Friday, 10 May 2013

Medicinal Leeches: The Much-Maligned Traditional Healing Aid is Making a Comeback for Equine Lameness Therapy




In this photo from German rehabilitation therapist Martina Mäter of Kathmann Vital GbR in Vechta, you see three colorful medicinal leeches hard at work. Lower-limb lameness is a common callup for leeches in the horse world; they may soon be in wider use in the United States. (Photo © Martina Mater, used with permission)



You're in a veterinary lecture on laminitis at a major conference on

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Connecticut Drops Charges Against "Equine Podiatrist" for Illegal Practice of Veterinary Medicine




For years, Connecticut has been known as the wealthiest state in the United States of America. Add to that the highest number of horses per square mile of any state. It's also one of the most beautiful states. If you had to pick a state to live in and run a farrier business, you couldn't do much better for job security than Connecticut.



After a state legal decision made there last month, it

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Badminton Horse Trials' Farrier Prize to the Best Shod Horse 2013 Won by David Smith




There might not be much left of a pair of shoes by the time the horse has made the circuit of the world's most challenging cross-country course, which is just one phase of the Badminton Horse Trials. Video of horses in this year's event courtesy of Centaur Biomechanics.



Each year, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials presents a "Farriers Prize" for the best shod horse at the world's

Saturday, 4 May 2013

Hooves of the Kentucky Derby 2013: Race Shoes, Hoofcare and the Farrier's Daughter





Sixty Minutes featured top jockey Rosie Napravnik the week before the Derby. Her other claim to fame? Her father is a horseshoer!

It's 90 minutes before the Kentucky Derby, do you know where you'll be today at 6:24 p.m.?


Rosie Napravnik, daughter of New Jersey horseshoer Charles Napravnik, knows exactly where she will be: on the back of MyLute, bursting out of the starting gate at

Kentucky Derby News: Scollay Replaces Injured Bramlage for NBC's "AAEP On Call" Role



Dr. Scollay is no stranger to television; she'll step in front of the camera today at the Kentucky Derby.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners reports that longtime AAEP On Call Veterinarian Mary Scollay will serve as the spokesperson for equine health during today's NBC Sports racing coverage at Churchill Downs.


Dr. Scollay, who serves as Equine Medical Director for the Kentucky

Friday, 3 May 2013

Behind the Scenes at the FEI World Cup Finals with Swedish Farrier Bjorn Berg




You're a long way from home when you go to the Gothenburg Horse Show in Sweden. The huge Swedish spring horse show hosted both the dressage and jumping finals of the 2013 FEI World Cup indoor winter competitions. The best in both sports converged on the annual show and turned it into a world stage.

Sweden's Bjorn Berg has been the show farrier at Gothenburg for 12 years but you can bet that

Meader Supply's New Hampshire Farrier Appreciation Day with FPD's Michael Wildenstein










Shoes, shoes, shoes! One of North America's largest horseshoeing supply stores opened its doors last weekend to welcome farriers from far and wide to the annual "Farrier Appreciation Day". Meader Supply soon found out that the appreciation was mutual; the flavor of the day was more akin to a high school reunion than a business event.


Farriers and hoof trimmers from all corners of New