When there is an unpleasant reputation around something, one way to reshape public perception is by changing the common terminology used. For example, when West Side business people of New York City wanted to erase the rough and crime-ridden reputation of the historic neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, they declared it should be known as “Clinton.”
After looking at your online poll “Handling Hoof-Care Clients Who Refuse To Pay” (AmericanFarriers.com/articles/10591), I wanted to offer my own thoughts on handling clients like this. In my experience, getting paid is a process that starts long before the owner decides not to pay their bill.
Although it’s been recognized for years that using various substances to coat the outside of the hoof can have beneficial effects, knowing when to use those substances and even what type to use can be difficult, says Ray Tricca, owner of SBS Equine Products in Naples, Fla.
Capt. Henry Morgan’s romanticized life has been the inspiration for an untold number of pirate-themed fictional works since his death in 1688. Among the general populace, the Welsh privateer is probably best known as the namesake of the popular rum. Yet, his actions on Jan. 28, 1671, led to a trove of archaeological findings — including these shoes.
Back in 2003, Bob Marshall told American Farriers Journal, “What I constantly see with guys is a need to go over the basics. It’s the same every year. No one has even shown some of them how to hold a hammer.”
There never can be too many tools in a farrier’s shoeing box. After all, the immeasurable quantity of variables involved in equine hoof care is staggering. Why limit yourself?
When is it appropriate or inappropriate to utilize a clip on a horseshoe? As the old joke goes, if you ask five farriers you’ll get six different answers.
How do you assess the horse before you trim it? How are you evaluating your work while with the horse? Are you spending time with each horse to do this? There are many different ways to assess the horse and check our work with it. The key is to dedicate the time to do this and to have a standard.
“Avery,” a 12-year-old Suffolk Punch gelding used for trail riding, was referred to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) Large Animal Teaching Hospital on June 27, 2018, for further evaluation of a suspected keratoma.
Farrier science has been noted in literature for the beneficial effects in supporting lower limb pathology for hundreds of years. The farrier’s selection of shoes, approach to workmanship and focus on pathology is still relevant in today’s modern, progressive farrier industry.
Several years ago, one of my customers had a mini foal born with a serious angular limb deformity. This experience set me on a course to tap into my engineering background to develop a process for correcting angular limb deformities.
With Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital being based in central Kentucky, a fair amount of Dr. Scott Fleming’s work is with Thoroughbred foals. Clients turn to him as a veterinarian and farrier to help these foals while they are still growing — particularly before the sales. His success in helping these horses requires determining when the issue can be corrected through farriery and/or surgery.
It is one of the basic cornerstones of farriery: invest the time with the horse to watch it before picking up its feet. Each farrier has their own system, withsome commonality to their approaches. But is the necessary time being spent with each horse, and is the process with each horse consistent?
Sometimes the farrier is confronted with a new horse that is averse to being handled, and it is important to be able to tell whether the horse is evasive because it is afraid and nervous or independent and spoiled.
Farriery and hoof care is such a unique and distinct form of self-employed business that it’s easy for us to think that many of the considerations of normal business owners don’t apply to our operations. Generally speaking, a farrier enters the trade in his or her mid-20s, spends the first 5 years establishing a business and reputation, then enacts a laborious “sprint” for the finish line over the next 35 years, attaining a low degree of “cash wealth.”
When planning for the next year, we’ve been reviewing the many things that transpired over the previous year. Let’s take a look at a few items in the footcare world that were the most popular among American Farriers Journal digital platform viewers in 2018.
The future of the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in its current form is in doubt after the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) Organizing Committee agreed to accept site bids for individual discipline championships.
The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Retrospective case-control and cross-sectional studies were conducted in Italy to describe the clinical findings and outcomes of horses with interference injuries to the palmar aspect of the distal front limbs, and to identify factors associated with the injuries.
Back in 2003, Bob Marshall told American Farriers Journal, “What I constantly see with guys is a need to go over the basics. It’s the same every year. No one has even shown some of them how to hold a hammer.”
There never can be too many tools in a farrier’s shoeing box. After all, the immeasurable quantity of variables involved in equine hoof care is staggering. Why limit yourself?
Several years ago, one of my customers had a mini foal born with a serious angular limb deformity. This experience set me on a course to tap into my engineering background to develop a process for correcting angular limb deformities.
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American Farriers Journal is excited and honored to celebrate its 50th anniversary of publishing the hands-on magazine for hoof-care professionals. Learn more about our special edition, which comes out in December 2024.
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.