December 2017

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

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Table Of Contents

Table Of Contents

Frankly Speaking: How Regulation May Arrive

By Jeff Cota posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Education

When discussing licensing and regulation of an industry in the United States, farriers often think of direct oversight — a government-approved agency to pass rules specific for the trade. This is a reality affecting a minority of farriers, such as certain states requiring track shoers to carry a license.
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Briefings: December 2017

December 4, 2017 | Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses, Shoeing

New York Police Department Deploys Mobile Farrier Unit As part of a $100,000 upgrade, farriers now go to the New York Police Department Mounted Police Unit's horses to keep them on patrol.
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What's This? WWI Field Forge

Take a Journey Back in Time as We Explore a Shoeing Tool from the Past

December 4, 2017 | Posted in Education, Equipment, Forging

This container helped the British defeat the Kaiser…
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Reader Commentary: Dec. 2017

December 4, 2017 | Posted in Clients, Education

Horse Owner Perspective: Work As A Team For Safety After reading your website article on the farrier who died on the job (“Wrongful Death Ruling Empowers Farriers,” americanfarriers.com), I wanted to say that my staff and I take responsibility for handling and controlling the horse for the farrier.
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How The Hoof Reveals Stress

While horses’ hooves undergo a lot of stress, appropriate farriery and a return to the functional foot model can help deal with signs of stress

By Sarah Evers Conrad posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing, Trimming

Most people have experienced sore, aching feet at one point or another in their lives. After all, a 200-pound person exerts approximately 20 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure on the ground.
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Shoeing for a Living

Keeping it Simple

North Carolina farrier Sean Gaul believes that a conservative approach that relies on the basics is the best way to help horses

By Jeff Cota posted on April 12, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients, Disciplines & Breeds, Lamenesses, Safety & Healthcare, Shoeing, Therapeutic Shoeing, Trimming

It might seem elementary, but the best way to clear away the clutter is to keep things simple and rely on the basics.
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How Radiographs And Joint Angles Can Guide Trimming And Shoeing

Approach avoids “dangerous” reliance on symmetry and sole landmarks

By Katie Navarra posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Shoeing, Trimming

Farrier work is a challenging vocation. It’s physically demanding and in some ways requires superhuman vision to anticipate how a change to an external structure (the hoof) will affect the internal structure, such as joints.
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Are You Punching Better Nail Holes?

Veteran farriers share techniques to avoid sheared nails and preserve tools

By Ron Perszewski posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Forging, Shoeing

Whether you’re forging a horseshoe from bar stock or modifying a factory-made shoe, the nail holes you punch are critical. The holes help determine whether the nails hold until the next shoeing and, when necessary, avoid flaws in a less-than-perfect hoof.
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Bringing the Hoof to Scientific Research

AFA Research Committee offers tips to make literature easier to understand

By Jeff Cota posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Education

When paging through farriery texts that are more than a century old, readers will note that much of the knowledge that’s contained within is not so different than what is taught today.
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Considerations for Using Alternative Materials for Managing Leverage

The thought process for addressing leverage concerns with modern materials requires gathering information and not limiting imagination

By Daisy Bicking posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Diseases, Therapeutic Shoeing

As farriers, we know that when making shoeing choices for the horse, managing leverage — adding or subtracting leverage biomechanically — is part of that decision making process. We have many appliance options available to achieve our goals.
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What Causes Club Feet?

Hall Of Fame farrier Doug Butler examines why flexure limb deformities develop and how to prevent and manage them

By Audrey Pavia posted on December 4, 2017

The characteristics of a flexure limb deformity, commonly referred to as club foot, are easy to identify. Growth rings are wider at the heel, the toe is usually dished, the hoof is high on the heel and the coffin joint axis is broken forward. Radiographs often reveal that the coffin bone is deformed or remodeled. But what causes it?
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Dig Deeper When Tackling Inflammation

Examining the hoof, diet, gut health and stress can bring clarity

By Tom Schell posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses, Nutrition

Hoof balance and proper shoeing or trimming are part of what you do daily, assisting each horse not only in comfort but also performance through movement.
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From the AFJ Archives: December 2017

December 1993 — High Nails VS Low Nails

By Donald Jones posted on December 4, 2017

1993 ARTICLE OVERVIEW This was a succinct illustrated piece created by North Carolina farrier Donald Jones in 1993. In it, he questions whether keeping horses on a tight schedule (every 4 weeks) is necessary in many cases, or is it an artificial cycle length due to poor footcare. The main culprit he saw was driving nails too low.
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Learn How to Forge a “Hall of Fame” Heel

California farrier John Williams offers tips and insights for creating the clean and versatile Bob Marshall-style heel check

By Jeff Cota posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Forging

Forging a heel check for many farriers is old hat. It’s such a part of the routine that sometimes not a lot of thought is invested into it. There’s another style of heel check, though, that Sacramento, Calif., farrier John Williams prefers when forging horseshoes.
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Helping The Farrier Through Radiographs And MRI

Equine veterinarians survey how these advanced imaging methods can contribute to helping the farrier develop a footcare solution

By Jeremy McGovern posted on December 4, 2017

In September, the British Equine Veterinary Association held its annual congress in Liverpool, England. To bridge a better understanding between the two trades, the agenda featured a farrier day with presentations specific to improving hoof care.
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Shoeing School Challenges Law Restricting Admissions

Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School alleges California law violates Constitution

By Jeff Cota posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Education

Esteban Narez works hard to provide for his family, but he wants to do more to give them a better life. Like many Americans, the 26-year-old Watsonville, Calif., man has encountered his share of obstacles along the way.
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What It Takes To Reach 125

At the end of its 125th anniversary year, W.F. Young credits honoring tradition while remaining innovative as it looks toward the future

December 4, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices

Regardless of the industry, it is rare to find companies with histories surpassing a century. It is even rarer to find a company with that longevity that is still owned by the same family.
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Enter The Summit Mail-In Forging Exercise

Build this shoe for a FREE T-shirt and your chance to win a belt buckle

December 4, 2017 | Posted in Forging, Shoeing

Sponsored by VICTORY, this forging exercise will be tied to the International Hoof-Care Summit. You don’t need to attend to participate — mail in your straight bar shoe to enter this free contest. IHCS attendees can save on the postage and drop off their shoe at the Summit.
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Shop Talk: December 2017

December 4, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients, Education, Equipment, Nutrition

AAPF/IAPF Awards 4 Scholarships, Hot Off The Anvil, Industry News , Kentucky Derby Museum Announces Expansion Project, In Memorium
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Research Journal: December 2017

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 December 4, 2017 | Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses, Nutrition

Arthritis Treatment Inconclusive A case series treated with polyacrylamide gel was used to examine the effectiveness of the treatment for arthritis. Joints of 28 horses with naturally occurring arthritis in coffin, pastern fetlock or knee joints were injected with a medical grade preparation of the substance that is used as a lubricant or filler gel for plastic surgery or laboratory testing.
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Enough is Enough of Dangerous Horses

By Shawn Pepper posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Safety & Healthcare

We must accept the fact when we trim and shoe that working with horses is dangerous. A 300-pound pony can cripple someone. A 1,000-pound horse can kill.
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Featured Articles

Featured Articles

How The Hoof Reveals Stress

While horses’ hooves undergo a lot of stress, appropriate farriery and a return to the functional foot model can help deal with signs of stress

By Sarah Evers Conrad posted on December 4, 2017 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing, Trimming

Most people have experienced sore, aching feet at one point or another in their lives. After all, a 200-pound person exerts approximately 20 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure on the ground.
Read More

What Causes Club Feet?

Hall Of Fame farrier Doug Butler examines why flexure limb deformities develop and how to prevent and manage them

By Audrey Pavia posted on December 4, 2017

The characteristics of a flexure limb deformity, commonly referred to as club foot, are easy to identify. Growth rings are wider at the heel, the toe is usually dished, the hoof is high on the heel and the coffin joint axis is broken forward. Radiographs often reveal that the coffin bone is deformed or remodeled. But what causes it?
Read More

Helping The Farrier Through Radiographs And MRI

Equine veterinarians survey how these advanced imaging methods can contribute to helping the farrier develop a footcare solution

By Jeremy McGovern posted on December 4, 2017

In September, the British Equine Veterinary Association held its annual congress in Liverpool, England. To bridge a better understanding between the two trades, the agenda featured a farrier day with presentations specific to improving hoof care.
Read More
Digital Edition

Digital Edition

For Digital Subscribers: Login To Your Digital Flipbook Of The December 2017 Issue

December 4, 2017

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.
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Online Extras
Online Extras
Online Extras: December 2017

December 4, 2017

Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

Watch a video of Sacramento, Calif., farrier John Williams demonstrating how to forge the Bob Marshall-style of heel check.

Get more insight on sizing tools to punch nails, how to get an extra reset with worn out nail holes and how to punch extra nail holes in keg shoes.

Watch a webinar discussion with Renate Weller and other members of the Royal Veterinary College’s equine locomotor research program.

Read the federal lawsuit filed by Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School against the state of California, as well as a watch a video that details the rationale behind it.

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