Much of the country is celebrating the arrival of spring, but let’s face it — it’s mud season. As the paddocks and pastures languish into a soupy mess, you can almost hear the revelry of the bacterial jamboree that is the horse’s hoof.
The AVMA Should Reconsider Farrier Exemption Exclusion
It is my belief that horsemanship is an art, not a science.
This point of view shapes my concern about the proposed modifications to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Model Veterinary Practice Act (MVPA), especially regarding the farrier exemption elimination.
Whether it’s repairing a hoof stand with a urethane adhesive or using charcoal to prevent tool rust, farriers are particularly adept at finding outside-the-box uses for a number of products.
“You don’t want to shoe lames horses, trust me.” Bob Marshall tried to warn the confident young farrier, but the then 18-year-old Travis Koons had made up his mind. The Hemet, Calif., youngster had printed business cards, announcing that his farrier practice specializes in pathological, remedial and corrective horseshoeing.
This year's Calgary Stampede Blacksmiths' Classic took a new twist on the traditional competition with a team concept. Four teams of four farriers from the United States and Canada competed to test their skills and be the first team to win the competition.
One year, I was at a World Championship Blacksmith contest and the match play semifinalists had to make a 3/8-inch by 3/4-inch, fullered, toe-clipped shoe. The four competitors had 8 minutes to build it. About 4 minutes into this, the generator stopped, so the decision was made to start over.
The World Championship Blacksmiths group recently held their national finals in Wilcox, Ariz. Named as the national individual champion for the year was Travis Koons of Romoland, Calif.
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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