Most horses aren’t simply pasture pets — they provide some sort of active service to their owners. But many horses are not totally sound, and most horse sports don’t allow lame horses to compete. Lameness generally means a horse is in pain; hence, it’s not acceptable to ride lame horses. So, what can owners and riders do? Gerard Laverty says many horses that are less than 100 percent sound are living comfortable lives as “serviceably sound” partners. “It’s most horses that have saddles on,” he says. Laverty teaches the farrier science program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, British Columbia and has his own farrier business.

The importance of a good farrier is well understood by knowledgeable horse owners who reap the benefits of diligent, routine care. In this article, Certified Journeyman Farrier Sean Elliott provides some great tips for promoting hoof health and explains some pitfalls to avoid.

Regenerative medicine covers a suite of different technologies that enhance the horse’s natural healing process and help them heal faster. Equine veterinarians have been using regenerative medicine for the past decade to treat joint disease and soft tissue injuries; however, it’s new to many horse owners and only equine veterinarians specializing in sports medicine tend to offer the technologies.

Podiatry in equine veterinary practice is gaining increasing attention. We continue to learn more about the function and biomechanics of the horse’s foot, and develop new and innovative strategies to alter those biomechanics and mitigate problems that lead to lameness in the foot. To achieve a successful outcome, equine podiatry requires a team approach and great cooperation between the owner, the veterinarian, and the farrier. Although a relatively small part of the horse’s body, the foot plays a very important role in soundness. It is simply amazing to consider all of the functions that are occurring in this structure in order to support a horse’s size and weight. It can be even more overwhelming when we start to consider how small changes to the biomechanics of the foot can change the function of the foot, and result in lameness issues for the horse down the road. One of the most common hoof deformities, which develops as a result of a change in the healthy balance and biomechanics in the horse’s foot, is the club foot.