Throughout this series, I have illustrated the concept of systems anatomy. Veterinary education and that of traditional farriers are based on regional anatomy, which studies regions and the anatomical components of each. The perspective of systems anatomy is that bodies are organized hierarchically, i.e. building up from small functional units (for example, cells or single tissues) to subsystems (for example, organs), which work together to make up a major system such as the nervous, circulatory or musculoskeletal system.

Every case presents farriers with variables that influence the decision on trimming and shoeing a horse. The impact of these factors are weighed, some more influential than others. Ignoring any of these may result in the failure of an otherwise reasonable decision.