The first horse-owner clinic sponsored by the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) was a great success. It was held at Applewood Farm in Alpharetta, Ga., during early June. AFA President Craig Trnka did an excellent job discussing basic anatomy and physiology before an audience of about 45 horse owners and 10 farriers.

Trnka discussed how the shape of the coffin bone and the surrounding hoof capsule relate to propulsion and support. He emphasized leaving adequate vertical depth of the foot, trimming to reduce distortion and fitting the perimeter of the whole foot.

The clinic ran from 9:30 a.m. until about 4:30 p.m., and included a lecture and questions-and-answer session, followed by a shoeing demonstration that also included a question-and-answer session. Lisa Seeger of Markel Insurance provided lunch.

Equine Affaire Clinic

We are planning a similar clinic for the Equine Affaire in Columbus, Ohio, April 11 to 14, 2003, in cooperation with the AFA education committee and American Farrier’s Team. The clinic will feature a seminar by Mitch Taylor of the Kentucky Horseshoeing School in Mt. Edens, Ky. Taylor will use the education committee’s clinic materials that are tailored to the horse owner. Royden Bloom, Drummond, Wis., will oversee live demonstrations of forging and shoeing by members of the American Farrier’s Team.

Maximizing Exposure

The marketing committee plans to attend only trade shows where the AFA will be allowed to make a presentation, whether live or through audio/visual means. The Equine Affaire clinic will be an excellent service to the horse owner…