Veteran Standardbred farrier Steve Stanley of Lexington, Ky., authors a monthly column for Hoof Beats, the official harness racing publication of the U.S. Trotting Association. The American Farriers Journal Editorial Advisory Board member offers plenty of practical advice that will be of special interest regardless of the type of horses that you work with.
With foaling season once again upon us it is a good idea to revisit strategies for conformational corrections. The first important aspect is regular farrier visits and daily farm inspections.
The balance and levelness of the hind hoof has been a key component of “clean” gaited horses for more than 100 years. Having read books written that long ago, I realized that they had many of the same issues back then that we still deal with today.
In today's breeding environment, raising a foal to sell at a yearling sale or race at 2 routinely requires some type of veterinary or clinical assistance regarding conformation.
Extreme weather like we have been seeing this summer can affect the horse's hooves mightily. Obviously, the most affected horses are those who are out in it more.
Last fall, a client was breaking one of the yearlings in his barn. After the colt started to jog regularly, we noticed this colt’s propensity to knuckle over.
The flip-flop pad is a great application in harness racing. Often used for sore knees, flip flops help many horses with back-in-knee conformation. One thing the flip flop is not great for is sore heels, which are prominent among performance horses of all breeds.
American Farriers Journal is excited and honored to celebrate its 50th anniversary of publishing the hands-on magazine for hoof-care professionals. Learn more about our special edition, which comes out in December 2024.
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