Horses chew, we all know that, but if you’ve ever watched horses out in pasture they’ll perform types of grooming and bonding rituals with their teeth. Take a look sometimes and you’ll notice many times horses standing together while one is almost seemingly biting the flesh of the other. They’ll grab a little bunch of flesh and in a careful way kind of nip away with a little tug of the skin. This is very common and it’s a cooperative event where one horse allows the other. I’m quite sure I wouldn’t discourage such behavior amongst horses.

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.

First let’s define what sheared heels are. Sheared heels are when the heel of the horse’s foot grows forward toward the toe. Instead of there being support for the foot in the heel area where the horse needs it support is reduced – the heels have grown forward and there’s no foot (heel) to provide the support for the horse’s foot.

When it comes to shoeing and Farrier talks one of the least understood topics is the discussion of hoof balance. Ask half dozen different Farriers the meaning of hoof balance and you’re likely to have half dozen different answers. While hoof balance is so misunderstood it’s also most crucial to avoiding permanent lameness to horses. Put those two ingredients together and you have a recipe for disaster. Until hoof balance is completely understood there’s a 98% chance a horse will remain at serious risk. Let’s discuss balance and reduce the risk.

When I first started my horse shoeing career I apprenticed for slightly over a year and was on a shoeing job in Gilroy California at Savanah Farms. The horse being shod was a very beautiful bay halter show horse – an Arab gelding. And I do happen to be an Arab fan.

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.

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.

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.