To shoe or not to shoe, that is the question. Answers vary widely, and often without objectivity. Steve Kraus has developed a protocol that tries to shed light on whether a horse should be shod.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a conversation I had with farrier educator Steve Kraus. During this chat he explained how the "worker mentality" of some farriers can hurt the industry as a whole. After writing posts like this, agreements and disagreements are expected.
There are many shoes used by farriers in therapeutic work and not all of them are specifically designed to treat an injury. Rather than simply reaching for a heart bar shoe for a laminitis case, or a straight bar shoe for palmar heel pain, it’s important to first think about what you want the shoe to do and why.
Your first career therapeutic shoeing situation is likely to be a surprise. You're called in to tack on a "lost shoe," and discover that the shoe has taken a pretty big chunk of the hoof with it. Or you discover a horse doesn't want to bear weight on a front foot. The owner - who is new to the horse world - can't understand it. The horse seemed happy enough when it was chowing down on all that lush green grass in the pasture a few days earlier.
If you attend enough clinics or conferences, you will realize that speakers or panelists aren't the only sources for moments that make attending worthwhile. Sometimes it is a helpful tip, or maybe a new way of thinking about an old problem.
Cornell University Chief of Farrier Services Steve Kraus explains what the WiDTH protocol is and how it can help you determine whether a horse should be shod or go barefoot.
In the upcoming December issue of American Farriers Journal, I wrote about a conversation I had with Steve Kraus...I won't give a way too much detail from the magazine story, but the head of farrier services at Cornell University's veterinary clinic explained how he sees too many cases of poor horseshoeing come into his shop.
Cornell University Head Farrier and Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center clinician Steve Kraus says by learning more about nail history and nail types, they will be more adept at using them.
In this episode, Mark Ellis, a Wisconsin farrier who learned the ropes with Renchin, recalls Red’s relationships with area veterinarians, his legacy and the second career as American Farriers Journal’s technical editor.
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.