I believe two vital aspects of working with today's hoof repair and reconstruction products are planning and preparation.

I'd visited Rolex during the three weeks before starting the hoof repair. He was progressing well, displaying less lameness, and walking more freely than before.

Hoof repair and hoof wall reconstruction were necessary. In addition, the shoes would have to be attached to his feet without any nails.

The destruction of the hoof wall had travelled so far up the hoof, that there was no way that any nails could have been introduced into the hooves. My plan was to prepare shoes designed to work with the state of his hooves.

I drew templates of Rolex's two front hooves, marking on them the status of the hoof wall.

Then I prepared made-to-measure shoes, with extended clips - 50mm in comparison to the regulation 17mm. As there would be no hoof wall to hold the nails, these clips would aid in keeping the shoe in place, once I'd appplied the Vettec Adhere and attached it to the foot.

I also drilled a number of extra holes in the fullering of the shoe, and at the toe and heels. These were to allow the adhesive to squeeze through the shoe and increase its mechanical bonding area.

I always list, lay out, check and re-check the elements I'll need in a hoof repair exercise. When you're in the middle of a hoof repair process, it's no time to discover what you've left at home.

I design the strategy for each individual horse before I implement hoof reconstruction. I rehearse the process in my mind at home at night, make notes to myself about that particular horse, play through the process, consider problems that could arise, and take every precaution possible.

It's important that owner, vet and farrier all remember that we are dealing with a living creature, and with a chemical composite - both of which have unpredictable aspects.

I use a number of the chemical composite products in the orthopaedic and corrective farrier work I do. Any farrier will probably agree - they are great when they work and frustrating when they don't. I sometimes wonder if the laboratory guys have tested their products according to the real-life farrier who has:

• a fretty horse who's in pain,
  
• every inquisitive fly in the neighbourhood visiting
  
• unpredictable weather - temperature, wind and humidity conditions
  
• working conditions limited by space and surface available
  
• an anxious owner at hand
  

• temperature controlled environment
  
• a very large, clean, flat floor space
  
• three days and unlimited chances to get it right without anyone commenting
  
• five tubes of material as backup
  
• seven eager lab apprentices to measure, mix, handle and pass him the goo - and clean up afterwards
  

OK, back to Rolex and the hoof repair.

I have some observations on Vettec Adhere as it displayed in the case of Rolex. I'll be adding these shortly.

And don't forget - despite all the precautions, things can still go awry. Just smile and start again. Don't get stressed, don't worry about it - and don't charge the owner if you do it a second time over!