Ramsey, Minn., farrier Mark Thorkildson grew up around horses. During his youth, the work by the farriers who shod his family's horses didn’t spark Thorkildson's interest in footcare. It wasn't necessarily that their work was bad, but these shoers were in-and-out backyard practitioners. Nothing stood out about their work with horses that would catch the eye of a novice.
Doyle Blagg will tell you that shoeing cutting horses isn't rocket science. That's easy for the Collinsville, Texas, farrier to say - he's been on and worked under them for almost 60 years.
What is the primary breed or discipline you work with? If you could pass along one piece of advice for working with these horses or their owners, what would it be?
Several research papers presented at last December's American Association of Equine Practitioners annual meeting in Las Vegas took an in-depth look at the causes of racing injuries with both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds.
I'm working with a 9-year-old gelding Quarter Horse with bone spurs and possibly early onset navicular. X-rays and an ultrasound taken last year show mild, decreased vascularization of the navicular, an anterior/superior spur (small and slightly rounded) on the coffin bone and a sharp spur on the navicular bursa. The horse has been lame for 18 months.
Force plate measurements are commonly used to evaluate lameness in saddle horses. This experimental study was designed to determine if breed differences influence ground reaction forces measured in sound and lame warmbloods and Quarter Horses.
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.