On almost 15 percent of farms, no deworming was performed on any resident horses. 50 percent of foals born at these farms last year were born in the pasture, not in a barn. Only 33 percent of newborn foals were seen by a veterinarian in the first 48 hours of life. And at 37.4 percent of farms, no written or computerized horse healthcare records, including of vaccinations, were kept. 25 percent of farms depended on notes kept on calendars and in checkbooks.
All statistics quoted are subject to varying standard rates of error.
However, these statistics do show that there is room for the farriery profession to better promote the need for its services and to educate the horseowning public of the importance of professional farrier care. If as many farms used the services of a farrier once a year as do a veterinarian once a year, a tremendous leap in demand for more farriers, or more employment for existing farriers, would result. Perhaps veterinarians and farriers can work more closely together to educate horse owners on the need for regular care of horses by both professions. Let's hope, for these unshod, untrimmed, unvaccinated, and unwormed horses' sakes, that better care is taken when it comes to feed, water, pasture management, stabling, and grooming than to routine health practices. By the time you read this, our report from August's Saratoga Grayson Jockey Club's conference on the use of toe grabs on Thorougbreds should also be posted.