As the calendar gets ready to turn to September, it's time for the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Congress in Birmingham, England. The conference runs from September 10-13, with a full day "Foot and Farriery" program on September 13.
Professor Jim Belknap on his upcoming vet-farrier relations lecture at BEVA's "Feet and Farriery" Day
The Foot and Farriery Day was covered in depth on the blog in July and full details of speakers and topics can be read if you click on this link.
The United States will be represented on the program by Professor Jim Belknap of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, whose lecture is titled "Where is the interface between vets and farriers in managing laminitics?"
As explained in his video, Dr. Belknap prepared a survey of US farriers about their interactions on cases with veterinarians. The web-based survey was promoted online (and perhaps by other methods) by the American Farrier's Association and the American Association of Professional Farriers in late July.
The introduction included this text: "This questionnaire was put together with the input of several veterinarians and several farriers to identify problematic areas between the two professions, as well as highlight areas that can be addressed in order to facilitate a good working environment...
"...We...plan to use the information in talks and discussions at national/international meetings for both professions."
On August 22, the Farriers Registration Council of Great Britain posted an announcement from the British Equine Veterinary Association that the survey was being made available to British farriers, in a slightly edited version. "This survey was edited by Simon Curtis to be more relevant to UK farriers. The current survey is only for UK farriers," the notice read.
In April, BEVA surveyed horse owners about how they used the services of farriers and other non-veterinarian caregivers. That survey was part of a governmental process called a "Review of Minor Procedures Regime (RMPR)" project, set up by the agriculture and environmental agency Defra.
"It is investigating the most effective ways to govern various activities undertaken by non-veterinarians in the future, without over-burdening either the practitioner or the horse owner with unnecessary red tape, but ensuring that the welfare of the horse remains the priority," a notice on the BEVA website said.
BEVA should be in possession of a considerable amount of data on how farriers in the UK interact with owners and vets.
In April, BEVA surveyed horse owners about how they used the services of farriers and other non-veterinarian caregivers. That survey was part of a governmental process called a "Review of Minor Procedures Regime (RMPR)" project, set up by the agriculture and environmental agency Defra.
"It is investigating the most effective ways to govern various activities undertaken by non-veterinarians in the future, without over-burdening either the practitioner or the horse owner with unnecessary red tape, but ensuring that the welfare of the horse remains the priority," a notice on the BEVA website said.
BEVA should be in possession of a considerable amount of data on how farriers in the UK interact with owners and vets.
Results from both the US and UK farrier surveys will be disclosed at BEVA by Dr. Belknap, as mentioned in the video. It should be interesting to compare the results between the two countries.
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is the news service for Hoofcare and Lameness Publishing. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a headlines-link email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal
Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page
Disclosure of Material Connection: The Hoof Blog (Hoofcare Publishing) has not received any direct compensation for writing this post. Hoofcare Publishing has no material connection to the brands, products, or services mentioned, other than products and services of Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
