Event announcement: Laminitis researcher Chris Pollitt headlines ESP Laminitis and Podiatry Conference October 11-12 in Pennsylvania

You're invited! Laminitis researcher and author Professor Chris Pollitt of Australia will lead a roster of seven well-known farrier and veterinarian speakers to address practical and research developments to treat and prevent laminitis and advance the success of podiatry in the treatment of hoof disease. The two-day conference, organized by Equine Soundness Professionals (ESP), will be held October 11-12, 2019 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

This conference is limited to 60 attendees and is designed for ESP members and other professional farriers and veterinarians. For further information about this event, remaining sponsorship opportunities or media inquiries, contact Dave Gilliam at (214) 907-3380 or email dave@equisporthoofcare.com. The conference website is www.laminitispodiatryconference.com.

"Future Forward" Poster Session Added for International Laminitis Conference Attendees in Florida

Lamina carefully revealed and photographed by Paige Poss

Call for Abstracts: 7th International Colloquium on Working Equids

World Horse Welfare is now calling for abstracts from the world’s academic, research and scientific community as well as from working equid welfare practitioners for presentation at the 7th International Colloquium on Working Equids to be held at the Royal Holloway, University of London from July 1-3 2014.

Enthusiastic Attendees or Presentation Pirates? Attendee iPad/iPhone Media Capture is the Elephant in the Lecture Hall

Should you take photos of a speaker's slides at a conference? And if you do, should you share them on Facebook? Conference organizers and speakers are drawing lines on what's allowed and what's not. But they don't always agree. (Bareform photo)

There's an elephant in the lecture hall and it's time we talked about it: If you pay to attend a conference, does your registration fee entitle you to record it? If so, should you share it with others? Is it okay to use your iPhone to take photos of a speaker's slides? How much leeway should be allowed for personal or educational use of conference content?

Laminitis In Action: Coffin Bone Rotation Time Lapse Video (International Laminitis Conference Preview)

Laminitis, caught in the act: The foot of a horse suffering from Potomac Horse Fever is recorded as it goes through two processes subsequent to the damage in the foot caused by the disease: the coffin bone appears to be rotating away from the hoof wall at the toe and down at its tip; it is also "sinking" within the foot. These two processes are called rotation and sinking, or sinker syndrome. Many laminitis terms have parallel names in other parts of the world or even within the same country. (Andrew Van Eps video)

(You might have to watch this a few times, and if you have a slow connection, you might need to click on the stop button. Once the video is buffered, it should play smoothly. Watching it in full-screen mode helps.)

What you are seeing is a time-lapse of the radiographic view of a horse going through the process commonly called "rotation". What rotation actually is and which part of the foot is the chicken and which is the egg is perpetually debated. This particular foot is also "sinking" within the hoof capsule.

Andrew Van Eps

The video was created by Andrew Van Eps, BVSc, PhD, MACVSc, DACVIM of the University of Queensland. Dr. Van Eps earned a PhD while he was researching laminitis at the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit under Dr Chris Pollitt. Among the insights Dr. Van Eps' PhD research has contributed to the treatment of laminitis is the efficacy of cryotherapy in the prevention of laminitis. He created the video of the Potomac Horse Fever case during a residency at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

At the Sixth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot in West Palm Beach, Florida next month, Dr. Van Eps returns once again to speak. Among his subjects will be suggestions for ways to apply cryotherapy, clinical techniques to prevent support-limb laminitis and his intriguing-sounding lecture, "Lamellar Bioenergetics Studied Using Tissue Microdialysis".


You might be interested in reading "Equine laminitis: cryotherapy reduces the severity of the acute lesion" and "Equine laminitis model: cryotherapy reduces the severity of lesions evaluated seven days after induction with oligofructose" by van Eps and Dr. Pollitt, originally published in 2004 and 2009, respectively, in the Equine Veterinary Journal.

He's probably forgotten all about this video. But to anyone dealing with laminitis, the question of whether or not rotation is inevitable in a given horse remains a paramount concern. How many horses technically experience laminitis and have damaged laminae, but have minor rotation or none at all, and why is there such variation between horses? How many horses have bouts of laminitis that their owners never even notice? Is it still laminitis if no one notices but the farrier, the next time the horse is due to be trimmed or shod?

And what is rotation? Is the deep digital flexor tendon, which attaches on the underside of the coffin bone, actually pulling up and back on the bone as the laminae at the toe loosen their hold on the bone, as we've been taught, and as this video would so nicely illustrate? Or is it the weight of the horse on the compromised structures, compounded by unusual posture, that encourages a combination of those forces to work in concert?

A paper from New Zealand published in this month's (September 2011) Equine Veterinary Journal proposes that the soft tissue structures in the back of a contracted, bar-humped foot make it possible for the palmar processes of the coffin bone to act like a fulcrum around which the coffin bone rotates, and that the tendon has no involvement. (See "The effect of hoof angle variations on dorsal lamellar load in the equine hoof" by Ramsey, Hunter and Nash.)

Lead author Gordon Ramsey was kind enough to send his paper and this section begs to be highlighted; using a Finite Element analysis model, Ramsey calculated forces on the proximal hoof wall at the toe when the heels are raised, as recommended in some laminitis therapy regimen. Extrapolating from that finding, he challenged the mainstream concept of coffin bone rotation in laminitis.

Please note that the author is from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and so uses "lamellae" instead of "laminae" in his text; instead of referring to raising the heels of the foot, he refers to mechanically altering the palmar angle of the coffin bone. It's food for thought whether measurements of heels and coffin bone palmar angles are interchangeable.

A typical laminitis foot, with increased heel growth, which would elevate the palmar angle of the coffin bone as per Ramsey's FE model. According to his calculations, as that palmar angle is intentionally increased in some laminitis treatment protocols, the stress on the proximal (closer to the coronet) laminae inside the hoof wall at the toe would be increased. (University of Nottingham vet school photo)

Ramsey writes:

"The first stage of structural failure in a laminitic hoof involves a stretching of the laminar junction (Pollitt 2007), with rotational displacement occurring subsequently. This seems consistent with a mode of failure that begins at the most loaded proximal part of the lamellae, as predicted by this model, with rotation only occurring after the lamellae have been weakened. 

"It has been proposed that rotational displacement of the distal phalanx, as a sequel to weakening or failure of the laminar junction, is a result of the forces imposed by the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and leverage of the dorsal wall on the ground during breakover (Hood 1999). Experimental results have shown that in laminitic ponies the DDFT force is zero for the first 40% of stance and only approaches a normal value near the end of stance, but that the peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF) is only reduced by 13 percent compared to normal ponies (McGuigan et al 2005). 

"Since the peak lamellar load, predicted by this model to occur at the proximal (not the distal) region of the laminar junction, is more strongly influenced by the GRF than the DDFT force and does not occur during breakover, then this mechanism seems unlikely. 

"An alternative proposed mechanism is that the digital cushion and the region of the attachment of the DDFT are a fulcrum about which the distal phalanx rotates (Coffman et al 1970). As both the DDFT and the digital cushion are soft tissues, it seems unlikely that these could provide sufficient support. 

"However, if the hoof has contracted heels or ingrown bars (Strasser 1997), then these could provide support for the palmar processes to act as the fulcrum for rotation. This could explain why in some hooves the distal phalanx rotates but in other cases, where this fulcrum perhaps does not exist, it only displaces vertically."

Join in the discussion at the Laminitis Conference, October 29-31. The early registration discount ends soon!

 TO  LEARN  MORE

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. 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 digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

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Insulin Resistance and Equine Laminitis Research: Australia's Melody De Laat's Academic Elevator Video

Imagine the challenge laid down by the University of Queensland to its graduate researchers: give a three-minute presentation encapsulating your doctoral work. Tell an audience of everyday people from all walks of life why it matters, what it's all about. But keep it short. Can an Australian laminitis researcher describe equine metabolic syndrome in that short amount of time--using only one slide? 3-2-1...talk!

What's your elevator speech?

You have to have one.

If you're an entrepreneur, a job seeker, self-employed or just someone who doesn't want to be left in the dust of this ever-changing world, you have to have to an elevator speech. Once all you needed was a firm handshake, and a spare business card in your wallet for when you met someone. Now you need to be able to tell him or her what you do with your life and why you do it in just a few words.

You need to be able to get the message across that you're special and you're interesting and you're worth knowing/hiring/considering, and you need to say exactly why--all in the time it would take to ride a couple of floors on the elevator of a hotel or office building.

When that elevator door opens, your speech is over.

Yes, you're saying...But then there are academics. And forget engineers. Have you ever asked a researcher or engineer what he or she actually does? I know what you're thinking: Maybe there are some elevators in some coal mines in some Third World countries that would take long enough for a researcher's speech to get to the point--if there is one, that is.

But things are changing. We live in an age of pecha-kucha, the PowerPoint challenge to present your idea in 20 slides that change every 20 seconds, whether you're ready or not. It's the age of the "unconference". And the two-minute video rules, thanks to the way that YouTube has reset our attention spans.

So imagine the challenge laid down by the University of Queensland to its graduate research community: give a three-minute presentation encapsulating your doctoral work. Tell an audience of everyday people from all walks of life why it matters, what it's all about. But keep it short.

And if you get your message across? You could be the winner.

Last year, Melody De Laat answered the UQ Three Minute Thesis competition challenge with a topic related to her thesis: The Investigation of Insulin-Induced Laminitis in Horses. Her research at the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit (AELRU) focused on how elevated insulin levels, which occur as a result of insulin resistance, damage the sensitive lamellar (laminar) structures of the horse's foot.

And she had to do it on a huge stage, in an even bigger theater, in front of people who knew nothing about horses' feet, let alone about laminitis or insulin resistance.

“Insulin resistance is an increasingly common problem in horses. The lamellar failure, which is known as laminitis, that results as a consequence of the elevated insulin levels in the body is a painful and debilitating condition,” Melody said confidently.

“By uncovering the mechanisms involved in insulin-induced laminitis it is hoped that we will be able to reduce the morbidity and mortality rates associated with this disease.”
 
The Queensland competition was so well-received that it has been extended to other national and international universities in Australia and beyond. Master of Ceremonies for the event is the award-winning science writer and broadcaster with ABC Science Online, and regular judge on Australian ABC TV's The New Inventors, Bernie Hobbs.

I hope you enjoyed Melody's equivalent of her elevator speech. She advanced to the finals, and there are a lot more people in Australia who know a little bit about laminitis thanks to this competition and Melody's PhD.

And--Oh! Is this your floor?

One of Melody De Laat's research breakthroughs on metabolic laminitis was featured on The Hoof Blog on July 1, 2011. If you'd like to learn more, Melody De Laat will be one of four doctoral and post-doctoral researchers from the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit (Simon Collins, Melody De Laat, Brian Hampson and Andrew Van Eps are the team) who will accompany AELRU director Chris Pollitt to speak at the 6th International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot in West Palm Beach, Florida October 29-31. 

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. 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 digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than 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.

The Laminitis Conference: 2011 Program and Speakers Announced

Dr. Chris Pollitt used thermography to capture the ebb and flow of temperature change in a foot during the onset of acute laminitis over 48 hours (note numbers in the frames) during a research trial at the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit. Dr. Pollitt returns to West Palm Beach to speak at his sixth consecutive conference; he's the only speaker to have been on the roster for all six meetings.

Hoofcare and Lameness is pleased to announce its support for the 6th International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot (a.k.a. "The Laminitis Conference" or more casually known as "Palm Beach Laminitis"). The program is now complete and you're invited to visit the web site and peruse the lectures and workshops and speakers.

The event: 6th International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot

The dates: October 29-31, 2011

The place: West Palm Beach Marriott, West Palm Beach, Florida

Early discount registration deadline: September 10, 2011
Registration fees include meals and all related events
Trade show and sponsorship opportunities are available 

As in past years, all paid subscribers on the roster of Hoofcare and Lameness Journal will receive invitations to the conference. This is the only outside use of the subscriber list that is allowed beyond the walls of this office, so you know this must be an event that is important not to miss. Watch for an announcement in the mail soon, assuming we have your current address.

Non-US subscribers might not receive the mailing, but be sure to look into coming.

This video was made for the opening session of the 2009 Laminitis Conference. Actress Glenn Close was honored at conference (her horse did not survive laminitis); Mr and Mrs Castle, featured on the video, lost their horse Spot, and are key sponsors and friends of the Conference. Mark and Carol Zebrowski stayed involved after losing Cotton and are now active in planning the laminitis conference. 

As in previous years, the event will have two tracks, "scientific" and "practical", (roughly equivalent to "research" and "clinical"/"in the field") as well as an additional caregiving program that is designed for horse owners, but would benefit anyone interested in the care of lame horses.

If you have attended this event in the past, you know that the program is only part of what should attract people to this event. There will be additional events and activities announced later. 

James Orsini DVM, DACVS

Jim Orsini, DVM, DACVS of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is once again the director of the conference. Rustin Moore, DVM, PhD, DACVS is the chair of the program, with John Peroni, DVM, MS, DACVS of the University of Georgia chairing the scientific program.

Rustin Moore DVM,PhD,DACVS

I was privileged to chair the practical program again this time, with the able assistance of  Amanda House DVM of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Scott Morrison of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and Pat Reilly of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. I think I've worn them out with brainstorming.

Chris Pollitt, BVSc, PhD

As is the custom, the conference is organized by a "program first" planning process instead of a random selection of topics based on inviting speakers first. Four themes to be covered in the conference are centered on the key words "insulin", "inflammation" and "intervention"; a special theme of the practical program is new advances in our knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the foot, both shod and unshod, domestic and wild, large and small, young and old.

David Hood, DVM, PhD

A special in-depth multi-speaker panel will discuss, with audience interaction, the "new normal" horse foot and the variations in the types of feet that make so few assumptions possible.

Some of the key announcements in the practical program include:

The return of David Hood PhD DVM to the speaker roster. Dr. Hood will concentrate on his studies of chronic laminitis and, in particular, evaluating relative lameness, changes in gait and aspects of movement and weightbearing in the foundered horse that need to be considered (and recognized) separately from normal lameness. How do you judge the improvement of a chronically foundered horse based on its movement, rather than just on a radiograph? And does severe lameness permanently alter a horse's landing and weightbearing pattern?

Simon Collins, PhD

Dr Hood will also give a workshop on working on "the unwanted hoof", or on neglected or abused horses that are turned over to him by charity and rescue organizations. He now has a herd of foundered horses looking to him for recovery so they can be re-homed. I'm looking forward to seeing his cases--and his solutions for these horses. This should be helpful to anyone, but in particular when people are seeking low-cost rehabilitation of chronic founder cases or want to completely surrender their laminitic horses. This scenario is facing veterinarians and farriers around the world, and many of these horses can be rehabilitated and re-homed. Dr. Hood will share how he does it and what treatment and ethics might be involved.

Scott Morrison DVM

Chris Pollitt, BVSc, PhD will be leaving behind an almost-empty Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit; he will attend along with three of his key researchers (Simon Collins, Brian Hampson,and Melody de Laat) who are all speaking, as well as Andrew Van Eps DVM, PhD, DACVIM, of the University of Queensland vet school, who earned his PhD studying laminitis with Dr. Pollitt.

Dr. Pollitt will be sharing the latest research findings from his lab, and will host a special session of innovative 3-D anatomy of the horse hoof and laminitis, along with the AELRU's Simon Collins. 

Raul Bras DVM, CJF

Scott Morrison DVM and Raul Bras DVM from Rood and Riddle will bring with them the latest treatment regimen in use in their program, which has a very large laminitis case load. In particular, they will speak on hoof evaluation and treatment options (such as matching case parameters to treatments and judging the viability of weightbearing structures before putting them under stress), the use of umbilical stem cells for chronic laminitis, case strategies to avoid and treat support-limb laminitis, and the use of hoof casts with acute sinker syndrome.

Lisa Lancaster PhD, DVM

One of several new faces at the conference will be Lisa Lancaster MSc, PhD, DVM, the popular author of many articles in Hoofcare and Lameness (along with Drs Morrison, Pollitt and Hood) and the author of The Sound Hoof. Dr. Lancaster will review her histological and laboratory analysis of hoof flares and the white line at the toe crena, both conducted at the Equine Foot Laboratory at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine with Dr Robert Bowker, as well as her experiences in using medical acupuncture for both acute and chronic laminitis, and the difference between the two. Lisa currently assists in teaching medical acupuncture at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and is particularly interested in using acupuncture therapy to help horses on both sides of the laminitis coin--and there is a difference, she contends.

Brian Hampson, PhD

The second new face is Brian Hampson PhD. The PhD is a new one; Brian has just completed years of research at the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit, but instead of studying lamintis directly, he studied the hooves of wild horses. His findings will surprise you.

Brian studied wild horse hooves from a variety of climates and terrains and conducted very careful research. His lectures will focus on what environment does to hooves, particularly the laminar interface, when no humans are around. He'll also talk about laminitis as it appears in each of these foot types--when, why and how. Again, more surprises.

Aaron Gygax, CJF

Farrier Aaron Gygax lived in the United States for a while, working in Palm Beach and at Rood and Riddle, but he is now back in his native Switzerland. He'll be focusing on working with upper-level sport horses who are under pressure to stay in competition training despite their hoof problems and lameness issues. Aaron spoke at the conference in 2007, and was one of the most-asked-for farrier speakers. Don't worry, his English is great!

Pat Reilly

Farrier Pat Reilly of New Bolton Center has taken on the challenge of speaking on what it's like being the referral farrier for the barefoot horse; what's different for these horses in the field and in the clinic, and how the latest scientific information on barefeet can be incorporated into treatment for hoof issues?

Rob Boswell, DVM

Rob Boswell DVM of Wellington, Florida will speak about his recent successful treatments, and Dr. Orsini will speak on intervention techniques used in hospital settings to prevent laminitis in surgical and medical high-risk situations.

Andrew Van Eps DVM, PhD

Andrew Van Eps DVM PhD DACVIM of the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Medicine will co-present with Scott Morrison on support-limb laminitis cases. He'll also speak on cryotherapy to prevent laminitis and on his new work on microdialysis and the "bioenergetics" of the laminar interface.

Donald Walsh, DVM

Finally, Donald Walsh DVM, president of the Animal Health Foundation, will talk about field situations where vets and farriers can help identify horses with the earliest signs of insulin resistance, before the cresty neck and fat deposits and stretched white line make the condition obvious. Dr Walsh is in touch with the real world of horse owners and the frustrations they face and feels that more intervention is needed to prevent early IR horses from reaching the stage of more severe laminitis episodes.

(Some of the speakers are wearing leis because the conference included a dinner cruise in past years and leis were worn by all.)

The Laminitis Conference is like no other equine conference you'll attend. It's a bit like a retreat, or going to an island, with the organizers, speakers, and attendees all together for three days. Meals and evening social events are seamlessly integrated into the conference, and the faculty is available to the attendees throughout the event.

There's a trade show, and the conference works to develop relationships with many key companies who are involved in the sponsorship of the event. Professional event management keeps the meeting running smoothly. And a high percentage of attendees return each time to not only learn, but to share their experiences. It is a meeting where many in the audience could easily be at the podium.

And it's a meeting that you shouldn't miss.

www.laminitisconference.com

Conference registration is now officially open and must be done online. A discount applies to all who register by September 10. Special discounts are available for "teams" (vet/farrier, etc.) who register at the same time. Hotel reservations are now being taken as well; if you want to stay at the host hotel and avoid renting a car, you must reserve your room as soon as possible.

Full details on hotels, registration, the complete program and faculty list are on the conference web site: http://www.laminitisconference.com.

Go to www.laminitisconference.com for full details.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask.
Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).
To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.
Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

USA TODAY Laminitis Video: Penn Vet's New Bolton Center and the Legacy of Barbaro

USA Today had a terrific article yesterday about the laminitis work being done at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center. At the rural campus outside Philadelphia, 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was a patient for about seven months while he struggled to both recover from a fractured leg suffered in the 2006 Preakness Stakes and, even more poignantly, fight laminitis.

What a nice surprise to find out that, in addition to the terrific photos and article that were actually in the newspaper, they also filmed a video at New Bolton, which we are privileged to share with you here on the Hoof Blog.

In the video, you will recognize (in order of appearance) farrier Pat Reilly, Laminitis Institute researcher Hannah Gallantino-Homer, and veterinarians Jim Orsini and Dean Richardson, all members of the staff at New Bolton Center.

The full article can be read online but the great photos are not available:
Five years after Barbaro, pains and gains

Many staff and researchers associated with New Bolton Center's Laminitis Institute will be involved in the Sixth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot to be held October 29-31 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Visit www.laminitisconference.com for more information; the program will be announced soon.

The ONE book you need! Call 978 281 3222 to order

 © Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. 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 digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than 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.

American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention Farrier Reception Slide Show

This slide show may take a minute or two to download, depending on your connection speed. Once it loads, it will begin to advance automatically to the end. At the end, you will see two symbols. One allows you to email the slide show to whomever you wish. The other ("share") provides code for you to either link to the slide show or you may embed it in your own web site or blog, providing no changes or extractions are made. The individual photos are the property of Hoofcare Publishing and are protected by international copyright law.

Following the Third Farrier Conference at the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners' Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, last month, the AAEP hosted a reception for farriers and veterinarians and guests. Here you will see a few quick snapshots of the attendees.

The conference and the reception were sponsored by Merial. Amanda McAvoy represented Merial at the event, along with Kelly Goss of Sullivan, Higdon and Sink. Farrier conference chairman Dr. Steve O'Grady worked with several corporate donors to arrange an impressive array of door prizes for the farriers. Guests from as far away as the United Arab Emirates and France were on hand.

Thanks to the AAEP and Dr O'Grady for a great day! I especially enjoyed meeting Mr Ed Warrington from Delaware, who reflected on his first 50 years of shoeing horses. It was a great presentation and very telling: at one point he showed sheared heels from 50 years ago and sheared heels from today side by side on the screen. Some things never change, but a thoughtful, well-planned presentation has the power to change the way you look at the problem. And that's how progress begins.

I felt a little bit like the paparazzi taking these photos, and I hope no one minded having their photos taken. 

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. 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 digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). The headlines are also on Facebook, on the Hoofcare & Lameness page. To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
 

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After 26 Years of Excellence, Cornell Vet School Cancels Farrier Conference

The greatest tradition in continuing professional education for farriers in the world ended last week with an announcement from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

The university said that the 27th Cornell Farriers Conference, scheduled for this weekend, had been canceled.

Held in the highest esteen and featuring stellar farrier and veterinarian speakers in a world-class academic environment, the conference attracted a list of the virtual "who's who" of the farrier academic world over the years while sticking to a strict education-only policy that was embraced by attendees and supported by sponsors and trade show exhibitors.

A quick check of the (incomplete) files here shows the speakers over the years to have included Mark Aikens, Mike Ball, Philippe Benoit, Roy Bloom, Dan Bradley, Doug Butler, Christina Cable, Mark Caldwell, Victor Camp, Hans Castilijns, Brent Chidsey, Jacqueline Cilley, Meredith Clarke,  Buster Conklin, Janet Douglas, Dave Duckett, David Farley, Gene Fletcher, Laura Florence, Don Gustafson, Chris Gregory, David Hood, Vern Hornquist, Betsy Keller, Steve Kraus, Scott Lampert, Jeffrey LaPoint, Jack Lowe, Neil Madden, Bruce Matthews, Kelly McGhee, Myron McLane, Dallas Morgan, Scott Morrison, Tia Nelson, Charley Orlando, Andrew Parks, Bob Pethick, Chris Pollitt, Haydn Price, Jeremy Rawlinson, Pat Reilly, Dave Richards,  Mike Savoldi, Judith Shoemaker, Rob Sigafoos, Sigurdur Sigurdsson, Meike Van Heel, Gary Werner, and Pamela Wilkins.

Over the years, I became very interested in the history of Cornell's vet school and especially the many ways that farriery (and farriers) had always been deeply integrated into the veterinary education program. I was surprised to find out that the farrier department had once even endorsed a brand of horseshoes in an ad in the Horseshoers Journal. Did you know that Cornell once was the home of fine Percheron horses?

Farriery has been an integral part of Cornell's veterinary school since its inception and Cornell opened a much-heralded school to educate farriers in 1914. The opening of the school was the front page story of the Horseshoers Journal. Instructors of farriery at the vet school have been leaders of farrier education ever since, in particular professor Henry Asmus, whose work was published by the US government and distributed to horse owners and farmers all over the nation in the 1920s and 1930s.
Michael Wildenstein, who led the farrier program at Cornell until August of this year, took up Asmus as a role model and built up the conference to bring in leading lecturers from all over the world. He took pride in the number of repeat attendees at the conference, who returned year after year after year, and said that these people were the best-educated farriers in America because of their exposure to the talented and generous speakers who had been part of the conferences.

In the lighter-fare Saturday night programs at Cornell, farriers raised money for memorials, auctioned things off (like Professor Chris Pollitt's Australian Akubra hat), read poetry, tossed horseshoes and anvils, told stories about their mentors,  played instruments and sang  (among many unforgettables: a farrier opera singer, the Welsh national anthem a cappella, and three Australians who sang a "Waltzing Matilda" chorale), and there was even an Anvil Chorus karaoke one year.

I don't know what I'll do this weekend.

But I would like to thank Cornell for the 20 or so conferences that I attended. I can't think of any event that was so educational, where I learned so much, felt so welcomed, or looked forward to so much.

I will especially remember using the incredible Flower Sprecher Library at the vet school, and walking through the rows of shelves, finding farriers on their hands and knees reading books (old and new), or making copies of pages of books, or using computers to find articles and search databases. Cornell really did open its doors to farriers for that weekend each year. It was a gift and I hope you were able to benefit from it, in some way, while it lasted. I know I did, in a big way.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. 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 digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
 

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Continuing Education Events for Your 2010 Calendar

Pull out your calendar and start filling in some dates for what's ahead in 2010! There are probably many more events in the planning stages, but these are on our calendar of symposia and seminars so far. What's on yours?

March 5-6 UC Davis North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference in collaboration with Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center and Rood & Riddle Equine hospital at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott in Buellton, California. Click here for details.

March 13 Vermont Farriers Association seminar with Dr Tracy Turner in Bristol, VT. Email Diane Saunders:dlsqtrhs@gmavt.net

March 20 Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, England presents Laminitis Awareness 2010. Feed company Dodson & Horrell and three British vet schools team up to present the latest laminitis research. Speakers: Professor Derek Knottenbelt, Dr John Keen, Dr Cathy McGowan, Dr Teresa Hollands and Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow. Click here to download program brochure.

March 22 Laminitis: Risk and Treatment evening lecture at the South Shore Equine Clinic 6:00 pm 151 Palmer Rd Plympton, Massachusetts. Please RSVP 781-585-2611 or email southshoreequineclinic@yahoo.com

March 25 Liverpool University and World Horse Welfare in Lancashire, England present Laminitis Awareness 2010. Feed company Dodson & Horrell and three British vet schools team up to present the latest laminitis research. Speakers: Professor Derek Knottenbelt, Dr John Keen, Dr Cathy McGowan, Dr Teresa Hollands and Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow. Click here to download program brochure.

March 27-28 Harry Patton Horseshoeing Supply hosts a 90th (!) birthday party for toolmaker Jay Sharp, with Shayne Carter seminar and farrier competition in Salinas, California. Call 888 442 9150 or visit www.harrypatton.com.

April 8–11 Equine Affaire at Ohio State Fairgrounds, Columbus, Ohio.

April 10 Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Easter Bush, Scotland presents Laminitis Awareness 2010. Feed company Dodson & Horrell and three British vet schools team up to present the latest laminitis research. Speakers: Professor Derek Knottenbelt, Dr John Keen, Dr Cathy McGowan, Dr Teresa Hollands and Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow. Click here to download program brochure.

April 13 Lameness Diagnosis Panel with Dr. Norris Adams, Dr. Rich Forfa, Farrier Paul Goodness, Dr. Scott Pleasant, and Dr. Nat White at 7:00 pm in the library of the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Seating is limited. Please contact Amy Troppmann at 703-771-6843 or send email to atroppmann@vt.edu for reservations or information.

April 15-16 Equine Sports Massage Association Conference 2010: Diagnosis And Management Of Equine Locomotor Injuries with Professor Jean Marie Denoix DVM, PhD, Agrege at University of Bristol Veterinary College, Langford, England. http://www.equinesportsmassagetherapy.co.uk

April 20-25 Kentucky Cup test events in dressage and showjumping for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, plus Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event at Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY. Visit WEG web site for a roster of week-long events.

April 26-27 Kentucky Equine Summit, Lexington Hilton Hotel, Lexington, KY. Sponsored by University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program in cooperation with the University of Kentucky's Equine Initiative. Visit www.kyequinesummit.com for more information.

May 1 The Kentucky Derby!

May 1-2 Equinology's Equine Lameness and Gait Assessment Course with Dr. Barb Crabbe at the McPhail Equine Performance Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. Visit
www.equinology.com.

May 3-6 Equinology's Equine Biomechanics and Current Research Course with Dr. Hilary Clayton at the McPhail Equine Performance Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. Visit www.equinology.com.

May 12-15 Animal Care Expo 2010 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center, in Nashville, TN. Call 615 889 1000.

May 15 Carolina Laminitis Conference in Columbia, South Carolina. Speakers to include Katy Watts of Safergrass.org and Dr. Don Walsh of the Animal Health Foundation. To benefit the Animal Health Foundation and fund laminitis research. Watch for more information at www.ahf-laminitis.org.

June 21-26 International Wild Equid Conference hosted by the University of Queensland's Australian Brumby Research Unit at the remote Kings Creek Station, Northern Territory, Australia. Absolute Aboriginal adventurists encounter extreme equid academics in the Outback. Experience both wild horses and observe international equine hoof research, firsthand. The opportunity of a lifetime; full details can be downloaded at the bottom of this post. Visit www.wildhorseresearch.com.

August 3 Hoofcare@Saratoga Racing Season Kickoff Event Saratoga Springs, New York (date depends on opening day of the Saratoga race meet). Sponsors needed! Watch this blog!

August 10, 17, and 24 6th Annual Hoofcare@Saratoga Event Series and Speakers in Saratoga Springs, New York; Evening events at The Parting Glass on Lake Avenue, unless announced otherwise; all are welcome, for a casual, fun experience in the summer racing capital! (Dates subject to change one week forward or back, based on racing calendar.) Sponsors needed! Watch this blog!

September 17-19 Laminitis West Seminar at Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA, hosted by Steinbeck Country Equine Clinic. Details should be announced at http://www.steinbeckequine.com.

September 22-24 Promoting Peak Performance in Equine Athletes World Equestrian Games Sport Horse Veterinary Conference, Marriott Griffin Gate Resort, Lexington KY, hosted by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, AAEP and USEF. Includes speakers Drs. Kent Allen, Wayne McIlwraith, Jean-Marie Denoix, and many more. Foot-related speakers: Drs. Jeff Thomason, Simon Collins, Scott Pleasant and Scott Morrison. www.alltechfeigames.com/

September 23-25 2nd Invitation to Excellence Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners Symposium at the Mystic Marriott in Mystic, Connecticut. Includes special programs on lameness and farriery. Visit http://www.neaep.net/.

September 25 - October 10 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games ("Kentucky 2010"); probably the biggest and most ambititious horse event ever held on Earth. World championships in eight disciplines, trade shows, exhibitions, celebrations, seminars, education, parties, people from every nation, and horses, horses, horses. Bring family, friends, cameras; don't miss this. Volunteers needed, too. Go to http://www.alltechfeigames.com.

October (tentative, date tba) Luwex Hufsymposium in Krueth, Germany. Visit www.luwex.de.

November 6-- Danny Ward's 34th Farrier Gathering at his school in Martinsville, Virginia. Certainly the biggest little event in the United States, and everyone knows your name, or will by lunchtime. There's nothing quite like this: lectures, demonstrations, auction, food, music (bluegrass, of course), trade show (no charge to exhibit), dancing, and even some trimming and shoeing of horses. Email dannyward@embarqmail.com or call 276 638 7908.

November 7-12 8th International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology in Cape Town, South Africa. For more information, visit http://www.iceep.org/.

November 13-14 Cornell Farrier Conference at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. Click here for Cornell info.

December 4 - 8 56th American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention will be held in Baltimore, Maryland. Visit http://www.aaep.org/convention.htm.

Watch for more details about additional events! 

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.