Whether you are an active member of a local shoeing organization or not, the “Local Association Spotlight” is the place to be to listen in on the best shoeing ideas coming out of the United States and Canada.

Each issue of American Farriers Journal spotlights the most innovative ideas and thinking to come out of these organizations, which are dedicated to advancing the art of farriery.

Dead Legs Offer Big Benefits 

To improve the education of farriers in your local organization, take a page from the Minnesota Farriers Association (MNFA). 

The MNFA recently conducted a “Dead Leg Clinic,” which brought together 18 hooves, 10 farriers and no horses. Instead of practicing on a live horse, the MNFA provided farriers with 18 dead legs. The legs were donated by Ron Joki of the University of Minnesota veterinary school. 

To go along with available legs, the MNFA built a number of stands that were horse height. Each leg was attached to the stand by a lever, which allowed the farrier to work in a proper shoeing stance. Shoers could bend over just like being on the job and learn from a horse that wasn’t impatient, ill-mannered or spooked by the crowd of on-lookers. It also made life easier for the instructors as they could take a good look at the shoeing approach of each shoer.

Better To Be Sharp Than Sorry

Taking part in the Western Canadian Farriers Association fall conference in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Bruce Hague provided attending shoers with valuable…