Farriery is an ancient and noble trade. It's roots are in the exterior observation of a horses's feet. Veterinary science is much younger, and it's roots are in the medical sciences focusing on what's within. Over the last few decades, the art and trade of farriery has embraced the need to understand "what goes on inside", as much as the veterinary sciences have embraced the need to understand "what goes on outside". Big steps in indeed.
However, each are focused on what amounts to only 2 legs of the development triangle - with no measurable, or indeed tangible connection between these two approaches. It's like two people communicating in a language they both know very little. The third, and unifying leg of this triangle, is Bio-mechanical Progression. Which, for our purposes, is the unifying and measurable component of the changing path that a foal's development follows as both a biological and a mechanical entity.
THE GENESIS
Sometimes it's the slighest deviation from well entrenched practices that yield the greatest results. And that's what Conformation Engineering is. The deviation. Time tested methods of "corrective farriery", followed by the emergence of surgical solutions have resulted in progress. But in both cases, there's still a missing link.
BIOMECHANICAL PROGRESSION
A foal's activity levels change, their body geometries change, and their entire bodies change as they grow. Internally, they change substantially. For example, The growth plate of the radius hardly grows after five or six months and the growth plates above the fetlocks stop growing at about three months. So not only is there internal change, but at different rates.
The missing link in addressing angular limb deformities in foals is a unifying methodology that ties together the many dynamic elements of constant change. It's an approach that's focused on (a) the change elements themselves - internally and externally and (b) the desired outcome - the path of conformation development. And the only science which is wholly and naturally predisposed to dealing with a multitude of changing variables while trying to predict outcome is engineering, rooted in the mathematical discipline of Calculus - the measurement of change.
In non technical terms, what we refer to as Conformation Engineering, applies engineering principles to effectively bridge the gap between the farrier's external approach and the veterinarian's internal approach.
Our methods seek to use the inherent changes in the foal's constantly - and rapidly - changing internal biology as it develops, and the foal's external realities, such as its activity levels and the changes in the weight and the geometry that it's legs need to support, to engineer a path of change towards an ideal outcome.
TAKE ACTION NOW
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
Whether your foal is destined for the winner's circle or to be a loyal companion, it's life, health and well being depend entirely on you. An early assessment is the greatest gift you can give your beloved foal, to your piece of mind and to your pocket book.
CRITICAL DECISION POINT
Your farrier will invariably have an opinion. Your vet will also have an opinion. Both will rely on their respective areas of experience and expertise while trying to bridge the gap of the elements they are not trained in. And neither one of them will give you a guarantee. They cannot. But also, neither one of them has complete information either, while both apply their expertise in different time frames of the foal's growth period.
Ultimately, only you can make the call. And the only call you have to make with a newborn foal is to have complete information to make the best possible decision to take action - if it's required.
DIAGNOSTIC PREVENTION
Our process is not purely corrective, for corrective action is not always required. More often than not, it's diagnostically preemptive.
Being able to systematically measure and observe the growth path dramatically increases awareness for early corrective measures if they're required. And of course, the objective is that if corrective measures are required, it preempts surgical intervention as much as possible.
Surgery is risky and very expensive. It's never the preferred route. Not for a human, and not for an animal.
EXPECTING A FOAL?
The ideal time to start thinking about your foal's conformation is before birth. Arrangements can be made in advance to ensure that an assessment is performed at the first possible opportunity. Book a free 30 minute consultation ensure service availability when your new foal arrives.