The Farrier’s Friend Clinic Returns June 4–6 in Bentonville, Arkansas

Understanding the horse starts long before the shoe goes on.

The Farrier’s Friend Clinic, hosted by Jamey Carsel and led by Mark Caldwell, is built around one core idea: connecting anatomy, biomechanics, pathology, and farriery into practical decision making that works in the real world.

Taking place June 4–6, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas, this three-day clinic combines lectures, live demonstrations, discussion, and hands-on application designed for farriers and veterinarians wanting to deepen both their understanding and their practical approach.

Day One — Foundations & Biomechanics

The opening day focuses on the underlying mechanics of the horse and how those mechanics influence hoof form and farriery decisions.

Topics include:

• Introduction to biomechanics for farriers and veterinarians
• Dynamics of muscles and tendons
• Muscles, tendons and apparatus of the pelvic limb
• Hoof mapping and clinical decision making
• Identifying palmar and plantar angle in the field

The aim is not simply to memorise landmarks, but to understand how anatomy, loading, and movement interact in the living horse.

Day Two — Application & Pathology

The second day moves deeper into pathology, compensation, and therapeutic application.

Sessions include:

• Stance phase dynamics and hoof capsule morphology
• Repetitive strain injury treatment strategies
• Selection and application of horseshoe variants
• The use of hind bar shoes
• Laminitis and the farriery timeline

This section of the clinic focuses heavily on connecting biomechanics with practical treatment strategies and understanding why certain approaches succeed — or fail — under different circumstances.

Day Three — Therapeutic Shoeing & Team Competition

The final day shifts towards live application.

Following a live demonstration on building a therapeutic shoeing plan, attendees move into a team-based competition pairing experienced and developing farriers together.

Teams will:

• Assess a live pathology case
• Develop a shoeing strategy
• Fabricate and fit shoes
• Apply and reassess their work
• Present their reasoning and outcome to judges

The goal is not simply competition, but collaboration, problem solving, and learning under practical conditions.

More Than Just a Clinic

Alongside the educational content, attendees can expect:

• Daily raffles
• Industry sponsors
• Networking opportunities
• A final beer & BBQ following presentations and awards

Clinics like this are where theory starts becoming instinctive application.

For farriers wanting to better understand biomechanics, hoof mapping, pathology, and therapeutic decision making, this promises to be an exceptionally strong three days of education and discussion.

Tickets are available now via Eventbrite.