This week's facts and figures ... Major Pet Peeves that Farriers Have with Footcare Clients and Steel Still Dominates Shoe Choice. This edition of Farrier Facts & Figures is brought to you by Markel Insurance Co.
Another record number of equine hoof-care professionals invested in their continuing education in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the 15th annual International Hoof-Care Summit for “Sound Strategies For Better Footcare.”
A wealth of information from some of the most knowledgeable hoof-care experts in the world was offered up to the 1,270 attendees from 18 countries.
It’s been said that an endurance horse will take as many as 80,000 footfalls over the course of a 100-mile race that traverses such diverse terrain as rock, water and mud. That’s more than a fair opportunity for a faulty step to result in lameness.
Crouched beside Sunny's dappled belly, Hilary Cloos holds his hoof in her lap, digging out the dirt and nipping down the hoof wall, as any good pedicurist would.
To say that shoeing show hunters and jumpers is a challenging job is an understatement. The competition is intense. Owners, trainers and riders are constantly vigilant to ensure that horses are presented at their very best.
On the road to putting together our list of the 35 Biggest Hoof-Care Product Improvements, we discovered several things; first of all, that it would be easy to put together a list of more than 35 products — but not quite so easy to mention 35 by brand name.
Farriers are lucky to have a wide variety of skills, tools and materials to take care of horses' feet. When that new client calls, we sometimes need all three to do the job. I've always tried to stay on top of information that can help me do the right thing for my customers in all three areas.
When Mike Givney talks about how he built his Otter Creek Farrier Service of Johnsonville, N.Y., into a successful hunter and jumper shoeing operation, he repeatedly refers to the underlying principles that have become the mainstays of his business: having options and paying attention to details.
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.
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.