Extensive Sidebone Can Bring Increased Injury Risk

When a horse is diagnosed with serious sidebone concerns leading to the ossification of lateral and medial cartilages, Susan Dyson says the time has arrived for owners to evaluate the horse’s future. They need to be aware that the horse is at risk for potential ligament, joint and bone injuries, says the head of clinical orthopedics at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, England.

Her research team examined 462 horses to determine the frequency of cartilage ossification. They found 13% of the horses had possible significant ossification, which could lead to potential future injury to the collateral ligaments, coffin joint and the pedal bone.

Get The Right Fit With Your Nippers

Size and leverage are the two major elements that affect nipper design, says Chris Gregory. As a result, your nippers need to be a size that’s appropriate for you, your hands, the size of the feet you are working on and the amount of needed leverage, says the operator of the Heartland Horseshoeing school in Lamar. Mo.

“I like 14-inch nippers, but I work on mostly average-size horses like saddle horses or trail riding horses,” he explains. “When I work on bigger horses or draft horses, I appreciate being able to use the 15-inch nippers. And I also have a pair of 12-inch nippers that I use quite a bit.”

Polytrack Surfaces Lead To Shoeing Concerns

While synthetic racetrack surfaces have reduced the number of catastrophic injuries, farrier Hutch Holsapple sees major…