Farriers beware. Avoid diagnosing a horse with navicular disease, a problem that even experienced equine veterinarians using high-technology cannot always determine with absolute certainty.

Excuse the older folks who still pull to the side of the road when Clint Laybourn’s shoeing rig approaches from behind. Even without its emergency lights flashing, the truck still looks very much like the ambulance it once was.

Imagine that money is no object and you could have any shoeing rig your heart desired. Want it roomy? OK. Want it to provide protection from the elements? Of course. Want it to travel comfortably? No problem. Eye-catching. You betcha’. Anything you want.

It still ranks as one of the Golden Rules of horseshoeing: Thou Shall Use The Smallest Nails Possible To Keep The Shoe On Until The Next Appointment.

After roughly two decades of use on humans, magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI for short, is becoming practical for equine medical care.

Pedal osteitis, an inflammation of the coffin bone usually resulting from severe bruising of the sole or consistent pressure on the bone, often reveals itself through an obvious, crescent-shaped bruise on the bottom of the foot.

Blood flows through the equine hoof, reaching almost to the surface as it delivers oxygen and other nutrients needed to keep the foot healthy.