American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.

Subscribe Now

Table Of Contents

Table Of Contents

Frankly Speaking: Not Young Enough To Know Everything

By Jeremy McGovern posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Education

How old were you when you realized you didn’t know as much about farriery as you previously thought? This seems to be a trait shared by most practitioners I’ve met. The older they become, the more they recognize the complexity of equine footcare. They see it as an ever-expanding puzzle.
Read More

Shoeing For A Living

Principles Of Footcare Guide Cohesive Team

For farrier Travis Burns and the team at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, successful outcomes rely on each member contributing to a shared goal

By Jeremy McGovern posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing

Like many farriers, the horseshoeing bug bit Travis Burns at an early age. The Blacksburg, Va., farrier grew up near Asheville, N.C., where his family operated a trail riding business in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Read More

Diagnosing Issues with the Navicular Apparatus

Farrier and veterinarian Scott Pleasant discusses common causes and ways to recognize navicular disease

By Jeremy McGovern posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing

The palmar digital nerve block has long been used to detect lameness in the back half of the foot — commonly identified as “palmar foot pain.”
Read More

Gaining A Clearer Picture Of Navicular Problems

The role of medical imaging in treatment and management decisions

By Sarah M. Puchalski and Weston Davis posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Diseases, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing

“No foot, no horse.” On this age-old adage, we can all agree. But what, specifically, is wrong in that foot?
Read More

Maintaining Soundness With The Navicular Horse

Recognize when it’s time to change therapeutic applications

By Stuart Muir posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Diseases, Therapeutic Shoeing, Trimming

Navicular syndrome can be one of the most debilitating diseases of the equine limb, and can be equally as complicated for a farrier to manage.
Read More

Reaping The Benefits Of Hoof Mapping

Colorado farrier says ELPO method provides consistency to identify and address hoof distortions

By Pat Tearney posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Trimming

Hoof mapping is not a new idea. During a 2016 presentation at the International Hoof-Care Summit (IHCS), Steve Foxworth traced its origins to the work of pioneering farrier William Russell, as well as to more recent work by David Duckett and others.
Read More

Changing Forces And Tensions

Establish clear goals and understand how altered angles will affect structures before choosing wedges

By Christy Corp-Minamiji DMV posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Trimming

Shoeing with wedges is all about redistributing the forces among the force bearing structures of the hoof. This statement by Jeff Thomason, of the University of Guelph, encapsulates the purpose of wedges in farriery.
Read More

Understanding Balance With … a Balloon?

How the foot accepts load is key to symmetry, Maryland farrier says

By Jeff Cota posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Trimming

Although farriers widely recognize the importance of balancing the equine hoof, it’s not always well understood — but can be if you have a balloon.
Read More

Products in Action, July/August 2016: Well-Shod "Made In The USA"

July 8, 2016

Read Products in Action
Read More

The World Championship Blacksmiths Hits 10 Years

The Madison, Wis., competition opens the group’s 10th season of “excellence through competition”

By Jeremy McGovern posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Education, Forging

Music blares, hammers swing and anvils ring. The World Championship Blacksmiths (WCB) kicked off its 10th season in April at the Midwest Horse Show in Madison, Wis. — the group’s opening venue for several years. To the equine enthusiasts passing through the tent, it is a forging competition like they’ve never seen. There’s definite truth to that.
Read More

A Step-By-Step Process for Improving Stud Holes

By following these instructions, you can increase the reliability of stud holes for your clients using aluminum shoes

By Peter Drake posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment, Forging

From time to time, farriers must provide screw-in studs in aluminum shoes for our clients. We want to make sure the task remains easy for the client and our work is reliable. However, when we drill and tap holes in aluminum, they can become worn rather quickly. Then we’ll hear from our riders that the studs have fallen from their aluminum shoes during training or competition.
Read More

Farrier Q&A: July/August 2016

Do you offer multi-horse discounts? If not, why not? If yes, how do you structure them?

July 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices

A: I don’t offer multi-horse discounts for a variety of reasons: 1 My safety and chances of being hurt are the same whether I trim one or more than one horse at the same location. 2 My insurance costs don’t change nor do the costs of my tools, planning for capital expense purchases, marketing, repairs and maintenance on my vehicle and the cost of shipping for supplies I order.
Read More

Using Weld Inserts For Corrective Farriery Purposes

If used properly, weld inserts can provide a farrier with an additional tool when therapeutic needs arise

By Marc Jerram posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment, Forging, Therapeutic Shoeing

The use of weld inserts for farriery purposes is nothing new. For many years, farriers have often used off cuts of flat or concave steel to create their own egg bar or heart bar inserts for standard keg shoes.
Read More

Thank You, Farriers

Our dedication to your dedication

By Michelle Drewek posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients

For the past few months, we have been asking the worldwide equine community to share their stories, pictures and videos with us for the 18th annual National Farriers Week celebration this year from July 10 to 16.
Read More

How Do Adhesives Affect Hoof Wall?

Moisture and heat are the most common enemies during repair

By Jeff Cota posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Education, Forging, Diseases, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing

Chances are pretty good that you’ve repaired a compromised hoof wall at one time or another. In fact, according to the most recent American Farriers Journal Farrier Business Practices Survey, nearly half of all farriers find themselves using some type of hoof repair product on a weekly basis.
Read More

Getting Better Results During the Daily Grind

Improve your efficiency, performance and safety with these tips

By Jeff Cota posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Equipment, Safety & Healthcare

Grinders offer a tremendous ability for farriers to include a number of mechanics in a shoe, all the while increasing quality and efficiency.
Read More

Shoptalk: Portor Green Inducted Into Mule Days Hall Of Fame

July 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices, Disciplines & Breeds, Education, Equipment, Diseases, Lamenesses

Each Memorial Day weekend, Bishop, Calif., kicks off the packing season by celebrating Mule Days. This year’s 47th annual event was a special one for Yucaipa, Calif., farrier Portor Green, who was inducted into the Mule Days Hall Of Fame.
Read More

Research Journal: July/August 2016

The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture.

By Albert Kane posted on July 4, 2016

Conference Short Highlights The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine recently published several abstracts of their annual meeting related to two endocrine disorders:
Read More
Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Shoeing For A Living

Principles Of Footcare Guide Cohesive Team

For farrier Travis Burns and the team at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, successful outcomes rely on each member contributing to a shared goal

By Jeremy McGovern posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing

Like many farriers, the horseshoeing bug bit Travis Burns at an early age. The Blacksburg, Va., farrier grew up near Asheville, N.C., where his family operated a trail riding business in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Read More

Gaining A Clearer Picture Of Navicular Problems

The role of medical imaging in treatment and management decisions

By Sarah M. Puchalski and Weston Davis posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Diseases, Lamenesses, Therapeutic Shoeing

“No foot, no horse.” On this age-old adage, we can all agree. But what, specifically, is wrong in that foot?
Read More

Changing Forces And Tensions

Establish clear goals and understand how altered angles will affect structures before choosing wedges

By Christy Corp-Minamiji DMV posted on July 4, 2016 | Posted in Anatomy, Trimming

Shoeing with wedges is all about redistributing the forces among the force bearing structures of the hoof. This statement by Jeff Thomason, of the University of Guelph, encapsulates the purpose of wedges in farriery.
Read More
Digital Edition

Digital Edition

For Digital Subscribers: Login To Your Digital Flipbook Of The July/August 2016 Issue

July 4, 2016

Now view magazine-like digital flipbooks on your desktop and tablet. Starting in 2015 issues, included for FREE with your Digital or Premium subscription, view the magazine on your laptop, tablet, and mobile device. You need to be logged in to view.
Read More
Online Extras
Online Extras
Online Extras: July/August 2016

July 5, 2016

Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

Videos from AFJ's day at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Travis Burns' presentation on addressing the footcare of the navicular horse

Download of the four-step ELPO Live Sole-Hoof Mapping Protocol

Insight from WCB participants and podcast with Craig Trnka

Additional responses to the Hoof-Care Email Q&A on multi-horse discounts

Research papers by Marc Jerram that examined limb length disparity

National Farriers Week tributes

Advice from Pat Reilly on better application of glue-on horseshoes

Read More