b'VIEWPOINTPublisher: Marla Bickel STEPHANIE L. CHURCH, Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief: Stephanie L. Church @TH_StephLChurch Managing Editor: Alexandra Beckstett Digital Managing Editor: Michelle AndersonArt Director: Brian Turner Web Producer: Jennifer WhittleA Happy Team Marketing Manager: Victoria BennettEDITORIAL DEPARTMENT2365 Harrodsburg Rd #A200Lexington KY 40504-3331IE-MAIL Editorial@TheHorse.comused to think my current horse, Happy, had what people call typi- All letters must include the writers name, address,cal Thoroughbred feet: long toes, low heels, shelly hoof walls, andand daytime phone number for verification.shallow sole depth. For the first few years of our partnership, we L etters: Letters@TheHorse.com, or by mail.Farm Call: FarmCall@TheHorse.com, or by mail. had trouble with abscesses and keeping shoes onenough that inAcross the Fence and Behavior Columns: one of my columns back in 2016, I dubbed him the prince and theEditorial@TheHorse.com, or by mail.pea due to his response to a tiny bit of grit that sneaked beneath the New Products: Products@TheHorse.com,edge of a shoe. or by mail.We rode the yep, he has Thor- of the following year, until the hardEDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDoughbred feet roller coaster forground dictated we needed someScott Anderson, DVM; Sarah Barr, DVM; Anthony more than two years. Then, in 2017protection. But even then, whenBlikslager, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS; Ann Dwyer, DVM; when a lot went wrongHappyHappy began wearing shoes again,Benjamin Espy, DVM, Dipl. ACT; Jenifer R. Gold, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, ACVECC; Kyla Ortved, DVM, Dipl. ACVS; sustained a fracture in a pasturegone were the clips I thought wereDebra Taylor, DVMaccidenta few key things wentnecessary. My farrier has trimmed very, very right. One of them wasand shod him such that shoes stayEducational Partnership Disclaimer: The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), one of The Horses partners that while Happy was at my friendson without twisting or shifting forin equine health, has no involvement regarding editorial rehab farm, he ended up in the carethe duration of the shoeing cycle. management or advertising content within this publication and thereby does not endorse any editorial or advertising content of a new farrier, who began trim- Occasionally wed struggle keep- unless so acknowledged within the individual articleming and then shoeing him withing shoes on if Happy went a littleor advertisement.optimal balance for his feet.long on a cyclemy farrier lives aEXPERT ADVISORSIve worked a lot with farriers,few hours away, coming to town one trimmers, veterinarians, and footor two times a month, so sometimesSue McDonnell, PhD, Cert. AAB;researchers lately on some upcomingit takes a few weeks to align ourMilt Toby, JDpodiatry stories, and there is a tenantschedules. But I learned Im willing that arises repeatedlyaside fromto wait; one time I tried anotherFEATURED CONTRIBUTORSkeeping the toes short and getting thefarrier when I got antsy, and thingsAlayne Blickle; Natalie DeFee Mendik, MA;balance and mechanics right: Vetswent poorly. Fortunately, my farrierJacqueline Hill, DVM, Dipl. ACVS-LA;and farriers must work together as agot Happys feet back on track quick- Christa Lest-Lasserre, MA; Pat Raia;team on horses shoeing regimens. ly. And once I figured out the bestChris White, DVMThats also something Dr. Chrisroutine for keeping moisture (butADVERTISING SALES AND SERVICES White acknowledges in the articlenot too much) in Happys hoof wall,advertise@TheHorse.comon podotrocholosis, or navicular dis- while also keeping his soles hard, his ease, in this issue. While we werentfeet are now better than those of anyAdvertising Executive:dealing with navicular, this scenariohorse Ive ever managed. Yvonne Long 859/276-6701is exactly what happened in 2017 My farrier and veterinarian con- ylong@TheHorse.commy farrier began working on mytinue to connect whenever necessary.horses feet in partnership with theThis New Year, I wish you andSales Support:Nicol Hunt, 859/276-6740 vet who manages Happys soundness. your horses good health; safe, enjoy- nhunt@TheHorse.com Things changed slowly but mark- able rides; and the same sensible syn-edly: My formerly sensitive-soledergy between the members of yourPUBLISHED BY horse could go barefooteven inhorse health care teamit makes all work and on the trailfor a portionthe difference in the world.hOWNED BYTOBA MEDIA PROPERTIES @TheHorse @TheHorse @TheHorseMag Board of Directors:Everett Dobson, Dan Metzger, Rosendo Parra,BAD PONY CREATIVE EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHYDr. J. David Richardson, Peter Willmott6January 2020The Horse|TheHorse.comViewpoint_Jan USE.indd 6 12/4/19 2:25 PM'