Most of the things that we do today when providing hoof care aren’t original ideas. We’ve been inspired by someone.

My Dad is quite the craftsman. He can turn wood into a masterpiece. I spent time in his shop at a young age and saw him build different things. So, understanding how to create unions from this type of material comes second nature to me.

British veterinary surgeon William Hunting’s book “The Art of Horse-Shoeing, A Manual for Farriers” was published in 1895. What I love about this book is that more than 125 years ago, Hunting came up with some tools and diagrams of using a staple to hold a hoof crack together.

I have taken some of this combined knowledge and experience and applied it to my hoof-care work, particularly when repairing hoof cracks.

5 Basic Joint Stresses

A veterinarian asked me to help him with Hercules, a horse that had some lameness concerns. He had degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis in his hinds, sidebone in the front right, a mild case of low ringbone in both front feet, thin soles, contracted heels, and on top…