Monday, December 11, 2006

Hilary Cloos: Ivy League Farrier

It has been ten years since Hoofcare & Lameness subscriber Hilary Cloos graduated from Harvard University with a degree in physics. Just as many of her classmates went on to graduate studies in physics at places like New York's Cornell University, Hilary also headed to Cornell...but she chose to apply her physics to horses by studying with Michael Wildenstein to become a farrier.

The Harvard Crimson, daily campus newspaper for the sprawling city-of-ivy down the road, published a tribute article to Hilary today. She is one of their unique graduates, that's for sure!

Although...US Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island went to Montana State to study horseshoeing with Scott Simpson after he graduated from Brown University, also an ivy league school. Maybe there is a secret society of recovering ivy leaguers who are now servants of the hoof!

Here's the link to the Crimson's excellent article about Hilary Cloos, an upstanding citizen of the farrier nation:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=516321

Here are five things you probably don't know about Harvard University: 

1) Harvard closed its vet school in 1901 and paid the remaining students to go to Penn; 

2) Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology contains one of the largest collection of fossil bones of pre-Equus horse species, including a dazzling array of coffin bones and one of New Mexico's famous examples of what is called the Hagerman Horse

3) the university has a thriving mammal and bird locomotion laboratory in nearby Bedford at the university's Concord Field Station, where studies on horses are sometimes done and all the force plates are ready to do more; 

4) Dr. Castle McLaughlin, a cultural anthropologist and professor at Harvard's Peabody Museum, is founder of the Nokota Horse Conservancy, and compiled a 300-page study of the unique herd of wild horses in North Dakota, who are believed to be descended from the ponies of Sitting Bull.

5) Harvard University Press published a book I use a lot in research, Horse Power: A History of the Horse and Donkey in Human Societies by Juliet Clutton-Brock and most recently, the beautiful book Horses : History, Myth, Art by Catherine Johns.


And something that matters to me: Harvard has been scanning some of its old and rare horseshoeing texts and adding them to the online archive of accessible references. Thank you!

Friday, December 08, 2006

Good-bye to the farrier/senator

Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island will go back to being former-farrier Lincoln Chafee this week, as he packs up his office on Capitol Hill. Linc was defeated in his run for re-election in November, despite his moderate, bi-partisan votes on key issues that made him more of a Republicrat than a Republican. Still it wasn't enough for the voters in Rhode Island. He'll have more time for his horses now, and maybe he can help the horse industry a bit with his Washington connections.

Here's an article from the Providence (RI) Journal, which mentions him packing up his farrier mementos from his office, which we know included his framed IUJH racetrack farrier license:

Chafee packs up, moves on (December 8, 2006)

It was great to have you there, Linc. Time to forge ahead, Senator!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

SMARTPAK and LIFE DATA LABS Partner To Make FARRIER'S FORMULA Available in SMARTPAKS

Special Version of Farrier's Formula Available Exclusively in SmartPaks

(provided by press release simultaneously from our friends at Smart Pak and Life Data Labs)

CHEROKEE, AL and PLYMOUTH, MA (November 29, 2006)-- Life Data Labs and SmartPak Equine announced today that they have entered into a partnership to make Farrier's Formula available in SmartPaks. Farrier's Formula is the original hoof supplement, and has been shown effective in university studies as well as Life Data's own extensive research.

"Farrier's Formula has been our most widely requested hoof product, and we are delighted to be able to offer it to our customers," said Paal Gisholt, SmartPak's President and CEO. "In getting to know the Life Data team, I have had the opportunity to see their commitment to making a quality product first hand, and their care and attention to product quality is exceptional."

"We are happy to be making Farrier's Formula available to the many barns and individuals that have adopted the SmartPak feeding system," said Brian Jones, an executive with Life Data Labs.

"We took advantage of the extra protection offered by the SmartPak delivery system to create a special concentrated version of Farrier's Formula that contains the same level of nutrients and benefits of the non-concentrated version," he continued.

"Furthermore, our utilization of vacuum-packaging under nitrogen for delivery to SmartPak allows us to guarantee high levels of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, along with Vitamin C, making this concentrate an excellent choice for skin and coat as well as hoof health," Jones concluded.

Under the partnership, the companies agreed to a limited exclusivity. SmartPak has agreed not to offer hoof supplements that exactly copy Farrier's Formula and Life Data Labs has agreed that SmartPak will be the exclusive provider of Farrier's Formula in daily doses custom-packed for an individual horse. Other terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

Note: SmartPak and Life Data Labs are two of the companies that generously support Hoofcare & Lameness Journal with advertising; Life Data also sponsored one of our "Hoofcare@Saratoga" evening lectures last year at Saratoga. SmartPak recently opened their first retail store here in the Boston area, and I have had the pleasure of shopping there. We are very pleased to see these two companies working together. Congratulations to both! We look forward to seeing them at the AAEP Convention next week.

Dr. Scott Morrison May Examine Barbaro's Foundered Foot, Report Says

According to a report published today in The News Journal and its web site, Delaware Online, a quote attributed to Barbaro's veterinarian at Fair Hill, Kathy Anderson DVM, conjects that foot specialist Scott Morrison DVM of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY will visit New Bolton Center within two weeks to consult on the condition of Barbaro's foundered foot and the possibility of shoeing it. Barbaro is still hospitalized at the George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Kennett Square, not far from Fair Hill.

Here's the link to the story, which has not been verified by Dr. Morrison:

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20061129&Category=SPORTS09&ArtNo=61129051&SectionCat=&Template=printart


Stay tuned for more developments. Dr. Morrison will be a guest at the Hoofcare & Lameness booth at the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention in San Antonio, Texas on Sunday, December 3rd and Monday, December 4th at 5:oo pm each day. We hope to see Dr. Anderson there too.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Ferrie Brothers DVD Reveals Family Secrets of Shoemaking and Clydesdale Hoof Care


Two of the world's most accomplished farriers are Allan and Jim Ferrie of Ayrshire, Scotland. Both are Fellows of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, top international competitors, and first-class educators. But first and foremost, they are Scotsmen, and as such they are impeccable ambassadors for the craft of farriery in their country. Plus they look great in those kilts.

So impressed with these two men am I that within minutes of receiving a new DVD produced by them, I was searching for a DVD player. I usually am not anxious to watch tapes of shoemaking demonstrations or competitions, but I knew this would be different and I was correct.

The DVD is a superb revelation on how and why the traditional Scottish heavy horse is shod the way it has been for so many years. The Ferries dissect the construction of the shoes into minute details (of both front and hind shoes) and relate the details of the shoe to the foot of the horse; you watch Allan forge each inch of the shoe, while Jim explains what Allan is doing, which is shown in slow motion. Sparks stop in mid-air.

Admittedly, it looks all too easy, as if the steel in the shoe wanted to follow the focused nudge of the hammer's head. Every hammer blow has a distinct purpose; Allan's technique is a model of efficiency and artistry.

The second half of the DVD is about the application of the shoe and the foot of the Clydesdale.

The good news is that you too can stay up too late looking at feathery Clydesdale feet. The Ferrie Brothers' DVD will be sold by Hoofcare & Lameness, beginning December 1, 2006. Cost is at an introductory price of $49 plus $5 post to US addresses ($10 to the rest of the world). The price will be subject to change without notice because of the change in value of the dollar against the pound.

To order, email dvd@hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Mail checks to Hoofcare DVD, PO Box 6600, Gloucester MA 01930. Please note that the office will be closed from December 1 to December 6 while we are at the AAEP convention.

Monday Updates: AAEP Convention Speaker Changes

Program chair for farriery Dr Steve O'Grady announced Monday that Bob Pethick has had to cancel his role in the AAEP's first farrier conference, to be held Tuesday, December 5 in San Antonio, for personal reasons. Michael Wildenstein FWCF (Hons), resident farrier and instructor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (and a contributing editor with Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, as is Bob Pethick) will take Bob's place and speak on the topic of hoof balance vs hoof mechanics.

Sadly, we heard from another of our editors, Dr. Jean-Marie Denoix of France, that he will not be able to attend the convention. He will celebrate the Feast of St Eloi (patron saint of farriers and a national holiday in France) at home in Normandy on December 7.

Dr. O'Grady also mentioned that the American Farrier's Association has appointed three farriers to the AAEP's liaison committee for terms beginning in 2007. They are John Suttle of California, Michael Wildenstein (see above), and Dan White, resident farrier at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.