Dozens of farriers and veterinarians gathered at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville for the third-annual Equine Podiatry Conference. You can read more on this clinic in the July/August issue of American Farriers Journal and on the AFJ website. The clinic began on Friday, May 20 with a presentation by university clinical instructor Dr. Jose Castro followed by a dissection led by the university’s farrier Dudley Hurst and associate professor Dr. Steve Adair. Dr. Scott Pleasant and Travis Burns from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine provided additional insight to this dissection in relation to their upcoming presentations on palmar foot pain and strategies on addressing it. In this wet lab, groups of farriers were provided with a cadaver leg, which they dissected under Hurst’s guidance

On the 21st, Hurst welcomed attendees to the conference. Each year, the vet school brings a farrier and veterinarian who work together on a daily or frequent basis to discuss a particular foot issue. Hurst says because each approaches the problems from different perspectives, there is much to learn from this interaction.

Dr. Dan Burke of Tribute Equine Nutrition gave advice on body condition scoring and weight management. Burke, the director of Tribute, says as a guideline for ideal bodyweight, he likes to be able the feel the ribs but visibly distinguish them. He does note that this is a personal preference and other factors, including discipline, may affect what others consider more ideal and telltale signs. Before…