Tommy Sands wrote:Patty: Glad you came forward with all the information you have posted. Saying that toe graps have no effect to the breakdowns of TB horse's has been proven beyond a doubt is false. I do not believe anyone should belittle Dr. Stover or Dr. Krane because they have not been shoeing on the track for 17 years. Doesn't hold water.
It is when vets play farrier, and are not farriers who have shod at the track, can forge, swedge, and take the Union test, and have applied these avenues for many years; and understand the TRACK MENTALITY of the racetrack world.
It's not about belittling: it's about not taking racing as a whole, and understanding the many difficult positions that the platers are made to face in everyday situations! which the outside world does not understand.
Example: NOT getting paid, rank and dangerous horses to shoe, trainers who will fire you for not putting on the shoes they want, even if means breaking down the horse!, claimed horses and not getting paid for the last shoe job, expense of racing plates and nails to keeping going till we do get paid. It is not hard to for a trainer to run up a 15,000 shoeing bill, and then pull stakes, and move. Owners refusing to pay the trainer, vet bills, horseshoer, feed man, stall rent at the track, and paying the hired help, jockeys, exersize riders, hotwalkers, and grooms, and list goes on.
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LovelyWendie