Mike Hayward

Mike Hayward

Mike Hayward, APF-I, owns a multi-farrier business in Morgan Hill, Calif. He specializes in therapeutic hoof care and shoes English sport horses, eventers, reiners and endurance horses.

ARTICLES

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Benefits of the Omni-Directional Horseshoe

Extensive experience and knowledge are required before application
Achieving the benefits of the therapeutic applications that have been covered over the past eight installments generally can be replicated by most any skill level and budget. The same is not true for the ninth and final subject — the light rail or omni-directional shoe.
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Therapeutic Shoeing

How to Achieve the Benefits of the Bank Robber Horseshoe

Options for enhancing breakover while limiting heels from sinking
It’s been said that some bank robbers in the old American West nailed horseshoes on backward in hopes of deceiving the law during their getaway. It’s unclear whether the strategy worked, but the bank robber shoe can provide a benefit to the horse in some therapeutic situations.
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Therapeutic Shoeing

How to Achieve Benefits of the Onion Horseshoe

Farriers will need time, education and money when making and applying this device
Developed in France during the 17th century, the shoe was forged to protect the heel from corns or bruising. However, the French didn’t call them corns. Rather, they were called onions — hence the name of the shoe.
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Steel Hospital Plate

Hospital Plate Options Provide Horse Hoof Wound Protection

Intermediate and skilled farriers have traditional and creative applications to consider

A hospital plate shoe treatment is a versatile and effective application for managing and treating a variety of hoof maladies.
It’s a varied combination of a horseshoe and removable plate that protects the solar area of the foot while allowing the horse to walk during healing from bouts of laminitis and post-deep penetrating wounds. The plate can act as a tourniquet when the foot is packed with sterile packing material and the plate is tightened against the shoe.




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Options for Supporting an Injured Suspensory Ligament

Knowledge and skill necessary for these therapeutic techniques
Time after time, equine athletes fill our senses with wonder at their abilities while competing. Their speed and jumping prowess thrill equestrians and fans alike. Yet, like their human counterparts, their bodies can fail. Excessive stress and repetitive strain can result in an injury to the suspensory ligament, superficial flexor tendon and sesamoidean ligaments.
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Z-bar Styles Show Variety in Farrier Skill Sets

Flotation option can be altered and applied in a variety of scenarios
The Z-bar is a versatile shoe that can be used when it’s necessary to relieve weight-bearing in the heel quarter or the heel as a result of an injury or insult. It can be used to float sore, sheared and lacerated heels. It can aid the healing of quarter cracks by allowing the hairline to drop. It’s also beneficial for shoeing hoof avulsions; abscesses; corns and infected or fractured bars.
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traditional Z-bar shoe on horses foot farriers point of view

How to Float Heels and Heel Quarters

Farriers of all skill levels can achieve the benefits of the Z-bar horseshoe
The Z-bar is a versatile shoe that can be used when it’s necessary to relieve weight-bearing in the heel quarter or the heel as a result of an injury or insult. It can be used to float sore, sheared and lacerated heels. It can aid the healing of quarter cracks by allowing the hairline to drop. It’s also beneficial for shoeing hoof avulsions; abscesses; corns and infected or fractured bars.
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