Ever So Lucky Horseshoe Helped Colt Train for Keeneland's Toyota Bluegrass Stakes

"Like my new shoe? Pretty cool, eh?" Ever So Lucky, with the guidance of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, worked under jockey Julian Leparoux on Tuesday morning over Keeneland's Polytrack surface. As he straightened out from the turn the three-year-old son of Indian Charlie flipped his fetlock and let ace photographer Wendy Wooley have a good look at his special bar shoe. (Image © Wendy Wooley/Equisport Photos)

One of top contenders in tomorrow's Toyota Bluegrass Stakes at Kentucky's Keeneland Racecourse is aptly named. "Ever So Lucky" should count his blessings that his connections knew the number of a horseshoer who could lend a hand--and a shoe--after the colt grabbed the outside heel of his right front foot.

Except he didn't just grab it. He ripped a chunk of it off.

Enlargement of Ever So Lucky's
right front foot. (© Wendy
Wooley/Equisport Photos)

"It looked like hamburger."

Kentucky horseshoer Steve Norman wasn't talking about what he ordered for lunch at the track kitchen. He was talking about what he saw when he picked up Ever So Lucky's right front foot a few weeks ago.

He was brought in by the veterinarian to see what could be done to keep the horse in training for his Pennsylvania-based Hall of Fame trainer, Jonathan Sheppard.

"He ripped the meat of his heel bulb right off," Steve said, echoing what I had read in the Barn Notes for Keeneland. "But that happens a lot. It probably happened in the starting gate, that's where it usually does. A horse scrambles and that hind foot just reached up there."

Steve Norman is busy this time of year. In the past, he shod Kentucky Derby winners like Alysheba, Go for Gin, War Emblem and possibly others. In 2009, he shod five runners in the Derby--he must have been in demand for tips that year.

Here's a z bar shoe photo from the vault. The aluminum bar is welded into a Thoro'Bred plate. From the archive of aluminum bar shoes created by the late, great Emil Carre. (© Hoofcare Publishing)

Steve Norman's solution for Ever So Lucky was to build a z bar shoe by welding a frog support and a heel bypass into a racing plate. It's not a new answer for the Nebraska native and former jockey--he used a similar shoe on Unbridled's Song, now one of the country's top sires, when he needed to train for the Derby in 1996. That colt injured his heel bulb in the Wood Memorial while prepping for the Derby.

The z bar is often seen on horses with a quarter crack on heel bulb injury. It transfers some of the load to the frog. "You might even call it a half a heart bar," Steve mentioned. "I just shaped the shoe and welded in the bar. The insert z's over in front of the injury."

Like Unbridled Song, Ever So Lucky trained in the special shoe but if you're around the backside at Keeneland early Saturday morning, you might see Augustin Stable’s colt get switched back to a plain shoe. (The similarity ends there: Unbridled's Song switched to egg bars for the Derby, finished fifth, and sat out the rest of the Triple Crown.)

Steve Norman is ambivalent about changing the horse back over. "He could run in that shoe, without a problem," he said Friday afternoon from a stop at Ashford Stud. "Especially on that Polytrack at Keeneland. If he was at Churchill, yes, I'd never hesitate. An aluminum bar shoe with a frog like that is going to slide in the dirt but on Polytrack...it's so much stickier.

Here's a freeform imitation (sort of) of a z bar that I found when I picked up the foot of an event horse with a quarter crack. Ever So Lucky's connections are hesitant to race him on Polytrack without heel support under his injury. This horse had just completed an upper level cross-country course at a three-day event. I wonder how he fared at the trot-up the next morning. (© Hoofcare + Lameness file photo)

"We don't have the slip at Keeneland that you see on dirt. But it's fine to switch him, too," Steve said before starting his next horse.

Z bar shoes are either a great solution or...not, according to many horseshoers. They are often used for horses with quarter cracks, and are always good for a debate.

While they may raise an eyebrow when a Thoroughbred races in one, the Z-bar shoe for Standardbreds is much more ubiquitous, ever since the 1980s superstar Nihilator seemed to win every big stakes race--and do it in record time--wearing a Z-bar for his quarter cracks. 


Also called a "half mushroom" in some harness circles, the shoe has been the subject of a lot of debate over the years: should the bar be level or set down? Should the bar cross the frog or follow its edge? Joey Carroll was Nihilator's farrier and he always stressed the importance of proper shoe design and application for an injured foot.

"You're only as good as the last shoe you nailed on," is a line I have often heard from Steve Norman. Shoeing a horse to heal an injury while simultaneously keeping the horse comfortable and making it possible for the horse to get out and work in the morning is a Triple Crown feat of its own.

Ever So Lucky didn't train like a layup. He clocked five furlongs in :57 under Leparoux this week.

The Toyota Bluegrass Stakes is one of the final prep races for the 2012 Kentucky Derby. The favorite is the ghostlike gray Breeders Cup winner, Hansen. There's no shortage of interesting horses headed to the gate with him; the purse is $750,000 and possibly the bonus of a trip to Louisville on the first Saturday in May for the winner.

To learn more:


The Hoof Blog's perspective on quarter cracks and heel bulb injuries in a historical survey of this prevalent problem in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing


Read about Steve Norman's hoof work on Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem for Bob Baffert.

Read "Hoof Care and Shoeing: Barring difficulty" with horseshoers Mark Dewey and Sonny Broaddus commenting, along with Kentucky trainer John Ward, on z-bar shoes.

For more on Nihilator and his Z-bar, dust off the photo and story in Hoofcare & Lameness 10, December 1985.

Thanks to Wendy and Matt Wooley of Equisport Photos for noticing Ever So Lucky's special shoe on Tuesday--and for thinking of the Hoof Blog. Wendy and Matt write the "Turf and Dirt" blog and will keep you connected with the Kentucky Thoroughbred scene in a brilliantly visual way. Their current top story is a photo collection of Rachel Alexandra at home in her paddock at Stonestreet Farm.

© 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.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

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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.

AVMA, AAEP Soring Policies Place Veterinarians on the Side and at the Side of USDA Inspectors at Tennessee Walking Horse Events

The following information was received from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) today. The article is posted as received from the AVMA.

Soring, illegal for more than 40 years, is the abusive act of intentionally inflicting pain on gaited horses through the use of chemical irritants, broken glass wedged in between a horse's shoe pads and sole, or overly tightened metal hoof bands. The extreme pain caused by these abuses forces the horse to lift its legs faster and higher, perhaps increasing its chance of winning in show rings across the country.

"A zero-tolerance policy being promoted by these shows would set a significant tenor for the entire show season."--AVMA President Rene Carlson

"It's time for this egregious form of animal cruelty to end," says Dr. Rene Carlson, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors are doing everything possible to detect evidence of soring before horses are allowed to compete.

Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, USDA inspectors are only able to attend a small number of the shows being held. It is going to take a team effort to put an end to the inhumane practice of soring horses, so America's veterinarians stand in support of government regulators and the walking horse industry in their horse protection efforts," said Carlson.

Thermographic image showing excessive warmth (seen as red and
orange colors), which may be caused by inflammation from soring.
The pattern seen is consistent with soring using a chemical agent.
(AVMA.org image courtesy of USDA)

In 2011, the USDA documented 587 violations of the Horse Protection Act while attending only 62 of the 650 or so gaited horse events held that year.

The USDA cited participants in the 2011 National Trainers' Show with 49 violations of the Horse Protection Act — the third highest number of violations for a single USDA-inspected show that year.

Prosecution of violators has met strong political opposition, challenging USDA's efforts at enforcement and creating an environment where recidivism is the norm.

Lateral radiographic view of the front left foot of a sored horse.
Notice the large number of nails, which were added to
increase the weight carried by the hoof and accentuate
 the gait, but can also place pressure on the sole, causing pain.
(AVMA.org image courtesy of USDA)

"For that reason, America's veterinarians are standing right beside USDA inspectors in urging the strengthening of the Horse Protection Act. Everyone -- inspectors, judges, trainers, riders and even spectators at these shows must take responsibility for ending soring. A zero-tolerance policy being promoted by these shows would set a significant tenor for the entire show season," Dr. Carlson added.

To assist in the return of the walking horse gait back to its natural beauty, the AVMA has created an educational video, produced in cooperation with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and the USDA, to provide an overview of the issue of soring and highlight the tell-tale signs of when a horse has been sored.

Sole bruising caused by inserting hard objects
between the hoof and shoe to place pressure on the sole
 is a sign of mechanical soring. (AVMA.org image courtesy of USDA)

The video (shown above on The Hoof Blog via YouTube) includes an interview with Elizabeth Graves, a licensed Tennessee Walking Horse judge and gaited horse trainer and Dr. Nat Messer, a member of both the AVMA's and the AAEP's Animal Welfare Committees.

Additional materials, including a factsheet, backgrounder, reporting procedures, and the formal AVMA policy are available for general use.

The AVMA is confident that with appropriate recognition of the inhumane nature of soring; increased reporting of abuse; and stronger legislative and regulatory action, including adequate funding for inspections, the offspring of today's sored horses won't have to suffer tomorrow.

Resources on Soring:
AVMA Official Statement on Soring Practices
AAEP Statement on Soring (2002)
Download the AVMA Backgrounder on Soring Practices in Horses (2012)

Download the AAEP's white paper "Putting the Horse First" Veterinary Recommendations for Ending the Soring of Tennessee Walking Horses (2008)
USDA information on soring and the Horse Protection Act

© 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.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page

 

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.

Vote Online for "The Shoe" in HRTV's Santa Anita Horseracing Film Festival!

Santa Anita Park in California and HRTV, the all-horse sports network for North America, have joined forces to run the first-ever non-fiction documentary competition at a racetrack. “A Day at the Races,” is open to film students and filmmakers who have made a short Santa-Anita based film.

One of the entries is called "The Shoe" and is more or less about horseshoeing and features some nice footage and comments by glue-on shoe innovator Wes Champagne, who shoes horses at Santa Anita.

"The Shoe" was made by film student Alex Ehecatl from Mexico.

If you like this little segment, here's what you need to do:
1. Watch the film.
2. Go to the film festival link and vote for it! (http://www.hrtv.com/filmfestival/)
3. (We think you can vote more than once but don't tell anyone we said that.)

You can see other films in the competition at that link as well. The catch is that the online voting ends this weekend, so please vote soon! Or, better yet, now!

“A Day at the Races” entries are being judged by a panel of racing and entertainment professionals. The competition offers a first prize of $10,000, and an additional $10,000 first prize will be awarded to the winner through this on-line poll. 

Who's Alex Ehecatl and why did he make this film? Here's what he said in an email earlier this week:

"I'm a student and I liked horses. My uncle used to be a well-known horseshoer in México and he inspired me to do this documentary. I wrote the script.

"This is just five minutes (of the film) and depending of how well-received is this version and how much money I can raise to finish it. I'm planning in doing a larger version with more information and more people from the horseshoeing world. Thanks for your interest."

Can you invest a minute or so to vote for Alex's film? Thanks!

© 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.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page

 

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.

Animal Inside Out: Plastinate Anatomy Exhibit Showcases Real-World Horses and Hooved Mammals at London's Natural History Museum

Hoofcare + Lameness had a front row seat at this week's press preview of the Natural History Museum of London's brand new exhibition: Animal Inside Out.

The exhibit opens to the public today but we were allowed to see it without the crowds in our way, so here's a very special report direct from London,just for Hoof Blog readers.

Grass Laminitis: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You (and Your Horse) and Surprise the Researchers

New ad promo and publicity from Boehringer-Ingelheim Vetmedica perhaps oversimplifies grass laminitis. But it might get the attention of horse owners.

When it comes to laminitis, I feel like a whirling dervish: what’s going on in Australia, what’s going on in Europe? what’s going on here in the USA? (whirl)

Hoof Blog's April 1 News Roundup: Headlines from Hoofcare + Lameness

by Fran Jurga | 1 April 2012 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog 

It's time for a roundup of headlines from news stories in progress as of April 1, 2012:

HOOF ANATOMY BOOKS RECALLED AS ERROR FOUND: “It’s not a digital cushion, it’s more like an entire sofa,” says leading professor about that softest of all soft tissue structures within hoof. “And the lateral cartilages? Think of them as end tables. With lamps, if the horse has a sidebone." (April 1, 2012)

MUSTAD LAUNCHES NEW PRODUCT: World’s first nail-on hoof boot to be introduced at Kentucky Derby. “Nails are news again!” crow Mustad executives as sales soar. "This product has something for everyone!" (April 1, 2012)

SELF-REPAIRING HOOF IMPLANT: Vettec product engineers report that they have cracked the code on urethane molecular implants for equine hoof wall, guaranteed to repair cracks before they occur. “Wall transplants are next,” they promise, as worldwide search begins for horses with high quality hoof walls to become wall donors at time of death. As we went to press, they were still looking. (April 1, 2012)

FIRST OFFICIAL OLYMPIC HOOF TRIMMER NAMED: The farriers can go fishing this year; the FEI is expected to enforce its global horseshoe ban in time for the 2012 London Olympics this summer, although horses may be able to compete with shoes if accompanied by veterinary prescription, after completing the pre-event soundness inspection without shoes. (April 1, 2012)

American corporations are developing
new policies requiring horse commuter
 employees to clean up after their horses in the
parking lot. "Now we know what those double
lines are for," employees remarked.

“WANTED” HORSE CRISIS PEAKS IN USA: As gas passes $10 per gallon, horse demand soars. “Everyone wants one,” moans auctioneer at New Holland (PA) sale. “And no one’s selling!” Rescue farms are now forced to mow their empty pastures. Equine meat-packing industry advocates charge that the rising gas prices are all a ploy by the anti-slaughter crowd. (April 1, 2012)

AFA BOARD MEMBER ARRESTED EN ROUTE TO OFFICERS RETREAT: “Buddhist Colony? I thought they said the retreat was at a NUDIST Colony!” cries naked farrier in self-defense to state police when pulled over in rural Kentucky for driving in the nude through the gates of the Tron Chri Trim Spa and Retreat. Meanwhile, the American Farrier's Association office has received a Feng Shui makeover to stimulate positive chi. “We should have done this years ago,” hum harmonious directors while practicing yoga poses in matching CJF-embroidered prayer robes. “Who are you calling a downward dog?” snarl disgruntled ex-members, meanwhile, from website chat room. (April 1, 2012)

VET SCHOOL FARRIERS ANNOUNCES NEW CONFERENCE: “Hoof Diseases We Haven’t Heard Of Yet” is the title of the 6th Annual Conference of University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Farriers. (April 1, 2012)

FARRIER APRONS SOLD OUT: Madonna’s on-stage costume based on her new line of provocative farrier aprons sends stock flying out of farrier supply stores. “I prefer used ones. I love the smell of burnt hoof,” purred the superstar singer. (April 1, 2012)

“BREAKOVER: IT’S SO OVER!” Gathered academics at international equine locomotion meeting decide it’s really breakUNDER since fashionably short, blunt toes now dominate sport and racing. “The toes have been bred right off these horses,” veterinarians concur. Farriers threaten international strike: “There’s nothing to trim!” they moan. “Long toes were job security!” (April 1, 2012)

“I CAN GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP AT LAST!” England’s Queen Elizabeth announces after issuing a royal decree banning steel horseshoes on cavalry mounts guarding Buckingham Palace. “Those shoes clattering on the cobblestones wouldn’t let me sleep through the night,” she admitted, adding that she has suffered from insomnia since her coronation 60 years ago but didn’t want to be viewed as anti-horse on any front. EasyCare has reportedly changed the name of its newest boot to "EasyZ" in hopes of winning the contract and raceplate manufacturers are offering their "Queen's Plate" models in urethane. (April 1, 2012)

We hope you enjoyed this special April 1st news roundup.

(Credits: Creative Commons images used: farrier gopher by Josh Grant; horse is a parking lot by cadfael1979. Farrier apron by Sisters in Steel.)
 

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a news service for 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). 

Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page

 

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.