Over the past 23 years, the International Hoof-Care Summit (IHCS) has earned a reputation as the premier event for the best-in-trade practical and scientific take-home learning for farriers and equine veterinarians. This was accomplished with a time-tested yet unique format that is different than all other clinics, seminars and workshops.

Recently, a misguided comment from one who’s never attended created a stir from those who do know the Summit and its original – and still fully valid – mission. So, this blog explains the intentional structure of the IHCS and how this 129-hour “pick-and-choose” format offers maximum value to footcare professionals. While the majority of attendees call the U.S. home, the IHCS routinely draws “eager-to-learn” attendees from 20 other countries.

Since its first gathering in 2004, the Summit’s format was designed solely to focus on education, collaboration and affordability for you. As a result, it’s the only event of its kind anywhere in the world.

The Pillars of the Summit: Learning & Connection

This total Summit educational emphasis has always focused on 9 key points of footcare education:

1 General Sessions: These multi-speaker, multi-topic sessions put the world’s leading farriers and researchers on stage to present high-level, take-home messages for you. (This year’s IHCS offers 8 multi-speaker general sessions.) 

2 Hoof-Care Classrooms: These “pick and choose” single-topic sessions deliver a deep-dive, practical and specialized education on a variety of topics, offering actionable take-home footcare knowledge. The smaller room size and specific topics allow for attendee-to-presenter and peer-to-peer interaction. (This year’s IHCS offers 20 Hoof-Care Classrooms.) 

3 Single-Topic Hoof-Care Roundtables: Offering exclusive peer-to-peer discussion, each of these “fellow attendee” breakouts zero in on a critical footcare and farrier business issues. Participants show up, ask and share experiences and solutions. (This year’s IHCS offers 32 Hoof-Care Roundtables.) 

4 Dedicated Networking: Four days and nights of “one-on-one” hallway time purposely builds lasting relationships – and contact lists – with other farriers, suppliers, veterinarians and researchers. When a troublesome footcare problem turns up months from now, you’ll have several new friends and resources to call upon for specific and sound advice.

5 Hoof-Care Products Trade Show: The world’s largest footcare showcase puts you in intimate contact with the industry’s best of the latest footcare products and technologies. It’s also your chance to voice ideas and needs directly with suppliers. No educational sessions are scheduled during the Trade Show floor time to maximize your chance to “go deep” on the product knowledge you need to make your footcare work more effective. (This year’s IHCS offers three uninterrupted Trade Show sessions totaling 9 ½ hours.) 

6 “Come Early” Special Events: These “come early” in-depth sessions offer practical tips on anatomy, equine limb dissection and much more. (Three sessions are offered at the 2026 IHCS.)

7 Hands-On Dissection Wet Labs: Nightly one-on-one sessions are conducted by “rock star” experts in equine hoof anatomy. (Two nights of 2-hour sessions at this year’s IHCS zero in on having attendees inspect cadaver limbs before, during and after dissection.)

8 Hands-On Product Clinics: These in-depth sessions give attendees a supervised experience working with specific hoof-care products. (Eight 1-hour sessions are offered at the 2026 IHCS.)

9 How-To Hoof-Care Product Knowledge Clinics: With each one repeated 3 times, these to-the-point 20-minute sessions walk you through how to apply the latest footcare technology and products. (15 sessions are offered at the 2026 IHCS.)

What We LEAVE OUT ... And Why

A. Certification Workshops: Although IHCS attendees have the opportunity to participate in American Farrier’s Association certification written exams, the Summit prioritizes broad, accessible education over specific certification processes that are readily available from different groups. Again, the IHCS’ focus is on intensified educational opportunities (See the 9 previously listed learning opportunities).

B. Forging & Horseshoeing Competitions: The IHCS focuses on in-depth educational opportunities from farriers, suppliers, veterinarians and researchers. While competitions are valuable in other ways, they’d divert time and focus from the Summit’s educational mission. We leave shoe-making contests to other groups.

C. Hands-on Shoeing Demos: These time-eating sessions are widely available from suppliers and associations. I recall the first Summit in 2004  when Scottish farrier Jim Ferrie turned a 1-hour trimming and shoeing job of a Clydesdale mare into an exclusive 7-minute IHCS video. I think you’ll get the point.

Keeping Costs & Investment in Line for You

The last two items above require a lot of otherwise costly investments that benefit few other than city inspectors (safety requirements and permits related to fire-control for forges and fuel). With fewer facility needs for the conference setting and Trade Show functions, our event staff better negotiates with a wider range of hotels and facilities – and keeps dollars in your wallet.

The International Hoof-Care Summit Difference

The fact that this IHCS learning structure has worked so well for 23 years is a great educational combination of multi-speaker General Footcare Sessions, Hoof-Care Classrooms, Hoof-Care Roundtables, Footcare Workshops, Hoof Dissections, Anatomy Clinics, networking and a three-session non-interrupted Trade Show. The one-of-a-kind Summit educational approach is a deliberate choice that has worked as designed for more than 2 decades.

A Final Thought

The time-tested International Hoof-Care Summit learning format remains the industry’s most essential event for pure, focused and affordable hoof-care education. Over the years, this focused event has proven to be the leading educational forum for footcare professionals from around the world. That’s why the IHCS has earned a reputation as being the best in the world when it comes to footcare learning.

But the best, and most important ingredient in the event’s “not-so-secret sauce” is the caliber of hoof-care professionals who continue to come. They’re there to inquire, to learn, to “workshop” problems – and to share and give back to the trade. 

Judge the event by the relationships – including the new contacts and lifelong friends you’ll make – and there’s no way that the IHCS won’t ROI for you.