Loss of hoof wall could be the result of several factors including injury, disease, and infection. Often a horse can lose what appears to be massive amounts of wall, but still be sound and moving well. Other times the smallest crack can result in lameness. The important factors are the location and cause of the damage.
The transition that happens when bringing a horse from the track to the farm often requires more intense farrier care than the average farm resident can provide. Clearly, a farrier working at a farm shoeing yearlings or broodmares will not have the same objectives that he or she does when at the track. At the farm your farrier will generally use larger nails, heavier shoes, and a tighter heel fitting. While this is not necessarily ideal, it is highly practical.
With the recent acquisition of J.H.M. Manufacturing Co. of Peaster, Texas, Anvil Brand Shoe Co. of Lexington, Ill., has become a manufacturer of anvils, vises and several other farrier products.
These days, fewer and fewer horses reside on the racetrack grounds than there have been in the past. A racetrack would normally have enough stalls to fill the weekly card and accommodate the green (unraced) horses as well. As tracks evolve, this is falling by the wayside.
There is no question that we abuse the horse’s hoof in the process of working and training them. That is the primary reason horseshoes were invented. When training gets serious, shoeing frequency increases. This leads to hoof wall abuse in many situations. Add to that lost shoes, tweaks and changes, along with adapting to different race track surfaces, and it can get pretty serious.
The fit and finish of a nail is something most farriers are very familiar with. Many other horsemen may not realize the ins and outs of choosing the correct nail for a given shoe package.
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.
The Western Canadian Farriers Association will hold its fall conference and competition Nov. 1-3, 2024, in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The keynote speakers are David Varini, AWCF, and Randy Luikart, CJF.
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.