Navicular Disease, Contracted Heels And Bad Shoeing Practices
Filed Under Pets | Posted on March 18, 2008
If you’re studying navicular disease you’re undoubtedly finding a fairly wide array of information. Let’s just look at it from the prevention/shoeing perspective.
Navicular disease accurately describes a deteriorating condition of the navicular bones that lie in the horse’s foot. Causes can vary and actually pinpointing the real cause often times is left undetected – there are just too many factors that can contribute to the problem. One such factor is shoeing.
Horseshoeing, How To Choose A Farrier
Filed Under Pets | Posted on March 12, 2008
It took me a long time for this one to come to me. What are the criteria used to choose your Farrier? Interesting question isn’t it?
Over the 16 years of my career as a Farrier I have heard several times from people “My Farrier Specializes in Lame Horses”. For some reason I’ve always felt a bit inferior from hearing this, as if because I didn’t work with a lot of lame horses my abilities as a Farrier didn’t measure up. How wrong I was for thinking such a thing. Truth is I know how to work with lame horses and I understand lameness and I’m a good craftsman and trust the quality of my work.
Horseshoeing Sheared Heels – The Fix
Filed Under Pets | Posted on March 4, 2008
My last discussions I identified sheared heels and the associated risks, if you missed that article I suggest you read it, now let’s get the fix I promised.
If your horse has sheared heels there are several fixes. In either case the toe of the foot should most likely be moved to the rear of the horse – in other words when the shoe is put on slide the shoe more to the rear of the foot then rasp the extra toe back to the shoe. You can move the shoe back very close to the white line if necessary. For one this will help the horse break over more easily and reduce all the stresses on tendons joints and ligaments but it will also help reduce the hoof stretch and drift you’ll usually find as a toe grows forward. This stops the heels from shearing more as well “usually”.
Horseshoeing And Bowed Tendons
Filed Under Pets | Posted on February 24, 2008
Bowed tendons on a horse can be murder. The deep flexor tendon between the knee and the pastern joint blows due to excessive stress and stretch. It’s a long recovery process sometimes leaving a blemish.
There can be several elements that can all contribute to this problem. Hard work is surely one while incorrect shoeing the other. A quick look at race horses and how prevalent bowed tendons occur can give you some clues to a deeper understanding into this issue. Race horses are definitely worked hard – at the end of the race horses are completely exhausted. In this condition of exhaustion and fatigue the muscles of the body are not carrying the horse in the most optimum manner-hence a breakdown.
Horseshoeing Sheared Heels – The Fix
Filed Under Pets | Posted on February 2, 2008
My last discussions I identified sheared heels and the associated risks, if you missed that article I suggest you read it, now let’s get the fix I promised.
If your horse has sheared heels there are several fixes. In either case the toe of the foot should most likely be moved to the rear of the horse – in other words when the shoe is put on slide the shoe more to the rear of the foot then rasp the extra toe back to the shoe. You can move the shoe back very close to the white line if necessary. For one this will help the horse break over more easily and reduce all the stresses on tendons joints and ligaments but it will also help reduce the hoof stretch and drift you’ll usually find as a toe grows forward. This stops the heels from shearing more as well “usually”.
Horses And Kicks That Kill - A Must Read Article
Filed Under Pets | Posted on January 22, 2008
I am a Farrier and I have been kicked by horses. All I can say is it’s no laughing matter and I’ve been very lucky to come out of it with no permanent physical problems. Others are not so lucky; I’ve known people who have died from horse kicks. This article is about just such a possibility.
Navicular Disease, Contracted Heels And Bad Shoeing Practices
Filed Under Pets | Posted on January 17, 2008
If you’re studying navicular disease you’re undoubtedly finding a fairly wide array of information. Let’s just look at it from the prevention/shoeing perspective.
Navicular disease accurately describes a deteriorating condition of the navicular bones that lie in the horse’s foot. Causes can vary and actually pinpointing the real cause often times is left undetected – there are just too many factors that can contribute to the problem. One such factor is shoeing.
Horseshoeing And Bowed Tendons
Filed Under Pets | Posted on January 17, 2008
Bowed tendons on a horse can be murder. The deep flexor tendon between the knee and the pastern joint blows due to excessive stress and stretch. It’s a long recovery process sometimes leaving a blemish.
There can be several elements that can all contribute to this problem. Hard work is surely one while incorrect shoeing the other. A quick look at race horses and how prevalent bowed tendons occur can give you some clues to a deeper understanding into this issue. Race horses are definitely worked hard – at the end of the race horses are completely exhausted. In this condition of exhaustion and fatigue the muscles of the body are not carrying the horse in the most optimum manner-hence a breakdown.