Dr. Andrew van Eps likes to get the bad news out of the way with audiences when lecturing on laminitis prevention. The associate professor of Equine Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine reminds that a cure for laminitis is improbable. Certainly, a laminitic episode can be addressed and the horse can be helped, but even with improvement, there is the danger of recurrence and sustained damage. The good news, however, is we understand intervention better.

What is your top career highlight? Maybe it is a particular case in which you helped the horse overcome a tough injury and return to work. Maybe it is a horse that won a significant race or show thanks to your footcare. Is it the first time you earned money shoeing a horse?

For the farrier industry, poor communication with clients remains a top issue that may significantly damage a practice. It can lead to the loss of business that’s severe enough to cripple one’s livelihood. Clients and prospects often cite “not returning a phone call” as their main gripe with farriers. Many of those offended fail to realize that the inactivity is intentional.