With the aid of over 1000 high-tech photographs, internationally renowned farrier Rob van Nassau looks at every aspect of hoof care, and describes in detail more than fifty common foot problems.
The book uses a highly-effective overlay technique to superimpose bones, tendons and ligaments over photographs. This is especially effective in the anatomy section, where the technique is helpful to show the change in structures during phases of the stride.
The sections on coronary band disorders and wall separation are especially remarkable and contain information that has not been provided in such detail or illustrated so well in any other book.
The first part of the book looks at the foot from inside and out. It describes how to recognize good and faulty shoeing, explains the mechanics of the foot in motion, discusses foot balance, illustrates the anatomy of the foot and limb alignment and offers advice on how to keep the hooves healthy.
The second part of the book takes an in-depth look at the common ailments and conditions that affect hoof care and shoeing. Each problem is clearly illustrated and accompanied by a straightforward description of the problem, its cause and treatment.
Written for farriers, farrier students and owners, this book will make a valuable contribution to equine literature.
Partial list of topics from table of contents:
Joints and bones; muscles, tendons and ligaments; construction of the hoof, hoof mechanism, hoof shapes, foot axis and limb conformation; hoof care, horseshoes, trimming and shoeing, hoofcare breakover shoe, arthrosis (joint degeneration), wire wounds, stringhalt and spasms, splints, bone spacing, over-reaching, deformed hooves, greasy heel (scratches), over at the pastern, club foot, cyst, keratoma, low and high ringbone, ostitis, irritation of coronary band, damage to the coronary band, sand crack, poor quality wall, complete horny wall cracks, grass crack, rings of horn, seedy toe, false quarter, separating walls, superficial horny wall cracks, full thickness horny wall cracks, long toes and low heels, inflammation of the toe, rolled-under heels, under-run heels, inflammation of the heels, thrush, canker, inflammation of the frog, dropped sole, puncture wound, bruised sole, cracked sole, infected cracks, white line disease, chip fracture of coffin bone, coffin bone and navicular fracture and fissure, laminitis, sinker, encapsulated bone fragment, sidebone, navicular disease.
Each "problem" is described in a one-two page spread with multiple photographs of some of the most graphic cases you have ever seen. My guess is that the author lives next to a slaughterhouse! The book also has outstanding radiographs and closeup photos of the interior anatomy of the foot.
The Author: Rob van Nassau has over thirty years' experience as a qualified farrier working in a specialist equine veterinary clinic. He is a respected farrier teacher, and is a former European Champion Farrier and National Champion in Holland. He has lectured at the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium in the USA.
