2006 AAEP Convention Addresses the Foot; Farriers-Only Program Added

Hoofcare & Lameness has received a document pertaining to the 2006 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, to be held in San Antonio December 3-6. While farriers have always been able to attend the convention, this is the first time that a farriers-only program has been offered.

San Antonio will be my 21st AAEP Convention! Hoofcare has always been part of this convention, and we have a busy booth in what is surely the largest horse health trade show in the world. It is worth going just for the trade show!

(Blogger's note: speakers are veterinarians unless otherwise designated, although Mike Pownall is both a DVM and a CF. Also the laminitis presentations are reports on research from the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit of Dr. Chris Pollitt. Dr Pollitt will be in San Antonio, but the new data will be presented by research staff).

Here is the message from the AAEP and Dr. Steve O'Grady:

The American Association of Equine Practitioners would like to invite farriers to attend our 52nd Annual Convention to be held in San Antonio, Texas on December 3-6, 2006. This year's program will feature multiple sessions devoted to the equine foot.

Monday Afternoon December 4
In-depth session on Palmar Foot Pain (3 hours)

*Structure and Function of the Equine Digit in Relation to Palmar Foot Pain - Andrew Parks
*Clinical Evaluation and Diagnosis of Palmar Foot Pain - Robert J. Hunt
*Therapeutic Considerations for Horses with Palmar Foot Pain - G. Kent Carter
*Strategies for Shoeing the Horse with Palmar Foot Pain - Stephen E. O'Grady

Tuesday Morning December 5
"Putting Science into Farriery" (session open to Farriers only)
*The Farrier-Veterinary Partnership: The Role of Diagnostic Imaging - Harry Werner
*Lameness evaluation: practice and theory - Andy Parks
*Hoof balance vs. hoof mechanics: is there a difference? - Bob Pethick, CJF
*The "tipping" point: radiographic assessment of the affect of wedge pads -- Mike Pownall
*Using composites to compliment farriery: when, where and how? - Scott Pleasant
*Lets review the landmarks that can be used to evaluate, trim and shoe the equine foot - Dave Duckett, FWCF


Wednesday Morning December 6
"How to" presentations on the hoof
How to...Use Hoof Wall Resection and Amniotic Membrane as a Treatment for Coronary Band Prolapse - Carrie Gatke-Long
How to...Surgically Access Lesions Beneath the Hoof Capsule - Clifford M. Honnas
How to...Radiographically Assess the Hoof Capsule and Related Lameness Problems - J. G. Merriam
How to...Prepare Equine Hoof Defects for Repair - William Moyer
How to...Manage White Line Disease - Stephen E. O'Grady
How to...Perform the Digital Venogram - Amy Rucker
How to...Assess the Equine Foot for Prepurchase - Tracy A. Turner
How to...Safely Perform a Mid-Metacarpal Deep Digital Flexor Tenotomy on a Standing Horse - Daniel J. Burba
How to...Cryotherapy Reduced the Severity of Laminitis Evaluated Seven Days after Induction With Oligofructose - Andrew W. van Eps
How to...Transcription of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in Horses with CHO Induced Laminitis Treated With an Intracecal Buffering Solution - Adriana H. Souza
How to...Acute Laminitis: The Temporal Evaluation of Serial Hoof Biopsies - Emma L. Croser


Additionally, Sunday through Tuesday there will be various 1.5 hour Table Topics including:
• Barefoot vs. shod,
• Foot lameness,
• Hoof wall cracks and defect repair techniques,
• Therapeutic shoeing,
• Managing acute and chronic laminitis.

Advance Registration fee for AAEP and farrier guests is $395*. (Registration includes complimentary lunch Sunday-Tuesday as well as access to the other program sessions and trade show.)

For more detailed program information or to register go to www.aaep.org or call 1-800-443-0177.

(Hoofcare.com and hoofcare.blogspot.com will post updates as available.)

* Update #1...23 October...pre-registration deadline extended to 30 October 2006.

Hoofcare & Lameness Journal Sunday, June 18, 2006
As posted on www. hoofcare.blogspot.com and hoofcare.com.

What is "World Championship Blacksmiths"?

We'll soon find out!
June 19th is the day set for unveiling of the new member-based organization designed at upgrading farrier competitions in the United States. Headed by farrier Craig Trnka of New Mexico and AFA Education Director Jill Ballard, World Championship Blacksmithis (WCB) has an ambitious plan to run regional farrier qualifiers leading to a national championship beginning in 2007.

Until the name catches on, I am sure that this will be called "the competitors' association" but it is more than that.

Among their plans are to use stations provided by the promoters, a la Calgary Stampede's farrier contest, so farriers will not need to bring trucks and anvils to a contest site. The stations will be owned by WCB and moved from site to site.

According to Jill, "The organization is kicking off the 2007 season with a preview competition in Edgewood, New Mexico on September 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 2006. The first year's regional competitions are slated for Bossier City, LA; Durango, CO; Dillon, MT; West Springfield, MA; and Atlanta, GA." A "Super Clinic" is scheduled for the weekend of January 11.

The Massachusetts event will be held as part of the Equine Affaire horse expo.

Principles of the LLC (Limited Liability Corporation--not a non-profit organization) are three farrier-and-wife teams: Craig and Chris Trnka of New Mexico, Jeff and Julie Ridley of Iowa, and Kyle and Jill Ballard of Nebraska.

Rumors that WBC intends to take over the AFA are premature, according to the authorities I interviewed this week.

I did question Myron McLane, chairman of the American Farrier's Association's Rules Committee, which makes him the de facto czar of the AFA's competition. On June 11, Myron said, "I can't tell you what (WCB's) plans are but I am the chairman of the rules committee and the rules committee runs the AFA contest. I can't comment on rumors. If anyone has questions about the contest in Albuquerque they can contact me at 508-678-0117. We also welcome new ideas and input on the contest from any AFA member."

AFA Acting Executive Director Mike Nolan told me on June 13, "I have been in touch with WBC and urged them to come to the AFA with specifics and how their plans impact the AFA."

A full article with information directly from WCB will be posted on www.hoofcare.com in the next day or so.

By the way, Jill Ballard asked me to convey the important information that she is still working for the AFA, as well as for WCB.

The WCB web site will go live on the 19th; URL is http://www.worldchampionshipblacksmiths.com

EIA in Ireland: Not Good News

Another horse disease is in the news today: Equine Infectious Anemia has hit Ireland for the first time, ever. That's the problem with being an island; your flies don't get exposed to diseases. The horses in Ireland have never needed Coggins tests, so what will they do now? According to news reports, the outbreak is blamed not on imported flies, as you might expect, but to a tainted supply of medication or vaccine.

No matter how it got to Ireland, it's there, and when flies bite an infected horses, the fly becomes a carrier and infects other horses. And horses that recover can be carriers forever.

It's not unusual for Irish horses to pop over to England or Scotland or even France to race, and we all know that every horse in Ireland is for sale. It is a market country and a nursery for the Thoroughbred and jumping horses of all types. This outbreak will require a major national education campaign.

I can hear them down at the pub now, asking "Who's this fellow Coggins, then, and why do our horses need to take his test?"(Good questions, who is/was Coggins?)

Keep an eye on this story. It reminds me of when West Nile Virus arrived in New York. Let's hope Ireland finds a way to stop a major outbreak, and a major change in how they manage and move their fabulous horses.

Barbaro's cast was replaced today

From our friends at New Bolton Center:

KENNETT SQUARE, PA – Today Chief of Surgery Dean W. Richardson replaced the cast that had been on Barbaro’s hind leg since surgery on May 21. “His leg looks excellent,” said Dr. Richardson. “The incision has healed well and judging by the radiographs, the graft is opacifying (“taking”). Callus is forming nicely, and all of the implants (plate and screws) look unchanged.” The cast was replaced under general anesthesia, and Barbaro had a very smooth pool recovery.

Farrier Memorial Planned for Saratoga Racecourse

Some kind people in the New York racing scene are planning a memorial for farriers who live on in the memories of many. Jim Brummit, Bruce Scott and Charlie Campbell were three friends of Hoofcare & Lameness who shod on the NY tracks and had many happy times at Saratoga each August.

In fact, the last time I saw Brummit was next to the Oklahoma Track when he pulled up beside me one day. I'd just been taking pictures of Ray Amato shoeing at Todd Pletcher's barn. How Brummit knew I was there, I'll never know. I think that they have spy pigeons or something at that track. His last words to me were some sort of a curse about the magazine being late again. Now, he's gone; cancer, of course. Ditto for Charlie.

You can read more about Charlie here: www.hoofcare.com/charlie_campbell.html
Charlie was the paddock farrier at Saratoga. I just saw today that they named a race for him; it was run at Saratoga on Labor Day, which I think was the last day of the meet in 2005.

If you've never been to Saratoga, the racetrack is a beautiful park-like place; Oklahoma is the training track, dating back to the 1800s, and the barns around it are wooden. The horses are bathed or walked in the shade under huge old trees. I always think that I have taken beautiful photos there, but they never do it justice when I see them afterwards. The place is beautiful to look at, but part of it too is the sounds, and the smell, and the way you feel because it's only 7 a.m. and you are already so hot. I've been going there since I was 13. I couldn't go to the races in the afternoon until I was older, but in the morning, the backside was all mine.

"Oklahoma" is a perfect place for a memorial. Every track should have a farrier memorial.

I hope they raise a lot of money and I also hope you'll go there and see it. I am sure that contributions would be very welcome but I don't have any details yet.

Watch Hoofcare & Lameness for more details sometime this summer. I plan to be in Saratoga on Tuesday and Wednesdays this year. How about you?

Horse Beats Humans (Again)

The Welsh held their annual horse vs human cross-country race today; 300 humans showed up and tried to outrun 30 horses. A horse won the 22-mile race.
I read about this race every year and it fascinates me, for some reason. Last year, a human won.
I don’t think I really care who wins, I am just curious why and how they run this race.

More at http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/