There are situations that are so clearly split between right and wrong that there is no question as to what the ethical decision should be. A classic example is finding a lost wallet containing identification and money. The ethical person returns it to the owner; the unethical person does not.
A Friend To Everyone
In early November, I attended the 38th annual clinic at Danny Ward’s shop (“It All Started Because Someone Wanted To Show Off A Shoeing Truck,” Dec. 2015). Like every year, it was well-attended and featured excellent clinicians.
Preparation Is Everything When Casting A Foot
Stephensville, Texas, equine veterinarian John Janicek told attendees of the American Association of Equine Professionals (AAEP) annual convention that it is imperative to have all your materials organized and ready when casting a foot or limb. Be aware of water temperature that you will soak the casting material in, as the warmer the water, the quicker the material will set. He’ll typically soak the casting material for about 10 seconds prior to application.
Although there’s a considerable debate being waged over farrier licensing, it’s not an argument that’s unique to this industry.
A number of industries, courts, lawmakers and bureaucrats have been busy sorting through the profusion of perspectives and disputes — and dispensing a few of their own along the way. Much of the information gleaned from these cases and research directly apply to farriery.
Wes Champagne did such a good job of shoeing American Pharoah that the colt’s feet rarely made the news. As American Pharoah raced into immortality by becoming the first Thoroughbred Triple Crown winner in 37 years and then adding the Breeders’ Cup Classic win, no one outside of trainer Bob Baffert’s barn probably even thought about his horseshoes.
During the 10 years of his childhood living on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Chad Lunderville had a clearer path for working with cows than horses. Tired of the brutal winters that hampered the dairy operation, his family moved back to Arizona, where horses gained the younger Lunderville’s attention.
Time is not a friend when a foal is presented with crooked legs.
Growth plates close relatively quickly, which doesn’t leave a farrier and veterinarian much time if intervention is necessary.
A: On routine visits where I have a prior history with the horse, the first thing I ask the client is how has the horse been traveling/going? Has there been anything different? Is there something that should be discussed that would require jogging the horse? If everything is normal, then I do not jog the horse.
This 384-page work by Professor Russell has been a source of valid information for farriers for nearly 140 years. Hardly an article or research paper is written today without containing some reference to his work. That in itself speaks to the necessity of every farrier having this book on his or her bookshelf.
When altering horses’ traction, farriers are applying lessons that they learned when they were but knee-high to a grasshopper. It’s called the Goldilocks principle.
The principle that a veterinarian-farrier team is required to help horses maintain soundness, maximize performance and overcome lamenesses is undeniable. It is a balance of knowledge, skill and an understanding of the other member’s responsibilities, as well as your own. At the early December American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention, the coordination of these efforts was showcased in a podiatry workshop that called on veterinarians and farriers to discuss the management of a variety of equine foot conditions that hoof-care professionals commonly face. Among these subjects were presentations on the veterinary and farriery roles in addressing underrun heels.
What consideration do you give to trimming the frog?
“I think we overlook it,” Danville, Ill., farrier Steve Sermersheim told attendees at the D.L. Schwartz Farrier Supply clinic in October. “I used to overlook it. I would just trim the frog and go on.”
For several years, we’ve been adding a boxed list of important points to many of the feature articles that appear in American Farriers Journal. We call these points, “Farrier Takeaways.”
Before reaching for hoof packing, it’s important to consider why. Ask yourself, what’s behind the intention of packing the hoof? How will it benefit the horse? It’s important to scrutinize your reasons and establish an objective.
A pair of farriers earned a trip to the 2016 International Hoof-Care Summit after the American Association of Professional Farriers (AAPF) awarded them Roy Bloom Scholarships.
Ashley Gasky of Ballston Lake, N.Y., and Deanna Stoppler of Fairfax, Vt., were recognized as the inaugural scholarship winners in mid-December after fulfilling several application requirements:
The theme of the 2015 annual fall clinic at the Horseshoe Barn in Sacramento, Calif., focused on looking beyond the surface of the hoof and considering the anatomical structures and systems that affect and are affected by the way farriers trim and shoe horses’ hooves.
The information, ideas and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Veterinarians in Belgium examined the dorsopalmar and mediolateral hoof balance of five toed-in warmbloods that weren’t lame at the time of the study. They used a pressure plate to assess the symmetry of vertical ground reaction forces as a measure of hoof balance and limb loading symmetry at a walk. Their hypothesis was that toed-in conformation primarily affects mediolateral balance.
There are situations that are so clearly split between right and wrong that there is no question as to what the ethical decision should be. A classic example is finding a lost wallet containing identification and money. The ethical person returns it to the owner; the unethical person does not.
Wes Champagne did such a good job of shoeing American Pharoah that the colt’s feet rarely made the news. As American Pharoah raced into immortality by becoming the first Thoroughbred Triple Crown winner in 37 years and then adding the Breeders’ Cup Classic win, no one outside of trainer Bob Baffert’s barn probably even thought about his horseshoes.
During the 10 years of his childhood living on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Chad Lunderville had a clearer path for working with cows than horses. Tired of the brutal winters that hampered the dairy operation, his family moved back to Arizona, where horses gained the younger Lunderville’s attention.
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Oleo Acres Farrier and Blacksmith Supply owner Rob Michel walks viewers through the Littleton, Colo., warehouse. Inventory is organized with the customer in mind. If the product is in stock and easy to find, farriers can spend more time under a horse, which Michel says is more money in your pocket.
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