Among many of the challenges a farrier must deal with are sheared heels. Scott Morrison, the veterinarian and farrier who leads the Podiatry Department at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Ky., says this problem is usually the result of less than ideal conformation. Usually the horse toes in or out, putting more stress on one side of the hoof wall (and heel) than the other. When a horse develops sheared heels, the stressed heel becomes jammed upward, the hoof symmetry is distorted and one heel is bearing most of the weight.

I am fairly new to the farrier business and came across a client who has several gaited horses. They’re all different breeds — a Missouri Fox Trotter, some spotted saddle horses and a Tennessee Walker.

Dean Moshier knows that it seems a little odd to hear him greet a client with, "So how's the horsey doing today?"

Q: About a year ago, I purchased a recently imported Friesian and brought him to Southern California. He was shod at the time, but I prefer barefoot so figured I should give it a try.

Frank Lupton says miniature horses aren’t just scaled down versions of their full-sized counterparts, especially where the feet are concerned.