One Friday a month, 30 farriers in western Pennsylvania gather at Allegheny Equine Practice. At least one, often two, lame horses are awaiting them. A veterinarian performs a lameness exam and explains the steps involved. The horses are blocked and radiographs are taken.

Horses presenting high-low syndrome is a common management issue for farriers. And as with other challenges in farriery, there is no one-size-fits-all solution in addressing the problem. Particularly with this syndrome, there are many variants or forms, and the farrier must also factor in many other variables beyond what is presented in the feet to improve the outcome for the horse.

Foot infections are a common source of lameness in the horse. Understanding the causes of these infections and identifying their clinical signs are key to getting a horse back on the path toward health. Raul Bras, certified journeyman farrier and a veterinarian at Rood & Riddle in Lexington, Ky. discussed some of the different foot infections a hoof-care professional is likely to encounter, the importance of early identification and types of veterinary interventions that may be necessary at the Midwest Equine Podiatry Conference in Arlington, Wis.

One of the best things horse owners and farriers can do for horses is hydrate their hooves consistently, says Tab Pigg, an Azle, Texas, certified journeyman farrier and Vettec technical specialist.

Your client called. Her horse is three-legged lame, and she thinks it’s an abscess. What should you do? For many farriers, the answer is easy: evaluate the lameness, and if it’s an abscess, drain the infection and keep the hoof clean and dry afterward.