Weighing The Difference Between Innovation And Fad

What’s the difference between a product that is innovative and one that’s merely a fad? It’s a question that farriers wrestle with regularly, says Steve Kraus, head farrier at Cornell University.

“The fads are the things that say they are going to cure a disease with no efficacy,” the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Famer said during an American Farriers Journal Podcast episode in late May. “If a shoe or a pad says it will cure navicular disease, it’s baloney. It might manage it, but it can’t cure it. People are going to try it because they are desperate. The advertisement is telling them what they want to hear vs. what’s going to work for their horses. What’s going to work for their horse is somebody who knows how to balance a foot, select the right shoe, fit it, modify it and nail it on properly.”

Conformational Problems Can Lead To Bigger Problems

Conformational problems can result in a number of larger problems for a horse, Lexington, Ky., equine veterinarian Duncan Peters told The Horse.

Toeing in or out after angular limb deformities overload one side of the foot and joints could lead to osteoarthritis and/or soft tissue injury. A club foot is liable to get abscesses, bruising or laminitis. Hock joints are often strained in a cow-hocked horse. Offset knees can be prone to splints. Horses with offset feet might face foot and lower limb joint pain. Asymmetrical feet can put uneven…