IN A SURVEY on how shoers work with equine veterinarians conducted by American Farriers Journal staffers during last winter’s 2003 American Farrier’s Association convention, 53 percent of the farriers indicated certain vets call for help on a serious shoeing or footcare problem. Some 50 percent of the farriers say their work with vets is through horse-owing clients and 45 percent of shoers recommend that owners call pecific vets when footcare concerns require more than farriery care. Some 22 percent of the farriers work regularly with a vet clinic. These results total over 100 percent because a number of farriers indicated more than one answer applied to them. 

OTHER INDUSTRY NEWS...

• An American Association of Equine Practitioners task force was recently appointed to look at ways to improve the working relationships between farriers and equine vets for the benefit of the horse. Serving as chairman of the task force is former farrier and University of Minnesota equine veterinarian Tracy Turner.
• Matching the funds raised from the registration fees at last fall’s annual National Farrier Clinic, Purina Mills has donated $7,000 to two therapeutic horse riding groups in the St. Louis, Mo., area. Scott King, Purina Mills marketing manager in the horse business group…