It’s the early hours of Derby Day Minus One as I arrive at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., a time when the eyes of the world turn to the Bluegrass Country more than any other time of the year.

Most folks involved in the equine world recognize that being right- or left-handed affects the way a person rides. And research indicates that horses also have a dominant side.

Where do you like to drive a nail and why? What area of the hoof wall do you try to avoid?

Heart bar horseshoes are best known for their use in treating laminitic horses, but Steve Teichman, a farrier from Unionville, Pa., has also found them to be a very valuable tool in keeping the equine athletes in his care going, as well as a useful tool in reshaping problem hooves.

As a farrier and a veterinarian, we have a unique working relationship. Over the past several years, we've treated and rehabilitated rescue horses at the Grace Foundation in El Dorado Hills, Calif. Our work provides the students at the Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School with a view on how a good working relationship between vet and farrier benefits the team and the horse. Also, because many of the horses are in poor condition, the students get to see some of the most devastating hoof conditions that horses can suffer.