Clients who make it clear during conversations that they see good hoof care as an essential part of being a good provider for their horses are sending you a message, says John Suttle.
Ian McKinlay's shoeing rig is different than what you'll find being used by most farriers. First, the rig used by the South Amboy, N.J., blacksmith is a 2008 Lincoln Continental Town Car.
With any horse that Ian McKinlay encounters that shows front-end lameness where the feet are questionable, the South Amboy, N.J., farrier immediately performs several simple tests. He evaluates the horse as it walks from a soft surface onto a hard surface.
We at American Farriers Journal often emphasize the importance of continuing your hoof-care education by attending clinics and conferences or by spending time with others in the field.
Using cameras to catalog your work isn't a new idea to farriery. Until recently, many shoers would use a 35 mm film camera to document horses' feet. In those days, one would shoot pictures, turn in the film at a developer and, a few days later when the pictures were ready, collect the photos and hope they turned out OK.
During his career as a racetrack blacksmith, Ian McKinlay of South Amboy, N.J., had little doubt of what was his biggest enemy — concussion; particularly heel concussion.
Greg Martin, CJF, of Boerne, Texas, takes the unique approach of marketing his hoof-care practice with a Christmas parade float in Boerne and Comfort, Texas. The award-winning float boasts a variety of surprising features.
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 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.
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.