You look at the foot and there it is: a weak heel that you suspect might lend itself to the development of a foot with long-toe, low-heel syndrome. The bad heel might have been caused by trimming the heel too low or by a naturally weak heel prone to collapse. Or it could be caused by excessive wear at the heel that, studies have shown, can be brought about by a shoe, especially one that’s too small, that exposes only the heel to wear.

About half of Florida farrier Tom Curl’s work is patching quarter cracks, which doesn’t require a large rig and a full stock of shoes. And since he put about 48,000 miles on his last truck (a Chevrolet Suburban) last year, weight savings and gas mileage are significant concerns.

Educating “tomorrow’s equine practitioner” continues to be a major challenge as the information explosion and the public’s demand for medical excellence continue to grow and expand. When it comes to educating veterinary students, the ability to provide essential training, expertise and experience in all disciplines, as well as with a myriad of species, means some aspects of veterinary medical education may only be lightly covered.

If you don’t get McGinn’s joke, try finding Solano, N.M., on the map. That’s where Bachen owns and runs Wagon Mound Ranch Supply, a leading horseshoe supply house with nearly 25 years in business. The store is located basically in the middle of nowhere. There are nine people living in the town and only 750 in the entire county, which covers 2,500 square miles.