Today marks the first day I've felt better since being infected with norovirus earlier this week. This wasn't a pleasant way to spend time off from work, but thankfully this illness wasn't long-lasting. Others are not so lucky when it comes to being sick.
Most hoof-care professionals see the need to give back to an industry that has treated them well during their careers. But at the same time, some farriers have shared with us how difficult it can be to pick and choose where they want to volunteer their services.
At last week's International Hoof-Care Summit, we sat down with Welsh farrier Haydn Price. It is hard to pinpoint a single segment from this conversation that stands out as important information or keen insight. Rather, when you speak with someone like Price who possesses this depth of knowledge, the entire time spent in conversation is more like a personal classroom.
It was certainly a surprise when we heard the Calgary Stampede was dropping the World Championship Blacksmiths' Competition after 35 years. Not only was this decision a surprise to the farrier community, but it also was also a shock to the blacksmith competition organizers who had not suspected the elimination of this valuable learning experience.
As we noted here, long-time AFJ Managing Editor Pat Tearney retired at the end of 2013. While cleaning out his office, I came across dozens of bins and folders of farrier images, all of them predating the very comfortable and convenient age of digital images.
Faced with continually increasing costs from one of the major computer operating system providers, the folks at Ontrack Equine in Lake Elmo, Minn., have decided to pull back on further development and maintenance of its system.
Each issue of Practical Horseman features a questions posed to readers about a variety of equine topics. In the January 2014 issue, the editors ask the readers for feedback on the most important trait looked for in a vet and/or farrier.
Rising costs along with slow business growth is the way three equine veterinarians summed up the current horse healthcare situation during this week's annual meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners in Nashville, Tenn.
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.
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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.
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