Jessica Lash

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Cold Weather Farriers Preparing for Winter Hoof Care

Sep 7, 2024 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

In temperate climates, each season poses its own unique set of hoof care challenges. From spring’s muddy paddocks to summer’s fly-plagued hooves, there is rarely a shortage of conditions for farriers to consider. Often the off-season for equestrians in cold, snowy climates, winter requires thoughtful planning and routine farrier visits — even in horses that are turned out with little to no riding.
Preventing and Managing Equine Stifle Injuries

Apr 18, 2024 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

The stifle joint plays an important role in overall health and performance. Often coined the most complex joint in the horse’s anatomy, it is akin to the human knee, serving a myriad of roles including shock absorption, propulsion and weight supportThe stifle joint’s complexity subjects it to a variety of pathologies that range in severity from a decrease in performance to crippling lameness.
Rethinking Equine White Line Disease

Feb 26, 2024 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

TakeawaysKeratinolytic disease of the zona alba (KDZA) is a common hoof ailment with a positive prognosis when it’s treated appropriately with underlying environmental conditions and systemic influencers brought under control. Prevention, treatment and management hinge upon whether KDZA is determined to be Type 1 or Type 2 — with Type 1 being the more straightforward subtype to address.
Putting a Stop to Equine Thrush

Dec 19, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

Thrush is a common problem in equine hoof care. The result of less-than-ideal environmental conditions coupled with poor hoof hygiene, thrush can range in severity from causing mild discomfort during hoof picking to outright lamenessAs persistent as it can be, thrush is simple — if not easy — to treat. When applied correctly, over-the-counter topical medication will treat most cases of thrush. When good management strategies are employed, most horses will overcome thrush with no lasting effects.
American Farriers Journal’s Best of 2023

Dec 15, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Connor Campbell |Jeff Cota |Shane Westman |Jessica Lash

American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers. American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers. Download these helpful knowledge building tools Farriery requires knowledge and skills to provide proper equine hoof care.
Managing Heel Pain Begins with Prevention

Sep 5, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash |Therapeutic Shoeing

| Posted in Disciplines & Breeds, Therapeutic Shoeing Heel pain is a common problem in performance horses. While treating it often requires trial and error, ingenuity and a good foundational trim lead to a positive prognosis for many horsesOnce associated almost exclusively with navicular syndrome, heel pain is now known to originate from a variety of conditions, including dysfunction within the navicular apparatus, underlying inflammation in the internal hoof structures and poor hoof balance.
Identifying Insulin Resistance in Horses

May 12, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

Although grossly underdiagnosed, insulin-resistant (IR) horses often share physical characteristics that make them readily identifiable. “Most, but not all, insulin-resistant horses are going to be overweight or obese, with a body condition score greater than six,” Mike Barker of Life Data Labs told attendees during a How-To Hoof-Care Clinic at the 20th annual International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Copper-Alloy Horseshoes Fight Bacteria When Clients Cannot

Apr 27, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

Proper hoof trimming and debridement are critical for therapeutic horseshoeing Treating ongoing bacterial and fungal hoof diseases such as thrush and white line disease present a unique set of challenges for farriersFrom daily management practices to unyielding negative environmental factors, much of what happens behind the scenes is outside of the farrier’s control.
How to Identify and Manage Insulin Resistance in Horses

Apr 26, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

| Posted in Diseases, Lamenesses, Nutrition Recognizing key indicators can decrease the risk of laminitis Insulin resistance, insulin dysfunction and equine metabolic syndrome are among a collection of rapidly increasing endocrine conditions affecting the horse population in the United States todayInsulin resistance (IR) occurs when cells become resistant to the action of the insulin secreted by the horse’s pancreas, leading to higher blood glucose levels.
Deciphering Why a Horse Fails to Perform

Apr 21, 2023 | americanfarriers.com | Jessica Lash

Determining the best approach to shoeing a horse that is underperforming begins with understanding why the horse is failing to perform at its peak. Experienced riders are a great source of information. They often pick up subtle changes that can be difficult to detect while observing the horse move.