Worldwide Wacky Weather: Laminitis Cases Down, Mud Fever Cases Increase in UK

It's the old good news/bad news scenario; here's a clip from a roundup of winter horse health observations for the past few months published in this week's Horse and Hound, the British weekly horse newspaper.

Peter Slater MRCVS, from Liphook Equine Hospital in the south of England comments: "The warmer weather this winter has meant less laminitis cases, but much more mud fever. I've seen some quite nasty cases."

Mud fever is directly related to the weather; the wetter it is, the worse the condition, acccording to Horse and Hound veterinary editor Karen Coumbe MRCVS, who adds that is not a single disease, but a collection of clinical signs ranging from a few scabs to cracked heels and sores, which in turn can produce infected legs.

Mud fever has a variety of causes, but can usually be blamed on bacteria infecting chaffed, waterlogged or otherwise damaged skin. Horses with white legs and pink tender skin underneath seem to be the most susceptible.

Hoofcare & Lameness published an in-depth special section on "mud fever" a few years ago, including mite infestation and pemphigus as problems that affect the lower leg; the section is available on cd-rom, or you can order the complete issue, which includes Michael Wildenstein's thesis on white line disease and articles on canker, spider bites, etc. We are doing this to make available articles that can then be printed out and distributed to clients. Email backissues@hoofcare.com to place an order. Other back issues, which have been out of print, are now available on cd-rom as well.

Rustin Moore Speaks to Harness Racing Org About Laminitis

At today's annual meeting of the United States Trotting Association, Dr. Rustin Moore, professor and chair of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, of the College of Veterinary Medicine of Ohio State University, spoke to the harness industry representatives about the disease of laminitis.

After mentioning that 15 percent of adult horses in the USA are affected by the disease, he added that 75 percent of those cases are eventually fatal. He noted that the cause of the disease and how it actually affects the horse is still not well understood, and that the array of treatments and theories is testimony to how little we really understand it, in all its forms.

"Cryotheraphy (extreme cold) research seems to hold some promise," Dr. Moore said. "We don't know why it seems to help, but it does. In any event, all practitioners, including veterinarians, surgeon, and shoers, need to share all they know, and hope that such collaborating will lead to a cure -- or better yet prevention.

Dr. Moore is program chairman of the upcoming 4th International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, to be held in Palm Beach, Florida on November 3-5, 2007.

To read a complete report of the USTA meeting, click here.

Photo of Dr. Moore courtesy of the Ohio State University.

Barbaro Death a Hoax? Conspiracy Theories Abound in Run-Up to April Fool's Day

Had a tough week? Snowed in again (if you live around here)? How about a good laugh?

Onion.com has a great story about Barbaro death conspiracy theorists.

Here are a few clips:

"On Tuesday, University of Pennsylvania criminologists, acting on a public petition, entered photos of Barbaro taken at the New Bolton Clinic only hours before his death into special face-aging software to determine what Barbaro would look like after two months. Results showed a remarkably similar-looking horse with a slightly longer mane."

"Despite the legions of fans who now believe Barbaro is alive and well somewhere in the U.S., others within the horse-racing community are quick to dismiss the theory, claiming that Barbaro was in fact assassinated after the Kentucky Derby, that the horse who raced in his place at the Preakness was an imposter, and that Barbaro's injury was staged by the government as part of a massive cover-up to divert the nation's attention from crucial domestic issues and the war in Iraq."

Here at Hoofcare & Lameness, we think someone should go out to the stables behind Graceland and see if Elvis's tack is missing...

Read the complete Onion story.

Farrier Competition Scene: Change/No Change at the Top

Jill and Kyle Ballard, two of the founders of the fledgling World Championship Blacksmiths competition corporation, have left the new company.

I interviewed Jill today, and as expected, she was upbeat about their decision not to continue with the venture. "We decided to step down as owners," she told me. "It's about spending time with our family. We have two children under the age of three and would like to have more. WCB was a bigger commitment than we can make right now."

Jill, who was Chief Planning and Operations Officer, and her husband Kyle, who was Chief Financial Officer, live outside Ithaca, Nebraska. Kyle is president of the Midwestern Farriers Association and, as such, a member of the Board of Directors of the American Farrier's Association.

Jill left her position as director of education for the American Farrier's Association to concentrate on her role with the WCB. She was optimistic about the future of the WCB's management, which will now be in the hands of Julie Ridley in Iowa. "Julie will do a good job," Jill said, "and I'm sure Kyle will still compete. We'll just be watching from the sidelines."

Meanwhile, Myron McLane, longtime chairman of the Rules Committee of the American Farrier's Association, wants everyone to know that he has not resigned. "The rumor mill has started once again," he notified me by email. "Just in case anyone is interested, I am still chairman of the AFA rules committee. I have not resigned as you may have been told (probably by someone who wishes I did).

"I am also NOT a member of the committee looking into the WCB thing," he continued. "My committee (the AFA Rules Committee) has already looked into it and has given its recommendation to the BOD (Board of Directors). Our job is done."

The "WCB Thing" that Myron refers to is a proposal by the World Championship Blacksmiths LLC to replace the annual AFA competitions with the national finals of WCB's regional competition series. When asked, Myron's committee advised the AFA against making such a change but the Board then appointed its own committee to look at the proposal. The Board had already granted WCB, a for-profit entity, a seat on its Board by making the corporation a "chapter" of the organization. The convention contest proposal is either a hostile takeover attempt or a gift from the hammer gods, depending on whom within the AFA political insider groups one asks.

To see how things can change, or don't change, Jill and Myron were both quoted in my post of June 15.

Photo of Myron McLane courtesy of http://www.hoofcare.com

Mustad Hoofcare Center Announces New Horseshoe Products, Lower Prices; Expands into Standardbred Racing Scene

(via press release)

FOREST LAKE, Minn. – March 16, 2007 – Mustad Hoofcare Center (MHC) has announced several new products for 2007 that reflect the expressed needs of farriers across North America. Also, MHC announced lower prices on many of its popular horseshoe products for 2007.

MHC President Carlos Xifra said the new products are the result of the company’s commitment to “listening and responding to farriers, helping them grow their businesses efficiently and conveniently.”

Produced under the company’s St. Croix Forge brand, many of the new horseshoe products also will reflect lower pricing for 2007, the result of hard work and greater efficiencies obtained by the entire MHC team, according to Xifra.

“These price reductions and the ability to hold other horseshoe prices in the face of rising material, labor and transportation costs are the result of internal efficiency gains produced by our team’s efforts over the past year,” he said. “We are very pleased to translate these efficiencies to our customers in the form of lower pricing.”

A number of exciting product line expansions are part of the broad slate of new products for 2007.

· Eventer & EZ Plus horseshoes will add size 00 in response to demand by farriers for new sizes. The new sized shoes will offer the same features as other Eventer & EZ Plus Shoes, and will be available Spring 2007.

· The popularity of the Aluminum Eventer line continues with the addition of the new Aluminum Eventer Unclipped version, the aluminum front Eventer Plus and the Aluminum Eventer Two–Degree wedge models. Available now in size 000-3, the Aluminum Eventer Unclipped front is more affordable than buying clipped shoes and knocking the clip off, saving labor for the farrier. The Eventer Plus aluminum front comes in both clipped and unclipped versions offering a wider web for better support, with lateral extensions. The Aluminum Eventer Two–Degree Front offers a corrective shoe to address some heel conditions. Both Aluminum Eventer Plus and Two-Degree fronts will be available summer 2007.

· MHC offers a new family of products: EZ Plus with a V-shaped crease, a fully featured shoe with a V crease that allows for better positioning of nails, as well as safer locking of the nail head to the shoe. “This will save the farrier time in shaping, and will be easier to work with than other shoes,” said Xifra. “The lateral support for the hoof is built in.” The new line, available summer 2007, will replace the current EZ Plus line of shoes.

· MHC brings some of these features with its new EZ Lite line of shoes. These shoes are based on the popular line of Lite shoes, in a front and hind pattern, finished heels, seating, an outstanding V-shaped crease, punched for CH nails, available in sizes 000 thru 3. Available Summer 2007, this line will replace the Lite Hind shoes currently offered by St. Croix Forge.

· The popular Lite Heel Hind shoes are offered in sizes 00 thru 3 saving farriers time at the anvil, offering sole pressure relief, a nail pattern that allows room for side clips and an excellent nail seating.

· A new line of Concave Plus Front and Hind shoes will also be available spring 2007 with the same features as the popular Eventer Plus shoes – symmetrical fronts with lateral extensions, and left and right hinds with slightly longer and wider outside branches. Punched for E-head nails, with toe and side clips, available in sizes 000 thru 4.

· While MHC has kept farriers in mind with its new line of products, the new Polo Front shoe offers better field and competitive performance to the horse with a new shape and design. Already available, the shoe features a more aggressive heel cut as a running change with the existing Polo front line.

MHC is adding a new product line of Harness Shoes in the spring of 2007 with the new Full Swedge Front, Full Swedge Hind, 9/16” wide Half Round Front and Half Swedge Hinds shoes. The new line features a more aggressive outer rim for traction and stability. Made from a harder material for better durability and wear – while still within the required weight targets – these Harness Shoes offer a truer shape to the hoof to save farriers time at the anvil. Sole pressure relief, better nail positioning, precision nail holes, are just some of the benefits offered by these shoes. Punched for RN 4.5, available in sizes 00 thru 5.

Continuing the quality of the St. Croix Forge Aluminum Racing Shoes and Plates, MHC introduces a new size 9 outer rim race plate both for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing events. Produced with MHC’s high quality standards and the finest aluminum alloy available, toe and side clips have been added to the aluminum race plates

For more information on these new products, or other St. Croix Forge Products, visit www.stcroixforge.com.

Hot New French Horseshoe Design Uses Scalloped Onions to Catch Your Eye

Oo-la-la!! The French firm of Michel Vaillant has a hot new horseshoe design that would certainly win any design competition. The new Parabolic Sport Horse Shoe is side-clipped, with onion-esque heels that flow out in a graceful curve from the branches and then are scalloped where the heels meet the frog. They call it "ergonomic heel support" but Hoofcare & Lameness readers will remember that onion heels have their traditional roots, so to speak, in France.

Will it fit every foot? Can the onions be de-scalloped? It's too soon to tell, but the Parabolic Sport is an eyeful to behold. I wonder if they make a hind pattern? That might fit a USA front...Will they find their way across the Atlantic?

Lots more info, in French of course, at the Michel Vaillant web site.