At the 2013 International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, farrier Terry Osborne discusses shoeing Hunters and Jumpers, stud patterns, and dealing with varying levels of traction.
When you read the first timestamp for this "Shoeing For A Living," you may think that this day started slightly late. While it may be true that many farriers usually have a foot in the air by 9 a.m., this isn't a case of the subject - or editor - sleeping in.
There are very few advantages to having had a lot of birthdays and some gray in your hair, but the big benefit is having a lot of experience and a personal sense of history. In the 40 years I have been shoeing hunters and jumpers, I have witnessed a lot of changes. The biggest is the shift from using ex-racing Thoroughbreds to European warmbloods as the primary breeds.
Farriers are lucky to have a wide variety of skills, tools and materials to take care of horses' feet. When that new client calls, we sometimes need all three to do the job. I've always tried to stay on top of information that can help me do the right thing for my customers in all three areas.
When Mike Givney talks about how he built his Otter Creek Farrier Service of Johnsonville, N.Y., into a successful hunter and jumper shoeing operation, he repeatedly refers to the underlying principles that have become the mainstays of his business: having options and paying attention to details.
Pads may not have been around quite as long as horseshoes, but they are far from a new invention. Farriers have been adding materials to horseshoes for years — to change a hoof angle, provide added protection, to attempt to alter a horse’s gait — and from just about the first time a farrier added a pad, there was someone else that though he’d made a huge mistake.
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.