There are magical moments that necessitate a pause, moments to recognize and be grateful for. As I sit on a blanket in the sand of the banks of the Rio Corrientes in Argentina looking up at the Southern Cross in the night sky, fireflies floating around the horses who stand quietly tied to a large piece of driftwood, I stop to take it all in. Ranch owner Klaus Liebig tosses another log on the bonfire at the beach as his wife Gloria arranges a picnic spread of charcuterie meats, cheeses, and olives. This was the last full-day ride of an incredible week at the 1,315-hectare Estancia Buena Vista, just outside the small town of Esquina in the Corrientes province of Argentina.

Purchasing a horse can be an exciting yet stressful experience, particularly when it comes time for the pre-purchase examination, or “vetting.” For the seller, there may be anxiety about uncovering health issues that could end the sale. For the buyer, there’s the fear that their dream horse might fail the vet check, leading to disappointment. However, understanding the true purpose of this essential veterinary service can help ease the tension and ensure a smoother process.

Hoofbeats Across the Silver Screen - As anyone who has spent real time with horses knows, they are so often the teachers in this journey through life. “As we strive to learn the best ways to motivate our horses, they motivate us to be the best that we can be,” says retired movie stunt rider and double, Martha Crawford-Cantarini.

Podiatry in equine veterinary practice is gaining increasing attention. We continue to learn more about the function and biomechanics of the horse’s foot, and develop new and innovative strategies to alter those biomechanics and mitigate problems that lead to lameness in the foot. To achieve a successful outcome, equine podiatry requires a team approach and great cooperation between the owner, the veterinarian, and the farrier. Although a relatively small part of the horse’s body, the foot plays a very important role in soundness. It is simply amazing to consider all of the functions that are occurring in this structure in order to support a horse’s size and weight. It can be even more overwhelming when we start to consider how small changes to the biomechanics of the foot can change the function of the foot, and result in lameness issues for the horse down the road. One of the most common hoof deformities, which develops as a result of a change in the healthy balance and biomechanics in the horse’s foot, is the club foot.

“Do you want to run?” Chrissy asked. “Sure,” I said, as her spunky little grey gelding shot off up the road. El Capitan — the lanky, gaited part-Peruvian Paso gelding I was riding — followed. As we clattered up the hard-packed dirt road, I stood in the Western stirrups and gave him his head. I was on a two-week vacation in Panama and this was my second day riding with Horseback Panama near Santa Fe, 300 kilometres west of Panama City.