Facebook has revolutionized communication. It has connected farriers globally for the betterment of the trade. You can share work to get the advice of others, provide thoughtful advice for a fellow farrier or see what’s going on at a clinic you couldn’t attend.
Most Farriers Do Not Qualify For Electronic Logging Device Mandate
The equine industry, including farriers and veterinarians, has voiced concerns about whether they would be subject to the U.S. government’s controversial electronic logging device (ELD) mandate.
This horseshoe was found in an old barn on a Clove Valley, N.Y., farm. Nearby Pray’s Pond was used by several neighboring farm families in the years before 1940 to jointly harvest ice behind three teams of horses, according to the Winter 2008 edition of Country Courier. The harvest typically began in December and continued into January.
The quest to define the ideal foot and ideal balance has been the Holy Grail of horseshoeing since the late 1800s when William Russell first coined the term “balance” in the context of footcare. The dilemma facing all books on the horse’s foot has been the concept of what is a “normal” foot.
Look To Other Industry As Warning For Farrier Regulation
In response to your editorial (“How Farrier Regulation May Arrive,” November 2017), look at the trucking industry to see what could be in store by regulating farriers. Truckers are told when they can drive, when they must take a break.
In mid-September, Todd and Leighette Davidson knew their young horse Tybee had a problem. Identifying it was easy — the Quarter Horse had broken off part of the hoof wall on the lateral side of its front left foot (Figure 1). As best they could tell from the location of the recovered piece of hoof wall (Figure 2), the horse caught its foot on a broken pipe, which created the trauma.
There are misconceptions regarding Natural Balance, according British farrier David Nicholls. Chiefly, that it is a fad, having been around since 1993. It isn’t simply a square-toed shoe. And it isn’t an indiscriminate placement of a shoe onto the foot.
The Przewalski horse, the only wild horse living today, enjoys what could be considered the “ideal” life. In Mongolia and Hungary, where Brian Hampson has observed them, the nomadic grazers roam the fence-free countryside. Traditional herdsmen are responsible for regularly monitoring the herds, but the caretakers don’t interact with or attempt to domesticate the horses.
Assessing a horse’s conformation is a staple for farriers, and for good reason. Certain conformations offer an understanding of movement, wear and potential lamenesses.
“We’re all familiar with different types of conformation in the front limbs,” English farrier Sam Head told attendees at the mid-November Thoro’Bred Extravanza in Anaheim, Calif. “But how many of us truly consider the same in the horse’s hind?”
Various horseshoe designs have been found to have had an effect on hoof loading on synthetic surfaces.1 The most common sections used here in the United Kingdom are concave and flat.
If you’re interested in shoeing draft horses, you’re in the minority. A lot of farriers, though, have a token team that they work on. They’re usually a nice pair of horses that stands pretty well.
I moved to Arizona in 2004 and gave up the track to handle performance and backyard horses. I am happy to say I’m still shoeing horses at my age, just not as many of them. There are things similar and some different from the track when we did that story.
Caring for backyard horses can be difficult, sometimes because of the environment in which they are kept, or because some owners don’t maintain a regular hoof-care schedule because of the cost or a lack of horsemanship.
Sponsored by VICTORY, this forging exercise will be tied to the International Hoof-Care Summit. You don’t need to attend to participate — mail in your straight bar shoe to enter this free contest. IHCS attendees can save on the postage and drop off their shoe at the Summit.
Before we get wrapped up in everything new for 2018, now is a good time to take a few minutes to look back at a few items in the footcare world that were the most popular among American Farriers Journal digital platform viewers in the past year.
Complete surgical removal of a solar keratoma in the right front foot of a 14-year-old Quarter Horse, followed up with daily hoof saline flushes and supportive shoeing packages, resulted in a high rate of success in the horse’s long-term soundness.
Recognized as one of the most accomplished and knowledgeable farriers in the world, Mark Caldwell of Alsager, England, has added yet another accomplishment to his lengthy résumé — a doctor of philosophy.
The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture.
A cross-sectional study in England examined the accuracy of owners reporting laminitis in their horses and ponies. The objective was to determine the percentage of owner-reported cases of laminitis that were later confirmed by a veterinarian and to compare the owner’s observations of potential risk factors to the veterinarian’s observations.
Editor’s note: Using an inflation calculator, the 1899 rate for the four new shoes and two pads would grow from $5 to nearly $150 in today’s buying power.
To some this is just an old invoice. But as a farrier, I see the history of our trade. It also tells me of the value of a farrier. The invoice on this page is from services performed by farrier Daniel Ward for the New York City Fire Department. These horses would pull the fire engine. A client of mine gave it to me after she had bought it for 50 cents at a yard sale in New York state.
Before we get wrapped up in everything new for 2018, now is a good time to take a few minutes to look back at a few items in the footcare world that were the most popular among American Farriers Journal digital platform viewers in the past year.
Facebook has revolutionized communication. It has connected farriers globally for the betterment of the trade. You can share work to get the advice of others, provide thoughtful advice for a fellow farrier or see what’s going on at a clinic you couldn’t attend.
Now view magazine-like digital flipbooks on your desktop and tablet. Starting in 2015 issues, included for FREE with your Digital or Premium subscription, view the magazine on your laptop, tablet, and mobile device. You need to be logged in to view.
Watch a video of Bend, Ore., farrier Kurt Fisk offering his insight on scheduling, finding our comfort zone and how competitions can improve your practice.
Read more about Brian Hampson’s hoof-care research on feral horse hooves, moisture and the foot and how trimming changes hoof morphology.
Gain more insight on working with large horses, as well as how Hall Of Fame farrier Michael Wildenstein handles a variety of foot issues.
Get more thoughts and ideas about working with backyard 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.