Shoeing is an underrated profession in India!
FAF organized its annual course for Indian veterinarians from October 1st to 4th at its farriery Institute in Dundlod. Conducted by Dr. Dominique Lavorel from France and Bernard Duvernay from Switzerland, the main aim of this course was to address lameness in horses, introducing veterinarians to different approaches to achieve an accurate diagnosis, treatment options, and solutions provided by farriery to promote the horse’s recovery.
This course brought together practitioners from 6 different states of India working in areas such as breeding, racing, veterinary universities, governmental veterinary services, and research, all highly motivated to explore a field that is either poorly taught or not taught at all in the veterinary faculties of the country. These four days were very intense, both in the classroom for theoretical approaches to cases and when examining previously selected lame horses.
Dr. Lavorel, as an experienced practitioner, methodically described the different diagnostic methods for various lameness issues based on their location, even without access to the sophisticated equipment found in some equine clinics. Various flexion tests, joint stress tests, tests on tendons and ligaments, as well as local anesthetics, were practiced. Once the diagnosis was made, treatments and farriery aspects were addressed and put into practice.
Different trimming and shoeing techniques were presented to facilitate horse locomotion and reduce stress on tendons, ligaments, or joints. The field of lameness is extensive and requires updating anatomical knowledge and understanding the horse’s pain.
Following the diagnosis, various aspects of treatment, along with numerous approaches and sometimes delicate and precise techniques for localized injections into joints, were discussed. Care practices, dietetics, rest, controlled exercise, and treatment repetition were also discussed to maximize treatment success.
Lastly, a key aspect addressed was farriery, which should be jointly decided by the veterinarian and the farrier to achieve the desired results. In the field of therapeutic shoeing, the profession provides numerous options for modifying shoes to facilitate hoof movement, ensure soft landings, reduce movements on the transversal or anteroposterior axis, limit third phalanx movements, or alleviate pressure on the sole. Although not all subjects could be practically covered, they were extensively described and explained in theory.
Many thanks to Dr. Lavorel for his excellent intervention and to the entire FAF team: Sandeep Shelar and Kan Singh, both teachers at the farriery school, Sugnaram our cook.
FAF recognizes the importance of continued education to enable numerous Indian veterinarians to excel in a field that is particularly overlooked in India.
This course will be repeated in 2025.
Happy Diwali to everyone!
