ShoeSecure Conquers Lost-Shoe Season, Now with Global Patent Approved to Keep Horseshoes On Hooves Everywhere

Spring means lost shoes. Instead of wondering if there’s a shoe at the bottom of that

puddle, rely on ShoeSecure to hold horseshoes on hooves that tend to pull shoes, lose shoes or that require a particularly full fit. Developed with the assistance of two world champion farriers.

                                        SHOESECURE SPONSORED THIS ARTICLE.                           

It’s a sure sign of spring when horses lose their shoes. But this year’s lost shoe count could be higher than usual, as American horse farm pastures thaw out after the longest, coldest winter in years.

Tennessee Congresswoman Blackburn Files Alternative Legislation in Congress to Amend Horse Protection Act, Inspect Walking Horses at Shows

Tennessee Walking horses enjoy great popularity at shows in the mid-Southern United States, where they have become famous for showcasing the "Big Lick" gait. The horse's natural talent and action are exaggerated by heavy pad stacks and pastern chains. The American Horse Protection Act was passed to outlaw the cruel practice of "soring" or deliberately causing pain to the hooves and pasterns to accentuate the gait. Critics feel that only a total ban on pads and chains will stop the cruelty.

The Hoof Blog has learned that Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R) has filed House Bill 4098 in the US House of Representatives; the legislation aims to reform the jurisdiction over and inspection of the way that Tennessee Walking horses are shod for show. This new legislation is an alternative to much stricter legislation already before Congress, known as the PAST Act, which was filed by Kentucky Representative Ed Whitfield in April 2013.

Research Update: Laminitis and Lameness Project Funding Announced by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation’s board of directors has announced a slate of 19 research projects which the Foundation will fund for a total of $1,003,580 in 2014. The list includes eleven new projects and five which are in their second year, as well as three Storm Cat Career Development Awards.

White Turf: How Do Polo Ponies and Racehorses Stay on Their Feet in the St. Moritz Snow?

A ski-joring horse displays the outside of his right front hoof during a race. Coronet and hoof wall injuries are common when horses are shod with calks. (Swiss Images photo)

Calks? Check. Snow rim pads? Check. Ice-breaker hoof pick? Check. Horses competing in the polo and racing each February in St. Moritz, Switzerland are prepared from the ground--or should we say snow?--up.

It happens every February. Winter looks gray and boring and spring can't come quickly enough and then the images start showing up from the glamorous ski resort of St Moritz, Switzerland and you remember that it is possible to have fun with horses in the snow. And that there are some people out there who manage to do it with a great deal of style.

But how do they keep the horses of their feet?

University of Tennessee: First Equine Podiatry Conference Planned; Dudley Hurst Vet School Farrier Videos

The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine invites farriers and veterinarians to attend the inaugural Equine Podiatry Conference to be held in Knoxville, Tennessee Saturday, March 8, 2014.

Announcement: Second International Saddle Research Trust Conference to Examine Impact of Horse, Saddle and Rider on Each Other

WHAT: Saddle Research Trust Second International Conference: 

Horses, Saddles and Riders: Applying the Science

WHEN: Saturday, November 29, 2014

WHERE: Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, England

The world’s top scientists will come together to share their knowledge at the Saddle Research Trust (SRT) Second International Conference, to be held at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England on November 29, 2014.

On the Case: Foal Foot Bone Sequestrum Infection, Surgery and Recovery with Fraley Equine Podiatry

"It's just a gravel." "This wet weather is causing him to abscess." "He gets an abscess every winter." "He's been lame from that abscess for too long..."

When is it time to worry about a hoof abscess? When it grows from a sniper site of infection to a battlefield, when a horse does not respond to standard antibiotic treatment, or when it becomes obvious that it's not an abscess, after all.

Sochi-Inspired History: The World's Largest Horseshoeing Business Was in Russia

The amazing horse light sculptures in the Sochi Olympics opening ceremony told the Russian legend of each day's sunrise being pulled across the sky by a three-horse "troika" of horses. (photo shared by Sue and Marcus)

Are you enjoying the Olympics from Russia? When you're done dissecting the triple toe loops, slopeslide 360s and what on earth they really are trying to do in a curling match, here's a story to ponder. 

Not much about the history of farriery in Russia is translated to English, so it's tough to write about, but one story stands out.

Recent Publications: New Research on Hoofcare and Lameness

Did your New Year's Resolutions include a pledge to keep up with new research and developments in the research side of things? That could be a full time job. It could also be pretty costly, unless you have access to a library with the right journal subscriptions.