Editor’s Note: This exclusive series of American Farriers Journal reviews will help you select the latest DVDs on shoeing techniques, hoof-care ideas and new products.

These reviews offer valuable insight into DVDs that are worth viewing in two categories: professional farrier category for those wishing to learn more about shoeing ideas, and the horse owner category for those hoof-care professionals wanting to provide clients with new ideas on understanding corrective shoeing ideas.

Reviewed by  Dan Marek

Get Your Horse Sound And Keep Your Horse Sound, 5 Fundamental Concepts That Make Or Break The Quality Of Shoeing 

California farrier John Suttle, CJF, RF, presents this DVD. Although it is geared toward the owner/novice, the message is one that all farrier professionals need to hear.

Through years of study and experience since becoming a farrier in 1978, Suttle has formulated many ideas for keeping the horse sound. “For a horse to be sound, we must find the equilibrium point between the weight of the horse, the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons that resist this weight and the strength of the tissue,” he says.

In this 38-minute DVD, Suttle explains the mechanics involved in achieving soundness in the horse. He describes these methods in a clear, concise manner, and strengthens these ideas with easy to understand examples and diagrams.

According to Suttle, there are five basic mechanical functions that the professional farrier needs to understand in achieving soundness in the horse: the cantilever effect, depth of sole, the class 3 lever, the navicular…