Built around an exciting theme of “Expanding Your Hoof-Care Horizons,” February’s 6th annual International Hoof-Care Summit will send you home with the latest tips, tricks and techniques from 49 outstanding farriers, equine veterinarians and hoof researchers to help you improve the quality of your work and business efficiencies in 2009.

While the 76 hours of intensive footcare discussions will cover hundreds of different aspects of hoof care, here are three of the 74 presentations that you won’t want to miss attending during the Cincinnati event.

Dealing With Laminitis, Founder

Doug Butler maintains laminitis and founder are two devastating foot afflictions that are the greatest concern to farriers, veterinarians and horse owners. The long-time farrier, educator and operator of the Butler Professional Farrier School in Crawford, Neb., will outline many practical treatment techniques based upon reliable research and extensive personal experience.

In “The Burney Chapman Memorial Lecture” sponsored by Life Data Labs, Butler will offer an in-depth analysis of the sequence of events causing laminitis and the process involved in moving from laminitis to founder. He’ll demonstrate a step-by-step case evaluation process along with providing a detailed rundown on the most effective shoe application techniques with these two concerns that you can put to immediate use back home.

Equine Hoof Decay

Paul Woodall has found that proper management and hygiene have little impact on the control of white line disease. The veteran farrier from Welshpool, Wales, says white line disease is increasing at an alarming rate in Great Britain and is…