Eddie Watson, the Keswick, Va., farrier, has had a hand in helping along a lot of shoers and veterinarians during his long career — not to mention horses.

With the Sandia Mountains looming overhead, members of the American Farrier’s Association gathered along the banks of the Rio Grande River in Albuquerque, N.M., for their annual convention from Feb. 27 to March 3.

There are a lot of tools and devices found in shoeing rigs and boxes that have one factor in common.

Farriers have long tried — with varying degrees of success — to convince horse owners that regularly scheduled appointments for trimming and shoeing are important for equine health.