More than 500 farriers, equine veterinarians and other hoof-care professionals filled the lecture halls and meeting rooms of the first annual International Hoof-Care Summit, held Feb. 4 through 7 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The success of the Summit marks a milestone in the equine hoof-care industry because of the event’s unusual format.

The Summit broke the traditional structure of hoof-care conferences by eliminating hands-on horseshoeing demonstrations, contests and organizational meetings in favor of a heavy emphasis on education. The large crowd from 40 states and eight foreign countries traded equine foot-care information during more than 47 hours of sessions in large and small groups during the intense four days