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Heather Smith Thomas

Heather Smith Thomas

Heather Smith Thomas is a freelance writer based in Salmon, Idaho. She has been writing books and articles for nearly 50 years.
Articles

ARTICLES

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Therapeutic Farrier Achieves Hoof-Care Goals Using Pads and Pour-ins

Products can provide frog support, cushion the sole and reduce concussion
By Heather Smith Thomas posted on April 10, 2020 | Posted in Education, Therapeutic Shoeing, Products
Pads and pour-ins offer farriers a variety of options when servicing hoof-care clients. Nick Denson, a farrier in Sagamore, Mass., works on many therapeutic cases and relies on these products regularly. During the 2020 International Hoof-Care Summit, Denson presented “Shoeing Tips with Castle Pads and Pour-in Urethanes” during a How-to Hoof-Care Product Knowledge Clinic, sponsored by Castle Plastics.
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Strategies for Working with Difficult Horses

Get in tune with horses by understanding their perspective
By Heather Smith Thomas posted on September 12, 2019 | Posted in Clients, Safety & Healthcare
Farriers often have to work with less than cooperative horses, and sometimes it’s a challenge to assess why a horse is acting the way it is and figure out how to resolve a certain issue. The reward outweighs the effort, though, because many problem horses can then be approached or addressed a little differently — and successfully — without causing future issues.
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Equine Body Work Benefits Hooves

Making uncomfortable horses comfortable makes farriers’ jobs easier and improves feet
By Heather Smith Thomas posted on July 3, 2019 | Posted in Education, Lamenesses
Each horse is born with its own conformation, but many factors affect skeletal structure and posture as the foal grows up. Often by the time a farrier is working on that horse’s feet, there are issues that put stress on various parts.
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Overcome “Bad” Horses in Your Hoof-Care Practice

Gaining trust and nurturing your relationships with horses will make your job easier
By Heather Smith Thomas posted on May 17, 2019 | Posted in Education, Safety & Healthcare
Every farrier at one time or another comes across a horse that’s difficult to work with — or has a reputation of being difficult. There might be some horses that you would prefer not to have to deal with, but you realize that it’s in your best interest to go ahead and do them.
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How to Deal with Softhearted Clients and Spoiled Horses

Farriers offer advice on how to break bad habits of both owners and horses
By Heather Smith Thomas posted on March 20, 2019 | Posted in Clients, Education, Safety & Healthcare
Farriers are generally prepared to deal with just about any situation they are faced with in terms of the horse’s behavior — determining whether it’s scared, nervous, inexperienced, in pain or spoiled — and having a strategy to successfully handle that horse.
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Hoof Care for the Nervous Horse

Patience is the key to earning the trust and respect of anxious horses
By Heather Smith Thomas posted on December 25, 2018 | Posted in Safety & Healthcare
Sometimes the farrier is confronted with a new horse that is averse to being handled, and it is important to be able to tell whether the horse is evasive because it is afraid and nervous or independent and spoiled.
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Videos

Tool Tips: Tuning Your Pritchel to a Punch

Tool Tips: Tuning Your Pritchel to a Punch

Campbell, Texas, farrier and American Farriers Team member Sawyer Spradling demonstrates his approach to tuning a distorted pritchel to a punch, a skill that has served him well when he travels to clinics and competitions.
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Events

International Hoof-Care Summit

Date: 01/25/22
Location: Cincinnati, OH
The International Hoof-Care Summit is returning to Cincinnati on Jan. 25-28, 2022, for 4 days of focused learning that will change your practice forever.
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Life Data Labs

Life Data Labs Inc

Life Data Labs Inc. is a dedicated product manufacturer committed to producing premium quality animal nutrition and health products through continuous product improvement and new product development. First-class ingredients, fresh products, consistent high quality and scientifically proven effectiveness are the principal features of Life Data Labs animal health products. And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years.
Kawell

Kawell USA

Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
Smart Pak

SmartPak

From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.
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