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FARRIER ACHIEVEMENTS - ELPO Examinations 2010
2009

2009 - ELPO Examinations

By Mike Williams

The Equine Lameness Prevention Organisation, (ELPO) recently held its second annual UK examination programme in various venues, cumulating at the equine facility of Chichester College’s Brinsbury Campus in Pulborough. ELPO, which was recently granted charity status in the USA, has seen a steady growth in membership since its conception by founder Gene Ovnicek.

Candidates who completed and all successfully passed this year’s level three examinations were Mathew Staples, John Stern, Ralph Rennison, Gareth Keevil, Tim Dunning and Chris Wiggins.
ELPO examiner, Gene Ovnicek was aided by assessors Steve Foxworth, (USA) David Nicholls, Beckie Mabbutt, Mark Spriggs and Richard Lovejoy.
Day one consisted of a practice session on barefoot-trimming, which was hosted at one of Beckie’s clients (Jenny Hill’s farm). Following lunch, the venue changed to Tina Pendle’s home for elderly horses where the candidates were examined on the barefoot-trimming element.
The next day the candidates practiced and prepared for the shoeing phase of the examinations at Brinsbury College. Training was given on the procedure of hoof mapping. Hoof mapping involves accurately locating and marking the internal structures of the foot by using external visible landmarks and reference points. Once this simple procedure is mastered, it is possible to score and record various hoof distortions as well as locating essential internal structures, such as the distal interphalangeal joint (coffin joint), the dorsal tip of P3 and the optimum point of break over established at the toe region of the feet.
Hoof mapping and scoring then becomes a universal vehicle of communication when preparing the hoof for either trimming or shoeing. The reference points used have been verified using radiography.
On the final examination day, the pressure was on and it would have been some time since some of the candidates would have been placed in a strict examination situation. Although the pressure was on, good humour prevailed throughout the day, Anglo American relationships were forged throughout the course by the ubiquitous ability of the English to tease our former colonial cousins! Shoe modification and adaptation of readymade shoes and a final written paper finished off the day, as well as most of the candidates!
Almost perfect score achieved
All candidates successfully passed, Chris Wiggins who is one of only two people to have achieved honours in his WCF Associate examination claimed another honour by attaining the highest score ever in the ELPO examinations. Chris scored an amazing 99 out of the available 100 points possible, a new world record. Well done, Chris!
Members day
With the examinations out of the way, the final day was devoted to ELPO members, including the newly-qualified course participants. This was held at Total Foot Protection, Slinfold, West Sussex. After initial presentations, Gene oversaw practical demonstrations on two animals with obscure lameness. Gene’s demonstrations both showed how to utilise the new ‘leverage testing boot’. This new diagnostic tool provides us with unique information about the lower limb that is not available from any other diagnostic technique. It is the first tool that professionals have had to allow the equine to nominate the most comfortable and optimal position and angle of limb for comfort and ultimately soundness. Both animals were tested before and after trimming, again utilising the hoof mapping technique described. The results were recorded using a simple scoring system, and a shoeing prescription was formulated using the said results. With some adaptation and refining both cases showed marked improvement.
BBC South Today, a local news programme, came along to film some of the event, and this can be viewed at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8206218.stm

More information on the work of the Equine Lameness Prevention Organisation can be found by visiting www.e-hoofcare.com

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