At the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit, Dave Farley delivered the closing remarks, which fired up attendees to return home and work to excel in their footcare practices. The short presentation hit the mark and several attendees say that it was a highlight of their experience. You can hear that speech in its entirety at americanfarriers.com/farleyspeech.
Researchers at The Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom and Uppsala University in Sweden shared research that indicates longeing as a helpful exercise during lameness examinations.
I am one of many blacksmith instructors from across the country. We all are in need of a little help from our farrier brothers. We use old rasps in our classes for cleaning projects and teaching proper use of rasps in blacksmithing.
It's not surprising that the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit (IHCS) continued to set record numbers in attendance. It offers the most diverse lectures about farriery, plus the largest trade show in the world. The IHCS is the only place where the farrier industry can get the whole package in one place.
Recent surveys reveal significant differences between what farriers believe clients are seeking in terms of information and what horse owners really want
Results from two recent American Farriers Journal surveys indicate horse owners want considerably more hoof-care information than many farriers are providing. The owners also urged farriers to improve communications, get tougher on collecting past due payments and start accepting credit cards.
There are obvious advantages for farriers who grew up around horses and entered the trade at a young age. They should be further ahead in several aspects of farriery than their counterparts who entered the profession later in life. The earlier someone can build their knowledge of equine anatomy and skills trimming and shoeing feet, the greater the likelihood of success as a farrier.
Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) to heal infected wounds has been used for centuries with humans. In the 1920s, Johns Hopkins University became the first place documented in the United States to use maggot therapy in a clinical situation.
Asymmetry of the forelimbs of the horse is acknowledged as a common condition, which can result in asymmetric movement, abnormities of gait and even lameness. Limb length disparity (LLD) has been previously classified into two categories: structural and functional.
No stranger to forging competitions, Stockport, Ohio, farrier Mike Augenstein has competed twice as a member of the American Farriers Team and in several World Championship Blacksmith contests. With his history of competing, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he took first place with the inaugural Summit Mail-In Forging Exercise.
On Dec. 30, Bruce Daniels passed away at the age of 82. The South Harrison Township, N.J., farrier was a leader in the farrier industry, serving in a number of positions for the American Farrier's Association (AFA) including president, secretary and board member. He was also a several time member of the American Farriers Team.
On Jan. 11, Steve Bloom of Buckner, Ky., passed away at the age of 70. Bloom, born on Oct. 29, 1944, in Red Bank, N.J., was the founder and president of Grand Circuit Products LLC.
The structures of the hoof capsule are the primary focus of a farrier's job. Yet, there are other elements outside of the hoof capsule a farrier might have a role in supporting. Among them are soft tissue injuries.
Ice is more than the stuff you pour your drink over at the end of the day. It remains one of the most consistently proven means of preventing or treating many types of early laminitis.
Researchers at the University of California-Davis are preparing to begin a clinical trial of a drug they hope will become an important weapon in fighting the crippling pain that accompanies equine laminitis.
Real estate agents fondly recite their mantra, "location, location, location," when explaining to clients that where a house sits is the most important factor in its value.
Through his travels around the globe while competing, testing and doing clinics, Dusty Franklin says fitting the feet is the most common struggle he finds among farriers. Considering all of the different points of views that exist among farriers, the owner and instructor of the Five Star Horseshoeing School in Minco, Okla., put together a presentation to address the subject in terms of the basics.
Hammers are among the farrier's most-used tools, so it's important to get good ones. And one of the first things you should consider is how it fits you.
Horses are kept in a wide variety of environments — indoors, outdoors, big pastures, small pens, every kind of footing imaginable — and climates, from the arid deserts of the Southwest to the rain forests of western Washington, humid tropical climates of Florida, or muddy springtime in Maine. The environment definitely impacts the health and structure of horses’ feet.
Three farriers and three veterinarians were honored for their outstanding work in equine footcare during Hall Of Fame induction ceremonies at the 12th annual International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Three farriers were recognized at the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit for making remarkable progress in their farrier careers just 3 years out of shoeing school
In 2009, American Farriers Journal joined six industry suppliers to create the Rising Shoeing Star award to be given out each year at the International Hoof-Care Summit. This award is presented to three farriers who have made incredible professional progress within 3 years of graduation from farrier school.
The Michigan Horseshoers Association (MHA) recently held its 46th annual clinic and contest in East Lansing, Mich. Sixty farriers from as far south as Texas and as far north as Canada came to attend and compete in the event. From Jan. 8-10, attendees participated in lectures and demos by Tom Willoughby of Crown Point, Ind.; Andy Canoy of Grand Blanc, Mich.; Laura Pylman of Laingsburg, Mich.; and Roy Bloom of Drummund, Wis., who was also the judge for several forging competitions held at the event.
Researchers in Vienna examined the utility of using heart rate and heart rate variability to estimate the degree of pain felt by 12 horses with clinically obvious laminitis compared to five unaffected control horses. In addition, heart rates were compared to the Obel pain scale, historically used to describe the severity of laminitis pain where “1” is used for horses that shift their weight from one foot to another while standing or are lame only at a trot and “4” is used for horses that are very reluctant or refuse to move.
Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) to heal infected wounds has been used for centuries with humans. In the 1920s, Johns Hopkins University became the first place documented in the United States to use maggot therapy in a clinical situation.
It's not surprising that the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit (IHCS) continued to set record numbers in attendance. It offers the most diverse lectures about farriery, plus the largest trade show in the world. The IHCS is the only place where the farrier industry can get the whole package in one place.
There are obvious advantages for farriers who grew up around horses and entered the trade at a young age. They should be further ahead in several aspects of farriery than their counterparts who entered the profession later in life. The earlier someone can build their knowledge of equine anatomy and skills trimming and shoeing feet, the greater the likelihood of success as a farrier.
As described in detail on pages 24 and 25 of the March 2015 issue of American Farriers Journal, several recent surveys reveal significant differences between what farriers believe clients are seeking in terms of footcare information and what horse owners say they really want.
Brian Hampson, Chris Pollitt and colleagues at the Australian Brumby Research Unit at the University of Queensland, completed a study in 2010 in which they sought to determine the affect of various environmental conditions on the degree of hydration in hoof horn wall tissue from feral horses.
Greg Martin, CJF, of Boerne, Texas, takes the unique approach of marketing his hoof-care practice with a Christmas parade float in Boerne and Comfort, Texas. The award-winning float boasts a variety of surprising features.
Life Data Labs Inc. is a dedicated product manufacturer committed to producing premium quality animal nutrition and health products through continuous product improvement and new product development. First-class ingredients, fresh products, consistent high quality and scientifically proven effectiveness are the principal features of Life Data Labs animal health products. And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years.
Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.