Ron Marshall, a fourty-eight year veteran farrier, certified with the American Farriers Association (# 4959), is teaming up with veterinarians and AFA certified farriers to provide a state wide equine podiatry network. AFA - American Farrier's Association is now offering a new class of certification to all Journeymen Farriers, " Therapeutic Endorsement ".

Education of horse owner and trainer is just as important as educating vet and farrier as we move into the high tech phase and the TEAM APPROACH to corrective or therapeutic shoeing.

With the ability to take acurate measurements of the position of the internal structures, it is possible to reposition bone angle, measure and document sole depth, compair internal changes as the internal structures are manipulated from one x-ray to the next and from one shoeing period to the next. These measurments are the key to controlling the position of the internal structures as new hoof develops and maintaining proper alignment and position of these structures througout the rest of the horse's career.
see Correspondance

Did you know ?
Hoof and Joint Care in Older Horse
Transition Horses to Spring Pasture Gradually
Simple Steps to Keeping Your Horse's Hooves Healthy
Did You Know the Hoof is a Smart Structure?

At this time Founder is not cureable. Once a foundered horse, always a foundered horse. However, many foundered horses can be put into a pain free, even usable condition with proper maintenance. But founder does not have to be the end of the line. Today's horse is far too expensive to simply discard.

The trial and error techniques of founder treatment seldom have long lasting positive results. Working thru x-ray, seeing how the internal hoof structures are affected, and shoeing to support the hoof in a healing position can result in a full life for your horse.

Advances in technology are all around us and this includes the equine industry. Along with technological advances in this industry are the advancements in education, diagnostic equipment, and the advancements in veterinarian and farrier relations. see case studies.

The Team Approach to corrective or therapeutic shoeing, combined with the latest in diagnostic equipment, takes the trial and error approach out of the industry and allows the vet and farrier team to design and apply equine orthotics that put injured or diseased horses in a correct healing environment.