This time of year it is wise to stay warm and safe when riding your horse. You want to ensure your horse has shoes that are going to give them protection from the elements of weather. One thing that you absolutely want to make sure of is traction to prevent accidental falls in addition to […]
Hock spavin can be a real disappointment in many breeds and types of horses. We have received many donations at our school of horses with careers cut short by this disease. Bone spavin or jack spavin is an arthritis that usually involves deposits of bone growth or an exostosis in the medial bones of the […]
Often farriers are asked about the rings on the horse’s foot. They have the potential of giving us twelve months of information about a horse’s health. Visible rings indicate there has been some disturbance in the metabolism of the horse affecting the keratinization of the hoof. The indentation or ring is formed sometime before it […]
When inspecting a horse’s feet, it can be alarming to see red marks on the outer hoof wall and on the sole. Some owners and beginning farriers might even mistake these red spots for fresh blood! However, most of these spots are remnants of past injuries known as bruises. They are simply evidence of an […]
Fall is upon us and temperatures are beginning to drop. This brings with it the risk of laminitis and founder for horse owners. Laminitis can be devastating for horses and donkeys alike as it means a deterioration of the sensitive laminae that bond the bone to the hoof. Hooves are designed to bear the weight […]
Few anatomical structures of the horse are as fascinating as the stifle joint. The stifle joint is located in the hind limbs between the femur and tibia. It is comparable to the human knee complete with a patella (knee cap). The hind limbs of the horse have a propelling function, driving the horse forward. The […]
Last week, a group of scientists discovered that the Przewalski’s horses of Mongolia are not truly wild. This scientific study shows that there are no truly wild horses left in the world. Horses that roam freely in the United States and other countries are not technically “wild” horses as they descended from domesticated ancestry. Mustangs […]
Horses have a thick skin insulated by fat and thick winter hair. The horse’s integument (its hooves and skin) has an underlying dermis that contains AVAs (arterio-venous anastomoses). These vascular systems allow the body to shunt or divert blood away from its surface area periodically to keep the animal’s central core warm
Farriers perform a valuable service for people who care about their horses. It’s important to be trustworthy and do the job right. Let me share a true story. A stone mason was laying very large stones for the walls of a large church building. One of the stones had a crack on the very inside […]
We all value our animals — both in terms of money and our emotional attachment to them. Although there are fewer horses today than a hundred years ago, there are more people who own horses, and individual animals have a much higher value. Many well-meaning people buy a horse just because they become emotionally attached […]
Butler Professional Horseshoeing School
495 Table Road
Crawford, NE 69339
(800) 728-3826
jacob@dougbutler.com
If you think you want to become a farrier (or know someone who does), this book can help you make that decision. Horse owners will learn the importance of choosing a qualified farrier and how to select the “right” one.
[ Get the e-Book Now! ]
