There are few places in the United States where a modern community has no use for motorized vehicles. One such place can be found on Mackinac Island, just south of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in Lake Huron.
The island, which is 3.8 square miles, outlawed horseless carriages in 1898, leaving three modes of transportation — walking, bicycling and horses.
Kirk Underschultz has been a hoof-care professional since 1979 — a testament to his love of the work and devotion to his clients. But it wasn’t long ago that his future as a farrier seemed uncertain.
Several years ago, Underschultz started experiencing painful arthritis in his fingers and wrists — the most critical tools of any farrier.
Humans have been using cannabis for various reasons for more than 2 millennia, yet because of its mind-altering effects, all forms were illegal in the United States until recently.
One of the major concerns every farrier deals with is how to help lame horses. This was evidenced by the responses from farriers participating in a recent survey who indicated they routinely deal with a number of horses with lameness issues.
Many within the farrier industry are well acquainted with Tucumcari, N.M., farrier Jim Keith as a horseshoer, toolmaker, educator, not to mention a talented artist with both hammer and pencil. The International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member puts the latter to good use by sharing stories from his time working at the historic Bell Ranch in his book I Never Called Myself a Cowboy.
Pour-in pads may help with joint pain
Deep ground surfaces, like plowed dirt, can put stress on a horse’s upper body, shoulders and hips, and can be especially painful if the horse is already experiencing joint pain from lack of exercise.
Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College’s Structure and Motion Laboratory in the United Kingdom examined the effects of three common hacking surfaces (asphalt, gravel and grass) on foot placement, movement symmetry and hoof impact deceleration during the walk and trot.
Examination of a series of lameness cases in Texas revealed insights into why owners of 200 cutting horses sought treatment at the Texas A&M Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
As summer comes to a close, horse owners are still taking advantage of the weather with weekend trail rides. With horses getting many hours of physical activity on the weekends, the sudden stillness during the week can take a toll on their bodies and result in joint pain.
We sat down with Mark Ellis, a Wisconsin farrier who learned the ropes with Renchin and went on to enjoy a 38-year career in hoof care.
In this episode sponsored by Life Data Labs, Ellis details how he started working for Renchin.
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.