Disciplines & Breeds

Footcare & Farrier Business Insights

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Each week our editors will bring you data we collected in our American Farriers Journal Business Practices Survey. Check back weekly for our latest update.

Research Journal: July/August 2026

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Metals as Antimicrobials
Carpal Bone Injuries Don’t Limit Performance in Show Jumpers
Dorsopalmar Hoof Balance in Brazilian Thoroughbred Racehorses
MRI Useful for Detecting Coffin Joint Degeneration

International Equine Veterinarian Hall of Fame Welcomes 2027 Class

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Three veterinarians are joining an exclusive company of hoof-care professionals with their election to the International Equine Veterinarian Hall of Fame.

Letting the Horse Lead His Return to Comfort

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Team listens carefully, adapts thoughtfully & makes incremental decisions

International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame Welcomes 2027 Class

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Four farriers join an exclusive company of footcare professionals with their elections to the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame.

Basic Farriery Keeps Horses Sound & Balanced

jcota@lesspub.com — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:37:06 -0400

Texas Hill Country farrier prioritizes simplicity while serving the horse

Disarticulating the Horse’s Canter

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Musical notation for the canter is shown in Figure 1. It should be no surprise to learn that Figure 1a debunks the idea that the canter is a “three-beat” gait. The canter is instead a four-beat gait, each bar of its music consisting of three sounded beats plus one unsounded beat (Figures 2 and 4). The unsounded beat — the period of suspension, during which the horse flies through the air with no foot in contact with the ground — is extremely important and here is why: There is only one such moment in each bar of canter music, whereas in each bar of trot music, there are two.

Fifth Circuit Rules Horseracing Law Partially Unconstitutional

jcota@lesspub.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The legal saga of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act continues with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruling for the third time that it is partially unconstitutional.

Hoof-Care Briefings: May 2026

Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Arthritis in Horses: Use of Intra-Articular Nanogels
Transient Hindlimb Asymmetry Following Intramuscular Vaccination in Horses
Late-Breaking News & Views
Homeschooled Scholar and Farrier Trainee Originally Turned Down For Pre-Vet Training
How to Treat Puncture Wounds to the Equine Foot

Hoof-Care Briefings: April 2026

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Racetrack Surface Testing Makes Strides
Forget Concerns About Hoof Color!
Using Rocker Shoes for Managing Laminitis
Late-Breaking News & Views
Can New Technology Dealing with Hoof Concerns in Cattle Work With Horses?

Research Journal: May/June 2026

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Botox for Laminitis, not Wrinkles
Mortality & Factors Associated with Cushing’s Disease
Maggots for Wire Cuts
AI for Gait Analysis of Endurance Horses

The Spectrum of Ambling Horse Gaits

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

How farriers & vets identify quality in the four-sounded beat gait

Hoof-Care Briefings: March 2026

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Horse Ownership Lifetime Costs Range From $300,000 to $924,000
8 Things I Learned from Burney Chapman
Late-Breaking News & Views
Proper Joint Care Can Do Wonders for Soundness

3 Reasons Why Horses Pseudo-Trot

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Horses that pseudo-trot often have abnormally shaped feet, and as a result, tend to have soundness issues that limit their useful lives and/or competitive careers. They thus typically require more farrier skill than the naturally sound horse.

Research Journal: April 2026

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

When Ringbone isn’t Ringbone
Venography for Hard-to-Find Subsolar Abscesses
Hoof Conformation & Lameness
Accelerometers Assess Injury Risk

How the Trot & Pseudo-Trot Affect the Equine Hoof

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The first take-home here for farriers is to realize that everything that goes “clip-clop” is not a trot.

Injection Improves Jackson’s Heel Pain

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Pharmacology provides relief after mechanical limitations are reached

How Does Your Business Compare? Take the Farrier Business Practices Survey Today

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:43:34 -0500

American Farriers Journal needs your help in assessing the state of the farrier industry. Take the confidential Farrier Business Practices Survey today. Responses close March 15, 2026.

Hoof-Care Briefings: February 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

In this edition:

What a Pre-Purchase Exam Can Reveal Before Clients Purchase a New Horse
Late-Breaking News & Views
How to Collect Money Clients Owe You

Fort Huachuca’s Anvil Falls Silent

jcota@lesspub.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It’s the end of an era at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. The 4th U.S. Cavalry Troop B at Fort Huachuca is deactivating, and its horses will be retired during a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.

Research Journal: March 2026

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Standing Keratoma Removal Surgery
Tenotomy & Clogs for Laminitis
Acoustic Myography to Assess Ground Reaction Forces
Measuring Mini Horse & Pony Feet

USDA Delays Horse Protection Act Amendment Again

jcota@lesspub.com — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is once again delaying the implementation of amendments to the Horse Protection Act.

Hoof-Care Briefings: January 2026

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

In this edition:

Genetics May Offer Answers on Whether Horses Need Shoes
The Top 8 Things Keeping Farriers Awake at Night
No Need to Raise Racehorses like “Hothouse Flowers”
Late-Breaking News & Views
Q&A with Harness Racing Farrier Georgia Gaudet

Radiographs Lead to a Simplified Reset

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Jackson’s joints no longer tolerate mechanical influence. Meaningful progress often doesn’t come from doing more, but from understanding when less is enough by respecting physiological limits and responding thoughtfully to feedback.

Sovereignty Wins Horse of the Year

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

After winning five races in 2025, Sovereignty was named the 2025 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Male at the 55th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards.

U.S. Army Retains 2 Ceremonial Mounted Units

jcota@lesspub.com — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Army is pulling back the reins on eliminating its mounted units.

USDA Taps New Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service Leaders

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced leadership changes within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Hoof-Care Briefings: December 2025

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In this edition:

Consider Every Horse You Work With As ‘Claustrophobic
Traveling 10,607 Miles to Shoe in War-Torn Ukraine
Dreaming About the Honor & Nobility of Farrier Work
Late-Breaking News & Views
A ‘Wow’ Factor from the 1^st International Hoof-Care Summit
After 2 Hours, Horses (& Farriers) Lose Their Patience
Looking Back at a ‘Shoeing For Elvis’ Memory

Research Journal: January/February 2026

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Stem Cells & HA for Arthritis
A Review of Horseshoe Effects on Gait
Pergolide Not a Panacea for Insulin Disorders
Distance Horses Event Best

13 Rules of Equine Movement

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Standards form the basis for understanding equine gait variations & how they affect hoof care