American Farriers Journal
American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
Advertise Follow Us
Equine Body Work Benefits Hooves
Making uncomfortable horses comfortable makes farriers’ jobs easier and improves feet
Pictured Above: When a horse doesn’t want to put a front hoof on a stand, there is usually a pain issue, Rebecca Tenges says.
Farrier Takeaways
- Imbalances in the upper body can affect the form and function of the feet and also cause discomfort and reduced range of motion in the legs when the farrier is trying to work on feet.
- It doesn’t do much good to trim and balance the feet if abnormal forces in the body are going to keep pulling the leg/hoof out of balance and re-create the problems.
- Whole-body bodywork can relieve stresses due to soft-tissue pulls on the skeletal structure and make the farrier’s job easier and more productive.
Each horse is born with its own conformation, but many factors affect skeletal structure and posture as the foal grows up.
Often by the time a farrier is working on that horse’s feet, there are issues that put stress on various parts. The feet and legs not only will be out of “balance,” but the horse might be uncomfortable in positions farriers want for it as they work on the feet. A farrier might think the horse’s resistance is a behavioral issue, when in fact it is related to discomfort.
More Than Massage
Rebecca Tenges, owner of Equine BodyWorks LLC and Equine Bodyworks Academy International in Mequon, Wis., often works with farriers on horses with challenging…
Premium content is for our Digital-only and Premium subscribers. A Print-only subscription doesn't qualify. Please purchase/upgrade a subscription with the Digital product to get access to all American Farriers Journal content and archives online.
Top Articles
Current Issue
Plenty of Hoof-Care Growth in 50 Years
Celebrating 2 Decades of Extraordinary Hoof-Care Learning
Butler’s Insights Hold Strong
Current Issue
Special Report For Equine Veterinarians
American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
Must Read Free Eguides
Download these helpful knowledge building tools
- Caring for Your Horse During a Pandemic
- CBD Products Have Promise for Farriers, but Buyer Beware
- Sharpening Knives with a Buffer
- Winter Hoof Care
Videos
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary
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.
Events
Michigan Horseshoers Association 55th Annual Clinic
Date: 01/02/25
Location: Lansing, MI
View Event
Top Directory Listings
Life Data Labs Inc
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 USA
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.
SmartPak
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.