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American Farriers Journal

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April 2016

Volume: 42
Edition: 3

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

    Jeremy McGovern
    Frankly Speaking

    If Or When Will Technology Revolutionize Footcare?

    By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Education, Equipment, Shoeing
    When Gerard Laverty started his apprenticeship in the 1970s, a friend warned him about pursuing a career in hoof care because the industry would be taken over by computers, eliminating the need for farriers. The friend reasoned that farriery was essentially unchanged for nearly 100 years, so the industry was ripe for massive change.
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    Briefings: April 2016

    April 4, 2016 | Posted in Diseases, Safety & Healthcare

    Laminar Stretching Is An Indication Of Subclinical Laminitis

    When observing laminar stretching at the toe, Chapel Hill, N.C., equine veterinarian Dick Mansmann advised attendees at March’s North Carolina State Equine Health Symposium of the need for radiographs to determine the extent of the laminitis — regardless of how sound the horse is.


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    Keep Your Rasps Sharp And Save

    Pennsylvania farrier suggests two techniques to give your tool longer life
    By Jeff Cota posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment
    Steve Teichman and his Chester County Farrier Associates crew get under about 15 horses a day. While that’s great for business, it also means tools and other resources wear out quicker — especially rasps.
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    Solid Solution For Safety

    Presentation provides insight on proper use and application of sedative
    April 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment, Safety & Healthcare
    Compared to injectable Dormo­sedan, the gel version of the drug is relatively new to the equine industry. However, in just a few years it has grown in popularity of use for mild sedation. At the 2016 International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kenton Morgan, a technical service veterinarian for Zoetis, gave a presentation about the drug and its appropriate usage.
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    Performance And Conformation

    At higher levels of competition, understanding how a horse is put together becomes increasingly important
    By Pat Tearney posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Disciplines & Breeds, Lamenesses
    It’s natural for hoof-care professionals to focus primarily on a horse’s lower limbs as they work, but a general knowledge of equine anatomy and conformation is also important. This knowledge becomes more critical for those who work on performance horses. The higher the level of performance, the more critical that knowledge becomes.
    Read More

    Body Condition Scoring System Keeps Equine Professionals On The Same Page

    This standardized method to determine a horse’s ideal body weight is an important tool for horse owners, trainers, farriers and nutritionists
    By Amy Johnson posted on April 4, 2016

    Body condition scoring is something every horse owner and trainer should know how to use in order to evaluate if a horse is too skinny or too fat, says Jessica Normand, senior director of equine health for SmartPak.


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    Farrier Q&A: April 2016

    What is the best tool modification that you use? What are the steps involved in doing this?
    April 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment
    What is the best tool modification that you use? What are the steps involved in doing this?
    Read More

    Farrier Licensing: Just The Facts

    What does registration, certification and licensing mean for the horseshoeing industry?
    By Jeff Cota posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices

    When the subject of licensing comes up, there are a multitude of opinions about what it is, what it means and how it should be handled. Sometimes those ideas are rooted in flawed information.


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    A Unique Approach to Frog Support

    Rethinking the application of a pad results in a beneficial application for 3-day eventers
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment, Shoeing

    Manufacturers of hoof-care products are blessed. Although they often create products with specific intended uses and applications, the farriers they serve will likely come up with innovations on how to improve a product or use it differently.


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    Video Review

    Draft Horse Trimming, Shoeing Lessons Spelled Out

    Tips And Techniques For Shoeing The Draft Horse With Michael Wildenstein, CJF, FWCF
    By Jacob Butler CJF, AWCF posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment
    This DVD was filmed for RFD-TV with five segments or episodes. Each segment is an average of 26 minutes for a total of over 2 hours of viewing time. Since all five segments are included on one video, you can view the complete trimming and shoeing job from start to finish without having to wait until next week to view another episode.
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    Hoof Protection Options For The Long Run

    Vettec representative reviews the top three appliances that dominate endurance racing
    By Jeff Cota posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Disciplines & Breeds, Equipment
    It’s been said that an endurance horse will take as many as 80,000 footfalls over the course of a 100-mile race that traverses such diverse terrain as rock, water and mud. That’s more than a fair opportunity for a faulty step to result in lameness.
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    Research Journal: April 2016

    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 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Diseases, Therapeutic Shoeing
    IV Tildren for Navicular Syndrome The efficacy of administering the injectable bisphosphonate medication for horses (Tildren) in two different ways was evaluated for the treatment of navicular syndrome. Twelve horses diagnosed with bilateral navicular syndrome were randomly assigned to receive Tildren either systemically by intravenous injection or by using regional limb perfusion, where the drug is “back-flushed” directly into the blood vessels of the lower limb so that it is delivered to the lower limb and hoof in a more direct, concentrated manner.
    Read More
  • Featured Articles

    Featured Articles

    Jeremy McGovern
    Frankly Speaking

    If Or When Will Technology Revolutionize Footcare?

    By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Education, Equipment, Shoeing
    When Gerard Laverty started his apprenticeship in the 1970s, a friend warned him about pursuing a career in hoof care because the industry would be taken over by computers, eliminating the need for farriers. The friend reasoned that farriery was essentially unchanged for nearly 100 years, so the industry was ripe for massive change.
    Read More
    Opener_Conformation_AFJ_0416.jpg

    Performance And Conformation

    At higher levels of competition, understanding how a horse is put together becomes increasingly important
    By Pat Tearney posted on April 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Disciplines & Breeds, Lamenesses
    It’s natural for hoof-care professionals to focus primarily on a horse’s lower limbs as they work, but a general knowledge of equine anatomy and conformation is also important. This knowledge becomes more critical for those who work on performance horses. The higher the level of performance, the more critical that knowledge becomes.
    Read More
  • Digital Edition

    Digital Edition

  • Online Extras

    Online Extras

    Online Extras: April 2016 Issue

    April 1, 2016

    Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

    • More advice for using glue-ons
    • Research from the RVC on hoof testers
    • Better rasping practices
    • Special, free eBook on licensing

    Read More
    American Farriers Journal Checklist

    Basics In Using A Rasp

    By Bob Peacock posted on May 1, 2006 | Posted in Equipment
    The rasp is the most frequently used cutting tool in any farrier’s box. Here are some useful tips for using it with efficiency, ease and accuracy.
    Read More
    horse

    How Reliable Is The Use Of Hoof Testers?

    Researchers take the first step in a comparison of learning more about the consistency of this instrument’s usage
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on March 1, 2014 | Posted in Shoeing
    Hoof testers are a go-to tool for veterinarians and farriers alike. But how consistent is the usage among practitioners? Can differences in applied force tell us anything about how hoof tester results can vary?
    Read More
    Free eGuide

    A Historical Look At Farrier Licensing

    | Posted in Business Practices, Education
    Back in 2005, American Farriers Journal published a highly controversial 54-page series on farrier licensing and the role that horseshoeing schools played in preparing students for a hoof-care career. To provide the hoof-care industry with a look back at the valuable historical insights on the pros and cons of farrier licensing from 10 years ago, we created this compilation of four of the 18 articles that appeared in that series.
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Videos

Farrier Education: Heartland Horseshoeing School

Farrier Education: Heartland Horseshoeing School

Farriery requires knowledge and skills to provide proper equine hoof care. In this series, sponsored by VICTORY, American Farriers Journal visits Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. In this edition, Chris Gregory discussed his journey to becoming an educator, his focus in teaching farrier students and the state of farrier education.

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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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