preparing to shoe a horse, I like to watch the way the horse dynami- cally travels so I can view the limbs in motion. I like to talk with the owner/trainer See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit NC Shoeing Boxes NC Tall Aluminum Shoeing Box NC Boss Shoeing Box • 2 styles to choose from - NC Tall Aluminum Shoeing Box and NC Boss • Shoeing Box -both available in a 2 or 3 shelf model -Tool Trays lined with rubber matting for noise control • 2 rasp holders • 3” casters NC Tool Co Inc 6133 Hunt Rd Pleasant GardenNC 27313 800/446-6498 www.nctoolco.com Select No. 850 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 33 |
| and gather as much information as I can. Approaching a shoeing appointment like this helps remove some of the variables that surround the horseshoeing process. Asking questions like, how is the horse traveling? Is the horse picking up both leads? Is the horse stumbling in the hind legs at all? This will give me a lot of the information that I need to move forward with an accurate shoeing. I’ll look at the shoes that are still on the horse and see what the last farrier did and also look at the last shoeing cycles wear pattern. This will give me a lot of information on the horses’ inter- action with the ground surface. Evaluating the way a horse moves and lands during locomotion is impera- tive to achieving success in shoeing the pelvic limb. Often a horse will want to land slightly outside first on the hind limb, so correcting medio-lateral bal- ance is just as important as the fore limb. When I evaluate static pelvic limb balance, I like to make sure the horse’s spine is straight. This alone will help to remove many variables in the trimming process. Making sure the limb is centered and relaxed within its normal range of motion will help remove any joint laxity that could alter my perception of balance. Widened lateral branches are com- monplace for sport horses that land in the above mentioned footfall pattern, but caution should be observed as to the effect it has on coffin joint loading. Ground reaction force on a widened lat- eral branch stops the lateral branch from penetrating the ground surface as deeply as a non-widened branch. So, if the horse doesn’t actually need that modification, you could be setting up a coffin joint bal- ance issue in the hind limb. I see a lot of pelvic limb under-slung heel conformation in sport horses. Generally they require a lot of length of shoe. Typically, I do this with extended heel modifications to offer more support. Extended heels allow length of shoe without too much width with shoe fit. Trimming and shoeing fundamentals will remain the same for these horses, WE ARE THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR OF DURASOLE. We Carry: Now a Stonewell Bodies Dealer! • Emerson • NC • Cliff Carroll • Scott • Future 3 & 5 • TFS Serving The Farrier Industry For Over 20 Years! Our supply catalog is on-line at www.alvinfarriersupply.com 1-800-936-3636 alvinfarriersupply@yahoo.com ALVIN FARRIER SUPPLY 2498 C.R. 145 Alvin, Texas 77511 Phone: (281) 331-3636 • Fax: (281) 585-4260 Select No. 810 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 34 UPS Daily ALVIN FARRIER SUPPLY NORTH 16915 FM 2920 • Unit B Tomball • TX 77377 Phone: (281) 290-9550 meaning I’ll shoe around the center of articulation. Typically under-slung heels are an indication that the hoof capsule is trying to migrate forward so a rocker toe on these horses can be beneficial, too. When I see this type of foot, I take it as an indication that internally there is excessive force somewhere. Limb conformation also plays a large part in the conformation of under-slung heels. Crushed heels also are a common hoof conformation fault. Crushed heels will usually have a strong frog. If so, a bar shoe can be a good option if there is not too much frog pressure caused. This will actively change the loading forces and dis- sipate more pressure to the stronger frog structure, alleviating the overloaded heels. Bar shoes on hind limbs will also increase ground reaction forces in the heel that will encourage the hoof to stay on top of the footing and not penetrate the ground surface to the same degree. This can also help horses with a negative palmar angle in the hind feet by keeping the horses’ coffin bone in a more positive angle. Both under-slung and crushed heels are indications of excessive ground force and/or internal force. These con- ditions also can be a precursor to future pathology that may affect pelvic limb performance. Therefore, they are good indications that the biomechanics of that limb need to be questioned. Shoeing Guidelines Shoeing for stifle conditions can be a combination of all of the above strategies with the introduction of using a graduated shoe. Wedging or using a graduated shoe can relieve pressure on the reciprocal apparatus by releasing the tension on the deep digital flexor and pelvic limb musculature. The plantar elevation of the wedge shoe comes with certain characteristic challenges, though, as the mechanics in loading forces change. Center of pressure. According to a paper titled “Centre of Pressure Location in the Hoof With and Without Wedges,” 4 the center of pressure (COP) lies slightly medial to the apex of the frog. When hoof care professionals use wedge shoes, it forces the COP to move caudally. This change in COP location can cause heel damage if the heels are not supported. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Equi-Pack or the use of a bar shoe will help preserve hoof conformation in the heel area. Rocker toe shoes. Rocker toe shoes alter a horse’s gait by reducing the time spent in the breakover/rollover phase. Rocker toe shoes on hind feet can be a great tool to use, but consideration for impulsion requirements on horses that compete at a high level have to be considered. Impulsion or locomotion of the horse starts from the pelvic limb, so adjustments made to the pelvic limb are usually made during the horses’ prepa- ration phase before competition. Horses with stifle pain normally get comfort from this method as the forces on the deep digital flexor tendon are reduced. Shoeing around the center of articulation. David Duckett’s theory of balance is one of the most impor- tant considerations when it comes to pelvic limb lameness. Ensuring an equal amount of anterior and posterior support in the limb will be one of the biggest assets in your shoeing arsenal. Schedule. Regular maintenance is equally, if not more important when shoe- ing any lameness. A 4- to 5-week schedule would be of most benefit to the horse. There is no doubt that a farrier’s assis- tance can play a significant role in aiding in the soundness and healing process of the pelvic limb and stifle region. But vet- erinary examination and diagnostics are fundamental to any shoeing prescription. Often experimenting with different logical shoeing combinations and equine sports medicine, can help ease the pain associated with pelvic limb lameness. With accurate veterinary diagnosis and correct shoeing principles, manage- ment of pelvic limb and stifle injuries can be a great environment for farriers and veterinarians to exchange ideas and to help the horse. Dissecans.” csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/ academics/clinsci/equine-orthopaedic- research-center/orthopaedic-topics/ Pages/osteochondritis-dissecans.aspx 4. Colahan P, Leach D and Muir G. (1991) “Center of Pressure Location of the Hoof with and without Hoof Wedges.” Equine Exercise Physiology 3, 1991; 113-119. Stuart Muir is resident farrier at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit References 1. Dyson Sue J. (2002) “Lameness Associated with the Stifle and Pelvic Regions.” Proc. Am. Ass. Equine Practnrs. pp 387-411. 2. Brooks Jennifer H. (2007) “Inter mittent Upward Fixation of Patella in the Horse: Part I: A Literature Review.” horse- n-hound-pt.com/articles/part-i-iufp-optp.pdf 3. McIlwraith C. Wayne. “Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteochondritis December 2015 Select No. 831 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 35 |
| Thoughts On Defining The “Good” Foot Approaching the concept of a “normal” foot led to an exercise in thinking about the elusive “good” foot By Jeff Ridley, CJF (TE), APF Evaluation To Find A Sound Horse Before looking at the foot and making decisions about its footcare needs, farriers must evaluate the horse for soundness. Making judgments only based on surface characteristics, such as foot conformation, the integrity of the hoof capsule and the overall condi- tion of the foot may be misleading if the horse is not observed in motion. If the horse isn’t sound, you can instantly recognize that you are not Figure 1 working with a good foot. A thorough farrier will always take time to watch a horse walk, turn in each direction and observe the horse at a trot. Sometimes it is helpful to watch the horse work under saddle prior to working on the horse. During this observation period, the farrier has time to ask any pertinent questions about the horse, its performance since it was last shod, work schedule and any lameness or comfort issues. Look for subtle discomfort, a head nod or a shortened stride that the owner or trainer may not be aware of or rec- ognize. Any abnormalities that are FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Do you thoroughly analyze the horse before you work with its feet? What considerations do you give the foot before trimming it? After selecting the appropriate shoe, what thoughts do you give to the mechanics you’ll add or the shoe fit? 36 Photo: Dr. Stephen O’Grady W hen given the opportunity to write about shoeing a normal foot, my first move was to discuss the topic with a well- respected colleague, who quickly asked me “Jeffrey, what is a normal foot?” Naturally, I began to reflect on my daily work, thinking that most of my feet were fairly “normal.” But then I thought about the question more and came to the realization that almost all of my so-called “normal” horses present me with some type of a con- formational or structural challenge that I am constantly striving to improve. A “good” foot is perhaps a better description and certainly desirable, but it too may be elusive if you think of all of the factors that must be consid- ered and met before labeling the foot as “good” or “ideal.” observed should be brought to the owner or trainer’s attention and discussed prior to any farrier work being performed. Evaluation Of The Foot Prior to starting the farriery, the horse’s feet should be observed from the front, the side and from behind the animal to observe the height of the heels. Any change in foot conforma- tion or hoof capsule distortion should be noted and recorded if possible. Once the farrier begins to work on the foot, he or she is looking at the foot in many different directions and dimensions. In Figure 1, the foot is labeled with two red lines that represent a good hoof pastern axis and bony alignment of the digit. The yellow line represents solid horn that is mature in nature (10 to 12 months old) and very strong. This area encompasses much of the interface formed by the lamellae between the distal phalanx and the hoof capsule. The solid blue line represents the area of the foot that is relatively immature AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit World’s Best Hoofcare Store ® Largest Inventory in the Industry. Best Prices. Free Freight until 12/24. Photos: Jeff Ridley (2 to 4 months old) and is weak in com- parison to the dorsal wall as it is thinner due to the necessity for hoof expansion. The palmar or plantar section of the foot encompasses mostly soft tissue structures (digital cushion, frog, lateral cartilages) and may allow a substan- tial amount of movement as the foot naturally contracts and expands. The dotted blue line represents the angle of the heel, which ideally would be at the same angle as the toe angle. However, this rarely occurs as the immature horn is worn away during movement. After shoes are removed, a wear pat- tern in the heel area on the foot surface of the shoe should be examined. This wear pattern is caused by the movement of the foot expanding and contracting against the shoe and will vary depending on the condition of the heels. If this movement is wearing a groove Figure 2 or trough into a piece of steel or alumi- num, it also will be wearing away the much softer hoof wall at the heels of the hoof capsule. The green line represents a n i c e f l ow i n g coronet that has a gentle slope from the toe to the heel of the hoof capsule with the hair lying nicely in the same direction against the coronet. Look to see if the horse is standing on the middle of its foot or if the hoof is offset to one side. Examine for the absence of dishes and flares, cracks and/or disparity in size of the growth rings. Looking at the coronet, a straight line drawn from any two points Figure 3 on the coronet should match a line drawn at the ground surface. Although this is a freshly shod foot, Figure 2 reminds of the importance of taking the time to examine your work from various views, including the dorsal view. Looking at and examining the solar view of the hoof capsule (Figure 3), many points should be considered before labeling it a “good” foot. Using the frog as a guideline, the foot should be evaluated for symmetry in both the medial and lateral direction. We also want to have approximate distances of foot in front of and behind Regardless of the shoe or device selected, it should be of adequate size and properly fit to be complementary of the trimmed foot… See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit 800-365-8202 www.AnvilBrand.com Select No. 813 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 Select No. 863 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 37 |
| the widest part of it. Is the frog intact, healthy and prominent? Is the foot con- cave with uniform hoof wall thickness? Once all of these questions have been asked and answered affirmatively, then you may be justified in saying you have a “good” foot. Trimming The Foot Farriers will generally have an indi- vidual preference as to how to begin a trim. I start every trim with the frog. I trim each side of the frog, removing any loose or exfoliating horn of the frog that may contribute to trapping debris in the commissures. Minimal vertical depth of the frog is reduced, providing that when it is healthy, it contributes to foot expansion with the digital cushion. The horn in the body of the sole is left intact and only excess exfoliating sole is removed at the sole/wall junction See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit NC POLISHED FIRETONGS Call Or Visit Our Website Today! Figure 4 (white line), which will indicate how much hoof wall should be removed to shorten the toe while maintaining con- cavity to the bottom of the hoof. The heels should be trimmed to the widest part of the frog or trimmed to include the frog, thus increasing the ground sur- face of the foot. The end result should have the heels of the hoof capsule and the frog on the same plane. A symmetrical hoof capsule is finally sculpted as flares are removed from the outer hoof wall and the outer hoof wall is further dressed to achieve a uniformed thickness from heel to heel. Selecting The Appropriate Shoe With an endless variety of shoes and other appliances flooding the far- rier industry market, shoe selection may be dependent upon the discipline of the horse and further influenced by rider or trainer preferences. Regardless of the shoe or device selected, it must be of adequate size and properly fit to be complementary of the trimmed foot. Addressing The Mechanics Of The Shoe If the foot has met all of the criteria to be classified as a “good” foot, there may be minimal need to add mechanics to the shoe that has been selected. Any additional mechanics may be deter- mined by choosing how an arguable point is viewed when looking at the shoe that was removed from the horse. Do you put a new shoe on to prevent undue wear to the toe, or is a new shoe used with the wear pattern ground back into the shoe, as this is how the horse naturally breaks over? Fitting The Shoe When applying the selected shoe, it should fit the foot that has been trimmed. Make sure that the foot has been adequately covered and that the com- missures or sulci next to the frog are still open and can be readily cleaned. Ideally, the shoe should be secured to the front half of the foot so as not to interfere with the natural expansion and contraction of the palmar/plantar section of the “good” foot. Figure 4 demonstrates how I fit a foot as such. Putting It All Together By writing my thoughts down, I better understand the question that my colleague asked, “Jeffrey, what is a normal foot?” I will have to speculate what life would be like if I am ever lucky enough to shoe “good” footed horses that don’t present me with chal- lenges. But what fun would farriery be without constant challenges? Jeff Ridley is a farrier based in Leighton, Iowa, and is the past presi- dent of the American Association of Professional Farriers. Serving the Farrier Industry for Montague over 25 years! Complete Line Blacksmith Supply Of Farrier Supplies • Waffled Jaw • Round Handles For Excellent Grip • Available In 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" NC Tool Company Inc. 6133 Hunt Road, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 800-445-6498 www.nctoolco.com Select No. 852 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 38 SHOP ONLINE: www.montagueblacksmith.com To place orders, call 1-800-666-8248 | Phone: (845) 856-7585 | Fax: (845) 856-7385 176 Jersey Ave. • Port Jervis, NY 12771 UPS service daily! Select No. 848 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| BOOK NOTES Recollections From 202 Years Of Family Shoeing Sparks From The Smiddy, The Life Of A World Champion Farrier By David Wilson as told to Andrew Arbuckle Reviewed by Frank Lessiter, Editor/Publisher M ore than 25 years ago, during a visit with David Wilson in Scotland, he took me to see the blacksmith shop and attached house that six generations of his family had called home. Located in the sleepy little hamlet of Kilmany, the homestead is just a few kilometers from the world- famous old St. Andrews Links where golf got its start in 1552. Wilson’s newly published 132-page Sparks from the Smiddy book tells the story of this sixth generation black- smith who lives in nearby Balmullo. It was written with Andrew Arbuckle, the farming editor for The Scotsman newspaper. Family Shoeing Since 1813 When George Wilson moved to Kilmany in 1813, there were only two rooms in the little house. The equally cramped smiddy (blacksmith shop) only had space for a coal-fired forge, bellows and anvil. The shoeing, blacksmithing and farm equipment repair work was done outside in all kinds of weather. Born in the cramped two-room house, Wilson is among eight family generations who have taken up the trade of blacksmithing and horseshoeing. His son David and his two grandsons Josh and Eli represent the seventh and eighth generations to practice the trade. As he paid tribute to the previous generations of family blacksmiths, Wilson wrote, “All five previous gen- erations of my family were blacksmiths. They had all sweated over their forges. They had hammered the white-hot metal into shape, then fitted it to horses’ hooves. Back bent with the horse’s leg December 2015 held between their own legs, they nailed the shoes onto the horn of the hoof.” As a youngster, there was never any discussion as to what Wilson was going to do with his life. It was expected that he would become the sixth-generation blacksmith and learn at the feet of his father, which he did after leaving school at a young age. Along with 60 photos, the book includes memories as a youngster annoying his father by nailing horse- shoes to the wooden smiddy floor, his first experience at trying to catch a horse, the hard work he put into learn- ing the trade and continuing the family business. Calgary Experiences Among the highlights of Wilson’s career was being named the World Champion Blacksmith at the 1985 Calgary Stampede. In the book, he recalls the many details of years of competitions and earning the world champion honors in only his second year of competing at the annual mid- summer event in western Canada. Another highlight was being asked later to judge the Calgary competition five times. A huge satisfaction was taking his long-time mentor Jock McKenzie to the United States to compete in the annual American Farrier’s Association forging competition. Wilson and Marni, his lovely wife of 57 years, traveled the world as they participated in competitions, clinics and conferences. Serving as president of the National Association of Blacksmiths, Farriers and Agricultural Engineers was also a highlight of his career. The book includes a chapter by Marni titled, “From the Other Side of AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com the Fireplace.” Proving the long-known fact that “behind every good man is a good woman,” her poems reflect the life of a farrier’s wife. While many farriers know of Wilson’s shoemaking skills, few realize he was also a well-known pigeon-racing competitor. This hobby served as a wel- come form of relaxation from a busy working life and is one still enjoyed today. Now retired from shoemaking and blacksmithing, Wilson still manages to head out to the shop for some relaxing forging work from time to time. In the book, Wilson recalls returning home from an early-day shoe-making competition proudly bearing the win- ning ribbon. “You were lucky today, son,” said his mother. To which Wilson replied, “It was skill, Mum, not luck!” In the decades that followed that conversation, Wilson put together an amazing career while running a highly successful farrier and blacksmithing business. Importantly, he was always willing to share his skills and business sense with other farriers and black- smiths for the betterment of the industry. Copies of Sparks From the Smiddy are available for $22.95 per copy plus shipping and handling from ISBS (International Specialized Book Services). Orders can be placed by call- ing (800) 944-61290 or (503) 287-3093, on their website at orders@isbs.com or by writing to them at 920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213. 39 |
| It All Started Because Someone Wanted To Show Off A Shoeing Truck And 38 years later, Danny Ward’s Eastern Farrier Conference is still spreading the word on hoof-care education By Pat Tearney, Contributing Editor F ormer students, fellow farriers, suppliers and friends of Danny Ward made their annual pilgrim- age Nov. 6 and 7 to Martinsville, Va., for the annual Eastern Farrier Conference, hosted by Ward and the North Carolina Horseshoers Association (NCHA). It was the 38th consecutive year that the gathering has been held at Ward’s horseshoeing school in the Virginia Piedmont country. That’s pretty good longevity for something that the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member says started out accidentally because someone wanted to show off his new shoeing truck. “A friend of mine named Tim Keller from Massachusetts was working down in this area and he wanted to show me his new truck,” recalls Ward. “Tim did high-end show horses and had the first truck I’d ever seen that was practically a farrier shop on wheels. I had a class that was just finishing up, probably 10 to 15 of us. So Tim came up here with Danny Ward, in conjunction with the North Carolina Horseshoers Association, hosted the 38th annual Eastern Farriers Conference in Martinsville, Va. his truck, brought it in and showed it to us. He was really good with the stu- dents. He showed them some things, answered their questions. We had such a good time that I said, ‘We ought to do this again next year.’ Well, here it is, next year.” Ward says an informal count shows that 108 farriers and veterinarians have been presenters during those 38 years, while many more have informally shared their skills and experience during the same period. And a program that originally was designed for just the FARRIER TAKEAWAYS If lateral radiographs don’t show what you need, don’t be afraid to ask the veterinarian or technician to reshoot. Do you give appropriate consideration to the digital cushion when working with your horses? When evaluating his work, Troy Price wants the finished shoeing job to be an improvement on what the horse already had. Your goal in forging competitions shouldn’t be to win money, but to learn as much as possible from the other competitors. 40 students at the horseshoeing school has grown into an event that, while draw- ing most of its attendees from the East Coast, also brings in farriers from around the country. The list of some- where between 100 and 120 attendees at this year’s conference included far- riers from Oregon, Utah and Colorado, among other states. Ward may joke about how attendance at the conference has “mushroomed” over the years, but he also makes it clear that he understands what really brings hoof-care professionals to the event. A need to keep learning. “If you read any of the papers or journals out there, you know how in- depth shoeing horses has gotten,” he says. “It’s no longer just tack on some shoes and go home.” Ward thinks this is particularly true because many of today’s horse owners did not grow up with horses and don’t have the knowledge that many old timers did. “They really have to depend on us,” he says. Innovations in methods, treatments AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Angles, Heels And Support Jim Meeker, a veterinarian from Davie County Large Animal Hospital in Mocksville, N.C., also demonstrated that need-of-the-individual-horse kind of thinking during his presentation, “Hoof Balance: Palmar Angle and Heel Support.” Meeker has worked with NCHA members Joel Hunt and Bob Engelmann to put on monthly case studies and discussion groups for far- riers at the hospital. Every session includes the shoeing of a horse. He told those in attendance that the meetings have drawn as many as 45 farriers, and always at least 20. Meeker, who has a long interest in hoof care, believes that some of the commonly held beliefs regarding hoof balance and palmar angles do not hold true for every horse. This includes the idea that a horse’s P3 palmar angle needs to be between 3 and 5 See us at the degrees. (Meeker and supplies have greatly improved the ability of hoof-care professionals to help their clients, but also present a major challenge. “The new products are great,” says Ward. “But the challenge is to figure out how to use a particular product to help a particular horse. That’s what takes time.” A similar point, he recalled, was one made by his friend and fellow International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member, the late Bruce Daniels. “Bruce did an article on studying breakover and how to read a shoe,” he recalls. “It always stayed with me. Sometimes, we get this balance thing in our minds and we forget about the horse a little bit. Some horses take 6 weeks to get a shoe broke in to where they want it to be. Then we come in and tack on a new shoe and it takes them another 6 weeks to get that one right.” International Hoof-Care Summit Victor Frisco told those in attendance at the Eastern Farrier Conference in Martinsville, Va., that shoeing compe- titions should be viewed as educational opportunities. Frisco, a member of the American Farrier’s Team, joined Troy Price in judging the shoeing and forg- ing contest held in conjunction with the event. pointed out that only front feet have palmar angles. Hinds have plantar angles. He used palmar throughout his remarks to avoid confusion.) Meeker emphasizes that his views are drawn on years of clinical The Flexible Horseshoe Incorporating modern design with flexible plastic and innovative application techniques. Horse-Slips are an exciting new development representing the future of equine hoof care. HorseSlips Flexible Horseshoes • Do not require nails or an • Ideal for use with laminitis, foot invasive application technique. soreness, poorhoof quality and flexural limb deformities. • Stay on for 4-6 weeks. • Are fast and easy to apply. Giltspur Scientific Ltd 6-8 Avondale Industrial Estate, Ballyclare, BT39 9AU Tel : +44 (0) 28 93322040 | Fax : +44 (0) 28 9335 4885 Email : info@giltspurscientific.com Web : www.horseslips.com Select No. 823 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 Select No. 841 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 41 |
| observations, rather than formal research. Those observations led h i m t o b e l i eve that many horses can be sound with palmar angles that are lower than 3 degrees — so long as the angle is not negative. Meeker says it Troy Price shares tips on trimming a seems many horses hoof with conference attendees. Price with good confor- operates the Troy Price Horseshoeing mation and healthy School in northeastern Indiana. feet are fine with palmar angles of just 1 or 2 degrees and even angles that are practically level. This is less likely with horses that have weak or sore heels. And a negative P3 palmar angle can cause a significant increase in lameness issues. Meeker says the only way to truly measure a palmar angle is with a good lateral radiograph. He also told farriers they shouldn’t be afraid to ask veterinarians to reshoot lateral radiographs if they don’t show what they need. “If you’re given a lateral radiograph and you notice that you can see both branches of the shoe, it’s worthless,” he says. “You have to get a true lateral.” When a horse does have a negative palmar angle, the most common treatment is to wedge the heel in an effort to improve the angle. While this can be an effective treatment, Meeker says it’s important to keep some things in mind. For example, simply adding a 3-degree wedge to a shoe will not mean a corresponding 3-degree improvement in the palmar angle. It will usually be less, because the horse’s hoof and limb is not a static object, like a piece of wood. “Things are going to change as the tendons and muscles relax,” Meeker explains. “And the improvement in angle you get at first probably isn’t going to be permanent. The angle will decrease as the heels crush. That’s why you have to keep on top of these horses. You have to manage this issue.” Respect The Digital Cushion Meeker believes that more attention should be paid to the digital cushion, which he refers to as “a neglected and very important structure.” The digital cushion is composed of fat, connective and elastic tissue. It forms the bulbs of the heels and is thought to function by dissipating energy. Meeker compares the tissue that makes up the digital cush- ion in a healthy hoof to the pads of a dog’s paws. He believes a healthy digital cushion helps protect the inner structures of the hoof, including P3 and the navicular bone. He also says that not all horses have a healthy digital cushion and this can contribute to more lameness issues. He also believes that a proper palmar angle contributes to a healthy digital cushion. This is another area where Meeker has found that wedg- ing the heels, combined with frog support is an effective treatment. “We typically use a wedge and frog support to return the foot to a positive P3 palmar angle and promote a healthy blood flow,” he says. “This will promote improved blood flow and the digital cushion tissue will recover.” Meeker says he prefers using Vettec’s pour-in frog support products over heart bar shoes in these cases. Meeker shared these observations regarding heels: ➥ ➥ Most heels grow forward, not down. ➥ ➥ Heels should be trimmed as close to the widest part of the hoof as possible, taking into consideration toe length and heel support. ➥ ➥ Consider the effect of the heel trim on the P3 palmar angle. ➥ ➥ The heel trim will be dependent on the sole depth at the toe, in order to maintain the solar plane. ➥ ➥ Toe length is not critical if the heels are properly supported. Meeker is also not a proponent of dubbing the toe in order to achieve a 40/60 ratio in the hoof capsule. He would rather have more toe, particularly if a horse is working in soft footing. “I don’t think an extra half-inch of toe, so long as the heel is properly supported, is going to make much of a difference to most horses,” he says, while adding that there is no “right” toe length if the heels are not properly supported. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Real Hinged n n Freeze dried No chemicals n n Hoof Models Full anatomical detail Lasts for years Most items available for immediate shipment. Visa or MasterCard accepted. Horse Science Allie Hayes P.O. Box 221 • West Boxford, MA 01885 Phone: 978/352-6336 • Fax: 978/352-5238 E-mail: horsescience@comcast.net Web site: www.horsescience.com AnAtomy StudieS Select No. 840 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 42 Price’s Trim Tips For Beginners Troy Price shared some of what he teaches his students at the Troy Price Horseshoeing School in Uniondale, Ind. One point he stresses with all of his students is the importance of a proper AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| hoof trim. “You don’t go to any contest to make “I’m always looking for a good trim money,” he says. “You go to work on your and a good fit,” he explains. “A good trim skills and learn from the other people helps lead to that good fit.” you’re competing with and against. It’s Price likes to use the short pastern about education and making yourself a bone to guide his trim, rather than the better farrier.” long pastern. He thinks the shorter dis- Price, who also has been a member tance involved between the short pastern of the American Farrier’s Teams, agreed. and the hoof capsule makes it easier for He recalled that one year, he figured out students as well. that his involvement with the team had He stresses the basics of getting the heels included 75 days. While team members even and the coronary band level. He also expenses are covered, that meant the far- doesn’t want students trimming beyond the rier wasn’t shoeing horses for his own junction of the live frog as they are learning. Veterinarian Jim Meeker discusses the clients for the equivalent of more than He wants his students to start out being con- importance of palmar angles and heel 11 weeks. support in properly balancing a hoof. servative in their trimming. Meeker works with the Davie County “If we can get those three things, a stu- Large Animal Hospital in Mocksville, N.C. Ward Honored dent can trim a pretty good foot,” he notes. During the event, Ward was named an Price also has a somewhat unusual way of evaluating a Honorary Lifetime Member of the American Association Of shoeing job. He wants the shoe to be better looking than Professional Farriers (AAPF). Steve Prescott, AAPF vice the foot. That’s because he wants the finished job to be an president and Bryan Quincy, the organization’s executive improvement on what the horse already had. director, presented Ward with the award in “appreciation for Price teaches his students what he calls a “school fit.” It’s all you’ve done for farriers over all of these years.” a fit that’s probably a bit tighter than what more experienced farriers might use. The school fit is a concept developed by See us at the working with horse owners who bring their horses to the International Hoof-Care Summit school to be trimmed and shod. “The horse has to be sound and the shoes have to stay on,” Price explains. “That’s what a school is graded on. That’s what will keep them bringing their horses back.” It’s also a concept that may be helpful to novice shoers who are trying to develop a client list. Price emphasizes the need for students to practice and work at developing their trimming and forging skills. “Every day students start out by drawing lines on their anvils and using reference points,” he says. He also isn’t putting a stopwatch on anyone. “I don’t push students to do one-heat clips,” he noted, as he drew a clip on a shoe. “I don’t push speed until a student can demonstrate the ability to consistently produce a good product. That’s the way I practice and that’s the way I teach.” Price says the same is true of trying to achieve certified or journeyman certification with the American Farrier’s Association. Forging skills must be perfected before a can- didate worries about speed. “It’s no good doing one-heat clips and being done in 10 minutes if you haven’t made a passing clip,” he says. Learning By Competing Victor Frisco, who, with Price, judged the NCHA Fall Forging and Shoeing contest held the previous day, shared some of his experiences as a member of this year’s American Farrier’s Team. The Crestwood, Ky., farrier earned the Best Shod Foot award during the prestigious Stoneleigh Shoeing competition in England. He told attendees that competing on the team had been a great experience, as well as a great opportunity to learn. December 2015 Select No. 866 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 43 |
| Balancing The Foot With The Golden Ratio Minnesota farrier develops protocol to aid understanding of the hoof By Jeff Cota, Associate Editor O ne day while shoeing a large warmblood, something caught Scott Lampert’s attention. “There were two fractures in the bars, just little fractures, little lines,” the Lake Elmo, Minn., farrier told attendees at the late July trimming, forging and anatomy clinic hosted by farrier Eddie Strommen in Evanston, Wis. “I thought, ‘Interesting, the horse made those, I didn’t. I wonder if I could use those to balance his foot.’” Curious, he retrieved a set of divid- ers and measured the distance from the bar fracture to where the heel exited the hoof in a straight line in general parallel to the bar. “I thought if I had equal distances on both medial and lateral sides,” Lampert says, “then the back of the foot should be fairly balanced to how he needs it.” After finishing with the warmblood, he placed the dividers on his box and began working on a pony. “The pony had similar fractures in the bars as the warmblood did,” he recalls. “I grabbed the dividers and when I put them on the pony, I didn’t have to change the distance. The distance from the bar fracture, in a straight line fol- lowing the bar, where it exits the foot was the same on the pony as it was on the horse.” After checking the feet of a Thoroughbred, a draft and a Quarter Horse, the distance remained the same. “I got really interested in what that distance was, and it measured just a little bit more than 1½ inches,” Lampert says. “But it really wasn’t 1½ inches, it was just a bit more. So, I got out some digital calipers and it measured exactly 1.618 inches from the leading edge of the bar bend in a straight line out to the outer wall at the heel. All of them were 1.618 inches. I thought, ‘Man, what a weird number.’” Aside from the oddity of it, Lampert didn’t know what to make of it. “I had no idea until I typed it into our friend Google,” he says. “I got 10,000 hits.” Lampert is another in a tremendously long line of people that spans at least 2,400 years to become fascinated by the golden ratio or as Luca Pacioli called it in 1509, “de divinia proportione” — the divine proportion. Ancient Greek mathematicians first studied the ratio because of its frequency in geometry. The first known written definition came from Euclid’s Elements — “A straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, so is the greater to the lesser.” And it’s everywhere around us — including your body. “It’s proportional balance,” he explains. “It’s how they built the FARRIER TAKEAWAYS The golden ratio or the devine proportion is 1:1.618, which can be found in architecture, mathematics and nature. Using the golden ratio, Scott Lampert devised a protocol that can help you find the coffin bone within 1 or 2 millimeters. It’s critical that farriers understand the effects of any changes or manipula- tions of the foot. 44 pyramids. It’s how Picasso painted. It’s nature. If you gather leaves, they’ll have the same proportions. If you look at people — we’re all different, but every- one’s eyes are in proportion to their nose. Everyone has the same proportion even though they are different sizes.” After finding it in horse’s feet, Lampert wanted to find out whether it had a practical use in farriery. “I started utilizing the bars as land- marks,” he says, “and how I could correlate that with the coffin bone and the enrollment areas, which I feel are important for the foot.” Lampert employed a set of propor- tional balance dividers, which have three arms rather than those with the tradi- tional two. The arms span the golden ratio proportion of 1:1.618. The distance on the short side of the dividers, from the outside to the inside is 1. The distance from the opposite, or long side, of the dividers, from outside to inside is 1.618. “When I extend or contract these dividers,” he says, “they will always stay in that perfect proportion.” After studying the relationship of hoof and the golden ratio proportion for over 8 years, he came up with the proportional balance protocol for map- ping the equine foot. “I’m not telling you this is the only way to shoe or map horses’ feet,” Lampert says. “I rarely shoe a horse the same way every single time. There are always minor details that we need to adjust because of the multitude of fac- tors horses face. “This protocol simply identifies spe- cific parameters and the projection and function of the coffin bone within the hoof. Most importantly it relates to the mechanics and function of the bones and joints associated to that hoof. I always appreciate that horseshoeing has many components. If you’ve got a proven method that works for you, AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Figure 1 Figure 2 don’t throw it away. Add principles to it, compliment it and let it be flexible. This method is just something I’ve found to be extremely consistent and useful and hope it can compliment, support or enhance your current method.” Armed with the dividers and a marker, Lampert demonstrates how to map the foot using a cadaver limb. He begins with the sole facing up. “Using the dividers so the short dis tance from the middle arm to the outer arms is toward the heel of the foot,” he explains. “Place the tip of the fur thest arm of the dividers on the tip of Figure 3 the trimmed frog where it connects to the sole. Following the general bar line, place the other outer arm of the divid ers on the outer wall where this bar line exits the foot. The heels often wrap toward the frog, but stay in the straight line of the bar.” This is the most critical measure ment, Lampert says, because once you have this, it remains the same for the entire foot and is what he calls the pro portional length for that foot. “The middle arm in the dividers should be at that bar bends of both the medial and lateral bars,” Lampert Figure 4 explains. “Draw a line from the medial bar bend to the lateral bar bend. This line represents what I call Taylor’s Ridge (Figure 1). Taylor’s Ridge is the back of the coffin bone where the deep flexor tendon runs across and attaches. I named it after Mitch Taylor, who helped me tre mendously on this protocol.” The proportional length that was determined from the tip of the trimmed frog to the outer wall on the bar line also represents the length of the horses’ original healthy coffin bone. In addi tion, through several dissections and radiographs, he realized that the seat See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 855 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 45 |
| Figure 5 Figure 6 of the corn actually represents the wings of the coffin bone, Lampert says. “I draw a straight line from the tip of the medial seat of corn to the tip of the lateral seat of corn and make a dot where that line is in the center of the frog,” he says. “Then I use the proportional length from that point forward to identify the tip of the coffin bone. I’m rarely more than 1 to 3 millimeters off (Figure 2). “Then, take the same proportional length from the center of the frog where Taylor’s Ridge is forward toward the toe (Figure 3), to identify where the farthest enrollment point should be in the shoes or feet. Lampert identifies the enrollment zone from behind this arch, using the dividers and arch, which identified the tip of the coffin bone. This simply provides the lines to stay between, he says. A farrier decides the needs or function for the foot and limb. Turning the foot around with the sole on the table, Lampert shows that same proportional length should be the dorsal hoof wall length, from the bottom of the coronary band toward the bottom of the toe. This gives you an idea of how much toe length to remove. “I feel the proportional idea needs to be used when refer- ring to any manipulation of the foot,” he says. “The foot length should be the same as the proportional length.” Moving the dividers to the heels, the heel length is measured at the wing of the coffin bone or where the seat of corn is. Simply continue the seat of corn line on the sole to the outer walls and draw the wing line by following the tubules in the angle direction Figure 7 Figure 8 up to the bottom of the coronary band (Figure 4). “It’s key that you use the bottom of the coronary band because the top of the coronary band stretches,” Lampert says. “Using the shorter of the two distances on the dividers, the proportionate heel length is measured from the bottom of the coronary band toward the ground, following that wing line. This keeps everything in or associated to the hoof working in proportions After mapping the foot, Lampert illustrates how knowing the landmarks he laid out, he could accurately draw the coffin bone in the foot by using the tip, the wings and Taylor’s Ridge. He applies liquid contrast to the lines on the sole of the foot that he has drawn to represent the coffin bone (Figure 5). After veterinarians X-ray the foot from several angles (Figure 6), Lampert hands off the cadaver limb to Taylor, who secures it in a hot rasping vise. The director of the Kentucky Horseshoeing School in Richmond, Ky., uses a battery-powered drill (Figure 7) to invade the capsule at the various strategic points that are meant to pinpoint the coffin bone. Once completed, the foot and radiographs are examined to determine the relation of the coffin bone to the holes that were drilled (Figure 8). The radio- graphs and drilling confirmed exactly the points illustrated. “Not bad,” says Lampert, who is surrounded by a large circle of attendees. “Remember, this is simply another tech- nique that might help you understand what you’re doing with the bottom of the foot and why you’re doing it.” Like with most things, you must be prepared before making your first move. “The most important thing is, you create a plan from the best data you can get,” he says. “You have to understand what you’re doing as far as, if you manip- ulate something or change something on a foot, you have to understand where and what the effects might be.” See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit MORE ON THE WEB Watch Scott Lampert explain the golden ratio and demonstrate his proportional balance protocol at americanfarriers.com/1215 Select No. 861 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 46 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| HOOF-CARE EMAIL Q&A Q When you get ready to trim and place the next set of shoes on a horse, how much do you rely on reading the actual amount of wear on the existing shoes? What do you look for and how do you use this infor- mation in deciding how best to shoe the horse? A horse slipping too much is easy to see in the shoe wear. Grooving in the branches from the toe bend just behind the breakover indicates slipping. I usu- ally make a slight change when I see this. — Steve Stanley, Versailles, Ky. A: A: Most of the horses I am involved with for shoeing are in some sort of rehabilitation for hoof pathology and lameness. We utilize the wear patterns and amount of wear the shoes encounter to prescribe future shoeing needs. I have learned to use materials that wear or conform easily to these reha- bilitating feet to help speed up the rehabilitation process (e.g. wood vs. steel, aluminum vs. steel, wood/EVA vs. wood — the material depending on the severity of the pathology/lameness and needs of the rehabilitation program, including footing). I often use Steward EVA foam pads temporarily attached to the foot with Elastikon or duct tape and exercise the patient to allow the pad to plastically deform to the needs of the horse and MORE ON THE WEB Read more advice from farriers on looking at the wear patterns of existing shoes. americanfarriers.com/1215 December 2015 its individual hoof. The material is the same as the Croc shoes that humans wear, but has a durometer score that works on the average horse. Hoof landings and overloads can be readily observed by the farrier and owners during a walk, and can be per- manently deformed into the pad in a short period of time or sometimes immediately. This system is a crude pressure-mat system and gives some of the same information worn shoes reveal. — Mike Steward, DVM, McLeod, Okla. A: Shoe wear is an indicator of many things. Slipping too much, certain lameness problems and break- over issues are just some of the things shoe wear can show you. The most graphic thing that would make me change how I shoe a horse is breakover. Anytime I find myself trying to make a horse do something unnatu- ral at the moment of breakover, I have compromised performance. Sometimes we do this on purpose to clean up inter- ference, but a price will be paid for it and it’s usually in terms of soundness. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com I’m a veterinarian, but had taken a shoeing course during my pre- vet college. Most of my horse exposure is with draft horses, which are barefoot most of the year or have shoes to pre- vent chipping a hunk out of a toe before the fair or a plowing match. If I was the farrier, I certainly would be looking for uneven wear or changes in the wear pattern that might indicate a developing musculoskeletal issue. If it’s a new horse to me, reading the shoes would tell me if it has a conformation quirk (turned out toe, etc.) that needs accommodation. Change in overall wear pattern might prompt the question of whether the horse’s activity has increased and maybe a different shoe ought to be used. — Elizabeth Yogerst, DVM, Hartford, Wis. A: It’s important to assess the wear pattern of the shoes so a shoe- ing plan can be implemented. I have applied a set toe to hind feet that have been dragging the toe or additional lateral support to hind feet that land and wear heavy on the lateral aspect of the hoof. Horses that tend to wear down the heels of the front shoes due to extreme heel-first landing tend to go well in hunter heel shoes. This helps reduce the force applied to the hoof during the impact phase. — Marc Jerram, Brewood, England A: I can’t imagine not reading wear on existing shoes. It tells me a whole lot of things that are not readily visible by watching the horse move and often things that the owner has never noticed. 47 |
| I have always shown owners what I read in wear of bare feet or the shoes I just pulled. They generally appreciate it and often start looking at their horses’ movement differently and sometimes change training and riding practices to improve things. Sometimes they even save shoes to compare at the next shoeing. Wear patterns don’t necessarily point to a problem, however. They just tell a story about what’s going on struc- turally and physically with movement. If the same horse has a consistent wear pattern across months or years, I look for that pattern to remain consistent, or preferably to become more even with regular hoof care. When the wear pattern changes — especially if it is a negative indicator — I need to be look- ing for a cause. See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit Older horses will sometimes have significantly more wear on one shoe than the other, but there is no visible shortness of stride when they are trotted out and no other signs of unevenness or discomfort. This can be a reflec- tion of an old injury or a harbinger of gradual arthritic changes that may not affect the animal’s life for years. There might not be anything I can do about it except make a note of whether the wear remains constant. As a parallel, I can point to my own body. I snapped my Achilles tendon 3 years ago while playing sports. Since then, I’ve run several half marathons and a 30k trail run. I also ski, roller- blade, bike, and of course, ride. My left lower leg never returned to full strength, but there is no visible uneven- ness in my strides. My running shoes tell the story without fail: while the left still has obvious tread profile, the right shoe is worn smooth underneath. — Karen Trebitz, Moscow, Idaho A: Evaluating the cross section of the shoe, paying close atten- tion to the proportions, locations and quantity of wear reveals essential infor- mation. Shoe wear is only a portion of the equation that goes into the next trim and shoe application. Rider comments, reactions in the hoof capsule and con- formation are the rest of that equation. Shoe wear can give clues to asym- metrical weight bearing and ground force reactions. The conformation of the horse must be considered — if the limb has deviations that will not allow normal ground interaction, then of course abnormal wear will be present. For example, I shoe a fair number of geriatric horses with some drastic limb issues. With these horses, I will rely more heavily on shoe wear and more likely follow these patterns when making new shoes. With competing horses, wear will often indicate the need to replace worn areas of a shoe as the horses are using these areas to perform. Individual horses can operate exactly opposite to this, so follow your experience and rely on the relationships with owners and trainers. — Doug Anderson, Frederick, Md. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 816 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 48 Select No. 808 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| A: By observing the wear patterns of old shoes, farriers can better understand the horse’s movement between visits. In the toe region of the shoe on the ground surface, the farrier can see where the shoe has worn in its optimum breakover. The wear in the toe also reveals if the horse is break- ing over the center of the toe, medially or laterally. On the hoof side of the shoe in the heel region, the farrier can get some idea of how much expansion is taking place in the heels by the rub marks made on the shoe. Since regular exer- cise is so important to the overall health of the horse, farriers have an interest in knowing how much exercise the horse is receiving. Most farriers can tell right away by looking at the wear patterns on the shoes whether the horse has been getting much exercise between visits. With many of my clients, I can tell right away how often they’ve been riding just by looking at the shoes. — Mike Waldorf, Eugene, Ore. A: Shoe wear can let you know where you could change things, but it mostly reaffirms that a lot of horses have limb deformities that we are just trying to manage. On straighter horses, I use wear patterns to let me know if I need to set the horse back a little more. In the areas where I shoe, I see a lot of stretched forward feet and shoeing to the flares. Looking at shoe wear lets me know if I’m getting the horses back to a solid balance. — Ray Cunnington, Troy, Mont. A: How nails and shoes wear become additional information in dealing with limb conformation, imbalances in the hoof, limb and body, how the horse is used and what sub- strate the horse is being used in. The information gleaned may dic- tate how I trim the horse (raise or lower angles, place the shoe medially, lateral, rotated or extended), use a different shoe for substrate wear (softer/harder), alter the shoe (build up toe or heel) and what lameness issues might be on the horizon. — Esco Buff, Webster, N.Y. A: The first thing I look at is the wear pattern on the shoe. Is the wear equally distributed on the shoe? Is there more wear on the inside or outside toe, or even more wear on the medial or lateral branch of the shoe? All of this information will let me know how to trim the hoof and if there needs to be any additional modifica- tions to the shoe. — Daniel Bishop, Moscow, Tenn. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit TEXAS FARRIER SUPPLY Aprons Anvils/Stands Books Caulks Coal/Coke Fly Spray Forges Forgemaster Forge, Pro-Forge, NC Tool Hoof Boots Hoof Care Hoof Repair Hoof Stands Hoof Supplements Nails Pads Shoes Forge Supplies Grinders/Supplies Tools Precision Equine Products Digital Hoof Gauge: Measurable Collapsible Accurate to .10 Easy to Use 603 S. New Hope Rd. Kennedale, Tx. 76060 texasfarriersupply.com | 800-777-2725 | fax 817-478-0204 Select No. 865 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 49 |
| Preventing And Addressing HOOF FLARES Identifying and correctly managing deformations are critical to keeping horses sound By Audrey Pavia, Contributing Writer The Trouble With Flares The mechanism of hoof flare is “the bending outward of, or deformation of the hoof capsule,” describes Darren Owen, owner of Indian Fields Farrier Service Inc. in Suffolk, Va. He says it affects the lower region of the capsule that makes contact with the ground. “This condition can cause interfer- ence problems with the other limbs, leading to injury and tissue damage,” Owen says. “When the hoof develops a flare, separation occurs between the interior portion of the hoof wall and Before After The type of flare must be considered before trying to correct it. X-rays can be important in determining where the breakover should be. sole. This situation makes the white line region very inviting to foreign material, resulting in fungal and bac- terial infections in the flared area.” When flares are left untreated, they can become large and at times will break off, he says. “This is often painful for the horse because the flare breaks back into the sensitive tissue of the hoof,” Owen says. “This will cause a temporary lameness until the hoof grows back out to heal itself.” Blasdell, N.Y., farrier and clinician Tim Cable points out that toe flares can cause bad breakover points that FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Hoof capsule flares are a serious condition that can lead to a number of problems including white line disease, interference, soft tissue injuries and bone changes. Flares can be prevented or managed by evaluating conformation and way of going. Shorter trimming or shoeing cycles for stabilization and support might be necessary for difficult cases. While a flare that’s caused by a medio-lateral imbalance should be corrected if possible, some conformation issues might be better left alone. Forward flares need more mechanics in the toe for correction. 50 Photos: Tim Cable H oof flare is one of the most common issues facing farriers today. Yet as often as it’s seen, hoof flare is also potentially crippling to the horse. Recognizing hoof flare and treating it can be crucial to keeping your clients’ horses healthy and sound. Hoof flares look very much like they sound, and are visible even to an untrained eye. That’s because a hoof with this issue clearly flares out on the sides and/or at the toe. can lead to injuries of the limbs. This includes deep digital flexor tendon problems and other soft tissue injuries. “Bone changes can also occur in the coffin bone from imbalances,” he adds. “Bone changes come from pressure and stress, so X-rays are important when dealing with serious flares.” Many Causes Hoof flares are dangerous, but also common. What causes this issue in so many horses? “A hoof flare can be an indication of a medio-lateral imbalance,” says Cathy Lesperance of Fergus, Ontario. “These hooves are asymmetric and when look- ing at the solar surface, the two halves of the hoof are mismatched.” Lesperance goes on to say that if a horse is constantly loading a longer hoof wall, this can cause the horn tubules to bend, resulting in a flare. “A flare can also be the result of a loose or separated hoof wall and poor conformation,” she adds. “In my opin- ion, these all need to be addressed and corrected if possible. There are some conformation issues, though, that might be better left alone, Lesperance says. “When an elderly or chronically injured horse has a damaged or dropped AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Before Photos: Tim Cable suspensory ligament in the hind or sometimes the front feet, the hoof will often flare in the quarters to compen- sate for the added weight bearing,” she explains. “In those cases, I believe the added flare needs to be left alone.” If a medio-lateral imbalance is occurring, it eventually can have radi- ating effects on the horse’s motion, resulting in unsoundness, Lesperance says. She also notes that unsoundness because of other issues can result in a hoof wall flare. “Flares and distortions of the hoof capsule may be present in the front or hind hooves,” she says. “It may affect both hooves of the hind and both hooves of the front. Or, a flare can be limited to one hoof and one side only. Flaring in the hoof capsule can be low grade and easily removed in one trim- ming or it can be extreme and need removing over a period of time.” After Whole skeletal structure and muscles can result in changes of the hoof. Tim Cable suggests getting help from vets might be necessary. Lesperance believes a flare that develops slowly on a regularly shod horse is typically the result of the horse compensating for another issue. “When I see this, I like to bring it to the attention of the owner, trainer or coach and let the person know what I am seeing,” she says. “That attention needs to be paid to how the horse is performing. When you see a flare that is accompanied by an obvious mild or severe laminitic episode — a fever ring, an abscess or an insult to the coronary band — the cause is obvious.” There are a number of other factors that influence the hoof capsule, as well. “Heavy horses tend to have flares, and so do horses living on wet ground, especially without shoes,” Cable says. “Laminitic horses have toe flares, and so do navicular horses.” In addition, hooves without enough sole or frog pressure can lead to flares. “A lot depends on the surfaces the horse is used on or lives on,” he says, “and also the different disciplines.” Looking For Fixes Fortunately, correct trimming and shoe- ing can do a lot to control flares, although See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 864 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 51 |
| Photos: Darren Owen Darren Owen mainly evaluates conformation and movement while studying the whole horse when trying to recognize and control flares. Achieving a level foot is important to obtain the best interaction between the foot and the ground. it can’t address the underlying issue. “It is always our intention to trim and shoe a horse with perfect balance and properly fitted and applied shoes,” Lesperance says. “This will prevent any flaring. But we cannot prevent other types of unsoundness, conformation problems or even metabolic issues from creating a flare.” Lesperance advises that farriers check the symmetry of the hoof and then the medio-lateral balance when presented with a new horse with well- developed flares on both the hinds or on the fronts. “Do this by picking up the leg, hold- ing onto the cannon bone and letting the pastern relax and the hoof hang away from you,” she says. “Sight down the solar part of the hoof and check for differences in balance.” Before she even begins trimming a foot, Lesperance likes to remove as much flare as she can. She then sights the foot again and begins her trim. “When you are dealing with a flare on the front feet, don’t put the horse’s leg between your knees when you sight down the hoof,” she advises. “Step to the side and let the fetlock relax and drop naturally without any influence on how you are holding it. A flare in a hoof can be corrected with just trimming, Lesperance says, but a shoe may be necessary in severe cases. “I am fairly aggressive with flares and I like to use my trimming rasp and then my finishing rasp,” she says. “I am not concerned if removing the flare requires me to rasp into the white line. A well-functioning and healthy hoof has a relatively straight line from the coronary band to the bearing edge of the hoof. There is no interruption to the stimulation of the coronary band and the overall health and function of the Call or write for a FREE catalog! QUALITY TOOLS IS OUR GOAL! For All Brands Of Forges! Superior Performance! Ruidoso hoof gauge 4 Sizes! The Original Anvil Stump! Completely Adjustable Tripod Or Disc Base ® Cliff Carroll’s Horseshoers Supplies, Inc. • P.O. Box 277 • Larkspur, CO 80118 303/681-2643 FAX: 303/681-2343 E-mail: proforge@aol.com • Website: www.cliffcarroll.com Select No. 818 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 52 hoof wall and the entire hoof.” Lesperance explains that when a hoof has a flare, the entire mechanism is interrupted. “The quicker you can get the bearing edge of the hoof in line with the coro- nary band,” she says, “the sooner you may have satisfactory results.” When Lesperance removes a flare, she calls it “redirecting the hoof wall.” She explains to her clients that it can take a year to redirect the hoof wall and another year for the new and healthier hoof wall to grow in. “Sometimes, depending on several conditions, a hoof will respond much quicker than this, but do not despair if you are only getting minute and slow results,” she says. “If the horse is already performing or you and your client have decided that shoes are nec- essary, a special shoe is not required. A well-fitted shoe, following the shape of the white line, is all that is needed. Keep in mind in these cases, all the cor- recting is done with a well-balanced trim and redirecting the hoof wall.” The techniques for dealing with flares depend on whether the horse is shod and where the flare is located, Cable says. “For barefoot horses, it’s all about the trim,” he says. “Getting the right amount of wall removed to allow more sole pressure is key, along with how often you return to follow up.” The type of flare also is a consider- ation when trying to correct the issue. “Forward flares need more mechan- ics in the toe to allow for an easier breakover,” Cable says. “X-rays can be important in helping you decide where the breakover should be.” Medial and lateral flares can be helped with the support of a bar shoe with clips, he says. Having full pads and packing under the pad can give needed sole pressure for horses requir- ing less wall pressure, Cable says. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| “Frog pressure pads are useful for horses in need of less heel pressure, which can lead to flares, wall separa- tions and quarter cracks,” he says. “Note that once the white line has stretched apart, the wall and bone cannot reattach to each other. A new connection must grow down from the coronet.” Cable believes that using proper shoeing techniques is important in these cases and getting help from a vet can improve the likelihood of success. “There are so many other reasons a horse’s feet can change,” he says. “Many issues can come from the whole skeletal structure and muscles, so you may need help from many different people.” Owen takes a look at the whole horse first to gain a basic understanding of what he might need to do to recog- nize and control potential flaring. “Mainly, I evaluate conformation and movement,” he says. “After all, if we agree that flaring comes from imbalance, we will need to start with or work toward a level foot.” Owen trims the hoof to obtain the best interaction with the opposing force — the ground. “I work to achieve a level foot,” he says. “At this point, I often remove more of the flare with my rasp to lessen the hoof’s already stressed responsi- bility. This can be done from the solar surface and/or during the dressing pro- cess on a hoof stand.” When shoeing horses with flares, Owen sometimes applies steel shoes to his more troubled cases. “I find the foundation and support of the shoe to be a great help for the horse,” he says. “The removal of the flare can be handled a bit more aggres- sively once you have the support of a steel shoe in place.” Determining the cause of the flare is critical in the process of maintaining or eliminating this problem in the hoof, Owen says. He often joins forces with a veterinarian to obtain radiographs of the hoof with the goal of getting an inside look at the equine digit and its balancing needs. When it comes to hoof flare, preven- tion is the best road to take whenever possible. “Hoof flares can be prevented or managed by first evaluating the horse’s conformation and way of going,” Owen says. “Then the hoof itself should be evaluated for evidence of stress or deformity.” In most cases, Owen says, trim- ming the hoof on a regular basis at 5- to 6-week intervals works well to manage the issue. In more difficult cases, shorter trimming intervals or shoeing for stabilization and support are necessary. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Made i n t he U.S. A . FRONT HIND Every style and size you need for safe winter riding All manufactured in polyurethane material Castle Plastics Sno Pad Rim Sno Pad Regular Snoball Pad Large Snoball Pad 2˚ Snoball Pad 2˚ Large Snoball Pad Draft Snoball Pad 3/8” Snoball Front & Hind in Black Front & Hind in Clear Large Front in Clear 2˚ Front & Hind in Black NEW: Small & Large Square Toed in Black Square Toed Rim Sno Small - 5 5/8” x 5 1/2” x 1/8” Large - 6 5/8” x 5 3/4” x 1/8” Consistency, Quality, Best Prices, and Prompt Delivery 1- 8 0 0 - 9 C A S T L E c a s t l e p l a s t i c s .c o m 11 Francis Street Leominster, MA 01453 E-mail:castle@net1plus.com Fax:(978) 534-9915 Select No. 817 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 53 |
| A Hands-On Approach To Sharpening Your Hoof Knife A multi-step process may be old school, but results in a sharpened knife By Chris Gregory, CJF, FWCF I am always amazed by this great trade of ours. No matter how long you apply yourself to the art of farri- ery or how much you study the science and theory behind equine footcare, there will always be something to learn. There are so many skill sets that have to be mastered to just become adequate that it can seem a daunting task for the beginner. For the experienced farrier, every time you learn or master some- thing new, this maxim keeps the job fresh and fun. Take hoof knives, for example. I have never been good at putting an edge on a knife. My hoof knives have only been sharp because my son Cody had a natural ability to sharpen them. When he was 8, he enjoyed helping me and always was available when I needed my knife sharpened. As he aged, the fun kind of wore off, and his traveling meant he was not always around. My wife Kelly and I managed the best that we could with our dull blades. We would cut through a lot of feet with technique and strength rather than more efficiently with a sharp knife. We also used the top brand knives that cost around $100, since a cheaper knife was unable to be used for as long with- out sharpening. To top it off, I was in constant search of a new knife, and I have spent a lot of money on knives that didn’t get very much work. Had I known how to sharpen a knife, I would have saved money while using the same inexpensive knife for years. It is important that young farriers learn from my experience. By becom- ing proficient at sharpening while still You move from coarsest to finest in an attempt to make the smoothest edge… young, new farriers will lessen wear and tear on their bodies from using a dull knife. For us who are more sea- soned, it is even more crucial to make sure we avoid wear and tear. Sharpening The Knife Depending on the type of feet that you are working on, I estimate you should get up to four horses out of FARRIER TAKEAWAYS A dull knife is dangerous and over time places unnecessary wear and tear on your body. Build a sharpening discipline in which you’ll have the sharpened knives needed throughout the day. The ideal edge is around 22 degrees for softer feet and 24 degrees if the feet are really hard. Using a gauge and microscope can show minor imperfections in sharpening. By sharpening hoof knives by hand, you won’t overheat the blade and damage the heat treatment. 54 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com a sharp knife. Dry feet, excess sole, rocks and debris and the quality of the knife are all factors that play into that number. Make knife sharpening a routine. If you get three horses from a sharp knife before it dulls, and do an aver- age of six horses a day, you need to have two knives at the start of the day. Those knives should be of equal sharp- ness and quality. Make it a part of your daily schedule to sharpen these knives so that you are ready to go without stopping to sharpen the blades during the middle of the day. Although my knife sharpening skills improved over the years, I look back to summer 2011 as when my knowledge and skill in the subject escalated. For full disclosure, I began working with Frosts Mora around this time. This relationship led to the creation of a line of knives by this company that bears my name. At this time, marketing direc- tor Carlos Silva and Par Brask, head of research and development of the company, came to the Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. Brask also happens to be a direct descendent of Erik Frost, who founded the company in 1891. They wanted to see what we liked in a hoof knife, as well as carve on a few feet for themselves. It was a fantastic time of learning for all of us. During this visit, I received a per- sonal clinic from Brask on how to sharpen a knife. He typically uses a gauge for measuring the angle of the blade, as well as a handheld microscope to evaluate that edge. Josh Garner from GE Forge & Tool came to visit this past spring, and brought a microscopic camera with him so that he could help me showcase the detail Brask revealed to us. The December 2015 |
| Figure 1 Figure 7 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 8 following six photos were captured with that camera and are courtesy of Garner and GE. Figure 1 shows a new hoof knife with a factory edge. This edge will still shave arm hair and is extremely sharp. Figure 2 reveals a dull knife. To be fair, this is not a super dull knife, and if you were working on soft feet, you probably would not think it was too bad. Under this microscope, a dull blade looks like it has a ragged edge. Figure 3 shows a knife that has been filed with a fine mill bastard file. This is how we used to sharpen our knives in the late 1980s. Figure 4 shows the edge after a fine diamond, while figure 5 reveals the results of a super-fine diamond. Figure 6 is the edge after using the strop and jeweler’s rouge. This is a superior edge that will hold easily, shave hair or pare away the finest slice of sole. Creating a sharp, consistent edge by hand requires a few items. Compare it to sanding down furniture. You move from coarsest to finest in an attempt to make the smoothest edge. In figure 7 you can see my sharpening kit. From left-to-right is a hoof knife, fine file, EZE-LAP fine diamond file, EZE-LAP super-fine diamond file, leather strop glued to a piece of metal and jeweler’s rouge. Begin the process of sharpening by evaluating the edge of your knife. The exceptionally curious will use the gauge and Peak pen microscope (Figures 8-10). If it is too steep, it December 2015 Figure 4 Figure5 Figure 9 will last for a long time, but will not cut easily or smoothly. If it is shal- lower, then it will cut easier because it is sharper, but the edge will not last as long. The ideal edge is around 22 degrees for softer feet, and 24 degrees Figure 6 Figure 10 if the feet are really hard. A shallow edge on hard feet does cut easier, but it won’t hold up. I like to test blades by trying to shave my arm hair, as my hairless left forearm can attest (Figure 11). You can See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 849 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 55 |
| Figure 11 Figure 12 also drag your fingernail up the blade to feel the size of the bumps and val- leys. When the blade is really sharp, your fingernail will slide along the edge with hardly any resistance (Figure 12). It will feel like you are sliding your finger along the edge of an ice cube. When the blade is dull, you will feel the inconsistencies as they snag your nail. Positioning myself to sharpen is the first step in getting a good edge. I prefer to sharpen on my left leg with my foot on something like an anvil stand. Figure 13 shows my typical stance for See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 this task. I prefer holding the knife with my left hand against my left leg and run the sharpeners over the blade. When I sharpen the inside of the blade, I twist the handle so that the knife is angled and the sharpener moves parallel to the ground. I prefer holding the knife at an angle so the sharpener runs flat and parallel to the ground. I don’t find holding the sharpener at a 22-degree angle to be comfortable (Figure 14). On the backside of the blade, I simply hold the knife flat (Figure 15). Because I twisted the knife for the previous task, I can run the sharpener parallel to the ground and use the same motions as before (Figure 16). The technique for the file and dia- mond hones is to push toward the edge. Figure 17 Figure 18 See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 857 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 56 Select No. 846 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Figure 19 Figure 20 I will push diagonally from the handle toward the tip for a few strokes (Figure 17) and then diagonally from the tip to the handle (Figure 18). Do not push down very hard. A light hand removes less material and makes a sharper edge with fewer pits and breaks. Turn the knife over and repeat on the back of the blade. For using the strop, push away from the edge because pushing into it will lead you to cut away the leather on your strop. However, the moves and posi- tions are the same as with the other sharpeners. If your blade is really out of shape and dull, begin with the file. After the filing is done, you can move to the medium diamond sharpener. Staying at the same angle established with the file, use the diamond sharpener to enhance the sharpness of the edge. Do most of the work from the front side of the blade. Do very little on the backside. You will probably make four strokes on the front side to every one stroke on the backside. Repeat the same steps with the finer diamond sharpener. When the fine diamond sharpener is gliding easily, you are ready to use the strop. Next, load your strop with the jeweler’s rouge (Figure 19). Moving diagonally toward the edge with every stroke, simply continue to make many of the same moves that you have already been doing (Figure 20). As you use the strop, its shade will turn black as the compound takes tiny metal particles off of the blade (Figure 21). Be careful not to lift or turn the blade as you get to the end of each stroke. Doing so will make the edge blunt. part of the blade you are hitting when you move the sharpeners over the edge. Ideally, you will remove the entire marker with one stroke, but that never happens. There are several ways to test the sharpness. Dragging your fingernail across the blade will allow you to feel how clean and consistent your sharp- ening made the edge, but it won’t tell you for certain how sharp it is. You can feel the edge with your finger, but do it gently and feel for the way it catches your skin. Again, you can touch the blade to the flat of your nail to see how it catches your fingernail or shave some arm hair with the knife. However, using the gauge and microscope also tell Hitting The Mark One trick for determining how well you are sharpening is to color the edge with a marker. You can then see what December 2015 Figure 21 you a lot about what you have accom- plished, but the real proof is when you begin to carve a foot. You can sharpen your knife with buffing wheels, Scotch-Brite wheels, Dremel tools, flex-sand belts and other power options, but there is something special about doing it by hand. A sig- nificant advantage to doing it by hand is that you won’t overheat the blade and ruin the heat-treating. Give this method a try. Hopefully it works as well for you as it has been working for me. Chris Gregory is the owner and oper- ator of the Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. Forgemaster ™ The Blacksmith We offer several makes and models of portable-fired gas forges for you to choose from for business or personal use. • Heavy duty welded two- piece clamshell construction • Heavy cast iron burners permanently welded to top housing • 2 gauge (.109”) hot rolled premium steel construction • Full 3” heat chamber opening • Needle-valved fuel adjustment insures precise distribution of heat To order a Forgemaster product, call or visit our website, where you can also find detailed information about our products and helpful tips from expert metalsmiths. Bob@Kientzymachine.com | Phone: 636-528-4832 www.forgemaster.com 223 South Moore School Road, Troy, MO 63379 Select No. 834 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 57 |
| Sonny Pistilli has been teaching horseshoeing in his Pennsylvania shop since 1980. He sees every mistake as an opportunity to try to improve on the situation, rather than simply starting over. Nothing Goes To Waste In This Farrier’s Shop For this instructor, the most important lesson in his shop is to think outside the box when at the forge By Jeremy McGovern, Executive Editor G rowing up in a family that bred Quarter Horses, there was no doubt that Sonny Pistilli was going to make a career in the equine industry. It was through the need to tack on a shoe that he became a farrier. In 1965, his farrier couldn’t make it out to put a shoe back on a prized show horse. The judge disqualified the horse for only wearing three shoes. He began riding with his mentor, the legendary Seamus Brady, to learn the basics in case he found himself in a pinch again. After 5 months, he was hooked on the trade. “It’s 50 years later and I still learn something about the horse every day,” says Pistilli. The Bethlehem, Pa., farrier is still getting under horses a half-century later, although not as many. He works along- side his son Danny, whom he hopes to pass his practice to in the coming years. 58 These days, whether it is with Danny or others, the elder Pistilli spends more time teaching than shoeing. He opened Far Hills Forge in 1980 as a shoeing school for new farriers. The school has changed over the years and Pistilli now only takes on current farriers who want advanced lessons in hoof care and forge work. Unless the instruction is at the barn, Pistilli holds his one-on-one or group instruction in his home shop. As he opened the door and turned on the lights to show off his shop, the teacher couldn’t help himself. He fired up the forge and gave a quick lesson in draw- ing clips and frugality during our visit. Pistilli doesn’t like to toss anything aside onto the scrap heap, but instead challenges his students to find new applications for tools or draw lessons from mistakes made when making or modifying shoes. One forging skill that he stresses to students is the essential ability to draw clips. He sees this skill as critical not only from the practical sense of draw- ing a clip at the spot and thickness desired, but from a need for thriftiness. “Maybe you don’t have a clipped shoe on your truck,” suggests Pistilli. “But if you are short on inventory, espe- cially for those guys who are struggling when starting out, they can save money Drawing Clips With A Modified Hammer Of all of the instruction he offers, Pistilli most enjoys teaching improve- ment in the fire. He’s a big believer in utilizing forge work in an everyday practice, whether making every shoe at the horse or modifying keg shoes. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com MORE ON THE WEB Watch a video of Sonny Pistilli giving more forging insight at the Far Hills Forge at americanfarriers.com/1215 December 2015 |
| Figure 1 Figure 2 by drawing clips instead of buying boxes of clipped shoes.” As he heats up the shoe that he’ll demonstrate with, Pistilli shows off his preferred clipping hammer. Originally this was a hammer that a student made. Not getting the action he wanted with the hammer, the student tossed it aside to a box of seldom-used tools. The instructor wouldn’t have that. “I took a look at that hammer and thought, ‘I can make something out of this,’” recalls Pistilli. “I saw there was Figure 3 Figure 4 potential for how I like to draw clips. If he didn’t see the usefulness in it, I did.” He took the hammer and ground one surface flat (Figure 1). He likes the flat side for shaping shoes and the shorter rounded side for drawing clips. He also credits the angle that the handle is set. He places it side-by-side with a rounding hammer to demonstrate his preference (Figure 2). “Compare it to this normal hammer,” he says. “Look at the space up here at the top on the rounding hammer. But I modified this hammer so it rests flat. It hits more like a driving hammer. When I hit something it will be a level strike.” To show the hammer in action, Pistilli shows how he likes to draw clips on a fullered horseshoe. Taking the red-hot shoe from the propane forge, Pistilli, places his creaser into the ful- lering between the second and third nail hole. A few quick strikes of the creaser gives him the bubble he needs (Figures 3 and 4). “I pushed it into the crease and it See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Whisper Momma Open End Gas Forge - Quiet - Rapid Recovery Time Adjustable Hoof Stand - Adjust From 16” To 24” In Height - Optional Hoof Cradle Available Big Face Anvil and Folding Anvil Stand - Big Face Anvil 70 Lbs - Good Traveler - Folding Anvil Stand w/Step Vise - Height 24” (Anvil and stand sold seperately.) NC Tool Company www.nctoolco.com 800-446-6498 Call your nearest dealer. Select No. 851 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 59 |
| gives me enough material on the outside,” he says. Pistilli then sets the shoe on the edge of the anvil’s face and pulls the clip (Figure 5). “I could get it a little straighter, but that’s a nice clip,” he says. “What does it take to do that? Not much. Say you make a clip and it is too thin. Then you need to redo it. Hang it over the anvil and bring some more material into it. There are so many different ways of doing it.” After drawing another clip the same way on the other side, Figure 5 Figure 6 he dresses the clips at the grinder and shows off the finished product (Figure 6). Pistilli notes that a lot of students he instructs like this hammer and have made or modified one for their forge work. “If someone has a hard time hitting metal, if they can make a hammer like this, they may find it so much easier to hit on something flat or use the other side to draw clips,” he says. See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit NU-FOOT ® Granular Supplement Available in Original and Vet Formula (In 5 & 25 lb.) Better Overall Health Freshness Sealed & Verified Optimum Nutrition For The Hoof ± Pellets (In 11 lb.) Easy To Feed, Improved ± Flavor, Highly Palatable FUNGIDYE ® 8 oz. 4 oz. SAFE to use. Rated #1 anti-fungal product against white line disease and other hoof infections. Stops the growth of the fungi. Gives dormant organisms an opportunity to grow healthy. Patented. Satisfaction guaranteed. 2 oz. Complete a survey on our web site for a FREE CONSULTATION. www.farrierscience.com Read about us on Hoofdisease.com, fill in survey. Free sample. FARRIER SCIENCE CLINIC 2996 Millville-Shandon Road • Hamilton, Ohio 45013 Phone: (513) 738-0010 • Fax: (513) 738-2996 Email: farrier_science_clinic@fuse.net Select No. 873 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 60 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Select No. 832 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 |
| ALL THE KING’S HORSES Tennessee farrier up to the challenge for Graceland’s toughest case By Jeff Cota, Associate Editor T he jet black Tennessee Walker with a white blaze walks gingerly into the old white barn in obvious pain and discomfort. After showing flat shod into his late teens, Candy has a number of maladies. The 25-year-old is in a good place, though. Candy receives outstanding therapeutic care that’s provided by an owner willing to go to any lengths to make him comfortable and pain free. Elvis Presley Enterprises won’t settle for anything less when it comes to Candy and his three stable mates — Tucker, Max and Bandit. “Our black horse has been a shoeing challenge,” explains Alene Alexander, the stables supervisor at Graceland. “He’s got all kinds of tendon prob- lems, he’s laminitic, he’s Cushinoid; you name it, he’s got it.” Candy’s Maladies Alexander isn’t exaggerating, either. “He has significant deterioration of the tip of P3,” explains Moscow, Tenn., farrier Daniel Bishop, who’s been Graceland’s farrier for 7 years. “We have had impressions of the coffin bone on the bottom of the sole, but he’s never punched through. He has lots of arthri- tis in his coffin and fetlock joints. And he has suspensory issues in his right hind, which are shod with Kerckhaert SX7s.” When he shoes Candy, Bishop is cautious about causing more prob- lems. Rather than pinning the clinches, he does them partially and rasps them off. “The clinch isn’t really holding the shoe on anyway,” he says. “It’s the wedging action of the nail going through the foot. If I clinch the nails and he pulls the shoe, that part of the foot is going to stay because there’s no clinch to pull it off. “If he pulls one and a bunch of December 2015 Daniel Bishop looks over Candy, a 25-year-old Tennessee Walker that has a number of issues including laminitis, arthritis and suspensory problems. foot goes with it, I’m in some trouble. It’s just more of a preventative-type thing.” It wasn’t all that long ago that Candy was a completely different horse. “I have video that was recorded in the middle of summer when he was running around the pasture,” he says. “It’s weird, but this is how he’s been over the last month and a half to 2 months.” They have hoof-tested Candy, but it results in “nothing, absolutely nothing.” “As sore as he is,” Bishop says, “it’s got to be the arthritis that causes him pain.” “He does not like this mat,” Alexander says of the rubber mat in the barn’s aisle. “It’s hard. He likes grass and shavings.” Trial And Error It’s been a trial and error process to keep Candy comfortable over the past 2 years. “When you go by the radiographs, typically you want to take off as much dorsal hoof wall as you can, back the toe up and then lower his heels,” says the American Farrier’s Association certified farrier. “When I tried twice to shoe him by his radiographs, he was absolutely crippled.” Bishop huddled with Cindy Weis, FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Daniel Bishop partially clinches the nails on the horses at Graceland to avoid losing hoof wall should they pull a shoe. Minimal changes performed to the foot allow the horse to get accustomed to them and help avoid setbacks. Packing cornstarch under the hoof will help dry out soggy feet. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 61 |
| Graceland’s equine veterinarian, to compare notes. “We figured out when you lower his angles and trim his heels down, that puts too much pressure on the arthritis,” he says. “That’ll actually send him into another laminitic episode because of the pain.” After the previous two shoeings failed to achieve their goal, Bishop and Weis came up with a new strategy. “We decided to still trim the heels back to the widest point of the frog in hopes of getting as much blood flow to the foot,” Bishop recalls. “I put a 3-degree wedge pad with frog support and a Morrison rolled toe shoe, which is about a 3-degree shoe with an extreme breakover built in.” Initially, Bishop was shoeing Candy every 4 weeks with this protocol. “That’s been tweaked,” he says. “It See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit Select No. 819 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 62 Although both of Candy’s front feet have problems, his right front is the most concerning. He has significant deterioration of the tip of P3. Although Bishop has seen impressions of the coffin bone on the sole, it has never punched through. was 4 weeks, then we went to 2 weeks. We shod him every 2 weeks for probably 2 years at least because the arthritis is so progressive.” It’s been difficult for Bishop to main- tain patience, though. “ I ’ m a lwa y s wondering if there is anything I can do differently to make him a little more comfortable,” he says. “Anytime we do that little bit, though, it seems like it actually sets us back a little. The vet always tells me, ‘Don’t overthink it. Don’t change a lot. Just keep doing what you’re doing because it’s the best shoe job for him.’” Bishop and Weis moved Candy to a 10-day shoeing cycle in September to maintain the same angle. However, the change didn’t have the desired effect, so Bishop approached Weis again in late October. “I have him back in the hospital plate and replaced the wedge pad with dental impression material,” he says. “His prog- ress with this shoeing is amazing. He’s walking slow, but standing square on his front end and is very comfortable. I’m very interested to see what kind of hoof growth he’ll have the next time I see him.” Don’t overthink it. Don’t change a lot … Select No. 877 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Wet Feet The moist Memphis, Tenn., climate, though, can complicate matters. “When it looks like one of his soles are starting to get soft, we’ll throw a hospital plate on him just to make sure nothing touches the bottom of his foot,” he says. “Then, of course, Alene will treat him with Thrush Buster.” The South has experienced an unusu- ally wet year, which led Alexander to another tactic. “He had a lot of white line fungus, which is pretty common around here,” Bishop says. “Because the humidity and moisture has been so high, she packed cornstarch in there. It dried his feet right up. It was amazing.” Candy keeps Alexander fairly busy, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “She’s a trooper,” Bishop says with admiration in his voice. “She takes really good care of all these horses. Candy gets his legs iced down, standing wraps AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| changed twice a day. Of course, some of the stuff she wants to do just because it makes her feel a little bit better.” Although Candy is walking gingerly, there are bright spots. “He’s bright-eyed and eats,” he says. “He goes out for about 3 hours a day. He seems pretty happy.” “It was interesting this morning,” Alexander says, “I opened the door and he walked out on his own. It wasn’t a pretty walk, but he went out on his own. He found himself a place where he could eat.” While Alexander is an integral part of the team, she beams about the job Bishop does. “For all practical purposes, Daniel has saved the horse,” she says. “So, we’re in the midst of saving him again. We’re just doing everything we can to make him pain free and make him com- fortable doing whatever he needs to do at age 25 at Graceland. He’s a sweet horse and easy to handle.” After inspecting Candy’s feet, Alexander slowly leads Candy into his stall. “Now, this horse will lie down for a little while,” she says. “I’ll take his wraps off and I’ll sit on a bucket while I massage his legs from the shoulder down. He’ll be altogether different.” “Her husband is so jealous,” Bishop says with a smile. MORE ON THE WEB Travel 20 years down memory lane and read about Hall Of Fame farrier Lim Couch’s memories of “Shoeing For Elvis” by visiting americanfarriers.com/1215 Bishop applies a 3-degree wedge pad with frog support and a 3-degree Morrison rolled toe shoe with extreme breakover built in. Recently, he has replaced the wedge pad with impres- sion material and seen greater success. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 872 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 63 |
| Pricing For Success Cost Of Shoeing A Horse California farrier Adam Wynbrandt devised a formula to determine how much he should charge to shoe a horse and break even. The scenario below assumes 1 hour of drive time, four new keg shoes, six nails, a $63.50 hourly wage and 1 hour to shoe the horse. California farrier offers valuable tips for how you should be charging your clients ✗✗ Nails: $1.92. W ✗✗ Rasp: 75 cents per horse ✗✗ Tool Replacement: $2.50 The average nationwide price that farriers are charging their clients. $200 $167 $150 $120 $50 Trim, Forge & Set 4 Handmade Shoes Your business should have a ratio of about 70% gross income vs. about 30% costs. Trim, Set 4 Keg Bar Shoes You should have your accountant analyze your business twice a year to make any necessary adjustments. Trim, Make/Buy & Set 2 Bar Shoes Reducing your drive time and shoeing more horses at one location will put more money in your pocket. $113 Trim, Reset 4 Keg Shoes ✗✗ Total: $176.07 Trim, Set 4 Keg Shoes ✗✗ Shoeing The Horse: $63.50 It’s important to include charges that will cover replacement costs for your tools and equipment. $136 $42 Trim 4 Feet 0 ✗✗ Vehicle Cost: $33.90 Basic Shoeing Cost According to the latest Farrier Bus iness Practices survey conducted by American Farriers Journal, the aver age nationwide price for trimming four hooves and applying four keg shoes is $120.19. The average charge for trimming and resetting four keg shoes is $113.36. Trim-only prices average $42.06. $182 $100 ✗✗ Drive Time: $63.50 FARRIER TAKEAWAYS 64 What Farriers Are Charging* ✗✗ Shoes: $10. By Jeff Cota, Associate Editor hat can you charge? It’s a question that farri ers commonly ask and one that Adam Wynbrandt hears often. His response? “I tell them, ‘Well, no, the question is, what do you need to charge?’” says Wynbrandt, who has 2 decades of farri ery experience and owns The Horseshoe Barn in Sacramento, Calif. Even veteran farriers struggle with finding a winning formula, but Wynbrandt finds there’s a common mistake. “Most farriers work off of gross income rather than net,” says the Ameri can Association of Professional Farriers board member. “What’s the difference? If you just did six horses for $600, that’s your gross income. That’s all your money. In reality, you have costs, expenses and taxes. The amount of money you have after those expenditures is your net income.” Adam Wynbrandt * 2014 American Farriers Journal Farrier Business Practices Survey Those prices might not work for you and your situation, though. Wynbrandt, for instance, shoes horses in California, which has a higher cost of living than most states. Then again, the prices might indeed fit your lifestyle, you just need to budget your income more effi ciently. That’s where Wynbrandt found himself just 2 years into his career. Wynbrandt’s practice was thriving, but he was in for a rude awakening. “I went in to get my taxes done,” he recalls. “When the accountant told me what I owed, I fainted. It was always a stressful time for me to get my taxes done. So I had to come up with a plan.” The easiest way to calculate expenses, Wynbrandt says, is to figure each stop as a full shoeing — new shoes on the front and hinds. Plugging in the numbers, he details his expenses. ➥ ➥ Shoes: $5 a pair for a total of $10. ➥ ➥ Nails: 8 cents per nail; six nails per AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Strategies For Working With Your Supply Shop foot for a total of $1.92. ➥ ➥ Rasp: Over the course of a 5-day workweek, Wynbrandt goes through one $30 rasp to trim 40 horses. Dividing the cost of the rasp by the number of horses, he estimates it costs 75 cents per horse to buy a new rasp. ➥ ➥ Replacement costs: He recom- mends setting aside $2.50 from every full shoeing to cover wear and tear on tools and equipment. Adding up the above expenses, Wyn brandt finds that it costs him $15.17 in materials. Your Hourly Wage Although many farriers find it dif- ficult — both from a financial and a scheduling standpoint — to take some time off, Wynbrandt builds it into his for- mula when figuring out an hourly wage. “There are 52 weeks in a year,” he says, “and you’re going to take a 2-week vacation.” As a result, Wynbrandt calculates total hours based on 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and 50 weeks a year. “It’s going to be 2,000 hours a year that you will work,” he says. “I know we’ll be short, but I’m covering a base- line. If you’re faster at shoeing horses, you’ll get done in less than 8 hours. This is the easier way of doing it.” After figuring out the number of hours he would be working, Wynbrandt wanted to arrive at an annual salary. “How much do you want to make a year — net?” he asks. “Sometimes, people tell me they want to make $1 million. That’s not realistic. I picked $100,000.” As Wynbrandt alluded to earlier, the key word to consider is “net.” That means he had to earn more than $100,000 a year gross to achieve his goal because taxes, insurance and retirement drops him below his target. Earning $100,000-plus a year put Wynbrandt in the 10% tax bracket, or about $10,000 a year to Uncle Sam. Insurance can cost you more, especially if you have dependents. Yet, many far- riers forgo insurance. “It’s pretty sad,” he says. “It’s tough and it’s a biggie, but it can be done. Per sonally, I paid $1,000 a month between my two kids. That’s $12,000 a year.” December 2015 Building a loyal relationship with your supply shop can bring more bang for your buck. Adam Wynbrandt is a farrier with 20 years of experience and owner of The Horseshoe Barn in Sacramento, Calif. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your relationship with your local shop. ➥ ➥ Discounts. Learning the shop’s discount program will pay off with your bottom line. ➥ ➥ Buy consistently. When you consistently buy specific brands and types of supplies such as shoes, pads, nails and rasps, the supply shop will always make sure they have what you use. ➥ ➥ Continuing education. Regular shoppers are kept in the loop when clinics and seminars are scheduled. ➥ ➥ Sponsorships. A supply shop will be more willing to sponsor functions, fundraisers, competitions, etc., when regular shoppers solicit them. You can learn more about improving your business by attending the 2016 International Hoof-Care Summit from Feb. 2-5 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Wynbrandt will be leading a roundtable discussion called “Building A Partnership With Your Supply Shop.” If insurance isn’t a priority for many farriers, contributing to retirement accounts often has less appeal. Yet, now is exactly the time to begin saving for your golden years. “If you put $5,500 a year into a Roth IRA, you pay taxes with your contri- butions,” Wynbrandt explains. “After S er vi 19 8 ng t he I n du s t r y S i n c e you reach 62, it’s tax free. If you draw it out at age 65, you would have paid $192,500 into the account and the return on interest would be $1.6 million. Can you imagine if you and your spouse had a Roth? That’s $3 million. It’s crazy.” After figuring out that Wynbrandt wanted a net income of $100,000, and 3 Full Selection Of Farrier Supplies And Equipment • • • • Friendly, helpful service No minimum order Fast shipments Discounted shipping programs • All items shipped from tax-free NH! Call for a catalog, or view our selection of products online at m e a d e r s u p p ly . c o m Also sign up online for our e-newsletter Select No. 844 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Select No. 835 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 65 |
| pay $10,000 a year for taxes, $12,000 a year in health insurance and $5,500 for retirement, he actually wanted to target $127,000 as his net income goal. That means his hourly wage is $63.50. Vehicle Costs Your vehicle is the most expensive tool that you own. Given the amount of wear and tear you put it through, it’s also among the most depreciable. You can replenish some depreciation by claiming mileage or fuel receipts through your annual tax return. “I took mileage because I was really bad at keeping receipts,” Wynbrandt confesses. “It was easier to write my mileage down when I started the year. On the last day of the year, I wrote my mileage in my other book.” The Internal Revenue Service per- mits 56.5 cents a mile, but it doesn’t completely cover your costs. “Assuming most of us drive 60 miles an hour most of the time, and you get 56.5 cents a mile from the IRS,” he says, “you would have to charge $33.90 for every hour that you are driving in your vehicle to break even.” When choosing the mileage route, you won’t be permitted to track such costs as tire replacement and oil changes. “When you take mileage, that’s what you get,” Wynbrandt says. “Now, if you have to get an engine replaced, or something catastrophic, there are ways around that with your accountant.” That’s not the only vehicle-related charge you should be levying. “You need to be getting paid for your time while driving your truck,” Wynbrandt says. “It’s part of your day.” So, given the formula that Wyn brandt follows, how much does he charge to shoe one horse? ➥ ➥ Drive time: A half-hour drive to the barn and a half-hour back will amount to his hourly wage of $63.50. ➥ ➥ Vehicle cost: $33.90 for 1 hour of drive time. ➥ ➥ Shoeing supplies: $15.17 to cover a full set of shoes and tool costs. ➥ ➥ Shoeing the horse: It generally takes Wynbrandt an hour to shoe a horse. His hourly wage is $63.50. ➥ ➥ Shoeing bill: $176.07 is charged to the client. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit Select No. 869 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 66 “That’s not bad money,” he says. “That’s to break even.” After working on his system for sev eral years, Wynbrandt found that cutting down the driving time meant a healthier bottom line. “If you have the opportunity, you need to work in a tight demographic area,” he suggests. “After running a number of scenarios, I found that just the driving time was changing my shoeings by $20. That’s $20 you can be putting in your pocket.” It’s worth repeating that these fig- ures are based on Wynbrandt’s business in California. The cost of shoeing sup- plies, insurance and other expenses might be different where you practice. You can plug in your own numbers by using an Excel worksheet that was developed by Bob Schantz, a Hall Of Fame farrier and owner of Spanish Lake Blacksmith Shop in Foristell, Mo. You can download the worksheet by visiting Farrier Product Distribution’s website at farrierproducts.com. American and Canadian Associations of Professional Farriers members also can download it from its organization’s website at professionalfarriers.com. Analyze Your Business Many farriers get caught up in the practical side of farriery. They don’t pay enough attention to the business side of their practice and find them- selves in a financial pickle. “You should see your accountant in June and again at the end of the year when you get your taxes done,” Wynbrandt says. “The accountant can tell you that you need to buy something or adjust your finances to avoid paying more taxes than necessary.” It’s important for the financial health of your family and your business that you recognize when adjustments need to be made. “I ran it as a business,” he says. “The ratio you’re looking for in a business is about 30% cost and about 70% gross income. So, when you look at what it costs to do your business, if it’s over 40%, you have to raise your rates. If you’re comfortable living on that, that’s fine. It’s just a pretty bad ratio when you exceed 30%.” AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Are You Choosing The Right Nail? A wider selection means better options for your shoeing job By American Farriers Journal Staff F arriers never have had as many horseshoe nails to choose from than what’s available today. Nails vary in size, blade, neck and head styles. The dizzying array of choices can be rather disconcerting. “The choice has broadened so much that it can be a bit confusing to a begin- ning farrier to decide what they should have in their truck,” says Gerard Laverty, the farrier instructor at the University of Kwantlen, British Columbia. “Shoe manufacturers could do more to point out the best nail for a specific shoe.” Laverty eases the confusion simply. “A limited shoe choice will dictate a limited nail choice,” he says. “We carry a variety of shoes, and of course we can make whatever is needed. The majority of our clients will not need anything out of the ordinary, so that causes us to keep using a small selection of nails.” While beginners might be confused, experienced farriers can fall into their own unintentional traps. “Generally, farriers become familiar with how a few specific nails behave,” Laverty says, “and they tend to stick with those for the majority of horses.” When considering nail choice, Coshocton, Ohio, farrier Dave Farley says the decision is out of your hands. “Let the foot choose for you,” says the Hall Of Fame farrier. “I know far- riers have heard the horse’s foot should determine the shoe size. However, the horse’s breed, job and/or discipline may determine the shoe to enhance the horse’s movement. “I always use the smallest nail pos- sible when nailing into the white line,” the Farrier Products Distribution (FPD) clinician continues. “I pick the correct shoe that complements the foot and white line, then the nail that prop- erly fits the shoe, hoof and white line. Without all these considerations, one can end up with nail holes that are not driven into the white line and exiting at the correct height.” Your choice also could be dependent upon climate. FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Dave Farley encourages farriers to let the horse’s foot determine which nails are used when applying a shoe. When shoeing wet hooves, it’s important to have quality clinches to keep the shoe in place. Dry, hard hooves require a stronger, stiffer nail to avoid bending. Wet, soft hooves are weaker and flex more, making good clinches vital to keeping shoes on. December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Nails vary in size, blade, neck and head styles. Each of these nails are #5, but the lengths and thicknesses vary. “Generally, the drier the hoof, the stronger the hoof,” Laverty says, “and the more likely nails will keep shoes in place. Wet hooves are weak and the moisture tends to lubricate the nails, making it more important to have qual- ity clinches keeping the shoes in place. Weak hooves also flex more, which can be an issue with nails breaking occasionally.” The nail material also is dependent upon where you shoe. And, as Laverty points out, “Not all nails drive through the hoof equally.” “Some brands of nails might work in Arizona, but not so well in Florida, because you have dry hooves vs. wet hooves,” says Mike Wildenstein, a Hall Of Fame farrier and an FPD clinician. “With a dry, hard hoof, you need a stron- ger, stiffer nail that won’t bend as you’re driving it.” The size and head shape are critical to the structure of the hoof wall. “Too small and the nail isn’t tight enough in the shoe to prevent move- ment,” says Lexington, Ky., farrier Steve Stanley. “Too large and you stress the hoof wall by the sheer size of the nail shank. If the head is too big, you change the traction effects of that shoe.” MORE ON THE WEB Correctly match nails to your horseshoes by reading Steve Kraus’ recommendations at americanfarriers.com/1215 67 |
| Q uick T ips F or I mproving Y our B ottom L ine British farrier David Nicholls shares his thoughts on making the business side of farriery more pleasant By Jeremy McGovern, Executive Editor D avid Nicholls clearly understands the need for farriers to operate their businesses as businesses. The West Sussex, England, farrier has keen insight not only from being a practitioner for more than 45 years, but from his overall business experi- ence. He’s worked outside of farriery in varied capacities and within farriery, he’s worked in both single- and multi- farrier practices. But for him, there is one reason why he was qualified to lecture other farriers on the subject of business at the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit. “I’ve made many mistakes,” he says. “When someone asks me what is expe- rience, I reply that it is learning from an accumulation of mistakes — hoping you don’t make the same ones again.” A Balanced Life Nicholls believes many farriers fail to manage their businesses simply because they are too busy to do so. It is the nature of the business. For example, Nicholls points to the mindset that if a farrier is in financial difficulty, the attitude is that shoeing more horses is the way out of that difficulty. “This stops us from managing our businesses properly,” he says. “The secret to business success and personal happiness is to first organize your busi- ness. This removes the pressure on you. You know what you’re doing every day and how much money comes in and goes out with bills.” Pre-booking cli- ents in advance, Nicholls adds, is one of the best ways to become organized. Another key is becoming detail oriented. Oftentimes, that requires understanding the impact of actions. “Paying attention to detail is with your manner and time keeping,” he says. “If you are going to be late — The secret to business success and personal happiness is to first organize you business… even 10 minutes — let them know. Many of my clients work and they take time off to be at the appointment with me. They won’t be happy if you don’t show up.” A third component is delegation. Nicholls points out that very few far- riers are good at every facet of their practice. By identifying shortcomings, you may find an opportunity to delegate a responsibility to someone else. “I’m not good at accounting,” admits Nicholls. “It is actually cheaper for me to hire someone to manage accounts.” FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Realize what your per-hour rate is. A key to managing a business and personal happiness is organization, attention to detail and willingness to delegate. Establish boundaries for clients in how they communicate with you. 68 David Nicholls lecturing at the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit. Understanding Clients Nicholls says research finds that 50% of small businesses can’t identify who their best clients are. Nicholls says a mistake he made was to think that the clients who turn over the most money are the best ones. Until you identify who your best clients are, you won’t fully recognize your profit margins. “When you start breaking down accounts and looking at the profit margin on clients,” he says, “some- times you’ll find someone with a small backyard pony makes you more money. They don’t mind when you come and are often honored that you’re lending your expertise to their old pony. You may find that the net profit is higher per horse than a large barn that is demanding.” Dollars And Cents Nicholls says it is crucial to under- stand the finances of a business. For this, he uses a simple equation to assist. “First, determine all of your consum- able and vehicle expenses, plus all other business expenses and then wages,” he says. “This splits perfectly into three. This seems to work with many other businesses, not just farriery.” Nicholls likes to determine an hourly rate at 40 hours per week. He admits that very few farriers limit work to 40 hours a week. At 48 weeks per year, that total equates to 1,920 hours. Dividing expenses into the hours pro- vides the hourly rate. “If you determine that you need to raise your hourly rate by $10 and you’re already $20 higher than everyone else, that is a $30 increase in the minds of some clients,” he warns. “Market forces may prevent you from earning what you should on an hourly rate.” AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Embrace Technology Nicholls is from the pen and paper era. Although he uses a smartphone, tablet and laptop for his practice, he admits he’s needed considerable assis- tance to move into the digital world. Still, he finds it important to modern- ize in business management, especially when keeping client records. The most unenthusiastic task for Nicholls is entering client data into his software program — especially for that initial inputting of every current client. “The smart money is getting clients to do this,” he says. Upon reviewing client records, Nicholls was amazed at how much detail was out of date, especially cel- lular numbers. He approached every client, letting them know he wanted to update their information. “I would give them the laptop and See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit most of them would enter the data,” he says. “Now when I turn up and they have a new horse, they want to enter the information themselves.” Monitor Communication With today’s technology, smart- phones have revolutionized how we communicate. The British farrier advises monitoring and using these various channels properly. Answering/returning phone calls. Nicholls says to never answer your phone or make a call if a client is engaging you. “There will be time afterward to make that call — don’t be rude,” he says. Texting. This can be useful, but you have to establish boundaries with clients early. Otherwise, they might exploit it. Social media. “You need to seg- regate your personal life from your business life on Facebook,” he says. “You can do things on your personal page that your clients don’t want to see on your professional page. You put so much work into promotion, but it can be one small mistake that brings you down. So be careful what you post to social media.” Inventory Management One way to control costs is by under- standing what inventory is necessary to carry. If something has been on your rig for more than a year, Nicholls says to take it off. Maybe you won’t need a large truck and can downsize. To dem- onstrate this point, Nicholls showed a 1-ton shoeing van he used to drive. By taking out unneeded inventory, he was able to downsize to a 3/4-ton van. Beyond the annual fuel savings, the cost savings from this purchase exceeded the van payments in a 3-year period with the smaller van. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit ADVANTAGES: • Stops the pain quickly • Works with or without shoeing • Realigns the hoof wall to the coffin bone • Painless application • Easy to apply Only $60 per set + S&H • Crack Repair Kits only $10 • Now available, THE LIFT, a therapeutic device for horses suffering from Navicular Syndrome. $35 per set. FOR MORE INFO OR TO PLACE YOUR ORDER GO TO www.hoofcinch.com or call 855-44-CINCH (855-442-4624) Select No. 838 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 Select No. 842 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 69 |
| Photo: Mark Rikard Improve Eyesight And Prevent Slippage With Specialty Specs Clic reading glasses keep specs in place with an adjustable wrap-around neckband and magnetic breakaway bridge A s many farriers age, it is better for the horse to forgo vanity and admit when assistance is needed. Reading glasses purchased off the shelf require a minimal investment for those who spend time looking at material close-up, like a foot. When it comes to selecting a pair, an ordinary drugstore set with or without an eyeglass strap/ lanyard seems like the apex of design, but a few farriers have found something better. Birmingham, Ala., farrier Mark Rikard had been using a pair of drug- store reading glasses for years. As a tool, they perform fine, but he did have to tolerate their weaknesses. “I’m bending down all the time, and my normal pair of readers tended to slide off my nose or just hinge on my ears and flip up,” says Rikard. “Even with a cloth loop or strap on the glasses, you have to keep reaching back to tighten them to keep them in place.” Two years ago, Rikard happened to pass over an ad on his Facebook feed for Clic Readers. The design included a magnetic closure on the bridge and continuous temple pieces that form a flexible wrap-around neck band. When the glasses weren’t in use, they could be broken apart at the nose and hung around his neck. When they were in use, the strap could be fit snugly around the back of his head to prevent slippage. “The fact that they stay in place is really why I got them,” says Rikard. 70 “They have an adjuster on the temple piece and another adjuster on the piece that connects behind your head so you can get them as tight or loose as you want.” As for the magnetic connector, Rikard notes that it does take two hands to pull apart, whereas an unteth- ered pair of glasses can be moved with a single hand, but the added snugness was worth the sacrifice. The glasses also cover the gamut of standard prescription strengths as well. Rikard’s prescription is low, but Clic was able to accommodate him. “They have the same prescription Photo: Jamie Ferguson Barclay By Ian Gronau, Contributing Writer Birmingham, Ala., farrier Mark Rikard shows his Clic glasses at work. One downside is that it requires two hands to pull apart the magnetic bridge. strengths you’d find in a drugstore, but mine wasn’t one of their regular powers,” says Rikard. “I wanted a really light power just because of the way my eyes work. Theirs start at +1.25 but I was able to order a +1.0, which worked out great.” Wellington, Fla., farrier James Gilchrist, who’d also always used standard reading glasses, was intro- duced to Clic Readers through a veterinarian friend. “I’ve actually seen a lot of veterinar- ians wearing them,” says Gilchrist. “My good friend is a vet — he’s about the same age as I am and he’s been wearing them for 3 or 4 years. He actually gave me the set I’m using.” For Gilchrist, glasses are just another tool he needs to get the job done, but he doesn’t want to constantly fiddle with them or lose them. “As we get older, some of us just need glasses,” says Gilchrist. “For a far- rier on a cloudy day, working in a dark barn, you’ll sometimes end up wearing them the whole time you’re working. But, the thing I like about these is that when they’re around your neck you aren’t going to lose them, and it’s easy to just reach down and grab them.” Vandergrift, Pa., farrier Todd Allen didn’t even realize he needed reading glasses for work until recently. He’d been using glasses to read, but he thought dark barns were the issue when he was having trouble seeing. “I couldn’t see the nails sometimes and I just thought I always needed more AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| light,” says Allen. “I’d always bring extra lights with me until people started asking, ‘Why do you have it so bright in here?’ The moment I put my glasses on though, I could finally see what I was doing. Even when I was shaping the shoes I could see the level better, it was crazy. I was a bit slow on that one, I have to admit.” Once he started using his glasses though, he ran into their usual short- comings. As he moved around under the horse and bent down, his glasses would flip up onto his forehead and sometimes even fall off. Another chari- table veterinarian helped him see the light once again when he bought him a pair of Clic Readers. Allen enjoys the tight fit and benefit of always having the glasses at the ready, but he also says that they’re very well built for their price point. There are a number of different styles and designs that range from $29-$80 with options to add a non-glare coating for $24, but all three farriers were happy with their sets that were in the $29-$39 range. “I’ve had mine for about a year and a half and nothing seems anywhere close to breaking,” says Allen. “Every once in awhile you have to clean some metal filings off the magnets and wipe the lenses, but they’re really well built.” The magnets are strong, which Clic boasts about in its marketing. The company claims that the neo- dymium, iron and boron magnets used are among the strongest available. Clic notes that they’ve been tested in Harley-Davidson’s wind tunnel to withstand blasts up to 143.75 mph. Obviously, Rikard, Gilchrist and Allen have yet to put that speed rating to the test. However, for farrier work, they all give Clic Readers their enthusiastic recommendation. See us at the International Hoof-Care Summit International Hoof- Care Summit What Do I Receive for My $200 Membership Investment? Subscription to American Farriers Journal – Value: $47.95 Discount on Farrier Liability from Markel Insurance – Value: $187.50 (for $1 million coverage) Discount on e-hoof.com – Value: $23.05 (25% off) Farrier Assistance Program – Shoeing your client’s horses if you’re ill or injured – Value: Priceless Mentoring Program – Sharing of knowledge through life-long relationships – Value: Priceless Discounts through American Horse Council Advantage Program – Includes John Deere Tractors, Nationwide Insurance, Sherwin Williams Paint, Office Depot/Office Max, Valvoline, UPS, and Redbrand Discount on Avis, Hertz, US Rider and Equestrian Professional Select No. 828 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice For additional information please contact: American & International Associations of Professional Farriers 1313 Washington Street, Unit 5 Shelbyville, KY 40065 Phone: 859-533-1465 E-mail: AAPF@ProfessionalFarriers.com Web: www.ProfessionalFarriers.com Select No. 811 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 71 |
| How Practical Are Venograms? Early damage assessment is vital for acquiring best results By Jeff Cota, Associate Editor O ne early November evening, a German physics professor was in his Bavarian lab experiment- ing with gases in a glass tube when the tube began glowing after a high electric voltage was passed through it. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen had dis- covered X-rays. That was 120 years ago. His discovery won him the Nobel Prize in physics in 1901. By contrast, equine digital venography remains in relative infancy. It was pio- neered on a standing, conscious horse in 1992 by Ric Redden, an equine veterinar- ian from Versaille, Ky., and Chris Pollitt, a veterinarian and researcher from the University of Queensland in Australia. Uses For Venography The digital venogram uses contrast radiography to assess the vascular status of the equine foot, according to Amy Rucker, a member of the International Equine Veterinarian Hall Of Fame. “In a nonpathologic normal foot, the venographic appearance is consis- tent over time,” Rucker wrote in a 2010 paper titled, “Equine Venography and Its Clinical Application in North America,” which was published in Equine Practice. “As compromised tissue loses integrity, contrast pattern alterations demonstrate soft tissue pathology that cannot be assessed by traditional radiography.” The Columbia, Mo., equine vet goes on to state that the venogram is “used to assess shoeing techniques, delineate mar- gins of a keratoma and direct surgeries of the foot. Venography is also used to It boils down to how bad we want success and how much risk we are willing to accept … determine a diagnosis in an acutely lame horse when differentials include exces- sive trimming with sole bruising, pedal osteitis, foot abscessation and laminitis.” It’s a diagnostic tool that Redden be lieves is integral. “Venograms clearly reveal the vas cular supply to the foot and information that cannot be otherwise obtained,” says Redden, himself a Hall Of Fame member. FARRIER TAKEAWAYS Venograms reveal information about the vascular supply to the foot days to weeks before radiographic evidence begins to hint at damage. Iowa State farrier Doug Russo has found more success in laminitic cases by lowering the heel angle to transfer weight bearing to the frog, which reduces leverage at the toe. It’s critical that owners understand the risks their horses face when they forgo radiographs, venograms or even a veterinarian’s counsel. Early damage assessment is key to prolonging the laminitic episode, as well as keeping the overall veterinary costs down. 72 “Comparative studies used to monitor the efficacy of the chosen therapy reveal information days to weeks before radio- graphic evidence can offer even the most subtle clue. This is a damage assessment tool that can’t be equaled.” Are Venograms Practical? Yet, others aren’t necessarily sold on the practice. “I honestly don’t find them terribly helpful,” says Stephanie Caston, a veter- inarian and assistant professor of equine surgery at the College of Veterinary Med icine at Iowa State University. “We do use them at times, but they do not always tell the whole story. The horse’s clinical signs and a good, thorough exam often give you the information you need to treat the horse. A venogram on top of that doesn’t dramatically change what we do. In some cases, they may be helpful to some practitioners and farriers. “We have also used them to try to help determine if there is thrombosis or evidence of a lack of blood supply in a horse that sustained a major laceration or trauma to both sides of a leg. In one recent case, the foot sloughed off shortly after a venogram that appeared to show a good blood supply to the distal limb.” More often than not, Iowa State’s res- ident farrier Doug Russo finds the horses he sees are too far along in a laminitic episode for venograms to be useful. “They tend to tell me the obvious,” says the certified journeyman farrier, “as the horses had been foundered for quite some time and looking at the hoof wall tells me blood supply was reduced to the toe.” Even if he had a reliable venogram, Russo says the results will not influ- ence the direction he takes. “My approach to shoeing laminitic horses would not change based on a AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| venogram as my goal is to protect and preserve the circumflex artery and blood supply to the toe,” he says. “I still gener- ally use a heart bar to accomplish this.” Russo understands that the differ- ence in opinion will hold little clout in some circles because it’s based on anec- dotal, practical experience, which he believes should be given consideration. “Research suggests that blood flow to the toe is increased in laminitic horses when the heel is wedged,” he says. “My practical experience has been that rais- ing the angle does not help these horses.” Rather, he finds greater results when he lowers the angle as much as possible transfers weight bearing to the frog and reduces leverage at the toe. “This is what makes the large majority of laminitic horses more comfortable,” he says, “and as a farrier, this is my goal.” Risk Vs. Rewards Russo is quick to emphasize the need for horse owners to involve both a farrier and veterinarian in laminitic cases. “I greatly value veterinary research, but what the horse community needs to understand is that qualified farriers are treating laminitic horses successfully on a regular basis without X-rays or veno- grams or even a veterinary diagnosis,” he says. “This is not ideal! I always would rather have a vet involved, but many horse owners will not foot the bill.” As a result, the horse owner’s deci- sion leaves farriers guessing as to the severity of the rotation. “We as farriers are left to treat the foot based on external markers, along with the soundness of the horse,” Russo says. “The more severe the rotation, the more blood supply is reduced to the toe. If this has gone on too long, we see reduced toe growth compared to the heel.” In these cases, he prefers radiographs. MORE ON THE WEB Watch a video of equine vet Amy Rucker describing how venograms can guide shoe selection in laminitic horses by visiting americanfarriers.com/1215 December 2015 “X-rays are very useful in telling us the degree of rotation and giving us a reference point down the road if the horse should have another episode,” Russo says. “So, at this point, I find X-rays more useful and economical.” Farriers and veterinarians alike have clients who are reluctant to meet the economical costs in these situations. Yet it’s crucial that they understand the consequences. “It boils down to how bad we want success and how much risk we are willing to accept by faking it and hoping to make it,” Redden says. “There’s nothing wrong with cutting corners. We have all been there, but payback can be devastating, especially when laminitis is an issue.” That’s one of the greatest advantages of employing venograms at the earliest possible opportunity, Redden says. “Without good damage assessment at the onset, treatment efficiency can only be based on the overall response — good or bad — that often occurs several weeks after the most respon- sive window has closed,” he says. “At this point, the prognosis can drop off quickly and the intensity and expense of treatment goes up dramatically, there- fore the real value of the venogram.” Gain Experience Experience with venography, Red den says, is essential to acquire the information that it offers. “Venogram technique and various loaded and unloaded views must first be well understood and well executed,” he says. “This is a very weak area for those with limited or no hands-on experience and invariably leads to gross misinterpretation.” Technique isn’t the only area that needs experience. “Interpretation is another very weak area,” Redden says, “as it is a reflec- tion of knowledge gained only through extensive experience studying the large variance range of normal, as well as the effects of pathology.” Comparative views are most valu- able, he says, because they reveal the efficacy of the trim, shoe and surgery. “It’s nice to know when it’s going your way,” Redden says, “and even more important to know when you’re losing ground before the horse tells you.” AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Oklahoma Farrier Supply 1-800-634-2811 We carry a full line of farrier products to fit your everyday need. WE SHIP UPS DAILY! Call today for your free catalog! Oklahoma State Horseshoeing School 4802 Dogwood Road Ardmore, OK 73401 oklahomastatehorseshoeingschool.com 1-800-634-2811 America’s longest running, privately owned, Nationally Accredited farrier school. • Family owned & operated since 1975. • 6 week Horseshoeing & Blacksmithing Course • Excellence through Education, Preparation, & Dedication. Select No. 853 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 73 |
| PRODUCT PREVIEW… The latest products for farriers...designed to save time and improve shoeing. Aprons Equine Digit Support System Farrier Apron • Made of high-quality Cordura material with extra-large, heavy-weight leather thigh/leg patches • 1.75 in. wide heavy leather belt with ‘V’ cut design in front allows waist circumference to expand when user bends over • Back pad threaded onto belt distributes pressure and weight of apron over larger area • Two large mouth pockets allow for easy access to knives Select No. 879 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice See us at the International Hoof- Care Summit Grand Circuit Apron With Nail Guard • Made of lightweight Cordura • Provides double protection for inner thigh • Can be added on to any Grand Circuit apron Select No. 880 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Select No. 874 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 74 Badger Built Apron • Low-rise, ergonomic design for men or women • Reduces back strain; wrap-around leg design protects thigh and calf • Back belt pivots at hip to maximize comfort and support • Lightweight but durable Select No. 881 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice NC Tool Co. Cordura Wetland Apron Myron McLane Padded Apron • Tough cordura material with cotton duck backing and heavy leather patches covering all heavy wear areas • Polyester web belts and leg straps with quick-release fasteners • Double knife holsters and nail magnet • Available in camouflage, duck brown, gray, burgundy and wetland camo • Available in original, lite and sparky varieties in all colors and sizes • Four knife pockets • Holds shape and doesn’t bunch • Made of highest quality neoprene for comfort, fit and protection Select No. 883 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Select No. 882 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| Shoeing Boxes Thoro’Bred Platers Special Shoeing Box • For racetrack farriers • Rasp pockets on both sides of bottom tool tray and two knife pockets • Wide top tray with divider and strong, heat-treated aluminum side walls • 6.5 lb. Select No. 884 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Thoro’Bred Model 90 Shoeing Box • For racetrack farriers • Two rasp dividers and knife pockets • Wide top tray with divider and strong, heat-treated aluminum side walls • Four swivel casters and hinged bottom tray that opens; 7.5 lb. Equine Innovations Tooljack • Ergonomic design places tools at working height and eliminates need to bend over to move cart • Easy to customize, the Tooljack comes with 4 in. wheels, a bar magnet for nails and a 90 lb. pull magnet for file or other tools • Available as a two- or three-shelf model with optional extension handle and tray accessory • Made in the USA of tough, durable materials and carries 3-year guarantee against breakage by a horse Select No. 886 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Select No. 885 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Nature Farms Cobra Shoeing Box • Durable • User-friendly tool placement • Glides easily across all terrains Select No. 888 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice NC Tool Co. NC Tall Aluminum Shoeing Box ES R SUPP Farrier Supplies, Inc. We specialize in hoof repair products. • Two shelves • Two nail compartments and large, rubber-lined tool tray • Two rasp holders, knife holster and castered legs • 22 in. tall • 16 lb. December 2015 IE ROCK N THE ANVIL Select No. 887 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Select No. 889 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice ’N THE A LI R K IL NV FA R • Three-wheeled; 26 in. tall and weighs 12 lb. • Stands at knee height and always grounded; very little cleanout needed • Two magnetic rasp holders, four knife and gauge holders, shoe hangers and three top bins • 5 1/2 in. handle at top allows for comfortable portability; can be carried in straight up position RO C SomerSong Forge Tower Shoeing Box 14428 Frederick Rd. Cooksville, MD 21723 PHONE: 410/442-9945 FAX: 410/442-9720 EMAIL: rockntheanvil@gmail.com “For all your farrier supplies” Select No. 830 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com Select No. 859 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 75 |
| New Products Cemtec SF Front Horseshoe Hoofwings Hoof Boot • Short toe and slim toe clip • Extra nail holes • Front nail holes placed farther apart • Factory-made bevels; smooth finish Goldenwings Horseshoe • Fitted from heel buttress forward • Covers entire surface upon which foot lands on terrain • Supports and protects • Lighter, safer and better fitted than other horseshoe types Select No. 890 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Select No. 891 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Grand Circuit Denoix Onion Lateral Roller Shoe SmartPak SmartSalt Pellets • Easy and tasty way to make sure horses are meeting daily sodium needs • Enhances normal nerve and muscle function • Encourage horses to drink • Each serving provides 1 ounce of salt in apple-banana flavored pellet Select No. 894 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice • Strong bevel reduces diameter of surface contact while raising center of rotation • Reduces force needed to rotate hoof capsule in any forward direction • Beneficial for osteoarthritis of coffin and pastern joints; protects against bilateral collateral ligament injuries • Sold as “eaches” in sizes 5-12 Select No. 895 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice • For all size equines • Semi-custom and full custom sizes • Hand made • Removable snow studs available Select No. 892 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Pony Up Technologies Gallixa Gallium Maltol Cream • Protects skin from damage • Treats sarcoids safely • Relieves inflammation and pain Select No. 893 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice Bassoli Fifty Rasp • 10 small chip breakers for better finishing • Long life • 50 mm Select No. 896 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/ readerservice Select No. 862 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice 76 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| SHOP TALK T AAPF Establishes International Subsidiary he American Association of Professional Farriers (AAPF) is extending its reach in the industry by creat- ing a new subsidiary — the International Association of Professional Farriers (IAPF). The IAPF primarily will focus on recognizing and support- ing educational opportunities for farriers around the world. The IAPF will operate under the AAPF’s Board of Directors. “Since launching in 2012, we have repeatedly received requests from farriers around the world to share our Continuing Education program with them and their countries,” says AAPF and IAPF President Dave Farley, APF, CF. “The IAPF will provide us with the foundation to make this a reality.” The Canadian Association of Professional Farriers, which is recognized as a nonprofit corporation by the Canadian government, will continue its operations in conjunction with the AAPF. PENN VET ACQUIRES IMAGING TECHNOLOGY … The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has acquired technology that promises to revolu- tionize understanding of equine anatomy. Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center is teaming up with Four Dimensional Digital Imaging (4DDI) to “pioneer a first-ever, robotics-controlled imaging system for use on the standing and moving horse,” according to the New Bolton Center. Penn Vet is the first veterinary hospital in the world to own the technology, which is called Equimagine. The four-robot system can capture images of the equine anatomy while load- bearing and while moving on a treadmill. “This will revolutionize equine imaging,” says Dr. Barbara Dallad Shaer, medical director of New Bolton Center, the large-animal hospital of Penn Vet. “The open structure of the scanner will allow us to capture high-quality computed tomography (CT) images of the standing horse that we have had difficulty imaging before.” The equipment will be installed in New Bolton Center’s high-speed treadmill building in December. OTHER INDUSTRY NEWS … ✯ ✯ Four Americans — Chris Diehl of Spring Grove, Pa.; Nick Hess of Lexington, Ky.; John Schmidt of Shelbyville, Tenn.; and Nichole Smith of Wichita Falls, Texas — recently became Associates of the Worshipful Company of Farriers after a 2-day examination at the Kentucky Horseshoeing School in Richmond, Ky. ✯ ✯ W.F. Young, the makers of Absorbine equine products, is expanding into nutritional supplements after acquiring Petaluma, Calif.-based Pure Ocean Botanicals. ✯ ✯ John Claudon, the former owner of Anvil Brand Shoe Co. December 2015 in Lexington, Ill., as well as the developer of JC Tools, won the open champion title at the World Cutting Horse Association’s 2015 World Show Finals in early November. ✯ ✯ Farrier Product Distribution broke ground in early October on a 7,600-square-foot warehouse at its Shelbyville, Ky., location. ✯ ✯ Purina Animal Nutrition announced the hiring of Robert Jacobs, PhD, as its newest equine research nutritionist in late October. ✯ ✯ The Kentucky Derby Museum unveiled the world’s largest horseshoe in late September. The shoe, which is a replica of one manufactured by Thoro’bred and worn by the 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, stands 6-feet-11.8 inches tall and 6-feet-9-inches wide and weighs 610 pounds. ✯ ✯ The University of Kentucky named David Horohov the chairman of the Department of Veterinary Science and director of the Gluck Equine Research Center in late September. ✯ ✯ Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in mid September unveiled the Gaylord Center for Excellence in Equine Health. ✯ ✯ Paul Leonard joined Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, N.M., as the farrier science faculty member in early September. ✯ ✯ Magne Delebekk, a farrier from Norway and a consul- tant for Mustad Hoofcare Group, passed away in late September. He was 54. ✯ ✯ Tony Sanchez, the official farrier of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for 45 years, passed away in mid September. He was 84. ✯ ✯ Robert Agne, a farrier and veterinarian at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., passed away in early September after being struck by a car while riding a bicycle. He was 54. HOT OFF THE ANVIL TM When you do therapeutic work, do you work in consultation with an equine veterinarian? Option % Of Farriers Frequently............................................................... 65% Sometimes.............................................................. 30% Rarely....................................................................... 5% Never........................................................................ 0% — 2014 American Farriers Journal Farrier Business Practices survey AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 77 |
| SPOTLIGHT ON HOOF CARE Consider The Entire Horse For Better Shoeing Clinic draws from nutrition and whole-horse examinations to find solutions for laminitic horses By Jaime Elftman, Assistant Editor T here is more to farriery than just looking at the horse’s hoof. To treat horses properly, it’s necessary to look at the whole horse and consider its gait, conforma- tion and body weight and how those factors affect the hooves and how the trimming and shoes that are applied can affect the rest of the horse. A September clinic at the Cinder Rock Veterinary Clinic in Redmond, Ore., emphasized the importance of looking at the entire horse. Three pre- sentations and a demonstration offered multiple looks into the factors and solu- tions for trimming and shoeing horses, specifically those with laminitis. Consider Nutrition Lisa Jones, a representative of Boehringer Ingelheim (B.I.), one of the clinic’s sponsors, gave a presentation on how the company’s drug Prascend can help manage pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, which can lead to laminitis. Paul Edmonds, a veterinarian at the Cinder Rock Veterinary Clinic, says that while Prascend is available by prescription only, it’s important for farriers to be aware of what it is and how it can help horses. “Farriers see the horses more often than I do as a veterinarian and it’s important that they have this kind of knowledge to at least be able to share with their clients,” he says. “Having a team atmosphere between the vet, the horse owner and the farrier is very important. We can do the best work for the horses when we work together.” This was also highlighted during Shelly O’Hara’s presentation on equine nutrition for Nutrena, another of the clinic’s sponsors. “Shelly discussed the impact obesity 78 has on the overall welfare of the horse, including its hoof health. If we can learn how to feed an obese horse and bring it to a normal weight we can keep issues like laminitis to a minimum,” says Edmonds. “It’s important for farriers to talk to their clients and say, ‘Hey, I just watched a presentation on laminitis and one of the predisposing factors can be obesity.’” Shoeing Laminitic Horses Cynthiana, Ky., farrier and International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member Michael Wildenstein was the final pre- senter at the clinic and he discussed his experience with laminitis. “One thing that Wildenstein empha- sized was that laminitis can be hard and there isn’t one right way to treat it,” Edmonds says. “You’re dealing with a 1,200-pound animal standing on damaged tissue and it can be very frustrating to treat. “He said that not every farrier is right for every horse and sometimes you need to defer a horse to another farrier or call and get advice from someone else on how to deal with a situation you’re not com- fortable in,” Edmonds says. Collaboration can be the most important factor in treating laminitis and Wildenstein says effectively treat- ing laminitis requires a group effort and consideration of many factors. “An important aspect of dealing with a laminitis case is that if it becomes a medical emergency, you need to get the immediate attention of a veterinarian,” Wildenstein says. “It is important that the farrier, veterinarian and horse-care provider work together. In any treatment phase, it isn’t going to work with the efforts of just one individual. Treating laminitis requires attention to many aspects of the horse’s health, including nutrition management, exercise and med- ical and mechanical therapies. And if the Michael Wildenstein gave a demon- stration at the Cinder Rock Veterinary Clinic on applying glue-on shoes and says he has had success with these shoes and hasn’t had any trouble keeping them on the horse’s foot. cause of the laminitis isn’t addressed, it becomes a very difficult task to take care of the animal. It needs to be considered whether the horse has a metabolic issue or genetic predisposition to laminitis, or if there is something in the management of the horse that could have caused it.” Whole Horse Examination Wildenstein also discussed the impor- tance of considering the whole horse when shoeing a laminitic, or any horse. “He talked about how farriers should be doing a very thorough examination of the horse, not just the foot. Farriers need to look at how it’s walking, how the foot is being worn away and what the horse’s conformation is like,” says Edmonds. “He said it’s easy to just get to the barn, trim the foot and put a shoe on it, but to do the best work for the horse, you need to determine how what you put on the horse’s foot is going to affect the rest of the horse’s body and vice versa.” Examining the whole horse helps the farrier understand the horse’s situation and choose an appropriate course of shoeing. “We need to get as much information as possible when examining a horse, both by using modern technologies, like digital radiology, ultrasounds and nerve blocks, but also by communicating with the other people who take care of this horse and learning what some of the horse’s history has been,” Wildenstein says. “After that, we have to use all of our senses to evaluate the horse. We need to use our eyes and define the horse’s AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| conformation, body type and any devia- tion in the horse’s limbs that could put stress on the hooves. We also need to look at any deformations in the hooves and consider how they relate to some of the horse’s limb deviations. Going through these steps helps us choose the appropri- ate shoe, boot or other prosthetic device that will help support the foot to the best of our ability,” he says. Uses Of Glue-On Shoes Edmonds says each of Wildenstein’s presentations at the clinic emphasized that there are multiple ways to achieve stabili- zation in the foot. Wildenstein ended the clinic by demonstrating one such method. He took the attendees through his process for applying glue-on shoes, provided by Sound Horse Technology, another of the event’s sponsors. Wildenstein says that he has found glue-on shoes to be useful in a variety of situations, from endurance horses to horses that don’t have enough hoof wall to nail to. “Wildenstein has used these shoes in a lot of different cases and said he has seen success with them,” Edmonds says. “This shoe can be a good option when you have a horse owner who has reservations about using nails or when there’s just a lack of foot or some laminitis issues preventing you from pounding nails into the foot.” In addition, glue-on shoes can be an effective way of keeping the horse’s feet from directly touching the ground. “I’m a proponent of glue-on shoes and boots as a method of changing the environment the horse is standing in to support the hoof during the healing process,” Wildenstein says. “Too often we create further damage to the hooves by holding the feet up for too long and pounding on them.” Many of the farriers at the clinic who were unfamiliar with glue-on shoes had reservations. “One of the concerns some of the farri- ers expressed with the glue-on shoes was how well this shoe stays on the foot and how it lasts with weather. Wildenstein had a lot of good things to say about the cuff Select No. 815 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice December 2015 glue-on shoe he was using and said it has worked well in upper New York where he spends a lot of time shoeing. The cuff part of the shoe will stay on the hoof until the aluminum part wears out and Michael said the shoe staying on and lasting has not been an issue for him,” Edmonds says. Wildenstein did add, however, that there can be a learning curve when applying glue-on shoes and that farri- ers trying this solution for the first time should consider having someone around to lend a hand in the application. “First and foremost the hoof needs to be very clean and dry before you apply the glue-on shoe,” Wildenstein says. “The farrier needs to be adept at applying glue- on shoes before they consider using them with a laminitic horse that is very sore and can’t stand up very long. You need to practice and watch others using this shoe before attempting it yourself. It can be an expensive shoe to learn to use because product is going to be destroyed during the learning curve, but refining the tech- nique is very important.” Select No. 809 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 79 |
| 2016 National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition Hands‐on Demos Dynamic Educators Live Lectures Networking & Socializing World‐class Exhibits at the FIA MarketPlace Grand Finale Awards & Auction Introduction of the 2016 American Farriers Team Modern Materials Hands On Application Session Select No. 812 on Reader Service Card or www.americanfarriers.com/ff/products 080_Full_AFA_4C_AFJ_1215.indd 80 11/13/15 2:48 PM |
| UPCOMING CLINICS & EDUCATIONAL EVENTS… You’ll find many opportunities listed...to help improve your shoeing skills. NOVEMBER 2015 30-4 — Canada. The Western Canadian Farriers Assn. will hold a pre- certification workshop at the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Farrier Barn in Cloverdale, British Columbia. Dusty Franklin will be the clinician. For more information, email glaverty@ gmail.com, call (604) 897-1752 or visit www.wcfa.ca/events. British Columbia. Pat Burton will be the examiner. For more information, email Gerard Laverty at glaverty@ gmail.com or call (604) 897-1752. DECEMBER 2015 3-4 — Nevada. A clinic titled, “Equine Podiatry Principles And Mechanical Concepts,” will be held in Las Vegas. Ric Redden will be the cli- nician. The event will be sponsored by Nanric Inc. For more information, con- tact Shannon Redden at (502) 839-6742 or email redden@nanric.com. 5-8 — Nevada. The American Assn. of Equine Practitioners’ 61st Annual Convention will be held in Las Vegas. Farrier-related clinicians will include Tracy Turner, Andy Parks, Jeff Ridley, Mark Silverman, Steve O’Grady, Bob Pethick, Pat Reilly, Omar Maher, Raul Bras, Jeffery Berk, Kit Miller, Mike Casey, Mike Meuser, Lane Easter and Ryland Edwards. For more information, contact David Foley at (859) 233-0147 or email aaepoffice@aaep.org. 3-5 — Nevada. The Equine Lameness Prevention Organization (ELPO) will hold the International Lameness Prevention Conference (ILPC) in Las Vegas. Speakers will include Kim Henneman, David Nicholls, Gene Ovnicek, Daisy Bicking and Steve Foxworth. For more informa- tion, visit www.ilpc.info. 5 — Canada. A clinic will be held in Elmira, Ontario. Jeff Thomason, David Dawson and Paul Noble will be the cli- nicians. For more information, call Paul Martin at (519) 664-3007. 10-12 — Nevada. The World Championship Blacksmiths will hold a competition in Las Vegas. Bob Pethick will be the judge. For more information, contact Craig Trnka at (505) 281-8982 or email cathorseshoeing@aol.com. 11 — Pennsylvania. Allegheny Equine Associates will hold a Farrier Friday Clinic in Murrysville. For more information, contact Sara Wollaston- Hayden at (724) 331-4841 or email sawh156@aol.com. 11-12 — Virginia. The Virginia Horseshoers Assn. will hold an AFA certification exam at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Steve Sermersheim will be the examiner. For more information, contact Travis Burns at (540) 553-4827. 14 — Florida. The American and Canadian Assns. of Professional Farriers will hold a Hoofcare Essentials Mini Clinic in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, contact Bryan Quinsey at (859) 533-1465 or email bryan@professionalfarriers.com. JANUARY 2016 7-9 — Michigan. The Michigan Horseshoers Assn. will host its 47th 4 - 5 — C a n a d a . K wa n t l e n Polytechnic University and the Western Canadian Farriers Assn. will host two AFA certification exams in Cloverdale, Get Your Events In The Calendar! All upcoming events listings are published FREE by the American Farriers Journal. If you would like your associa- tion’s events printed in the Jan./ Feb., issue of American Farriers Journal, send your event informa- tion by Dec. 4 to American Farriers Journ al, c/o Events, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. Phone: (262) 782-4480 or fax: (262) 782-1252 or email: info@ lesspub.com. We will also list your event on our online calendar at americanfarriers.com. December 2015 Quality, Service And A Large Inventory For The Professional Farrier. Mid West Farrier Supply 811 Eagle Lake Rd. • Beecher, Ill 60401 Phone: 800-946-9880 • Fax: 708-946-9687 E-mail: Midwest@MWFarrier.com Web site: www.MWFarrier.com We Will Get Them There Fast! We ship same day in the most economical way for an order received by 12:00 noon. Also offering next day, 2nd day and 3rd day shipping. Select No. 847 on Reader Service Card or americanfarriers.com/readerservice AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 81 |
| annual contest and clinic and the third leg of the Great Lakes Derby in East Lansing. Dusty Franklin will be the clinician and judge. For more information, call Jennifer Horn at (906) 440-2537 or Dick Becker at (810) 614-9538. 8-9 — Texas. Well-Shod will hold a clinic in Amarillo. Jon Atkinson will be the clinician. For more information, call Well-Shod at (800) 206-2181 or (806) 322-3680. 9 — Florida. Vettec will hold a Hands-On Workshop at Visby Products in Wellington. Lynne Myers will be the representative for the clinic. For more information, call (561) 965-9602. To sign up, visit www.vettec.com/ vettec-hands-workshop-form. 9 — North Carolina. Chandelle Farm will hold a clinic in Salisbury. Esco Buff will be the clinician. For more information and to register, contact Katie Muir Stankiewicz at (704) 237-0644 or trimminhooves@ gmail.com. 9-10 — Washington. A clinic will be held at Sammamish Valley Grange in Woodinville. Scott Morrison will be the clinician. The event is sponsored by the Farriers Assn. of Washington State. For more information, call Nancy Zwicker at (253) 651-2555 or email nancyzw@gmail.com. 11 — Florida. The American and Canadian Assns. of Professional Farriers will hold a Hoofcare Essentials Mini Clinic in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, contact Bryan Quinsey at (859) 533-1465 or email bryan@professionalfarriers.com. 16 — California. The Shoein’ Shop in Yucaipa will hold its 17th annual Open House and Clinic. Steve Sermersheim and Ted Shanks will be the clinicians. The event will be spon- sored by Farrier Product Distribution. A welcoming party will be held Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. For more information, call (909) 794-3455. 23 — Missouri. The Spanish Lake Blacksmith Shop will hold a winter talk session in Foristell. Presenters will be Dawn Hoover and Anna Herath. They will discuss the uses of acupuncture. The clinic is spon- sored by Mid-Rivers Equine Center. For more information, contact Bob Schantz at (636) 463-7212 or email bob@spanishlake.com. FEBRUARY 2016 6 — Florida. The American Assn. of Professional Farriers will hold a Hoofcare Essentials Clinic at Visby Products in Wellington. Clinicians will include Dave Farley, Curtis Burns, Tim Cable, James Gilchrist, Mike Hayward, Cathy Lesperance and many more. For more information, call (561) 965-9602 or email info@visby products.com. 8 — Florida. The American and Canadian Assns. of Professional Farriers will hold a Hoofcare Essentials Mini Clinic in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, contact Bryan Quinsey at (859) 533-1465 or email bryan@professionalfarriers.com. 13 — Florida. Vettec will hold a Hands-On Workshop at Palm Beach Farrier Supply in Wellington. Lynne Myers will be the repre- sentative for the clinic. For more information, call (561) 204-5022. To sign up, visit www.vettec.com/ vettec-hands-workshop-form. Recognizing The Footcare Leaders Of Tomorrow This program honors three farriers for making outstanding career progress in their first 3 years in the footcare field Nominate Someone For 2017 It’s not too early to begin thinking about nominees for next year’s Rising Shoeing Star. The deadline for submitting nominations is July 31, 2016. To nominate someone, please send a 2- to 3-page summary explaining why your candidate should be named a Rising Shoeing Star. Make sure this candidate graduated from a shoeing school in 2013. Mail your entry to American Farriers Journal, Attn.: Rising Shoeing Star, P.O. Box 624, Brookfi eld, WI 53008-0624, fax it to (262) 782-1252 or email it to info@lesspub.com, with “Rising Shoeing Star” in the subject line. Please Join Us In Thanking These Sponsors For Their Support! Purcell Farrier Supply 82 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| CLASSIFIEDS Farrier Supplies Education EQUINE IR Take advantage of this amazing opportu- nity * Thermal Imaging Online course* This program is efficiently designed to equip you with the best in equine anatomy, procedures, protocols, business set-up and marketing strategy. For further information, contact: deleonardofarrierservice.com FAR HILLS FORGE ADVANCED COURSES Let Sonny Pistilli help you get ready for either AFA or BWFA certification. Three-day to one week courses at Far Hills Forge in Pennsylvania. Home study course with DVD and handbook also available. For more information, call Sonny at (908) 797-4433. LIMB LENGTH DISPARITY BOOK Esco Buff, PhD, CF, has written a book for all equine owners and professionals discussing in detail the issue of LLD. Chapters include topics on: definitions, etiology and types of LLD; how to observe, recognize, palpate and measure LLD; Veterinary, Chiropractic, Massage, Acupuncture, Saddle Fitting, Farrier, Training, and Exercising; how to trim and shoe for LLD; and how to moni- tor and assess progress. Cost is $38.95 (plus s/h). To order: (585) 298-6619 or www.escobuff.com. AFJ Classified Rates The American Farriers Journal accepts classified advertising at 85 cents per word ($34 minimum per ad, equal to 40 words). As a bonus, your ad will also be posted on our Web site: americanfarriers.com. Send check or money order (no cash) with typed or hand-printed copy by Dec. 4, for the Jan./Feb., 2016, issue of American Farriers Journal. Send copy and payment in U.S. funds to: CLASSIFIEDS, Attn. Sarah McQuin, American Farriers Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. December 2015 CACTUS CREEK APRONS Cactus Creek provides hand-crafted, high- quality aprons in a variety of styles and patterns. We also provide complete repair services including saddles and tack, aprons and most leather goods. Visit our website at www.cactuscreekleather.com to see our apron styles or call (480) 220-8932 for more information. CROSSROADS FARRIER SUPPLY Now has online shopping at www.cross roadsfarriersupply.com. Shop online or visit our new, larger location for an exten- sive collection of performance, pleasure and therapeutic horseshoes and supplies. Call (434) 589-4501 or visit our store at 67 Rollins Lane, Louisa, VA 23093. We ship daily. EASY SHARP LIQUID The Liquid that Sharpens! Easy Sharp Liquid is now offering rasp sharpening services. 1 or 10, we can do them all. Contact David Manuel, Master Farrier and President of Easy Sharp liquid @ (859) 312-4412 or email ScottishEquine2012@ gmail.com. And don’t forget you can still order your own Easy Sharp Liquid Kit to DIY. Visit us at WWW. EASYSHARPLIQUID.COM. Skeptical of a Liquid that can actually sharpen blades and rasps? We are offering for a limited time one (1) free sharpening ser- vice. Send us your dull rasp or other blade and we will PROVE it really works! See our website for more details. Limit one (1) sample sharpening per customer. EXIM RASPS Exim Rasps – Made in the USA! 2 Models to choose from: Keystone or Granite. Marshallton Blacksmith Supply, Kirkwood Blacksmith Supply. Order online at www.farriersupplyshop.com. FARRIER AND VETERINARIAN DISTRIBUTORS WANTED: THE PERFECT HORSE® Fresh Water Blue-Green Algae w/ Crystalloid Electrolyte Sea Minerals (E3Live FOR AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com HORSES and E3AFA FOR HORSES) Our product sells itself; others make claims, we guarantee results. Join a win- ning team at www.ThePerfectHorse.net. 877-357-7187 sales@e3liveforhorses.com. FARRIER FORMS Specializing in invoices specifically designed for the farrier trade. Complete Farrier Organizer with weekly appoint- ment calendar, address section and expense records. Contact your farrier shop or call Farrier Forms at (803) 644- 2950. All products available online at www.farrierforms.com. FARRIER SUPPLIES Commonwealth Farrier Supply, the “horseshoe headquarters” for Northern Virginia. Carrying a complete line of far- rier supplies at a reasonable price. Our emphasis is on customer satisfaction. Give us a call at (540) 439-0086 in Warrenton or visit our website at www.common wealthfarrier.com. Visa, Mastercard and Discover accepted. GOT THRUSH? Try the easiest and most effective thrush treatment available. Pre moistened self- retaining pads applied once daily clears thrush in 3 to 7 days. Once you try it, you’ll never use anything else! Visit us at www.veterinarypreference.com. HARRY PATTON HORSESHOEING SUPPLIES We are celebrating 60 years of business in the farrier industry as horseshoers and suppliers. Questions? Requests? We’d love to help and think we can. Additional to all farrier supplies, we specialize in Crothers Concave shoes and bar stock, Farrier’s Formula Hoof Supplement, the Patton Hoof Ruler, the Patton Hoof Stand. Online ordering, walk in, phone in: www.harrypat- ton.com. 223 West Maple Ave., Monrovia CA 91016 (Los Angeles area) 626-359- 8018. After hours cell: 626-327-3650. adagates1@gmail.com. Ada Gates Patton. HOOF NIPPER REBUILDING Keith Hoehn, farrier, blacksmith toolmaker, rebuilds $90; converted to half rounds, 83 |
| $100; postage included. Satisfaction guaranteed or money back! Mail to Keith Hoehn, 1172 N Powder Horn Road, Camp Verde, AZ 86322. Phone: (928) 567-3127 or cell (602) 826-8448. HOOF PACKING Are you looking for a hoof packing with capsacian, aspirin or trace copper in it that is Venice Turpentine/Leather Dust based, made for your use? Unlimited V.T.L. is a custom-mixed hoof packing that is formu- lated for the user, whether they be farrier or horse owner. 8 lb. @$98.00, 4 lb. @ $50.00, 2 lb. @$26.00; additives are priced additionally. Call Ray to discuss your hoof packing needs. (413) 863-2443, or ray@ bestbuyhorseshoes.com LEATHER PADS R. Steele offers firm leather pads in sizes 4, 6. This leather can be custom cut with a square back in 4, 6, and in a double nail size pad that is very useful to gaited horse shoeing style. Leather plastic pads avail- able from 1/8” to 1/2” thick and custom hoof packings including pine tars, Venice turpentine and hoof Phelt, formulated for farriers needs. 1 (413) 863-2443 or ray@ bestbuyhorseshoes.com; www.farriersfo rum.com for hoof-related conversation. MIXING TIPS R. Steele mixing tips fit 180 cc tubes and save you money! Tips are $.65 each plus $.50 for bagging. Example: 100 tips @ $.65 ea.=$65.50; 25 tips=$16.75. This price is 10% to 45% below the name brand price! Also, 36 grit 2” Ceramic belts 36” @ $3.86; 31-1/8” @ $3.52 in lots of 10 belts/size. Other sizes and grits quoted. Call (413) 863-2443 or email ray@best buyhorseshoes.com www.farriersforum. com for hoof-related conversation. NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA Distributor to New Zealand and Australian farriers, importing farrier equipment, shoes, nails, tools and hoof treatments from around the world. P3 Equestrian, visit us online at www.farrier-shop.com or email david@p3equestrian.com. OLEO ACRES – 3 LOCATIONS You will find what you need at Oleo Acres in Colorado! Whether it is shoes (PLR, Grand Circuit Aluminum, Egg 84 bar, Sigafoos, etc.) or hoof repair prod- ucts (Vettec, Equicast, Magic Cushion, Clean Trax, Jim Richens to name a few), Oleo Acres has it all! Stop by one of our shops (Elbert, Berthoud and Littleton), call 1-800-994-6536 or visit us on line at www. oleoacresfarriersupply.com. PETERBYLT APRONS Premium quality safety aprons – SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – direct to you. Call (518) 966-8989. Or available at selected dealers. Pete Holcomb, P.O. Box 193, Friend, NE 68359. THE “PREFERRED” HOOF PLANER 14” mill tooth file, The “Preferred” hoof planer, provides an aggressive smooth cut and a silk finish. High quality tool for hoof removal, reasonably priced for the mill tooth family @ $54.00 each fob Gill MA. Quantity pricing and shipping avail- able. Ray Steele 413-863-2443. SHOP ONLINE www.farriersupplyshop.com Kirkwood Farrier Supply, Marshallton Supply, (610) 696-7280. SOLE PAINT FOR SORE FEET Hot nail, cut one too short, thin soles? Apply Therapeutic Sole Paint by Champion Farrier Supply for overnight relief. Be a hero! Call 818-429-4988 to place order. THRUSH CRUSH Thrush Crush is an all-natural topical treat- ment that destroys unhealthy bacterial and fungal growth while promoting healthy frog and sole tissue. Horseowners enjoy using Thrush Crush because it’s so impres- sively effective without the use of harsh chemicals, it’s non-toxic, non-caustic, doesn’t leave messy stains, and applica- tion is easy. Over 15 years field tested. Active ingredient is 100% natural bee propolis extract. Sell Thrush Crush from your rig and easily generate extra income while helping your clients access a great product. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back! For more info, visit: thrush- crush.com or contact Mike Waldorf at 541-607-0277 or email: mikethefarrier@ gmail.com Shoeing Rigs SHOEING RIG 2012 1500 SILVERADO LS V-8 EXTENDED CAB 30 K MILES, with Custom Aluminum Cap, garage kept, perfectly maintained. Bar and shoe racks, 48 inch utility drawer. Forge, anvil, drill press, belt sander ext...$21,995.00 Phone 224-628-0555. SHOEING TRAILER Blacksmith travel trailer, used. 5’ x 55” and 6’ long. Fully equipped with steel arm that swings out. New anvil, filing vise, extendable forge, two welding tanks, shoeing box with tools, hammer and tongs. Go to Craigslist-vehicles-utility vehicles to see pictures. $3,500. Call 561-383-1375. SHOEING TRAILERS SomerSong – “Forging Freedom” since 1991. Trailers, bodies and products in ser- vice from coast to coast. Tools, design built for the farrier. Call or text Roger Newman at (651)260-8815 or email ssforge@ somtel.net. Website: www.somersong forge.com. Software FARRIER SOFTWARE Farriers Manager now comes in 2 versions – traditional or mobile. An easy to use record keeping system for the business- minded farrier. Make your horseshoeing business more profitable with detailed records and easy accounting. Demo ver- sions available from www.ambritsoftware. com Phone: +44 (0) 7766-658304 SOFTWARE Forge Ahead iForgeAhead/Backroads Data has provided farriers around the world with high-quality, user-friendly business management software since 1999. We offer two products – Forge Ahead and iForgeAhead; both are com- plete farrier-specific programs that handle detailed client and horse records, appoint- ments, invoices, income, purchases and more. Forge Ahead runs on Windows PCs; iForgeAhead runs on PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones. Visit www.backroads data.com to compare the two and begin your 30-day Free Trial, or call 785-594- 6807 for more info. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
| INDEX TO ADVERTISERS… 3M ....................................................48 ABANA.............................................79 Alvin Farrier Supply.........................34 American Assn. Of Professional Farriers.............71 American Farrier’s Assn...................80 American Farriers Journal...........9, 82 Anvil Brand.......................................37 Bassoli...............................................26 Blacksmith Buddy.............................16 Brighton Feed & Saddlery................79 Buddy Aprons...................................48 Castle Plastics....................................53 Cliff Carroll’s Horseshoers Supplies................52 D.L. Schwartz Co..............................62 Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center...........5 Diagnostic Imaging Systems Inc......62 Diamond Farrier Co..........................21 Double S..................................... 15, 41 E3Live For Horses.............................32 Eponashoe.........................................26 Equilox Int’l Farrier Supplies.............2 Equine Aqua TRAK LLC.................22 Equine Digit Support System...........71 Equithotics.........................................75 Farrier Product Distribution..............35 Farrier Science Clinic........................60 Finger Lakes Custom Mfg................28 Forgemaster.......................................57 Foxden Equine Inc............................65 G.E. Forge & Tool.............................87 Grand Circuit.....................................32 Hoof Cinch........................................69 Hoof Solutions...................................24 Hoofjack By Equine Innovations......15 Horse Science....................................42 Horse Slips/ Giltspur Scientific Ltd...............41 Ken Davis & Sons Inc.......................69 Life Data Labs...................................25 Meader Supply..................................65 Mid West Farrier Supply...................81 Montague Blacksmith Supply..........38 December 2015 AFJ Customer Service TO SUBSCRIBE Send check or credit card information for $47.95 (North America) for 8 issues to American Farriers Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. Or, with credit card in hand, call (866) 839-8455. Subscribe online at www.americanfarriers.com. Nature Farms.....................................55 NC Tool Co........................... 33, 38, 59 Oklahoma Farrier Supply..................73 Oleo Acres.........................................22 PKB Animal Health..........................45 Postyme Inc.......................................23 Purcell Farrier Supply/ Jim Keith Tools..........................56 Purcell Farrier Supply/ MFC Tools.................................16 R.J. Matthews Co..............................56 Razerhorse.........................................28 Rock ’N The Anvil............................75 Save Edge..........................................24 SBS Equine Products........................46 Shanghai March Import & Export........................76 The Shoein’ Shop..............................37 Sound Horse Technologies...............51 Texas Farrier Supply.........................49 Thoro’Bred........................................43 Uckele Health & Nutrition..................7 Vettec.................................................27 VICTORY.........................................66 Visby Products...................................20 W.F. Young Inc./Absorbine...............88 Wellshod.com....................................63 Western Saddlery...............................60 Yoder Blacksmith Supply.................74 Zoetis.......................................... 29, 31 Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Requester Publications Only) 1. Publication Title: American Farriers Journal 2. Publication Number: 0351-8900 3. Filing Date: 10/1/2015 4. Issue Frequency: J/F, March, April, M/J, J/A, S/O, Nov, Dec 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 8 6. Annual Subscription Price (if any): $47.95 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005 Contact Person: Marie Escobar Telephone (Include area code): 262-777-2438 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer): 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor Publisher: Frank Lessiter, 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI 53005 Editor: Frank Lessiter, 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005 Managing Editor: Jeremy McGovern, 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005 10. Owners: Frank Lessiter, 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005; Pam Lessiter, 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005; Mike Lessiter, 16655 W Wisconsin Ave, Brookfield WI, 53005; 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status, The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organiza- tion and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 13. Publication Title: American Farriers Journal 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: Sept/Oct 2015 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation.(Average No. Copies Each Issue During FOR ALL QUESTIONS RELATED TO SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS, ADDRESS CHANGES OR RENEWALS Email customerservice@lesspub.com, call (866) 839-8455 or write to us at American Farriers Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. To avoid disruption in your subscription, please provide your new address at least 6 weeks in advance of your move, as the U.S. Postal Service does not forward magazines! Please provide both your complete old address, exactly as it appears on the mailing label, and your new address. RENEWALS Don’t wait until the last minute — renew your subscription and you won’t miss an issue. It can take up to 6 weeks to process a renewal. If you renew your subscription before it expires and still have issues coming, we’ll extend your subscription. HOW TO GET A NEW PRODUCT IN AFJ Email a photo of the product (we prefer digital images at 300 dpi or better) to afjproducts@lesspub.com along with a brief description or mail to American Farriers Journal, Attn: New Products, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624. ADVERTISING DISPLAY ADS: Sarah McQuin, (800) 645-8455, ext. 416 or Erin Baayen, (800) 645-8455, ext. 413. CLASSIFIED ADS: Sarah McQuin, (800) 645-8455, ext. 416 or Erin Baayen, (800) 645-8455, ext. 413. ADDRESS: American Farriers Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Send your letter to: Letterbox, American Farriers Journal, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 or email lessitef@lesspub. com. Unsigned letters are ignored. See Page 8 for more details. Preceding 12 Months, No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date) a. T otal Number of Copies (Net press run): 7,179, 6,595 b. L egitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution (By mail and outside the mail) 1. O utside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: 4,657, 4,460 2. I n-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: 0, 0 3. S ales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS ® : 612, 600 4. R equested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS: 594, 561 c. T otal Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)): 5,862, 5,621 d. N on-requested Distribution (By mail and outside the mail) 1. O utside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: 547, 243 2. I n-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: 0, 0 3. N onrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail: 60, 25 4. N onrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: 371, 137 e. T otal Nonrequested Distribution [Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)]: 978, 405 f. T otal Distribution (Sum of 15c and e): 6,840, 6,026 g. C opies not Distributed: 339, 569 h. T otal (Sum of 15f and g): 7,179, 6,595 i. P ercent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c divided by 15f times 100): 85.7%, 93.3% 16. Electronic Copy Circulation: None 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the issue of this publication: December 2015 AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com 85 |
| Research Journal By Albert J. Kane, DVM, MPVM, Ph.D. The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture. Lamellar Pathology With Cushing’s Testing Lameness Detection This investigation examined hoof tissues from horses affected by pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID or Cushing’s disease) with the hypothesis that pathologic changes con- sistent with laminitis would be found whether or not the animals showed clinical signs of laminitis. Tissues from 26 horses were examined including PPID affected horses with and without laminitis and controls. The length, width and appearance of primary and secondary epidermal lamellae were compared between the affected and the control horses. The PPID animals with laminitis all had signs of insu- lin resistance and abnormal lamellar pathology including increased length and width of the lamellae, abnormal kera- tinization, epidermal bridging between lamellae, acute lamellar tearing and cell death. The horses with PPID but not laminitis didn’t have these changes. The authors concluded that regardless of the relationship between PPID and insulin resistance, it may only be the very high insulin levels not the PPID itself that are associated with the lamellar pathology and laminitis. — Karikoski et al. 2014 EVJ;in press. An experimental arthritis model of lameness was used to compare a traditional, subjective examination for lameness with an objective approach for diagnosing lameness using force plate and inertial sensor technology to detect a mild lameness at a trot. Sixteen horses participated in this study after a unilateral osteochondral fragment was created to induce lameness as part of another project testing a new treatment for lameness. Blinded subjective observations (54%) and the inertial sensors (60%) identified the lame limb more frequently than the force plate analysis (40%), and agreed on which limb was lame more frequently (50%) than the force plate analy- sis (38%). The authors suggest this fair agreement between observation and inertial sensors may be because both use asymmetry to detect lameness while force plates, which had poor agreement with observation, use the measurement of ground reaction forces. On average, the peak ground reaction forces decreased only 3.8% from baseline to the experimental period following induction of the lameness, confirming that the force plate could detect mild lameness. — Donnell et al. The Vet J 2015;in press. X-Rays Of Sidebones A retrospective case series characterized the radiographic appearance of sidebones of 386 feet of 271 horses with foot pain presenting to a referral equine hospital. Ossification of the cartilages was graded from 0 to 5 (only those scoring ≥ 2 were included in the study) and the presence of modeling, “adaptive changes” and fractures were recorded. Fractures, modeling, adaptive changes and an abnormal shape of the ungular cartilages were all associated with an increased degree of ossification, which seems to be a pre- disposing factor for injury. The abnormal shapes described included inward, outward and palmar curvature of the cartilages or a bulbous shape to the cartilages. Extensive ossi- fication was more common laterally than medially. Separate centers of ossification were also more common laterally, but were not associated with modeling or adaptive changes. The authors found that a flexed oblique radiograph was the most helpful view for obtaining clinically relevant informa- tion including the presence of fracture lines and abnormal shape. The authors suggested that the tendency for the lateral wall to land first may subject that side to greater landing forces and result in more sidebone formation laterally, but they also acknowledged this doesn’t explain this finding in juvenile horses as well as those in training. — Jones and Dyson. JAVMA 2015; 247:801-811. 86 Joint Injury Blood Test Researchers used a matched case-control approach to com- pare serum levels of cartilage and bone biomarkers between 50 2- and 3-year-old racehorses with knee or fetlock injury and 50 similar but unaffected control horses. These biomark- ers are enzymes and substances found in the blood that are associated with cartilage or bone synthesis and/or breakdown. Blood samples were drawn monthly after diagnosis of a knee or fetlock injury was confirmed by a veterinarian. Horses with fetlock joint injuries had lower serum levels of a collagen marker and higher levels of an enzyme related to subchondral bone. The more severe fetlock injuries were associated with greater biomarker differences from controls. However, despite the differences noted many were only asso- ciated with more severe classes of injury, and there was a lot of variation between the different sites and types of injury. Performance as a possible diagnostic test was not good. For example, the collagen marker only had an 82% probability of identifying an animal with joint disease, and a 50/50 chance of having a negative test for an animal without joint disease. The authors concluded that although changes in serum biomarkers can be associated with injury, these tests are not yet a promising option for the diagnosis of injury. — Jackson et al. AJVR 2015;76:679-687. AMERICAN FARRIERS JOURNAL americanfarriers.com December 2015 |
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