Six individuals were honored for outstanding careers in hoof during the Halls of Fame induction ceremonies at the 20th annual International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.

There is no shortage of horseshoes, in size, style or material. It will take no more than a few minutes inside a well-stocked supply store to convince anyone of that. Jeff Ridley, a farrier from Leighton, Iowa, recently was struck by that fact during a clinic at Anvil Brand’s headquarters in Lexington, Ill. The clinician was Shayne Carter of West Mountain, Utah.

Performance horses, by the very nature of the work they are asked to do, are more prone to injuries than horses that are being used primarily for recreational riding. There are a number of studies that offer evidence that certain injuries are more likely to occur with certain disciplines, but an informal survey of several experienced farriers indicates that across disciplines, more common injuries such as sore feet and abscesses are the culprits that farriers most often have to deal with.

The ball has dropped. Toasts have been made. Another year has passed. Father Time has relinquished his mantle to Baby New Year. But before running headlong into 2017, it’s a good time to reflect upon 2016. After all, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”