Jason Maki owes a large debt of gratitude to the horse that broke his ribs. If the Texas A&M farrier hadn't taken a hoof to the torso, he might have never become aware of a far more serious problem.

In this episode of the American Farriers Journal podcast, brought to you by American Equus, Editor Jeremy McGovern spoke with Dick Fanguy, CJF, who previously served as American Farrier’s Association president. He remains involved with the industry by consulting with farrier cases and representing Stonewell Bodies.

To reduce the risk of infections, wash your hands after every horse.

Scott Weidner is a farrier. And, even though he spends most of days covered in dust and sweat and tramping through horse manure, he loves it.

French equine veterinarian Philippe Benoit says one of the keys to dealing with situations that require opening up the heels is to promote proper heel expansion. He told attendees at the 21st annual Farriers Conference at Cornell University that one way to do this is by trimming the edges of the frog with a hoof knife to open the edges in a narrow V-cut, even cutting the bars. Benoit believes there can be problems with a loop knife or a hoof knife with a hooked blade, since you may not get deep enough to allow the heels to expand. He uses a straight knife.

When we asked 2,100 horse owners 2 years ago about their relationship with farriers, 20.5 percent told us their biggest gripe was that their shoers showed up late or missed appointments altogether.