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American Farriers Journal

December 2013 AFJ

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December 2013

Volume: 39
Edition: 8

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

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    Shoeing For A Living

    Changing Times, Changing Practice

    While Tennessee farrier John Schmidt’s practice has diversified over the past few years, his commitment to high quality work has never wavered
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Shoeing
    If you are talking horses in Bedford County, Tenn., it is going to be about the Big Lick.
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    For Therapeutic Work, Farriers Need to Develop More Than Just Shoeing Skills

    Ability to work as part of a team, think through problems and an understanding of anatomy and mechanics are vital
    By Pat Tearney posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing
    Your first career therapeutic shoeing situation is likely to be a surprise. You're called in to tack on a "lost shoe," and discover that the shoe has taken a pretty big chunk of the hoof with it. Or you discover a horse doesn't want to bear weight on a front foot. The owner - who is new to the horse world - can't understand it. The horse seemed happy enough when it was chowing down on all that lush green grass in the pasture a few days earlier.
    Read More
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    Think the Situation Through Before You Pick a Therapeutic Shoe

    Mechanics, cause and effect and a proper trim and fit are all aspects of the successful shoeing package
    By Pat Tearney posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing
    There are many shoes used by farriers in therapeutic work and not all of them are specifically designed to treat an injury. Rather than simply reaching for a heart bar shoe for a laminitis case, or a straight bar shoe for palmar heel pain, it’s important to first think about what you want the shoe to do and why.
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    Changing the Way You Work

    With bodily pain and discomfort, you must pay attention to what your body is telling you
    By Shannon Venegas posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Safety & Healthcare
    Most farriers can list a number of physical ailments. For some it's the back. Others suffer from tennis elbow. But what few realize is that a simple change of posture under the horse and beginning daily exercise can ward off part of the cumulative work trauma.
    Read More

    Tackling Unsolved Mysteries

    Unanswered questions deal with the shape, angle, position, center of rotation and proper referencing
    By Scott Lampert posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Anatomy
    At last winter's International Hoof-Care Summit, there was considerable dialogue among farriers in one of the 24 Hoof-Care Roundtables regarding the role that the center of rotation (COR) plays in effective footcare. While this article deals with the bends in the bars of the hoof, the COR plays a key role in this discussion.
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    Day With A Clinician Program Continues To Help Spread Hoof-Care Knowledge

    International Hoof-Care Summit attendee, Delta Mustad clinician team up to tackle horses’ lameness issues
    By Blake Brown posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Education
    As part of its commitment to continuing education programs for farriers, Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center once again sponsored a "Day with a Clinician" door prize for attendees at the 2013 International Hoof-Care Summit. This year's winner was David Goedde, from Belleville, Ill.
    Read More
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    Working With Aluminum? Consider TIG Welding

    Massachusetts farrier Mike Phillips finds that TIG welding can connect aluminum shoes and creative therapeutic applications
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Forging
    At the 2013 International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, veterinarians, researchers and farriers delivered talks that covered a wide range of topics covering biomechanics, pathologies and treatments.
    Read More

    Working For Vet Clinics Pays Off For Horseshoers

    Independent veterinary clinics provide opportunities for farriers searching to expand their practice and take on challenging work
    By Sarah Grandinetti posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Education
    Veterinary clinics can handle a wide variety of needs ranging from reproduction to internal medicine. Many of the independent facilities across the United States and Canada have podiatry needs. With that need, these clinics and hospitals need farriers who are part of the team.
    Read More
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    Across The Shoeing Economic Divide

    The equine economy is bouncing back in the Pacific Northwest, but more so west of the Cascades than east
    December 1, 2013 | Posted in Business Practices
    The equine economy seems to be bouncing back in the Pacific Northwest, but at least to some extent, the fortunes of hoof-care professionals are divided - much as the Cascade mountain range divides the economies of Oregon and Washington.
    Read More
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    You and Your Horse's Feet

    Understanding The Common Problems Of The Hoof And The Foot

    Learning the basics can help novice horse owners get the help they need to head off minor issues before they become major
    By Heather Smith Thomas posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses
    Many hoof problems are caused by the environment the horses' feet are subjected to, or inadequate nutrition or genetics. Some horses inherit thin soles, small feet, or crooked legs. In most instances, horse owners can prevent serious problems with good care - and with the help of a farrier to correct small problems before they become large ones.
    Read More
    Book Notes

    A Well-Balanced Approach To Footcare

    Understanding The Horse’s Feet
    By John Stewart posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Anatomy, Education
    In Understanding the Horse's Feet, the author encourages farriers to fully comprehend the complex subject of the horse's foot, hoof care and the plethora of conditions that affect it and be prepared to share much of the information with horse owners.
    Read More

    Remembering Dave Willis

    Farriers share the impact that the Hall Of Fame shoer and Anvil 21 member made on their lives and the footcare industry
    December 1, 2013 | Posted in Education
    On Nov. 4, 2013, legendary farrier Dave Willis passed away. The member of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame had built a reputation for his quality shoeing work, brilliant intellect and friendly personality. He also is recognized for inventing or refining a wide variety of farrier tools and forges. He was deeply committed to education, having founded the Oregon Farriers Association.
    Read More

    Veterinarians' Roundtable

    December 1, 2013 | Posted in Diseases
    In the September/October issue of AFJ, we asked veterinarians what some of the red flags or symptoms are that farriers may see in a horse to indicate that a vet should be called. Veterinary surgeon John Stewart expanded on this topic.
    Read More
    The Hoof-Care Bottom Line

    Organize Your Expenses To Help Your Business

    A yearlong categorization of expenses related to your footcare practice will benefit you in preparation for determining income tax
    By Esco Buff posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Business Practices
    The end of the year is a great time to review your business operations. A critical part of this is tax preparation for your hoof-care practice. How prepared are you for reporting your business expenses?
    Read More
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    Delivering As An All-Around Farrier

    Farrier Shawn Nanny has established a thriving practice based on shoeing the utility horse of central Texas
    By John Bradshaw posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Shoeing
    In central Texas ranch country, Shawn Nanny shoes a variety of horses, including ranch horses, rodeo horses, backyard ponies and even some gaited horses. However, the backbone of his business and his specialty is the all-around horse.
    Read More

    Using An Evidence-Based Treatment In A Fractured Navicular Bone Case

    Diagnostic imaging plays a key role in this non-intrusive method that helped a horse return to the show ring
    By Monique Craig and Kristina Grewal posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing
    The case presented here is one of many we have been working on. This case is the most interesting because we had the advantage of having a thorough diagnostic history of the horse, which we believe is very important for proper, informed treatment for any patient. This entails having access to quality diagnostic images that pre-date the current treatment protocol.
    Read More
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    Spotlight on Hoof Care

    Vet And Farrier Volunteer To Train Romania’s Farriers

    Equine vet Amy Rucker and farrier Jim Keith join mission trip to Romania to work on horses and help train local farriers
    By Amy Johnson posted on December 1, 2013 | Posted in Education
    Amy Rucker, a Columbia, Mo., equine veterinarian recently joined the Christian Veterinary Mission for its 3-week trip to Romania. The group, organized by South Bend, Ind., veterinarian Marty Langhofer, consists of farriers and veterinarians who travel to Romania to work on horses and lecture at universities.
    Read More

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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 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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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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