Lamenesses

Getting Better Results With Hospital Plates

Various insights on using hospital plates can help improve your chances for success when the need arises

As a tool in a farrier’s arsenal for addressing hoof-care issues, hospital plates are like fire extinguishers — they are seldom used, but you are glad to have them as an option when needed. Also like fire extinguishers, incorrect or ineffective application of hospital plates could lead to disastrous outcomes.


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Research Journal: March 2016

The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Researchers in Canada used cadaver limbs to study the effects of hoof angles and loading patterns on joint surface contact areas in the fetlock. Eight limbs from Standardbred horses that died for reasons unrelated to this study were fitted into a mechanical pendulum device to simulate hoof strike at a trot. Strips of pressure-sensitive film were placed across the joint surfaces inside the fetlock to measure contact areas, and the limb was loaded while simulating flat, toe-first and heel-first landings.
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Shoeing for a Living

Horseshoeing’s Engineering Puzzle Charms Finger Lakes Farrier

Kirk Smith enjoys the challenge of balancing the horse’s system of levers and pulleys

Horses have been a staple in Kirk Smith’s life long before he started shoeing horses in Freeville, N.Y.

He always had horses while growing up in the small farming town of Clark in northeastern South Dakota. He cut his teeth working cattle part-time as a high school student and later during his summer breaks while attending Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Along the way, he broke and trained horses.


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Briefings March 2016

Memory Foam Orthotic Can Comfort Horses

Ethylene-vinyl acetate — better known as memory foam — is noted for its softness and flexibility. Manufacturers use it for mattresses, pillows and shoe liners to provide comfort and support for human consumers. Lake Elmo, Minn., farrier Scott Lampert uses them for the same reasons with horses by placing a lightweight memory foam pad under a foot.


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Key Points for Managing Laminitis

At a winter clinic, farrier Travis Burns reviews options available and the critical need to adhere to principles of treatment
When encountering acute or chronic laminitic cases, the best possible outcome relies on a team consisting of the horse owner, husbandry staff, veterinarian and farrier. Every case is different, yet the principles remain the same.
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