ARCHIVE - ARTICLES 2009

October 09 - Relationships between hoof, leg, and whole-horse conformation

October 09 - Minimising hoof distortion in laminitis. Part 2

October 09 - British farriery - the gold standard - Part 1. An introduction to UK farriery

October 09 - Cultural Exchange Programme - The cultural exchange, an awesome experience

 

Archive - Forge Magazine - October 2009
Relationships between hoof, leg, and whole-horse conformation

Monique Craig
Monique Craig is a hoof researcher, farrier, consultant to farriers, rider, trainer, and founder of EponaTech (www.EponaTech.com) and EponaShoe (www.EponaShoe.com). She founded a research institute dedicated to research on equine biomechanics (www.Epona-Institute.org)

In a broad sense, most readers would probably agree that there is a relationship between hoof conformation and the conformation of the whole horse. But how does one assess the consequences of poor hoof conformation?
This is the million-dollar question that may be hard to ever fully answer! To understand the ramifications of hoof conformation as it relates to the horse, we need more information on equine locomotion, biomaterials mechanics and equine neurology. When compared to human biomechanical research, equine research is in its infancy. Generally speaking, the study of biomechanics is a relatively new field compared to that of the well-established fields of biology and physiology. There is still much to gain from exploration of equine biomechanics.
Due to the complexity of the subject, I will broadly discuss hoof conformation as it relates to the stance of the horse. Also, I will try to address the difference between external hoof conformation and the shape of internal structures. For instance, a hoof may appear externally to be ‘normal’ but may have internal deformities. What effect do these internal deformities have on the horse? It is important to point out that any quantitative definition of ‘normalcy’ ought to refer to an acceptable range rather than an exact number.

Fig 1. The radiograph shows a hoof that has a good stance. The arch (red curve) supports the larger part of the pedal bone. The vertical green line intersecting the pedal bone is placed approximately where the apex of the frog would be. As one can see, a large portion of the hoof lays behind this line. The two solar pictures of the hoof show two different hooves with reasonably good conformation. Note that a larger portion of the hoof is behind the red line in the two solar views

My ballpark definition of a ‘normal’ hoof is this: the hoof ought to stand under the bony column and have heels that provide adequate support to the bulbs (Fig 1). A higher percentage of the hoof should be behind the apex of the frog, than in front of it. It makes sense to have a larger load percentage present in this area rather than at the toe. The caudal area of the hoof (approximately, the region that lies behind the middle part of the frog toward the bulbs) can be regarded as functioning as a pad. Shifting the load to the toe area has serious consequences on the health of the pedal bone. Internally, the arches should have a good definition. The sole should be at least half an inch in thickness or more. The sole plays an important part in supporting the entire limb. It acts as a shock absorber and provides insulation against the cold and heat. If possible, the hoof should not present internal pathologies, that is, articular ringbone, nor external abnormalities, such as permanent scars on the hoof capsule. Ideally, the hoof should be able to function as intended. This means that the sole, walls and frog should share the load and be able to flex according to their normal mechanical properties.

Fig 2. This image shows models of the bones that were reconstructed from a radiograph of the same horse, so that we can visualise the approximate positioning of the bones within the lower limb. This horse has a poor stance. The hoof is not beneath the bony column of the leg – it is ‘out in front’

Now let us examine what could happen when a hoof deviates from the norm. Fig 2 shows a horse with poor stance conformation, the hoof is too far ahead of the bony column (cannon bone) and the bone alignment is not ideal. This poor lower limb stance may affect the conformation of the horse. It is likely that as the bone alignment within the hoof changes, it will also have an effect on the entire frame of the horse (Fig 3).

Fig 3. The horse on the left is standing ‘under itself’ and would be considered normal. The horse on the right is standing ‘in front of itself’, this is indicative of a problem. As a rule of thumb, poor stance and hoof deformities seem to go hand in hand (Fig 4). I believe that some deformities can be reversed if caught in time and proper care is applied

Fig 4. Heel support points ‘moved back’ while stance improved to be more ‘upright’

Fig 4 shows a ‘before/after’ sequence of the same horse whose stance was improved through trimming and shoeing techniques. Support points at the heels were ‘moved back’ over time and the width of the heels were increased. At the same time, the horse’s stance became more ‘upright’ and stood under itself better.
The changes in stance and hoof conformation (Fig 4) raise a question about the meaning of ‘true’ conformation of a horse. I feel that before assessing a particular horse’s conformation, care should be taken in addressing the external health of the hoof and the internal bone alignment in order to discover what we are dealing with. I try to improve the state of the hoof first, before worrying too much about what is above it (the leg, the shoulder, and so on).
Deformities are more insidious to recognise using the naked eye, when a horse stands under the bony column and the external hoof conformation looks acceptable.

Fig 5. These shoulder pictures are not taken under exactly the same conditions (horses cooperate only so far!). One can see the difference in shoulder angles. Even accounting for some photographic difference, a change is apparent, and the relationship of that change to angulation of the pedal bone is shown here

Fig 5 shows how the shoulder angles have modified as internal bone alignment (seen in the radiographs) has changed. The difference in coffin bone angles (from 9.6 degrees to 4.2 degrees) has affected the shoulder angles. It is easier to track changes in bone alignment through radiographs than subtle soft tissue shifts within the hoof itself. The cause of these shifts can be traced to poor bone alignment, but also to changes in the structure of the hoof capsule. The hoof capsule is the keratinous part of the hoof. This capsule is highly deformable depending on trimming and shoeing methods, weather conditions, and so on. (Trail Blazer, 2005). Changes in the capsule may cause the following soft tissues to shift and/or compress: the collateral cartilages, the digital cushion, the coronary cushion, the sensitive laminae, the sole dermis, the nerves, the veins and the arteries. There will be a trickle effect to the entire limb as soft tissues shift and compress within the hoof capsule. The tissues most affected in the limb are: muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and nerves. Although bones are not considered soft tissues, they can structurally change due to stress caused by improper loading and changes to bone alignment
(Figs 7 and 8)

Fig 6. Various stance possibilities viewed from the front

Fig 7. These images show the changes in legs and knee conformation in a riding horse over three years. The pictures were taken in August 2000, in November 2001 and in September 2003. Again, there are some photographic differences, but one can see the splint reducing

Fig 8. Conformation improves with proper trimming. ‘Before’ is in April; ‘after’ is in August of the same year

Amazingly, the horse in Fig 7A never showed signs of lameness. I would consider such a horse to be mechanically lame, although there were no blatant signs of lameness or diagnosable pathologies. This horse’s lack of performance was attributed to poor limb conformation. One may ask again, what is the true conformation of a horse? Is it man-made or is it real? It is probably a little of both. The horse in Fig 7 is naturally offset at the knees, but poor trimming and shoeing will inevitably make a slight limb deviation worse. In my experience, it takes longer for a horse to return to its ‘normal’ conformation than the reverse. The hooves and limbs of the horse in Fig 8 recovered quickly, but it took a longer for the horse to regain its old form.
I cannot stress enough the importance of taking preventative radiographs and keeping track of hoof conformation. Pre-pathological lameness is often difficult to pin down. Having photos and/or radiographs can be extremely useful. Without them, you may have a difficult time convincing others that changes have occurred in a horse’s hooves and movement. Unfortunately, it often takes a real lameness issue, such as a bowed tendon or an active splint to recognise that there may be a problem with the trimming and shoeing.

Reference: Hoof adaptability (2005) In Trail Blazer Magazine, number 8

 

Archive - Forge Magazine - October 2009
Minimising hoof distortion in laminitis. Part 2

Tom Ryan, FWCF
In part 1, I explained how hoof capsule distortion may hold the key to understanding laminitis, here I describe how the painful effects of hoof distortion have been reduced with vertical grooves cut into the hoof wall.

Fig 1

I would like to make clear from the outset that when I refer to laminitis I am not talking about founder, which is often a sequel to severe laminitis but inflammation of the laminae – true laminitis.
Before attempting to groove the hooves of a laminitic animal, I always insist on veterinary approval, this is usually given in 95 per cent of cases, but sometimes the vet may not want to give consent, so I have to respect their opinion. Veterinary approval is essential as the outcome of any one case undergoing any form of treatment is unpredictable, and vertical grooving is not a ‘cure all’ procedure.
Laminitis can occur in a sub-group of equines in one foot or more with a history of flexural deformity or very upright conformation, which have developed laminitis after a period of heel lowering in an attempt to improve the appearance of the hooves. These ‘clubfoot’ or mechanical type laminitis cases are unsuitable for the grooving procedure as the remaining dorsal section of hoof wall may be overloaded with the weight of the animal after the grooving procedure has been preformed. Unfortunately it can be difficult to identify this sub-group without a full history for the animal or when more than one foot is involved.
Three stages of laminitis
Laminitis is usually divided into three stages, developmental, acute and chronic, most of the damage to the laminae occurs during a very short period at the start of the acute phase. This is when grooving can be most effective, as it can minimise the amount the hoof is distorting before too much damage is inflicted on the laminae. At this early acute stage, the majority of the pain is caused purely by hoof distortion exerting an extension force onto the laminae, so the response to grooving is good with a reduction in pain being apparent within hours. As the condition progresses, more sources of pain are created, and the chances of quickly reducing pain diminish. Early grooving can slow the progression and avoid more painful complications.
It must be remembered that a great deal of damage occurs quickly in some cases, but may not become evident until much later, after a period of progressive deterioration. This is why it is impossible to predict the course in any one case of laminitis. While some cases may recover without intervention, it is always the preferred option to obtain a good outcome and, in my opinion, grooving helps to tip the odds towards a better outcome.
It is against this background that radiographs may be taken and treatment choices are made, with nobody being absolutely sure just how severe the case will become.

Figs 2 and 3
The perils of not addressing hoof distortion
If the effects of hoof capsule distortion are not addressed, the more severe cases will continue to deteriorate and the distal phalanx may become unstable. Complications in the form of haematoma and seroma can form under the dorsal wall or under the solar surface, and, ultimately, prolapse of the distal phalanx can occur. All these conditions are extremely painful but will not be eased by retrospectively grooving the hoof wall and will require dorsal wall resection and sole release procedures, often horses are euthanased at this point.
Attempting grooving to provide pain relief
The grooving procedure is relatively simple, and can be accomplished with just a very sharp farriers’ draw knife. A groove is positioned each side of the dorsal surface and extends from below the coronary band down to the ground surface. The grooves must penetrate the full thickness of the hoof wall to isolate the dorsal surface from each heel area. There is a slight risk of making the foot bleed, so I always warn the owner before I start. This rarely happens, and does not seem to cause pain when it does.
In uncomplicated early acute cases, pain relief can be observed almost immediately after grooving. This is because much of the stress being exerted by hoof capsule distortion is relieved by the insertion of the grooves, even though the hoof shows no sign of distortion. Unfortunately, I don’t get referred many early acute cases, it is only when they have deteriorated that referrals are made.
The fact that early acute laminitis cases respond so well to being grooved confirms to me that I’m doing something right, and this gives me confidence to continue to promote the dorsal wall lifting concept. If pain was actually caused by direct systemic insult to the laminae then grooving would not reduce pain levels. So the fact that pain is reduced by grooving must undermine the direct insult model.
Shoeing
I then shoe the foot with an aluminium heart bar shoe, with ‘Playdoh’ placed in the toe (one-third of the foot) and Equi-Pac soft sole in the palmar two-thirds of the foot (Fig 2), the Playdoh is removed once the Equi-Pac has set. The Equi-Pac provides complete support the palmar portion of the hoof while the dorsal one-third is left empty to avoid pressure on to the distal border of the distal phalanx, and to retain visibility of this vulnerable area.
Until recently I replaced the support shoes every four weeks, but I have changed to every three weeks in more severe cases to ensure that the rapidly growing heels don’t lift the shoe and the support pad from the solar surface of the foot. The use of Equi-Pac support material is not withdrawn until I am confident that the distal phalanx has stabilised within the hoof capsule. Early withdrawal can be disastrous.
If support shoes and Equi-Pac are used without grooving then I believe the hoof would continue to distort unchecked, and the destructive distortion process would continue unabated leading the condition within the hoof to deteriorate.
In actively distorting hooves, the grooves will become visibly narrower at the distal border after about one month. Groove closure illustrates how quickly the hoof changes shape, and demonstrates that the groove is performing its intended function (Fig 2).
It seems the existing hoof capsule influences how the new hoof grows in laminitics, procedures like coronary grooving and high dorsal wall resections have been employed to encourage better re-growth after an acute episode. Vertical grooves also act in a similar way, are simpler and can be implemented at a much earlier stage, they are also inexpensive, as the grooving procedure in experienced hands takes minutes.

Figs 4 and 5
Experiences with grooving
As the hoof grows the proximal portion of the grooves are gradually carried down the hoof wall and their effectiveness diminishes. At this stage, some animals have gradually become lame again, which is a predictable outcome and is resolved by extending the groove back upwards to the original position. I have perpetually kept grooves in one pony for seven years until they were dispensed with and another is presently working in a riding school having been kept grooved since 2006. One show cob proved sound enough to be shown, his front grooves were filled with Blu Tack and hoof oiled over. Without the grooves he was ‘pottery’ and slightly lame. He unfortunately died about three years later of an unrelated condition.
Chronic cases are less predictable, this is due to the many changes that have taken place, and the multiple pain sources found in chronic laminitic feet. It’s worth trying grooving as it can still be helpful but I don’t raise the owners’ expectations. Chronic cases are a good starting place to develop the grooving technique, if you want to try it (Figs. 3,4 and 5).
Other grooving procedures
Hoof wall grooving has a poor history, particularly with cases of navicular disease. Many older farriers will have been asked by a vet to groove the heels of a horse with navicular disease and found that the procedure was futile, with no signs of improvement in the horse. The grooving procedure was intended to help the contracted hoof to expand but the hoof remained contracted and the horse lame. In cases of laminitis where the grooves are placed in the dorsal hoof wall I have found the results to be much more positive and a simple procedure with few disadvantages.
A literature search has so far found two examples of grooving the hoof wall for what has been loosely called ‘founder’ or laminitis. In Andrew Snapes, ‘Anatomy of an Horse’, published in 1683, he describes a crude method of filing five or six deep grooves with a rasp until the hoof bleeds and claims it to ‘have made thofe Horfes found, whom the drawing out of their Soals would not cure’, that is, he claims to have ‘made those horses sound, whom the drawing out of their soles would not cure’. It is easy to dismiss this frightening account but the author has included it in his book because he believes it has merit.
In ‘Diseases of the Horses Foot’, by H. Coulton Reeks, published in 1906, he describes placing three vertical grooves, which extend from the coronary band to ground surface to create two isolated sections of dorsal wall, a fourth groove in the white line is then used to isolate the wall segments from the solar surface, the procedure being designed to allow the ‘expansion’ of the hoof capsule and ‘so relieving the pressure on the sensitive structures within it . . . Almost immediate relief is afforded the patient.’ It is my belief that this account inspired Burney Chapman, and was the forerunner of dorsal wall resection, as it also states that ‘incidentally, the inflammatory exudate is given exit’. Both authors claim good results from what seems to be very invasive, pain-inducing procedures.
Viewed in isolation it is hard to understand how these procedures could be helpful to the laminitic horse, but from the viewpoint of hoof capsule distortion being a major contributor to pain, these procedures intervene in the distortion process by isolating sections of hoof from other areas of the hoof capsule, disrupting the distortion process and thus reducing pain. Advanced modern procedures like dorsal wall resection and ‘sole releases’ are not that dissimilar to these early procedures, as they also remove sections of hoof wall and allow drainage of exudate. Burney Chapman is well-known for the dorsal wall resection, but he also pioneered the sole release procedure which is used after the hoof resection, when a horizontal incision is made at the upper border of the sole to facilitate drainage of sub-solar exudate.
Could it be that 326 years ago we almost had an effective treatment for laminitis and again 103 years ago H. Coulton Reeks suggested an effective treatment, which was disregarded until, perhaps, Burney Chapman read the account and developed the dorsal wall resection and sole release?
Vertical grooving has overshadowed the more important dorsal wall lifting theory, which provides a comprehensive explanation for what is seen in laminitis. At the present time there is no consensus as to the true aetiology of laminitis, even when it is fully understood it will still remain a very serious life threatening disease.
By acknowledging that hoof capsule distortion takes place much earlier than previously thought and understanding the effect this would have on the laminal bond, a better understanding of equine laminitis is possible. A mechanical process induced by the hoof changing shape being responsible for the destruction of the laminal bond. The reason why the normal pattern of hoof growth is disrupted in the developmental phase will require levels of research that a farrier canít undertake. As the effects of differential hoof growth have not previously been considered to have a causal role, its importance has been overlooked and the necessity for research has not been considered.

For further information on this topic, visit www.equinehoof.co.uk

 

Archive - Forge Magazine - October 2009
British farriery - the gold standard. Part 1. An introduction to UK farriery

Reg Howe
Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and former chairman of the Farriery CPD Steering Group

In this series of three articles, my aim is to share with farriers some information for the British horse-owning public, on a subject which is key to successful and enjoyable equestrianism. Farriery is built on a 2000-year history, a time when the application of an iron shoe overcame the problems of wear caused by the first metalled roads.
Let’s start by trying to understand the role of the farrier and the structure of farriery in Great Britain. What is a farrier? A farrier is, first and foremost, an expert on the foot and lower limb of an equine (horse, pony, mule, donkey, and zebras, too). He or she (there are 51 registered female farriers in the UK) is a professional person, regulated by law and contributing to the welfare of the horse. Thus, the relationship is one of professional and client, rather than tradesman and customer! And just in case owners are not clear, it might be worth explaining that, a blacksmith is someone who works with iron but is not trained to shoe horses, while a farrier’s training includes blacksmithing to enable him or her to make a wide variety of shoes.
Few horse owners understand the commitment involved in qualifying as a farrier, or that you have worked with an Approved Training Farrier (ATF) in order to do so. There are 250 ATFs and, of those, around 187 are currently employing apprentices. Many people mourned the demise of apprenticeship schemes and welcomed the introduction of ‘modern apprenticeships’. However, in farriery, apprenticeships never went away!
Neither do they know that that training period is four years and two months, and that the ATF will pass on to his or her apprentices, the skills that they have acquired over the years. As well as working under the guidance of their ATF, apprentices study at one of only three colleges that offer farriery on their curriculum.
So who runs the apprenticeship scheme? Step forward the Farriery Training Agency (FTA), a division of the Farriers Registration Council (FRC). This organisation handles inquiries and all other aspects of the administration of farrier training, including recording the continuing professional development (CPD) undertaken by working farriers, more about that in a future article.
British horse owners are lucky that their farriers are the best qualified in the world. It is worth telling them that you have been examined in practical, written and oral skills – and you have been awarded the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
Even as a qualified farrier, you may wonder why a City of London livery company is involved? Livery companies have been part of the fabric of the City of London for many centuries (the first recorded company – the Weavers – received their Charter in 1155). In those days, all livery companies were formed to manage and protect their trade or profession.
Early days
Taking the time machine back to the year 1356, imagine being at a meeting where the Lord Mayor of London, Henry Pykard, has summoned the leading farriers to demand that they ensure high standards are maintained within the ‘mystery’ of farriery (here, mystery is derived from the Latin misterium or professional skill). So the quest for excellence in British farriery can trace its origins back over 650 years!
Nowadays, a number of livery companies still have a statutory or regulatory responsibility for their ‘craft’ and one of these is the farriers. The 1975 Farriers Registration Act requires all farriers in England, Wales and Scotland (including the highlands and islands) to be registered with the Farriers Registration Council. The Council is a statutory regulator undertaking the responsibilities set out in the Act – to maintain a register of farriers eligible to practise in Great Britain; to regulate farriery education up to the point of registration, and to regulate professional conduct. Thus, any unregistered person shoeing a horse is acting unlawfully, and an insurance claim is therefore void.
The Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) sets the examination and members of the company’s examination board (eminent farriers and veterinary surgeons) conduct the exam. Successful candidates are awarded the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and are entitled to put the letters DipWCF after their names. The British qualification is so well regarded that farriers from overseas take the examination in order to demonstrate their ability, and it is always a pleasure to see diplomas awarded to working farriers from as far afield as Australia and the USA.
There is no doubt about it, farriers are highly qualified, valued members of the equestrian community. In the next article, I will offer my thoughts on how horse owners and farriers can establish a good working relationship for the benefit of the horse.

Acknowledgements
Richard Stephenson BVMS CertVR CertEP MRCVS, WCF examiner
Felicity Heather, Registrar, Farriers Registration Council
Peter Ablett, Chief Executive, Farriery Training Agency
David Goodall, Registrar and Craft Secretary, Worshipful Company of Farriers
Simon Curtis FWCF HonAssoc RCVS

 

Archive - Forge Magazine - October 2009
The cultural exchange - an awesome experience

Oliver Roberts

My name is Oliver Roberts, and I successfully completed my apprenticeship in August 2008. My enthusiasm for the Edward Martin MBE Cultural Exchange was fuelled by former NAFBAE President, Richard Hurcomb during my diploma block at Warwickshire College. After an interview by NAFBAE’s Executive Committee, I was chosen to represent the Association in America for three months on the programme. My good friend and farrier, David Grant DipWCF, stepped in to look after things while I went on my travels.

Tony Leahy of Fox River Valley Hunt walking hounds out US style
Flying to Chicago, Illinois, at the end of March, I was nervous until we landed; when I suddenly thought, ‘right, bring it on!’ Vern Powell picked me up from the airport; he was to be my coordinator for the next three months. Vern put me at ease and answered any questions about where, how and what I was going to do. I stayed and worked with him for the first week. Vern was very easy going and nothing was too much trouble for him. During that week in Illinois it rained, snowed, froze and became very windy. We experienced four seasons in one week! Apart from the weather, another shock was the vast size of everything – roads, fields, lorries and some people!
Desperate to experience some hunting in America, when the opportunity arose I jumped on a plane and flew to West Palm Beach, Florida (on my 22nd birthday). It was incredible, and all made possible thanks to a lovely lady called Melinda Haines who sorted me out with a horse, correct attire and hunt ball tickets!
Next stop was Atlanta, Georgia. Here, I joined up with Chris Joyce an English farrier who moved out to the USA about nine years ago. We drove three hours to the Fox River Valley Hunt kennels where four amazing days followed, with an excellent mix of coyote hunting thanks to Tony Leahy, good shoeing thanks to Chris and some night life too!
A whistle-stop trip back to Chicago for a clinic with the new NAFBAE president Craig D’Arcy and Martin Hague (the last exchange lad), which was very informative and the 30 or so farriers that attended, all thoroughly enjoyed it. I was also fortunate to spend a few days with Bill O’Neil, a fascinating farrier who had been shoeing for 30 years and to meet Tyler Voltz a great guy who had come to help Vern.
In Madison, Wisconsin, I attended the WCB (World Championship Blacksmiths) competition. Watching the WCB team and the American farriers team practice was awesome. The three-day competition was run alongside the Mid-West Horse Fair, which attracted huge crowds most of whom congregated around the WCB circus tent. From the magnificent mustangs to the speed and spinning of the reining horses, my weekend was educational, entertaining and downright fun.

Roping a calf for branding in Rifle, Colorado
After the competition I made the eight-hour trip to Kentucky (horse capital of the world) with Conrad Trow, Chris Overley and Brian Osborne from the Kentucky Horseshoeing School. In Kentucky, I was lucky enough to attend a talk by Mitch Taylor on the use of ‘Toe grabs and their effects on locomotion’, at the famous Keeneland Racecourse. It was extremely informative. The cameras used in his study took up to 2,500 frames per second of horses leaving the starting gates to see what, if any, traction was gained using different grab heights.
Mr and Mrs Rodney King were my next hosts in Kentucky. Rodney is one of the farriers from the world famous Rood and Riddle veterinary hospital. His wife Natalie works in the office there. Nothing could have prepared me for the size and scale of the practice! Established in 1986, Rood and Riddle has 300 staff, 50 vets and 10 very big barns of operating theatres, stables and laboratories. They also have their own podiatry unit, which is where I was based for a week. I was lucky enough to witness tendonotomies, necrotomies as well as going out on stud calls around Kentucky. The facilities and the way everybody treated me was absolutely second to none. Rood and Riddle are official vets for the FEI World Equestrian Games in the Kentucky Horse Park next year; I was fortunate enough to attend the Rolex three-day event in the park during my stay. I then returned to Conrad Trow for another memorable week, working, learning and visiting all sorts of places. We managed to get some time in his forge most nights as Conrad was practicing for Calgary. His shoe board was more like a story of great people that have been and worked there.
On the day of the Kentucky Derby I flew right over the course en route to Denver, Colorado, it was an amazing spectacle. I was picked up by Tyler Voltz and spent one week working with him in Sterling. Tyler is a great outdoors person and he twice took me branding, which was great. He showed me a large number of snakes, coyotes and horses. Then off to Fort Collins I went, to stay with John Hildebrandt, the President of the Rocky Mountain Farrier’s Association. Fort Collins is directly at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, which provides an impressive backdrop to a lovely part of Colorado.
In Fort Collins I was lucky enough to stay with Brian Buckner. He was one of the nicest guys I worked and stayed with on my trip. He and his family were great hosts and we managed to get lots of shoe making practice. Brian sorted me out with my own little caravan. It was really very nice to have a bit of time on my own. I admired Brian's ability to balance his family life with shoeing and shoemaking. He was a great farrier and nothing was ever too much trouble.
A trip to Rifle saw me right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. We arrived very late on a Friday night and shod all the horses on the Saturday. We then stayed for the branding on the Sunday. Puma Paw Ranch is the second most densely populated area of mountain lions in America; it is proper ranch/cowboy country. I spent the next week with John and the following two weeks with a different farrier each day – Darren Shaffner, Michael Allen and Tom Turner to name just a few.
I was keen to see some tools being made as it was something I had very little experience of and certainly hadn’t seen any being made on a large scale. Brian kindly arranged for me to spend a day with Tony Kingery of Tosaky forge at his home in Denver. Tony is a great guy who taught me an awful lot, in a relatively short space of time, on how to make and assemble a knife; his knives are all hand crafted and assembled. The amount of thought and time Tony puts into crafting his lovely knives is extraordinary. From angles to lengths, everything has been very well thought out and designed. I treasure the first knife I made and respect his dedication.
That evening I was transferred a few hours away to John McNerney of Yukon forge. John is a lovely chap and a real family guy. I arrived at John’s at 11.45pm and we got up at 5am the next day to go and make some shoes with Jim Quick. By 6am the fire was roaring and the sweat pouring as Jim, John and I practiced for the WCB event in a few weeks time. It was surreal to be with two of the best tool and shoemakers around, and then there was me! The rest of the day, I spent making fullers, tongs and hammers with John in his lovely forge. It was so interesting watching someone as great as John makes the tools that I have and use back at home. John and Megan made me feel most welcome and looked after me well. In the evening John showed me how to make Damascus using his power hammer, which was pretty immense!
The next day I joined Jim Quick and went shoeing with him – a real honour. He was one of the judges at this year's World Championships in Calgary; so it was absolutely incredible to go shoeing with someone of his calibre, and to talk about my shoeing job. Jim is a great person who took time out to answer all my questions and queries. I learnt a great deal, from shoeing to tool making. He went beyond the call of duty to arrange all kinds of things I needed. I really have great admiration and respect for Jim and his remarkable generosity – he even sorted my entry fees for the WCB in New Mexico. He is an amazing person with amazing talent who strives for excellence in everything he does.
Between them, Brian Buckner and Jim Quick managed to get me to see gaited horse shoeing. This sort of shoeing was only something I had heard people talk about and so when the opportunity came up to go with Del Slaugh (one of the best gaited horseshoers in America) I couldn’t refuse. It was very different but Del explained everything brilliantly, he is a real character too. I witnessed some double nailing and a few tricks of the trade.
My last few days in Colorado were spent at the Four Corners Contest in Denver, organised by the Rocky Mountain Farriers Association. It was good fun, and provided me with a great opportunity to meet up again with lots of friends I had met during my trip. Trey Green was the clinician and extremely helpful, providing a lot of useful tips. Jim Quick judged the shoeing. Having Trey and Jim judge your work was a real honour. The bonus to it all was that I even won $300!
I flew from Denver to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was honoured to meet and stay with the Trnka family. New Mexico was dry; the landscape was vast and rolling with lots of scrub bushes. Craig and Chris Trnka played host to me for my last week with my final competition being held just down the road from their house. The Trnka family was most kind and working with somebody as talented as Craig and his son Bodie was an amazing opportunity. We shared many stories and had a real laugh.
The final competition of my trip was the WCB competition, Edgewood, New Mexico, at the annual Hammer and Hooves Festival. It was another great opportunity to thank the influential people that had hosted, helped and tolerated me over the past three months. It was definitely the first (and probably the last) competition where I rode the horse’s there to be shod and rode back again, dodging the bull snakes! Billy Crothers flew over to be the clinician.
On my last day it suddenly dawned on me that this trip of a lifetime was coming to an end and I was upset, although I was excited to come home so that I could apply things I had seen and done. Despite that, a huge part of me loved the American way of life and was sad to leave. All I can say is, any farrier who wants to push him or herself further after successfully completing their apprenticeship should grasp this once in a lifetime experience. The exchange provides an opportunity to meet world-class farriers and broaden your perspective of shoeing; the opportunity to meet exciting new people, who thrive on what you know just as much as you thrive on what they tell you. My only regret was not being out there for longer!
I would say the main differences in shoeing are the breeds of horse and the type of work they do. Fullered shoes were more preferable, although concave was used in many areas. The toughness of the feet really shone through with many guys I was travelling with carrying between 30 and 40 knives! The standard of shoeing I witnessed was second to none and the enthusiasm, certainly within the WCB, was incredible, and something I will always aim for, which is to ‘strive for excellence’.

From Left to Right:
Live shoeing at the Four Corners Contest
Oliver finds four legs good, six legs safer
Jim Quick (l) of J Quick Tools on the anvil making shoes with John McNerney of Yukon Forge
A stallion being monitored as it is put through its paces on a treadmill at Rood and Riddle, one of the largest equine veterinary practices in the States.

 

THANKS

I really cannot thank everyone enough that made this trip possible. Here are just a handful of names that really made certain things special – NAFBAE, Worshipful Company of Farriers, Mum and Mick, Michael Kiernan (my former boss), Dave Grant DipWCF (who kept my business going while I was away), Vernon Powell, Jim Quick, Craig Trnka, John McNerney, Brian Buckner, Melinda Haines, Conrad Trow, Rodney Powell and John Hildebrandt.