Compiled by Nancy Brannon
The American Farriers Journal hosted the 16th annual International Hoof-Care Summit – one of the largest farrier events in the U.S. – on January 22-25, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Summit offers extensive hoof care education through informative sessions, practical classrooms, roundtables, and how-to clinics. Jeremy McGovern, Editor/Publisher of American Farriers Journal said the summit had the “world’s largest equine footcare trade show with 133 exhibitors. The roundtables were a highlight, too! Hundreds of farriers discussed 16 separate topics on footcare.” The summit is truly international, with 16 countries represented at this event. The program featured 40 top-notch farriers, veterinarians, and researchers delivering the latest innovative ideas about hoof-care. This collection of experts included:
Jay Tovey, a Bedforeshire, England farrier with over 20 years of farrier experience. He was farrier for the 2012 Olympics in London and has been awarded Farriery examiner and judge by The Worshipful Company of Farriers.
Dr. Simon Curtis, practicing farrier and lecturer from New Market, England with 40 years of hoof-care experience. He received his doctorate for his project studying the development of the foal’s hoof. He has also completed a six-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program at the University of Central Lancashire. He was the first farrier to be awarded an Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In his Better Basics, Better Results Lecture, “Diseases and Conditions of the Hoof Capsule,” Curtis mentioned that the average horse generally has the same thickness of sole as it does hoof wall.
Mike Wildenstein, one of only four people in the world to have passed the distinguished Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers examination in the United Kingdom “with Honors.” For 19 years he has been resident farrier and adjunct associate professor at Cornell University. Also an International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member, Wildenstein delivered the Burney Chapman Memorial Lecture, in which he suggested evaluating limb deviation from above to help farriers determine the appropriate fault.
Mitch Taylor explained lower limb anatomy on Tuesday, January 22. “Farriers have the responsibility to know and understand functional anatomy and its terminology to not only benefit the horse, but also the client,” said Mark Caldwell, an International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member.
Keswick, Virginia farrier and veterinarian Dr. Stephen O’Grady covered interpretations of radiographs for farriers and appropriate farriery of the hind limb. He argues that the biomechanical forces exerted on the hind foot are not similar to the front foot due to weight distribution, propulsionary function, and shape of the hind foot. The low heel “bull nosed” conformation of the hind foot is so prevalent in performance horses. Not only can this hind foot conformation be a source of lameness, but it can also have an adverse effect on the upper body due to its direct connection to the axial skeleton. Hoof-care clients often tell farriers to leave the heels. Yet, heels don’t grow tall, they grow forward, said O’Grady. When heels are overgrown, it creates stress on the soft tissue structures.
University of California-Davis farrier Shane Westman talked about the effectiveness of laser therapy for severe white line disease, showing some results from his research project on this topic.
Aabenraa, Denmark, farrier Jan Krogh discussed how a circle of obstacles not directly related to shoeing – saddle, rider, trainer, and footing – can affect the foot and the horse’s overall well-being. They can also hamper a farrier’s ability to keep these horses sound. Krogh also urged farriers to focus more on their footcare mistakes rather than their successes. “We need the ‘mental surplus’ to use mistakes as a positive learning tool,” he said.
West Chester, Pennsylvania veterinarian Dr. Frank Reilly drew the relationship between how seasonal asthma or COPD can make insulin resistance worse and can lead to laminitis. At the same time, Asthma/COPD breathing is made worse by insulin resistance. It’s important for the farrier to understand that the horse that is puffing hard as it’s trimmed, or that they see in a stall or field struggling to breathe, is likely to be their next laminitis case.
Paso Robles, California researcher John Craig went over how new artificial intelligence techniques are transforming hoof measurements.Photographs and radiographs of the hoof that are well-taken, properly calibrated and carefully measured are invaluable for analyzing changes in the hoof and as a basis for trimming and shoeing options. Artificial intelligence techniques that have recently been introduced can automate much of the calibration and measurement tasks.
Yorkshire, England, farrier Steven Beane made an interesting analogy: the same arches that we utilize with bridges can be found in the horse’s foot. When the arch in either is compromised, they can fail. The coronet and the bars are good indicators to watch to ensure the foot remains strong.
There was a series on “Better Business” topics; an “Innovative Footcare” series exploring gait analysis and its impact on foot care with Albuquerque, New Mexico farrier Jodi Vertz; and the Summit included a Vettech Clinic.
Inductees for 2019 into the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame and the International Equine Veterinarian Hall Of Fame were announced. This year’s inductees into the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame included Mike Savoldi (California), Don Gustafson (California) and the late John Boyne (Ireland). The new inductees for the International Equine Veterinarian Hall Of Fame included Melvin “Tookie” Myers (Virginia), Duncan Peters (Kentucky) and Lars Roepstorff (Denmark).
Mary Barker and Mike Barker of Life Data Labs Inc. were recognized for their contributions to the farrier industry with the G.E. Forge & Tool Award. Mike explained the significance of this award: “The award was created by the American Association of Professional Farriers with the purpose of recognizing an individual or couple, who are not a farrier or veterinarian, for their willingness to improve the farrier industry through education, and for their willingness to go out of their way to help farriers and/or veterinarians. It is well respected by other members of the farrier industry.”
Mike remarked about their relationship to the Summit “Life Data Labs has participated in the Hoof-Care Summit from the beginning. As an educational partner, it gives Life Data an opportunity to interact with farriers from all parts of the world. The Summit has one of the largest farrier Trade Shows and is packed with educational opportunities for the farrier.”
Steve Foxworth, a Loveland, Colorado farrier, closed out the Summit with a motivational speech that was sure to fire up the participants as they returned home. He said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Much more information about the Summit is available at the American Farriers Journal website:
https://www.americanfarriers.com/ihcs and on facebook: International Hoof-Care Summit.
The American Farriers Journal hosted the 16th annual International Hoof-Care Summit – one of the largest farrier events in the U.S. – on January 22-25, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Summit offers extensive hoof care education through informative sessions, practical classrooms, roundtables, and how-to clinics. Jeremy McGovern, Editor/Publisher of American Farriers Journal said the summit had the “world’s largest equine footcare trade show with 133 exhibitors. The roundtables were a highlight, too! Hundreds of farriers discussed 16 separate topics on footcare.” The summit is truly international, with 16 countries represented at this event. The program featured 40 top-notch farriers, veterinarians, and researchers delivering the latest innovative ideas about hoof-care. This collection of experts included:
Jay Tovey, a Bedforeshire, England farrier with over 20 years of farrier experience. He was farrier for the 2012 Olympics in London and has been awarded Farriery examiner and judge by The Worshipful Company of Farriers.
Dr. Simon Curtis, practicing farrier and lecturer from New Market, England with 40 years of hoof-care experience. He received his doctorate for his project studying the development of the foal’s hoof. He has also completed a six-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program at the University of Central Lancashire. He was the first farrier to be awarded an Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In his Better Basics, Better Results Lecture, “Diseases and Conditions of the Hoof Capsule,” Curtis mentioned that the average horse generally has the same thickness of sole as it does hoof wall.
Mike Wildenstein, one of only four people in the world to have passed the distinguished Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers examination in the United Kingdom “with Honors.” For 19 years he has been resident farrier and adjunct associate professor at Cornell University. Also an International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member, Wildenstein delivered the Burney Chapman Memorial Lecture, in which he suggested evaluating limb deviation from above to help farriers determine the appropriate fault.
Mitch Taylor explained lower limb anatomy on Tuesday, January 22. “Farriers have the responsibility to know and understand functional anatomy and its terminology to not only benefit the horse, but also the client,” said Mark Caldwell, an International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member.
Keswick, Virginia farrier and veterinarian Dr. Stephen O’Grady covered interpretations of radiographs for farriers and appropriate farriery of the hind limb. He argues that the biomechanical forces exerted on the hind foot are not similar to the front foot due to weight distribution, propulsionary function, and shape of the hind foot. The low heel “bull nosed” conformation of the hind foot is so prevalent in performance horses. Not only can this hind foot conformation be a source of lameness, but it can also have an adverse effect on the upper body due to its direct connection to the axial skeleton. Hoof-care clients often tell farriers to leave the heels. Yet, heels don’t grow tall, they grow forward, said O’Grady. When heels are overgrown, it creates stress on the soft tissue structures.
University of California-Davis farrier Shane Westman talked about the effectiveness of laser therapy for severe white line disease, showing some results from his research project on this topic.
Aabenraa, Denmark, farrier Jan Krogh discussed how a circle of obstacles not directly related to shoeing – saddle, rider, trainer, and footing – can affect the foot and the horse’s overall well-being. They can also hamper a farrier’s ability to keep these horses sound. Krogh also urged farriers to focus more on their footcare mistakes rather than their successes. “We need the ‘mental surplus’ to use mistakes as a positive learning tool,” he said.
West Chester, Pennsylvania veterinarian Dr. Frank Reilly drew the relationship between how seasonal asthma or COPD can make insulin resistance worse and can lead to laminitis. At the same time, Asthma/COPD breathing is made worse by insulin resistance. It’s important for the farrier to understand that the horse that is puffing hard as it’s trimmed, or that they see in a stall or field struggling to breathe, is likely to be their next laminitis case.
Paso Robles, California researcher John Craig went over how new artificial intelligence techniques are transforming hoof measurements.Photographs and radiographs of the hoof that are well-taken, properly calibrated and carefully measured are invaluable for analyzing changes in the hoof and as a basis for trimming and shoeing options. Artificial intelligence techniques that have recently been introduced can automate much of the calibration and measurement tasks.
Yorkshire, England, farrier Steven Beane made an interesting analogy: the same arches that we utilize with bridges can be found in the horse’s foot. When the arch in either is compromised, they can fail. The coronet and the bars are good indicators to watch to ensure the foot remains strong.
There was a series on “Better Business” topics; an “Innovative Footcare” series exploring gait analysis and its impact on foot care with Albuquerque, New Mexico farrier Jodi Vertz; and the Summit included a Vettech Clinic.
Inductees for 2019 into the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame and the International Equine Veterinarian Hall Of Fame were announced. This year’s inductees into the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame included Mike Savoldi (California), Don Gustafson (California) and the late John Boyne (Ireland). The new inductees for the International Equine Veterinarian Hall Of Fame included Melvin “Tookie” Myers (Virginia), Duncan Peters (Kentucky) and Lars Roepstorff (Denmark).
Mary Barker and Mike Barker of Life Data Labs Inc. were recognized for their contributions to the farrier industry with the G.E. Forge & Tool Award. Mike explained the significance of this award: “The award was created by the American Association of Professional Farriers with the purpose of recognizing an individual or couple, who are not a farrier or veterinarian, for their willingness to improve the farrier industry through education, and for their willingness to go out of their way to help farriers and/or veterinarians. It is well respected by other members of the farrier industry.”
Mike remarked about their relationship to the Summit “Life Data Labs has participated in the Hoof-Care Summit from the beginning. As an educational partner, it gives Life Data an opportunity to interact with farriers from all parts of the world. The Summit has one of the largest farrier Trade Shows and is packed with educational opportunities for the farrier.”
Steve Foxworth, a Loveland, Colorado farrier, closed out the Summit with a motivational speech that was sure to fire up the participants as they returned home. He said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Much more information about the Summit is available at the American Farriers Journal website:
https://www.americanfarriers.com/ihcs and on facebook: International Hoof-Care Summit.
