Shoeing

Frank Lessiter
From The Desk Of AFJ

For Want Of A Nail The Shoe Was Lost

I'm sure most farriers have read the 8-line poem, "For Want of a Nail," which is printed below in its entirety. But few farriers may have heard the 1923 Chicago gangster quotation, as reported in the Chicago Tribune... "For the presence of a horseshoe, Nails was lost." The bizarre 1932 incident involved Chicago gangster Samuel "Nails" Morton, so named because of his "superior qualities in gang fights." A so-called Chicago florist, Morton had been acquitted in the murder of a pair of Chicago police officers in 1922.


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Farrier Tips

Think Before You Pack a Hoof

Before he makes a decision about using hoof packing,Travis Burns, farrier for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, will ask himself, "Why is the horse sore?"?
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Farrier Tips: Reminders For Proper Hoof Care

Cornell University's head farrier Steve Kraus reminds that horseshoes can deliver benefits or cause harm. Horseshoes can harm feet when applied improperly but they also are used regularly to help lame horses become sound and keep sound horses healthy, competitive and productive.
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Web-Exclusive Feature

Hoof Beats: Speed Shoes

Sometimes farriers work as a two-person team in order to shorten the duration. One works the floor (horse); this is normally the farrier in charge of the shop. The other works the fire (shoe making). Both people do their part with the idea of doing as much work simultaneously as possible. (By the way, please don't ask the farrier's assistant to hold the horse as he is there to help with other task.)
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How to Shoe a Moving Object

Hooves will distort between shoeings, so learn to use landmarks of balance to help you manage any problems
As farriers, I believe we look at a hoof differently than other horsemen — at least other horsemen who do not shoe horses regularly.
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One Farrier's Viewpoint

The WIDTH Protocol

An objective approach to determining appropriate hoof care for a horse
For some time, farriers, trimmers, and horse owners have debated the merits of placing shoes on horses' feet.
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Shoeing for a Living

Staying Current Along the Mississippi

Louisiana shoer Jimmy Gore flourishes by maintaining high standards and adapting to a changing horse-and-owner population
It's not hot on the bayou on this late February morning near Baton Rouge, La. Spring is running a little late this year, as it is for much of the country.
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