Saturday, May 18th
9 AM – 2:30 PM
880 Blackmer Lane, Columbia Falls MT

Clinic Details:

If you travel with stock in the backcountry and wish you had more knowledge about hoof care and shoeing, then this clinic is for you! Hosted by Farrier Frank Vitale at his barn in Columbia Falls, this clinic is intended to help the average horse person handle hoof care emergencies while in the backcountry. It will address such topics as:

  • Basic hoof and leg anatomy

  • How to safely pick up and work on a horse’s foot

  • How to fix a loose or sprung shoe

  • What to do if your horse lost a shoe

  • Tools you will need and how to use them

  • The basics of pulling shoes, nailing shoes on, and proper clinching

  • How to recognize certain lameness issues such as stone bruises, puncture wounds, abscesses and tendon injuries

  • Items to include in an equine backcountry first aid kit

Nitty Gritty:

Participants should bring a camp chair and lunch. Clinic will be hosted outdoors under a pavilion so dress appropriately for the weather. There will be mules and horses used in the demonstrations. Some hands on opportunities will present themselves, but will be minimal.

Cost: $100/Participant
Clinic is FULL. Sign up for the waitlist

Register Here!

Meet Your Instructor:

 

Frank Vitale

Frank has been a farrier for over 40 years and has traveled via mule over thousands of miles in the backcountry. As a volunteer Master Packer for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation as well as Board Member, Frank is passionate about Wilderness preservation and passing along traditional skills to the next generation.