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American Farriers Journal

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January/February 2018

Volume: 44
Edition: 1

American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.

  • Table Of Contents

    Table Of Contents

    Briefings: January/February 2018

    January 6, 2018 | Posted in Business Practices, Education
    Most Farriers Do Not Qualify For Electronic Logging Device Mandate The equine industry, including farriers and veterinarians, has voiced concerns about whether they would be subject to the U.S. government’s controversial electronic logging device (ELD) mandate.
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    What's This? Icy Traction

    This horseshoe was instrumental in helping New York farmers during the "ice age."
    January 6, 2018 | Posted in Education
    This horseshoe was found in an old barn on a Clove Valley, N.Y., farm. Nearby Pray’s Pond was used by several neighboring farm families in the years before 1940 to jointly harvest ice behind three teams of horses, according to the Winter 2008 edition of Country Courier. The harvest typically began in December and continued into January.
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    Book Review: January/February 2018

    Evaluating Radiographs For Equine Foot Management ­By Pete Healey
    By Bob Smith posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Education, Therapeutic Shoeing
    The quest to define the ideal foot and ideal balance has been the Holy Grail of horseshoeing since the late 1800s when William Russell first coined the term “balance” in the context of footcare. The dilemma facing all books on the horse’s foot has been the concept of what is a “normal” foot.
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    Reader Commentary January/February 2018

    January 6, 2018
    Look To Other Industry As Warning For Farrier Regulation In response to your editorial (“How Farrier Regulation May Arrive,” November 2017), look at the trucking industry to see what could be in store by regulating farriers. Truckers are told when they can drive, when they must take a break.
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    Simple And Straightforward Shoeing Helps Young Horse Recover

    Texas farrier Virgil Conde discusses his strategy for the footcare of a horse that sheared off part of its hoof wall
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing
    In mid-September, Todd and Leighette Davidson knew their young horse Tybee had a problem. Identifying it was easy — the Quarter Horse had broken off part of the hoof wall on the lateral side of its front left foot (Figure 1). As best they could tell from the location of the recovered piece of hoof wall (Figure 2), the horse caught its foot on a broken pipe, which created the trauma.
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    Defining What Is And Isn’t Natural Balance

    British farrier David Nicholls gives a history of how Natural Balance led to a more definitive system of hoof mapping
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on January 6, 2018
    There are misconceptions regarding Natural Balance, according British farrier David Nicholls. Chiefly, that it is a fad, having been around since 1993. It isn’t simply a square-toed shoe. And it isn’t an indiscriminate placement of a shoe onto the foot.
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    Physiology, Foot Morphology And Health In The True Wild Horse

    Researcher finds laminitis and surprising hoof problems with Przewalski’s horse
    By Katie Navarra posted on January 6, 2018
    The Przewalski horse, the only wild horse living today, enjoys what could be considered the “ideal” life. In Mongolia and Hungary, where Brian Hampson has observed them, the nomadic grazers roam the fence-free countryside. Traditional herdsmen are responsible for regularly monitoring the herds, but the caretakers don’t interact with or attempt to domesticate the horses.
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    Don’t Let The Hinds Become An Afterthought

    English farrier explains how he assesses a horse behind for conformation and balance
    By Jeff Cota posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Education, Lamenesses
    Assessing a horse’s conformation is a staple for farriers, and for good reason. Certain conformations offer an understanding of movement, wear and potential lamenesses. “We’re all familiar with different types of conformation in the front limbs,” English farrier Sam Head told attendees at the mid-November Thoro’Bred Extravanza in Anaheim, Calif. “But how many of us truly consider the same in the horse’s hind?”
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    The Beauty of Bold

    Under the right circumstances, using this section could benefit certain horses that you work with
    By Marc Jerram posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Forging, Shoeing, Therapeutic Shoeing

    Various horseshoe designs have been found to have had an effect on hoof loading on synthetic surfaces.1 The most common sections used here in the United Kingdom are concave and flat.


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    Enter The Summit Mail-In Forging Exercise

    Build this shoe for a FREE T-shirt and your chance to win a belt buckle
    January 6, 2018 | Posted in Education, Forging
    Sponsored by VICTORY, this forging exercise will be tied to the International Hoof-Care Summit. You don’t need to attend to participate — mail in your straight bar shoe to enter this free contest. IHCS attendees can save on the postage and drop off their shoe at the Summit.
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    What Were Farriers' Online Footcare Interests in 2017?

    EDUCATION Here’s a look at the “most viewed” content during the past year that appeared on the American Farriers Journal’s digital media platforms
    By Frank Lessiter posted on January 6, 2018
    Before we get wrapped up in everything new for 2018, now is a good time to take a few minutes to look back at a few items in the footcare world that were the most popular among American Farriers Journal digital platform viewers in the past year.
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    Recurrent Solar Abscesses Result From Keratoma

    Vermont farrier and equine veterinarian resolve Quarter Horse’s 4-year struggle with lameness
    By Deanna Stoppler posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing
    Complete surgical removal of a solar keratoma in the right front foot of a 14-year-old Quarter Horse, followed up with daily hoof saline flushes and supportive shoeing packages, resulted in a high rate of success in the horse’s long-term soundness.
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    Research Journal: January/February 2018

    The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture.
    By Albert Kane posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Disciplines & Breeds, Diseases
    A cross-sectional study in England examined the accuracy of owners reporting laminitis in their horses and ponies. The objective was to determine the percentage of owner-reported cases of laminitis that were later confirmed by a veterinarian and to compare the owner’s observations of potential risk factors to the veterinarian’s observations.
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    $300 for a Shoeing Job?

    Editor’s note: Using an inflation calculator, the 1899 rate for the four new shoes and two pads would grow from $5 to nearly $150 in today’s buying power.
    By Richard Becker posted on January 6, 2018 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients
    To some this is just an old invoice. But as a farrier, I see the history of our trade. It also tells me of the value of a farrier. The invoice on this page is from services performed by farrier Daniel Ward for the New York City Fire Department. These horses would pull the fire engine. A client of mine gave it to me after she had bought it for 50 cents at a yard sale in New York state.
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  • Featured Articles

    Featured Articles

    What Were Farriers' Online Footcare Interests in 2017?

    EDUCATION Here’s a look at the “most viewed” content during the past year that appeared on the American Farriers Journal’s digital media platforms
    By Frank Lessiter posted on January 6, 2018
    Before we get wrapped up in everything new for 2018, now is a good time to take a few minutes to look back at a few items in the footcare world that were the most popular among American Farriers Journal digital platform viewers in the past year.
    Read More
  • Digital Edition

    Digital Edition

  • Online Extras

    Online Extras

    Online Extras: January/February 2018 Issue

    January 6, 2018

    Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

    • Watch a video of Bend, Ore., farrier Kurt Fisk offering his insight on scheduling, finding our comfort zone and how competitions can improve your practice.
    • Read more about Brian Hampson’s hoof-care research on feral horse hooves, moisture and the foot and how trimming changes hoof morphology.
    • Gain more insight on working with large horses, as well as how Hall Of Fame farrier Michael Wildenstein handles a variety of foot issues.
    • Get more thoughts and ideas about working with backyard horses.

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Celebrating the 50th Anniversary

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary

American Farriers Journal is excited and honored to celebrate its 50th anniversary of publishing the hands-on magazine for hoof-care professionals. Learn more about our special edition, which comes out in December 2024.

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Life Data Labs

Life Data Labs Inc

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.
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Kawell USA

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.
Smart Pak

SmartPak

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.
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