Mini Mag Mar 1 2021

Kansas Farriers Association Sets Equifest Contest For Public And Professional Knowledge Of Horseshoeing By Frank J. Buchman

“No foot, no horse” takes special meaning to every horse owner while horse soundness is the business of farriers. “Shoeing horses is a lot more than ‘just nailing a steel shoe on’ a hoof,” according to Max Andersen, Certified Journeyman Farrier of Manhattan. “It’s not too hard to shoe a horse, but to correct and improve a horse’s movement becomes complex,” Andersen clarified. “That’s the reason for the Kansas Farriers Association (KFA) and its defined mission,” said Andersen, president of the state group. KFA’s set mission is: “To promote and further the professional development of farriers through educational and certification avenues. “To provide leadership and communication to advocate benefit of the farrier, their industry, the equine owner, and the equine. “To vigilantly continue the traditional farrier art and science, embracing the innovations and research of today and tomorrow.” The state organization is an affiliate of the American Farriers Association which conducts certification programs, Andersen said. “This is strictly voluntary certification dedicated to the welfare of the horse,” he emphasized. Certification testing is not a mandate or blueprint on

Max Anderson, Certified Journeyman Farrier of Manhattan, forges a horseshoe from a flat piece of steel to fit a specific horse’s foot. Anderson serves as president of the Kansas Farriers Association which is sponsoring a farrier contest, March 5-6, in the Saline County Expo Center as a feature of the Equifest of Kansas at Salina.

how to shoe any individual horse. “It is an objective assessment of specific skills necessary to perform the farrier job to a prescribed standard,” Andersen said. “Those meeting test requirements possess the ability to provide a healthy standard of hoof care.” Farriers who pass the certification examination exhibit a “working knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, gaits, and horseshoes,” Andersen informed. “They display the ability to identify, assess, trim, and