Peyton, Colo., farrier Chase Rutledge uses hands-on techniques to help his students learn and grow. He also emphasizes that failure is a necessary and important part of the learning process. 

Pastern conformation is to be evaluated in the same way as the conformation of the carpus, that is, by first visualizing the plane of assessment, and then by scanning for rotations and deviations (offsets are rarely found at this joint or the coffin joint).

A weak digital cushion has about the same amount of collagen and fat as a strong one — the difference is in how those tissues are organized.

Technology is great. It’s a tool, not a crutch. There’s a reason I love diagnostics, but I don’t treat them as the unquestionable truth. Use these tools to guide your thinking, but never let them think for you.