Does the Shoe Fit When Submitting it for Certification?

One of the keys to passing the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) certification horseshoe display is fitting to the template.

According to the AFA’s certified farrier classification requirements, each shoe must be “plus or minus  of an inch from the edge of the template” from the widest point of the foot forward. From the “widest point back, the shoe covers the entire bearing surface of the foot, minimum acceptable is a perimeter fit, maximum allowed is ¾ or 75% of the stock width outside of the hoof wall for expansion and length past the bearing surface of the heel. An exception is given for the shoe with a pad.”

Craig Trnka posted a video in mid-February on the World Championship Blacksmiths Facebook page that simplifies fit by placing a template over the foot surface of a horseshoe that has been painted yellow.

“You want to have a parallel that goes all the way around the shoe,” explains the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member from Edgewood, N.M. “If you fit with a parallel, and not a progressive wedge or a degressive wedge, you will pass. The testers and examiners are just looking for something that fits the perimeter of the foot.”

Treat Puncture Wounds as Medical Emergencies

When a horse steps on a nail or other sharp object and it is embedded in the hoof, farriers should advise their clients to immediately contact a veterinarian.

“Puncture wounds in the foot qualify as…