As the hoof goes, so does the horse. The frog is one of the most important anatomical structures of the horse, writes Steve Stanley. He explains the priorities of frog health and what happens when it is abnormal.
Source: American Farriers Journal, November 18, 2022. Link. One detriment to frog function is a sharp hoof knife. Dr. Doug Butler suggests, “Only trim enough of the frog for hygiene.” Take no more than needed to maintain a disease- and debris-free frog.
INSIGHTS: The reference to veterinary medicine being derived from farriers was intriguing. We found a reference to medieval marshalcy, horse doctoring to support the reference <Link>.
The origins of medieval marshalcy are to be found in the farriers, or blacksmiths, who with their empirically based medical knowledge became increasingly specialized in looking after horses and mules.”