Shoeing the Modern Horse: The Horse Owner's Guide to Farriery and Hoof Care

The must-have reference for effective and responsible shoeing for the good of the horse.

All horses have four hooves that are integral to their overall health, their athletic ability, and ultimately, their longevity, whether their "job" is simply grazing in a pasture or competing at the highest levels. But not all horses are the same--the individual needs of each horse require an understanding of responsible, informed hoofcare on the part of the owner, rider, or trainer. This highly illustrated guide by one of the world's leading minds in the area of farriery provides an unparalleled look at advances in shoeing and general hoof maintenance, with the goal of helping owners to comprehend the "whys" of certain choices, recognize variations in shoeing options, and become better consumers of horse shoes and horseshoeing all around.

Steve Kraus, Head of Farrier Services at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and instructor at the Cornell Farrier School, is uniquely qualified to provide a varied and thorough exploration of hoof-related topics, including:

• Equine conformation--how to assess it in relation to soundness and performance, and how farriers use it to guide shoeing choices.
• To shoe or not to shoe? Using sense and science to analyze which horses are better served with shoes and which may be comfortable and healthy barefoot.
• Types of horseshoes and traction devices, modification devices, adhesives, materials, and more.
• Shoe loss--why it happens and how to prevent it.
• Farrier training--where and how it happens, how to find a good one and what you should expect.
• Horse handling for shoeing--how to prepare your horse and yourself.
• The future of farriery with 3D printing.
• And so much more.

With plenty of "adventures from the road" and lessons learned during his years of shoeing horses professionally, Kraus provides a guide that is not only massive in value, it's entertaining, to boot. An excellent resource for all serious horse people who wish to keep their horses comfortable and performing their very best while making informed decisions and having intelligent conversations with hoofcare professionals.

Steve Kraus is an American Farriers Association Certified Journeyman Farrier who, since 2010, has been Head of Farrier Services, a Senior Lecturer of Large Animal Surgery at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and the instructor of the Cornell Farrier School. Prior to that, he had over 40 years in his own farrier business in Central New York, shoeing many breeds of horses participating in diverse disciplines. He started his career in 1965, learning to shoe summer camp horses. While attending Cornell University, College of Agriculture, Kraus shod horses part-time to support himself, eventually earning a bachelor's degree in Animal Science in 1971. In his career, Kraus has shod horses used for dressage, jumping, endurance racing, polo, eventing, driving, and flat and harness racing, as well as draft horses. He is known for troubleshooting lame, injured, and underperforming horses. In 1976, he became the first farrier consultant hired by the Mustad horse nail company. He redesigned their US nail line, created the combo series, and initiated Mustad's clinician and sponsorship programs. He has lectured to farriers, veterinarians, and horse owners all over the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe. He has been a featured speaker at the International Hoof Care Summit, Laminitis Conference, Equine Affaire, Werkman Spring Games, and the American Farriers Association Convention. Kraus has written many articles published in the American Farriers Journal, The Horse Journal, and The Professional Farrier. As a horse owner, he trains and plays his own string of polo horses and trains beginning polo players at Cornell University. He is a past president of the Western New York Farriers Association and a former American Farriers Association Board of Director of Region #5. In 2016, he was inducted into the International Farriers Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was the first farrier inducted into the Cornell Veterinary Honor Society, Phi Zeta Alpha.

Katie Navarra grew up in western New York where she enjoyed an early introduction to horses. At eight, her first pony stepped off the trailer right onto her sneaker-clad foot, initiating her into the joys and pains of horse ownership. Today, she is an award-winning writer who has developed a specialty covering hoofcare and the farrier industry. Navarra is the author of Horses In Action! and The Horse Show Read-and-Play Sticker Book. She also serves on the American Horse Publications executive committee. Writing is just one chapter of her lifelong involvement in the horse industry. She provides custom leadership development coaching experiences in partnership with horses. She is an accredited coach through the International Coaching Federation and a certified E3A Equine Facilitator. Within her coaching practice, she asks questions that lead them to define what they really want out of life (katienavarra.com).