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H & L News Alert Editor's Note: The American Farrier's Association was contacted by Hoofcare & Lameness and invited to make a statement about the ILPH's warning to horse owners; AFA President Emil Carre has issued the following statement in regard to his opinion of the Strasser system of natural hoofcare: American Farrier's Association President Comments on ILPH Warning and "Natural" Approach to Hoof Science The recently published news release from the International League for the Protection of Horses, regarding the Strasser method, and its followers, is heartening and long overdue, in my opinion. I only wish it had come from our own animal protection sector, the AVMA and its affiliates, sooner. It is time someone took a stand with regard to this issue. Most of us who practice farriery, and veterinary medicine, on a professional level understand the subtle complexities of the equine foot and its related systems. The recent trend toward the "NATURAL HORSE," (and the limited research that has been aimed at the feral horse) has caused enough confusion that we now have the potential for putting the domestic horse at risk, in my opinion. To suggest that the feral horse should somehow be the model for foot care, or any other care for that matter, is irresponsible and suggests that we should overlook 200 years of man's interference into the gene pool of the current domestic horse. While some modern horses are certainly able to survive in a limited-use situation barefoot, it is totally irresponsible to suggest that removing the shoes from all horses is either healthy, or therapeutic. I am afraid, that as the horse industry moves more and more toward the model of the companion animal industry we are going to see more of these kinds of "Market Driven" trends. We will have to be ever so vigilant to weed out the junk science from what we normally consider valid and sound methods. Never before has the adage,"Diagnose Before You Prescribe" had more meaning. Emil Carre CJF Related articles:
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