Horner’s Company Ralph Anderson Memorial Lecture
16th November 2023The Royal Society of Medicine
Living in Hampshire, Courtney and William grew up around friends who were horse enthusiasts. Pony Clubs were de rigour. There was only one small problem….Courtney is allergic to horses. Not just the sniffles; but, far more serious. So no pony club, no horses. With this in mind, it was particularly interesting and enlightening to attend the Horner’s Annual Ralph Anderson Memorial Lecture - about horses!
David Nicholls RSS, AWCF, RJF, LSHMC, CBT, CFP, CLS, Cert Euro Farrier, Master Farrier’s topic was Iron or Plastics. As Master Horner said: He spoke of how two distinctly different industries farriery and plastics have grown together for the betterment of a horse’s wellbeing. David was able to draw from over two decades as a farrier working with horses who had complex needs. Technically David explained multiple complexities that are too complicated for me to correctly describe. However, what was clear is the impact that plastics and new, lighter materials can make. Plastics are contributing to ‘hoof mechanics’ aiding how the horn capsule interacts with the horse’s natural motion. A lightweight, shock absorbent, abrasion resistant, partially flexible horseshoe can provide therapeutic advantages to the horse. We discovered that an industry that can trace its origins to Roman times can benefit from more modern materials. Iron or plastics - why not both?