Imagine a large ballroom in a downtown hotel. Fill it with long rows of tables and chairs. Now open the doors. Have about 800 or so farriers and veterinarians from all over the world–some not even speaking English–rush in and take their seats. Then within minutes, it’s so quiet you can hear a pin drop.

The business of continuing education is a serious one when it comes to horses’ feet. It is a process, mostly, of self-education, and it is a little bit lonely, as professionals learn by reading journals, watching videotapes, and trying other people’s successes and failures with their own adept hands. Because each horse and each problem is so different, successful farriers and veterinarians must have two key ingredients on their side–one is the willingness to experiment and to learn from each case; the second is to have a network of trusted fellow professionals to call on for help.

In the past 11 Januarys, an international professional network has been woven through the efforts of Versailles, Ky., veterinarian Ric Redden. A self-described "scout on the horizon," he is an expert at creating controversy, but continually succeeds at bringing people together in one huge room, and letting them talk it out for a few days. No matter which side of the theoretical foot science fence you are on, you’ll find plenty of sympathizers and adversaries in this outspoken audience.

The 1997 offerings ranged from the microscopic ("Structural and Material Properties of the Equine Hoof Wall") to the mechanical ("Advantages of Working from a Super Rig Truck") to the zen-like ("What is the Perfect Shoeing Job?"). In between were presentations from distinguished academic veterinary surgeons, thoughtful farriers from the field, and even an artist-blacksmith who spoke on the body language between farriers and their anvils