Friday, 21 March 2014

Next Step in Re-vamp of Farriers Registration Act in Great Britain




A government report published on Wednesday takes another step toward modernizing a law governing who can shoe--or possibly trim--British horses.





For almost 50 years, the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 in Great Britain has been held high as an example of a national government's trust in the farrier profession to take responsibility for the care of horses' hooves. While entrusting the

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

Resource: CSU Video "Hangout" on Equine Metabolic Syndrome and Laminitis




Here's a resource to bookmark and share. Last night, three veterinarians from the Colorado State University Equine Veterinary Teaching Hospital hosted a Google+ "HangOut" on the subject of "Metabolic Problems That Affect Your Horse: Insulin Resistance, Cushings, and Laminitis".


If you haven't experienced a Hangout before, this video gives you an idea of what this platform can do. It creates

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

Mark Milster: Farrier accolades "mean nothing" if the horse isn't happy


 
The Oklahoman newspaper and newsok.com tracked down former World Champion farrier Mark Milster for a nice interview and video. The video gives a peek into Mark's shop, which should make toolhead readers happy. 


And the story of how Mark worked his way to the top of the farrier profession should inspire us all.



“I’ll go shoe a horse later today and all the accolades don’t mean anything if

Monday, 17 March 2014

Ireland Lists 49 Farrier Forges and Smithies on "Registered Buildings" List






Remnants of an old forge near Castle Dermot in Kildare.


"Welcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience 
and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race." 
- James Joyce, 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'







There's no place like Ireland when it comes to poetry from the forge. Whether it's a list of references from

Saturday, 15 March 2014

History Detectives: What Do You Notice About These Irish Farriers?




 Irish Farriers at the Barracks, Waterford, 1909

You don't need to wear a funny cap and carry a magnifying glass to be able to apply Sherlock Holmes's "deductive reasoning" to old photos of farriers. Well, a magnifying glass might be helpful.


More than one Sherlock Holmes story involved the ingenious application (or removal) of horseshoes, so it's safe to say that if Sherlock Holmes was a

Arizona Equine Massage Therapist Fights Accusation of Illegal Practice of Veterinary Medicine with Lawsuit




There are 50 states in the USA but Arizona seems to make the news more often than most. And when it does, it is usually because there is something that lawmakers in Arizona want to keep out. Whether it's unique Arizona-only laws to send illegal immigrants back to Mexico or the rights of businesses to refuse to serve gays on religious grounds, Arizona makes the news when it makes new laws.

Now