Recent content by Heelfirst

I would like to think I was a 'Good farrier' and the last thing I would try and do was change any toe-in action. Before I started doing 100% barefoot, I did however always support the action, as you tend to get different angles on the med. and lat. walls

The terms caudal and caudad are both derived from the Latin cauda, tail. In all my years of practice and study I was always able to conifer with other professionals concerning the caudal 1/3 of the hoof and know that we were all understanding that it was ‘to the rear’ or tail...

If possible I would not take on a referral WITHOUT having the farrier and vet in the same room. Initially the one I don't want there is the owner. The reason for this is that there are an amazing amount of professionals who are very concerned about saving face, thus they would rather keep quite...

Also a farrier: Boots Dump farrier Feed mag.

You will always improve a horse more by what you put in it rather than what you put on it.

20 years ago I had a client who would get all the molehills from her field and put them in buckets for the horses to have in their stables, it was to give them a very natural and easy obtainable minerals. Apparently something that they did during the 1st world war when horses were working in the...

You need to find out why you are having overreach problems. Chances are the hind feet are tracking up to far to help take the weight off the fronts due to either a toe landing or lack of extension on the stride. Either way it is pointless trying to cure it with O/R boots. In all my years of...

A little tip for anyone putting a poultice on: Get the poultice ready, get some silver foil, place the poultice on the foil so that when you place it on the foot you can mould the poultice around the effected area, this not only helps the fitting of the poultice but due to the added insulation...

This is the periople, it is like a Gortex layer over the horn, in the shod horse it will go at best a 1/3 down the wall. In the barefoot however it will often go down 2/3rds or more of the wall. Magnesium plays a large part in it’s health so make sure the horse is getting a balanced amount...

Don't look if you are about to eat! http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/two-horses-deliberately-lamed-by-farrier/

The disciplinary system within farriery has and is an embarrassment to most of us. There have been cases from ½ a tongue being pulled out by a twitch to the most reason case that has been mentioned. In-between there are endless cases where farriers have got away with either, a light or no...

Yes!

This might help, do PM me if you need any more help. http://www.rockfoot.com/footfall.html

Have put on 100’s of stick-on shoes, from Glue 2’s to Imprint, all are very good as long as they are put on by someone who knows how to! I now only use Equiwrap to preserve the foot turning transition.

I do not comment on photos.....but IMO: white feet are the same as any other colour in structure and strength, Fact : Any wall that is cracked split or damaged in anyway from the nail down, it is due to a conflict with the nail, when I teach this to young farriers they are often surprised...