Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Golden Horseshoes: Holland's Farrier in Hong Kong
He's going for the gold. Lift up one of Salinero's shoes and the entire country of The Netherlands would believe that they are made of gold.
In the next few hours, Anky Van Grunsven of Holland and Isabell Werth of Germany go for the gold medal for individual dressage at the Hong Kong Equestrian Games of the Beijing Olympics. The two women are separated by a few one-hundredths of a point...and years of tooth-and-nail competition and micro-point finishes. Or will a dark horse come up from the ranks to take first place?
Each of the top two horses is shod by one of the world's leading sport horse farriers, Rob Renirie for Holland and Dieter Krohnert for Germany.
Anky takes her own farrier to the Olympics with her, and he is also the official farrier for his country. Rob Renirie is a cool study in composure and has an analytical eye for the horse he loves, Salinero.
In Sydney in 2000, Rob ran out into the arena to grab the bridle of Bonfire, Anky's first gold-medal winner, when he exploded from all the controlled energy after his test. Rob studies the horse and knows the rider well.
Holland had to settle for second to Germany in the team medals, and missed the use of a top horse, Sunrise, who went lame. It is all coming down to this one ride, since Anky has announced that she may retire.
If you have a chance to go to a seminar with Rob Renirie about shoeing, go. The former jumper rider turned farrier has also studied equine biomechanics at the University of Utrecht and he has created a place for himself at the pinnacle of sport horse farriery by combining the expertise of a rider, a trainer, a scientist and a skilled farrier into one person.
If you missed his four-hour master class on sport horse shoeing at the Palm Beach laminitis conference last November, you really missed something.
Someone showed me a picture of Rob taken in Hong Kong last week. It was late at night. Pouring rain. Rob with his white head was unmistakably, crouched under an umbrella with Anky's groom, Willeke. They were watching Anky school in the middle of the night, when it might be a little bit cooler. The rain didn't matter. Rob's eyes were locked on the horse's hooves. He was willing them to turn gold.
Post script: Anky Van Grunsven of Holland won her third consecutive individual Olympic gold medal in dressage in Hong Kong.
Golden Horseshoes: German Farrier Shoes the Olympic Champions
Since 1990, the German equestrian teams have not left home without him. And since 1990, they have won all the Olympic team gold medals in dressage.
Dieter is an enigmatic globe-trotter. If he sat down next to you on an airplane, you might think he was a spy. Or a race car driver. Or a hundred other things...but probably not a farrier. He is clever, inventive and thinks on his feet. Dieter pushes the envelope by narrowing his eyes and nodding, ever so slowly....and coming back from the anvil five minutes later with an answer to your problem cradled in his big hands.
Dieter brought my attention to spider-plate shoes and thumbprint heels and Luwex pads. A seminar for farriers he gave at Rochester Equine Clinic five (or so) years ago was exceptional.
Dieter's English is very good, although he is one of those people who tells you a lot if you pay as close attention to what he doesn't say. He is proud of his country and its horses and of his work.
Dieter has his own farrier clinic near Hamburg, Germany and also works with a vet clinic, so his lameness cases are as interesting as his sport horse tricks.
If they gave gold medals for farriery, Dieter's neck would be very tired from holding them all up.
Congratulations, Dieter, on Germany's three gold medals in these Olympics. One to go!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Objective "Lameness Locator" System Will Be Marketed by UMissouri Veterinarian
Dr. Loni Taylor runs alongside a test horse. Three sensors are placed on the horse's head, the right front foot and the dorsum of the pelvis. The sensors measure the head acceleration, the pelvic acceleration and the right front leg angular velocity. By reading these measurements veterinarians will be able to determine whether or not a horse is lame before it shows any signs. Photo by Brooke Fletcher. (Story provided by University of Missouri)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Shoeing for the USA": Todd Meister
(photo courtesy of Chespeake Dressage)
Todd Meister is one of those special guys. He calls himself a farrier, but as he told me once, "I'm a farrier who keeps his veterinary license up to date". Lest you think he is a vet who talks hooves and then leaves a prescription, think again: Todd is a certified as a journeymay farrier by the American Farrier's Association. He specializes in event horses and I've watched him work with team vet Brendan Furlong at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
For the past ten years or so, Todd has been partnering with Steve Teichman and Vance Glenn in running one of the USA's most successful group farrier practices, Chester County Farrier Associates in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
He is a 1995 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's College of Veterinary Medicine. His wife Missy is a veterinarian as well, but she doesn't shoe horses.
Todd Meister is one of those special guys. He calls himself a farrier, but as he told me once, "I'm a farrier who keeps his veterinary license up to date". Lest you think he is a vet who talks hooves and then leaves a prescription, think again: Todd is a certified as a journeymay farrier by the American Farrier's Association. He specializes in event horses and I've watched him work with team vet Brendan Furlong at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
For the past ten years or so, Todd has been partnering with Steve Teichman and Vance Glenn in running one of the USA's most successful group farrier practices, Chester County Farrier Associates in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
He is a 1995 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's College of Veterinary Medicine. His wife Missy is a veterinarian as well, but she doesn't shoe horses.
"My Shoes Are There!" Meet England's Nigel Turner
Life goes on at home for Nigel Turner but his shoes are going for the gold on the hooves of Tim Stockdale's "Ruby".
Farrier Nigel Turner is the regular farrier for British show jumper Tim Stockdale and his stunning gray mare, Fresh Direct Corlato (stable name: Ruby). Watch for them as the show jumping gets underway. Actually, you can't miss them; the cameras will love this horse. And as she sails over those jumps, she'll be flashing the shoes that Nigel prepared for her
Nigel, who lives near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England, has been shoeing for Stockdale for about five years. Tim and Ruby have been together for seven years, although she has been out of the limelight and the headlines for a while. The mare suffered a terrible fall while showing in Portugal two years ago but has made a dramatic comeback.
In the newspaper interview, Stockdale said, "At the end of the day having a good team is an integral part of this and with the feet of the horse you can't take any chances," he said. "You have got to have people that are the best at what they do."
Read a local newspaper article about Nigel here.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Press Release: Mustad announces six scholarship recipients
(received via press release from Alex Cook at Lilja Inc., posted as received)
FOREST LAKE, Minn. – (August 13, 2008) – Mustad Hoofcare Center announced today the six recipients of its scholarship essay contest for farrier students. Recipients were given a $750 scholarship to help offset the costs of their farrier education.
Participants wrote original essays on “Benefits of Keeping Horses Shod. ” Essays were judged in three categories:
1) overall best presentation;
2) most suitable for educating horse owners on hoofcare and protection; and
3) best description of the importance of shoeing, or “For the Better of the Horse.”
The recipients of the 2008 Mustad Scholarships are:
Alyssa Clermont Nakusp, British Columbia
Adam Zepf Cold Spring, Ky.
Jacob Wade Quaker City, Ohio;
David Marshall Tompkinsville, Ky.
Gordon Norris Morrison, Colo.
Charlotte Ruse Cloverdale, British Columbia
“Education is a cornerstone value in our mission as a company. Mustad is proud to be supporting the next generation of skilled farriers,” said Carlos Xifra, president of Mustad Hoofcare Center. “We believe that a strong farrier education is critical to ensure the best possible care – for the better of the horse.”
Funds for the scholarships were raised at the 2008 AFA Convention in Lexington, Ky. Mustad, together with Anvil Brand Shoe Co., hosted Farrier Appreciation Night for 400 farrier and industry guests. Mustad matched the funds raised that evening through raffle ticket sales to AFA members; GE Forge & Tool also donated $1,000 to the scholarship pool, bringing the evening’s total to $4,500.
About the scholarship winners
Alyssa Clermont currently attends the Advanced Farrier Program at Olds College in Olds, Alberta, and works as a farrier apprentice in Saskatoon. She trains horses for barrel racing and speed events, and also enjoys photography. Clermont chose the farrier profession because she is interested in equine health “and I believe you have to start from the ground up to have a healthy horse,” she said.
Adam Zepf is currently a farrier apprentice in Cincinnati, Ohio. Zepf grew up around horses and frequently found himself by the farrier’s side. After researching a career as a farrier, “the prospect of the forging and shoe building really caught my eye and interested me more,” he said.
Jacob Wade recently graduated from Kentucky Horseshoeing School. Wade has always been interested in equine hoofcare. While working for a company that trains reining horses, he was introduced to a farrier who got him interested in a career as a farrier. “My future plans are to become a Certified Journeyman Farrier and to own my own productive shoeing business,” said Wade.
David Marshall has loved horses since he was a child, but only recently had the privilege of owning one. Being a horse owner has given Marshall a new perspective on the importance of farriers and their vital role in the equine industry. David is a veteran of the Iraq War, an avid outdoorsman, NASCAR fan, golfer and a horseshoe player.
Gordon Norris currently attends Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. He was involved in high school and college rodeos. Norris had always been interested in hoofcare and learned more about being a farrier after befriending the farrier who tended to his family’s horses. “I realized right away this was an ancient craft, a brotherhood that has bonded man and beast for centuries,” he said. Norris enjoys camping and trail riding with his young family, and is an avid outdoorsman.
Charlotte Ruse is a recent graduate of the Farrier Program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Cloverdale, British Columbia. After working at a stable, she learned about all aspects of equine care – from stable maintenance to grooming to training – and fell in love with caring for horses. Ruse was particularly interested in learning more about how the farriers worked. “I want to use my knowledge to help other horse owners and anyone in this industry to give horses the best possible care,” she said. She enjoys riding her own horses and participating in dressage and English horse events.
(end press release)
Blogger's note: You'll find lots of information about Mustad and the company's products at www.mustadinc.com.
FOREST LAKE, Minn. – (August 13, 2008) – Mustad Hoofcare Center announced today the six recipients of its scholarship essay contest for farrier students. Recipients were given a $750 scholarship to help offset the costs of their farrier education.
Participants wrote original essays on “Benefits of Keeping Horses Shod. ” Essays were judged in three categories:
1) overall best presentation;
2) most suitable for educating horse owners on hoofcare and protection; and
3) best description of the importance of shoeing, or “For the Better of the Horse.”
The recipients of the 2008 Mustad Scholarships are:
Alyssa Clermont Nakusp, British Columbia
Adam Zepf Cold Spring, Ky.
Jacob Wade Quaker City, Ohio;
David Marshall Tompkinsville, Ky.
Gordon Norris Morrison, Colo.
Charlotte Ruse Cloverdale, British Columbia
“Education is a cornerstone value in our mission as a company. Mustad is proud to be supporting the next generation of skilled farriers,” said Carlos Xifra, president of Mustad Hoofcare Center. “We believe that a strong farrier education is critical to ensure the best possible care – for the better of the horse.”
Funds for the scholarships were raised at the 2008 AFA Convention in Lexington, Ky. Mustad, together with Anvil Brand Shoe Co., hosted Farrier Appreciation Night for 400 farrier and industry guests. Mustad matched the funds raised that evening through raffle ticket sales to AFA members; GE Forge & Tool also donated $1,000 to the scholarship pool, bringing the evening’s total to $4,500.
About the scholarship winners
Alyssa Clermont currently attends the Advanced Farrier Program at Olds College in Olds, Alberta, and works as a farrier apprentice in Saskatoon. She trains horses for barrel racing and speed events, and also enjoys photography. Clermont chose the farrier profession because she is interested in equine health “and I believe you have to start from the ground up to have a healthy horse,” she said.
Adam Zepf is currently a farrier apprentice in Cincinnati, Ohio. Zepf grew up around horses and frequently found himself by the farrier’s side. After researching a career as a farrier, “the prospect of the forging and shoe building really caught my eye and interested me more,” he said.
Jacob Wade recently graduated from Kentucky Horseshoeing School. Wade has always been interested in equine hoofcare. While working for a company that trains reining horses, he was introduced to a farrier who got him interested in a career as a farrier. “My future plans are to become a Certified Journeyman Farrier and to own my own productive shoeing business,” said Wade.
David Marshall has loved horses since he was a child, but only recently had the privilege of owning one. Being a horse owner has given Marshall a new perspective on the importance of farriers and their vital role in the equine industry. David is a veteran of the Iraq War, an avid outdoorsman, NASCAR fan, golfer and a horseshoe player.
Gordon Norris currently attends Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. He was involved in high school and college rodeos. Norris had always been interested in hoofcare and learned more about being a farrier after befriending the farrier who tended to his family’s horses. “I realized right away this was an ancient craft, a brotherhood that has bonded man and beast for centuries,” he said. Norris enjoys camping and trail riding with his young family, and is an avid outdoorsman.
Charlotte Ruse is a recent graduate of the Farrier Program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Cloverdale, British Columbia. After working at a stable, she learned about all aspects of equine care – from stable maintenance to grooming to training – and fell in love with caring for horses. Ruse was particularly interested in learning more about how the farriers worked. “I want to use my knowledge to help other horse owners and anyone in this industry to give horses the best possible care,” she said. She enjoys riding her own horses and participating in dressage and English horse events.
(end press release)
Blogger's note: You'll find lots of information about Mustad and the company's products at www.mustadinc.com.
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