Natural Hoof Prints

Volume 2 ~ Issue 2

Mission Farrier School

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce a new farrier school in Washington. A brief introduction to the school follows:

"Mission Farrier School is dedicated to offering a common sense approach to maintenance of the equine hoof, drawing on Natural Balance principles, traditional craftsmanship, and the increasingly improved technology available in the farrier industry."

The School

Mission Farrier School is located in rural southeastern Washington state. The region is rich in history and agriculture, and its geography provides spectacular scenery and many forms of recreation. Local horsemen pursue diverse activities encompassing most breeds and facets of equine competition.

Mission Farrier School offers the first formal farrier education program based upon Natural Balance principles, which are integrated with traditional shoeing methods in the course of instruction.

The Curriculum

Mission Farrier School’s curriculum includes practical instruction in live shoeing, forging handmade shoes and modifying keg shoes, and classroom study of anatomy and physiology. Students gain hands-on experience with remedial shoeing techniques for treating lameness pathology of all types, including application of the Equine Digit Support System.

In addition to Natural Balance principles, students are familiarized with the standards of farriery endorsed by the American Farriers Association which form the basis of the AFA’s certification programs.

Students gain working experience with the different materials used in handmade shoes, with a variety of manufactured specialty shoes, and with numerous accessory products such as pads, packing, and repair composites.

The Instructor

Mark J. Plumlee is a Certified Journeyman Farrier, a clinician, and a member of the American Farrier’s Association and the Guild of Professional Farriers. After maintaining a traditional shoeing practice for almost 20 years, Mark gained exposure to Natural Balance theory in 1993 and has enthusiastically pursued its advancement since that time. Mark has successfully integrated Natural Balance theory with traditional shoeing methods to maintain a high level of soundness in his equine clientele.

More Information

Prospective students are welcome to call or write for additional information:

Mission Farrier School

208 West Main, #151

Walla Walla, WA 99362

(509) 529-9434

Too Many Rails?

We receive a number of requests and comments from people who have accumulated an inventory of tall and mid Wedge Rails. For whatever reason, they just don’t seem to use as many of the tall rails as they do of the shorter rails. Many people when they order have requested only the short rails, which for us is not an option. The molds for the rails are set up to come as a whole set and therefor we cannot have them made in anything but whole sets. For the time being, this is they only way we are able to sell them. Perhaps in the future we can better handle this hurdle.

We do have a suggestion for those of you who have found yourself with too many tall rails, or would even like a size in between the current heights. Simply grind the tops of the rails down to the height you want. There are several options that we have been made aware of. One way is to take a grinder and shave off the top portion where the bolt goes. Another option is to secure the Wedge Rails in a vice and use your rasp to shave off the tops. This can also be done once the rails have been applied to the shoe on the horse. However, I wouldn’t recommend it if the horse is very sore. You should also be careful not to twist the rail too much with this last method, which could break the peg off the front. (The following illustrations show where to shave off materials.)

All these methods have been very useful for many farriers. It has proven to be the best solution to the tall rail inventory dilemma. If you have found any other helpful tips, please feel free to let us know. Using each other’s experience helps to make everyone more efficient and effective.

Product News Flash!

As many of you may already know, and as we printed in the last newsletter, we have changed the sizes of the Impression Material. This was due to the fact that we have improved the containers in which the Impression Material comes in. We had problems with the last containers not withstanding the elements of a shoeing truck and UPS package handlers. The new containers should eliminate all breakage problems in the future. We also feel that the new sizes offer a bit wider range of purchasing options. New sizes are 2, 4 and 6 pounds (1/2 Base, 1/2 Catalyst). Note that we have also given a larger price break as the quantity increases.

It is important to remember that you should not re-use molded impression material on resets. The foot changes with each reset and therefor to place the molded material back into the changed foot would feel very much like when your sock gets balled up in your shoe. Very uncomfortable!

Another addition to the EDSS product line is a new FIRM consistency of Impression Material. It is available in the same sizes and at the same prices as our REGULAR Impression Material. We added this product to give hoofcare professional one more tool for their toolbox. This new consistency may be found to be useful under some of the mesh pads and other sole support options that have been made available. We still prefer our REGULAR Impression Material consistency for most applications, however it’s good to have several options when a situations call for them.

We regret to inform everyone that the new sizes of Natural Balance Shoes will not be available at this time as we previously planned. Some unforeseen circumstances that are beyond our control have risen which have temporarily delayed the release of the new NBS. We are working very hard at getting around these setbacks and are doing everything we can to get these new sizes to our customers. We thank you for your patience and you will be notified as soon as the new NBS are available. The current sizes (sm, med, lg) are still available!

One last notice on changes to EDSS Products has to do with the color of medium EDSS parts. For medium Frog Inserts and Impression Pads, the material is now more of an orange color than the flesh color of before. The parts and material themselves have not changed, only the color of the dye used. We apologize for any confusion during this color change.

This page was last update on 10/18/99. Copyright © 1998 Wild Horse Publishing & Equine Digit Support System, Inc.. All rights reserved. Terms of Use