April 2020

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

Subscribe Now

Table Of Contents

Table Of Contents

Frankly Speaking: Optimism During the COVID-19 Outbreak

By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 6, 2020 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients, Safety & Healthcare

The world turned on its head this late winter. We all know about the emergence and spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and how quickly it shifted our lives. Things changed quickly.
Read More

Briefings: April 2020

April 6, 2020 | Posted in Business Practices, Lamenesses, Safety & Healthcare

Several equine industry events have been limited or cancelled in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19.
Read More

5 Phases for Direct Gluing Shoes

Farrier Curtis Burns delivers advice for better success with using direct glue-on shoes.

By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 6, 2020 | Posted in Education, Shoeing, Products

From traditional steel shoes to modern materials, farriers have a wide range of flexibility when managing the various challenges presented by horses’ feet.
Read More

Special Coverage

Farriers Report on COVID-19 Businesses Practices

Many United States farriers feel early impact from clients affected by the virus, but horses still require footcare

By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 7, 2020 | Posted in Business Practices, Safety & Healthcare

Farriery is part of the overall equine industry. Although the horse world’s confederations of occupations, breeds and disciplines each have their uniqueness, no part of the equine industry operates in a vacuum. Outside influences will always impact the horse world.
Read More

How Nutrition Affects the Horses' Hoof

Equine feet will reflect diertary deficiencies and excesses in their outward appearance

By Allison Armstrong Rehnborg posted on April 7, 2020 | Posted in Education, Nutrition, Products

From hoof quality to athletic ability, good nutrition influences every aspect of a horse’s health. Nutritional imbalances result when a horse is fed too little or too much of a nutrient. Quality forage and grain should provide the bulk of a horse’s nutritional needs, but supplements also may be needed to balance a horse’s ration.
Read More

6 Steps to Cure a Microbial Infection

Treating thrush, white line and other infections require an approach that is effective without causing harm to a horse’s foot

By Kristen Kubisiak posted on April 7, 2020 | Posted in Education, Diseases, Products

Many farriers have a tried-and-tested method of working with microbial issues on a horse’s feet. But from time to time, a case might come along that is particularly stubborn — when nothing seems to work or it just keeps recurring, despite a hoof-care professional’s best efforts.
Read More

The Benefits of Pads and Packing in the Show Horse Ring

Equine athletes compete more and at a higher level with sound choices

By Jeff Cota posted on April 8, 2020 | Posted in Disciplines & Breeds, Education, Products

A show horse farrier’s job is to keep the athlete sound and in the ring. The hard truth of it is that if the farrier can’t keep the horse sound and showing, the client will replace them with someone who can. Coshocton, Ohio, and Wellington, Fla., farrier Dave Farley has been shoeing equine athletes for more than 4 decades and strives to do his part so the horse can perform at a high level.
Read More

Hall of Fame Farrier Dave Farley Shares 12 Points of Reference to Use When Trimming

Using a multidimensional approach can increase the likelihood of achieving a balanced foot

By Kristen Kubisiak posted on April 8, 2020 | Posted in Anatomy, Business Practices, Education

Hall of Fame farrier Dave Farley was working for the large animal hospital at Ohio State University when he first realized the profound impact that point of view can have on evaluating the equine limb. “One of the tools we had was a fluoroscope,” he says, noting that it had a fluorescent screen and was used for viewing X-ray images without taking or developing X-ray photographs.
Read More

Radiograph Method Can Fall Short in Determining Sole Depth

ELPO study illustrates need for closer evaluation of hoof tissues

By Steve Foxworth posted on April 8, 2020 | Posted in Anatomy, Education, Trimming

When evaluating the horse’s sole before trimming, there are many things we need to consider and have the presence of mind to ask ourselves some important questions — even when our tried-and-trusted methods suggest the horse has enough sole depth.
Read More

Equine Reciprocating Systems: Extreme Skeletal Specializations

In this sixth installment, Dr. Deb Bennett discusses the impact of the equine joint shape on the horse’s forelimb

By Deb Bennett posted on April 9, 2020 | Posted in Anatomy, Education

Most, if not all, farriers are already familiar with the chain of bones that forms the equine forelimb: scapula, humerus, radius-ulna, carpal bones, cannon bones and splints, pastern bones and coffin bone. Added to this list are the three pseudo-bones called sesamoids, which lie behind the ankle and coffin joints.
Read More

Michigan Farrier Shares His Tips for a Successful 45-Year Career

Reliance on the basics of farriery and sound business practices promotes favorable outcomes

April 9, 2020 | Posted in Business Practices

Forty-five years is an extensive period to invest one’s time in anything, whether it’s publishing a hoof-care magazine or shoeing horses. For the latter, it’s a nice long career. And for one farrier, the time has come to wind it down. Brown City, Mich., farrier Paul Melcher started his shoeing practice the same year that Hall of Fame shoer Henry Heymering published the very first 8-page issue of American Farriers Journal — 1975.
Read More

Hoof Moisture Content Plays a Major Role in Foot Quality

Shorter trimming intervals, moisture barriers and proper supplementation can aid farriers in regulating hoof moisture

By Katie Navarra posted on April 9, 2020 | Posted in Education, Therapeutic Shoeing, Products

Veteran farrier and founder of the Crawford, Neb., Butler Professional Farrier School, Dr. Doug Butler is credited with saying, “Hoof quality may relate more to the hoof’s ability to regulate moisture content than anything else.” Although Lafayette, Ind., farrier Danvers Child jokes that he and Butler, both members of the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame, sometimes have disagreements, they see eye-to-eye on this point; the key topic of client discussion should center around regulating the moisture content in hooves.
Read More

Therapeutic Farrier Achieves Hoof-Care Goals Using Pads and Pour-ins

Products can provide frog support, cushion the sole and reduce concussion

By Heather Smith Thomas posted on April 10, 2020 | Posted in Education, Therapeutic Shoeing, Products

Pads and pour-ins offer farriers a variety of options when servicing hoof-care clients. Nick Denson, a farrier in Sagamore, Mass., works on many therapeutic cases and relies on these products regularly. During the 2020 International Hoof-Care Summit, Denson presented “Shoeing Tips with Castle Pads and Pour-in Urethanes” during a How-to Hoof-Care Product Knowledge Clinic, sponsored by Castle Plastics.
Read More

Shop Talk: April 2020

April 10, 2020 | Posted in Business Practices, Education

The American Farrier’s Association held its 49th annual convention in Chattanooga, Tenn. Farriers gathered to compete at the 2020 National Forging and Horseshoeing Competition, attend educational programs and visit the Farrier Industry Association (FIA) Marketplace. Music City Horseshoers Association was the host chapter of this year’s event.
Read More

Research Journal: April 2020

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 April 10, 2020 | Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses, Safety & Healthcare, Products

Researchers in Great Britain used a web-based questionnaire in a prospective study designed to investigate factors associated with the occurrence of laminitis. Over a 2-year period, almost 7,000 questionnaires were obtained from owners reporting on 123 episodes of laminitis in about 1,100 horses and ponies. Most (93) of the animals only had one incident of laminitis while 19 animals has multiple episodes.
Read More
Featured Articles

Featured Articles

The Benefits of Pads and Packing in the Show Horse Ring

Equine athletes compete more and at a higher level with sound choices

By Jeff Cota posted on April 8, 2020 | Posted in Disciplines & Breeds, Education, Products

A show horse farrier’s job is to keep the athlete sound and in the ring. The hard truth of it is that if the farrier can’t keep the horse sound and showing, the client will replace them with someone who can. Coshocton, Ohio, and Wellington, Fla., farrier Dave Farley has been shoeing equine athletes for more than 4 decades and strives to do his part so the horse can perform at a high level.
Read More

Equine Reciprocating Systems: Extreme Skeletal Specializations

In this sixth installment, Dr. Deb Bennett discusses the impact of the equine joint shape on the horse’s forelimb

By Deb Bennett posted on April 9, 2020 | Posted in Anatomy, Education

Most, if not all, farriers are already familiar with the chain of bones that forms the equine forelimb: scapula, humerus, radius-ulna, carpal bones, cannon bones and splints, pastern bones and coffin bone. Added to this list are the three pseudo-bones called sesamoids, which lie behind the ankle and coffin joints.
Read More

Michigan Farrier Shares His Tips for a Successful 45-Year Career

Reliance on the basics of farriery and sound business practices promotes favorable outcomes

April 9, 2020 | Posted in Business Practices

Forty-five years is an extensive period to invest one’s time in anything, whether it’s publishing a hoof-care magazine or shoeing horses. For the latter, it’s a nice long career. And for one farrier, the time has come to wind it down. Brown City, Mich., farrier Paul Melcher started his shoeing practice the same year that Hall of Fame shoer Henry Heymering published the very first 8-page issue of American Farriers Journal — 1975.
Read More
Digital Edition

Digital Edition

For Digital Subscribers: Login To Your Digital Flipbook Of The April 2020 Issue

April 6, 2020

Now view magazine-like digital flipbooks on your desktop and tablet. Starting in 2015 issues, included for FREE with your Digital or Premium subscription, view the magazine on your laptop, tablet, and mobile device. You need to be logged in to view.
Read More
Online Extras
Online Extras
Online Extras: April 2020

April 12, 2020

Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

Equine Reciprocating Systems – Review all six installments of Dr. Deb Bennett’s series “Equine Reciprocating Systems.”

Celebrate Our Anniversary – Read the original “Shoeing for a Living” article, “25-Year Shoer!” about Michigan farrier Paul Melcher as part of our 45th Anniversary celebration.

Lessons Learned in Business – Listen to the AFJ podcast episode featuring Dave Farley in which he discusses the lessons he’s learned in running a lasting farrier business.

Education Helps the Horse – Read “Colorado Farrier Embraces Learning Opportunities to Benefit Horses,” a “Shoeing for a Living” article featuring Steve Foxworth.

Read More

American Farriers Journal

April 2020

Table Of Contents

Featured Articles

Digital Edition

Online Extras

THIS MONTH'S DIGITAL SPONSORS:

Top Articles

Current Issue

Current Issue

Must Read Free Eguides

Videos

Events