HOW TO USE THIS BLOG: Laminitis conference updates and news for attendees and exhibitors

Use the information in this blog to learn a few helpful details about the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. Check this blog up until November 3rd for updates. You might want to print out the blog and bring it with you in case you are delayed.

The official site for the conference is www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. Be sure to visit that site for official information.

On this informal site, I may occasionally refer to the conference as Palm Beach Laminitis, or PBL. Often, I will be posting to this blog by email, so please have patience. Also, information is guaranteed to be only accurate at the time of posting and some details may change.

Use the links at left to preview lectures, learn more about individual lecturers, and make the most of your educational experience at the conference.

If you haven't officially registered, please do that as soon as you can so that plans can be made to print enough proceedings books, have enough food, and sort out which wet labs are likely to be mobbed.

As with all blogs, the posts (except this intro) are in order beginning with the most recent post first. New posts may appear in any order, and old posts may disappear. Check back for updates.


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

Marriott Hotel Update: November 2, 2005

I just talked to the hotel, and things are pretty much ok there. They said that there are still traffic lights that aren't working at some intersections and the schools are closed.

The hotel itself suffered little damage but there is no cable tv in the rooms. The internet still works, however, if you bring a laptop.

The weather has been cool in the mornings, overcast, and in the low 80s in the afternoons.

The Marriott says that CityPlace, the mall/entertainment complex near the hotel, is open and the Convention Center appears to be fine, too.

SCOTT MORRISON: Podiatry Referral Specialist

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY—Scott Morrison, DVM, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital heads a podiatry clinic that specializes in the treatment of laminitis. Some of the leading treatment options and products that will be used around the world in months to come are being tried and tested at Rood and Riddle this summer.

Dr. Morrison, who is also a farrier, goes to great lengths to help his patients find a comfortable way to stand. He experiments with new hoof boots with foam inserts make it easy for owners to keep horses barefoot and change dressings, soak the feet, apply medications and make alterations from day to day as the horse shows signs of pain or improvement.

Some of Rood and Riddle’s worst cases are referrals, or advanced cases that have not responded to treatment by their attending veterinarians and farriers. Many of these horses are broodmares and stallions crippled by the after-effects of laminitis, particularly abnormal tendons and bone infections inside the foot. Morrison is adept at the procedure called deep digital flexor tenotomy, which severs the main tendon in the back of the foot and allows the hoof capsule and bones to return to a normal angle with the ground. Special aluminum shoes or boots are used to keep the horses comfortable while the tendon heals.

Bone infections in the foot, sometimes related to chronic abscesses and dead tissue, are one of the most serious threats to a horse’s life. Many deformed laminitic feet also have compromised blood flow, and normal medications may not be delivered through the blood system. Morrison enlists some unlikely allies in the cleaning out of infected tissue in the foot; he uses a state-of-the-art—but based on centuries old—technique of inserting tiny sterile fly maggots into the infected area. These specially-bred insect larvae, supplied by the University of California’s medical school, eat only infected tissue and do a superb job of cleaning wounds. When they are full-grown and can eat no more, they are flushed out, and new ones are added as needed.

Next on Morrison’s list of techniques to perfect is grafting tissue in the horse’s foot. He currently is testing the punch biopsy technique to transplant tissue to stimulate growth of the frog, and hopes to perfect the technique and expand applications.

Some of this text may have appeared in the article "Laminitis Battle Stations" in a recent edition of Practical Horseman magazine.

SUE DYSON: Lameness Referral Specialist

Sue Dyson of the UK's Animal Health Trust in Newmarket is well-known to anyone who attends the AAEP Convention and major international meetings. She is also a leading author; her textbook Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse (co-authored with Michael Ross) was published in 2003. Among her outside accomplishments is that she is former president of the British Equine Veterinary Association.

She is also a member of the editorial board of Hoofcare & Lameness Journal. In issue #79 (current issue), you can read her article on collateral ligament desmitis.

To understand Sue Dyson, it is important to know that not only is she not in private practice, she is in a unique institutional setting at the AHT equine clinic.

I am pasting in a few paragraphs from the AHT web site that describe the equine orthopedics clinic. I hope you will all have the chance to meet Sue Dyson while she is here, and discuss your favorite subject. She sees it all!

(begin paste from www.aht.org.uk)

The Centre for Equine Studies offers unique facilities and staff for investigation of all types of orthopaedic problems in horses. We aim to provide a high class referral service for all types of horses and ponies, generally with a waiting list time of not more than a working week.

The senior clinician, Dr Sue Dyson MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS work closely with Dr. Rachel Murray MA, VetMB, PhD, DACVS who is Head of Orthopaedic Research. The senior clinicians are supported by a human qualified radiographer, Miss Jo Weekes. and a specialist equine nurse, Miss Julie Breingan and 7 yard staff who are all extremely experienced in managing horses & several of them are also skilled riders. We aim to be pre-eminent in both clinical work & clinical orthopaedic research, with the goal of constantly improving diagnostic methods, recognising new conditions and appraising and refining treatment techniques.

Horses are referred from throughout Great Britain, Ireland & also continental Europe and range from high level competition horses of all disciplines to general purpose pleasure riding horses and ponies. We invest igate approximately 500 new horses annually, with many horses also returning for follow-up examinations. We routinely monitor the success of treatment methods employed thereby performing on-going clinical audit.

We were the first centre to use dynamic acquisition of scintigraphic images and a motion correction programme for routine clinical use, resulting in much enhanced image quality. We have pioneered the use of magnetic resonance imaging in Europe for routine diagnostic use in the horse.

We also offer an image consultancy service offering second opinions on radiographs, scintigraphic and ultrasonographic images.

(end paste)

James Belknap: Questioning a Foot's Inflammatory Response

Note: In April, I was lucky to catch up with Dr Jim Belknap in his office at Ohio State and learn about his research. A small bit of it is summarized here. He is one of the main presenters in the scientific sessions in Palm Beach and this modest overly-simplified summary should give you some idea of research focus. He did an excellent job of explaining it to me, and convinced me that this is an interesting aspect of laminitis worthy of our attention. I think you will agree!

COLUMBUS, OHIO--Dr. James Belknap peeks out of his laboratory at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is surrounded by piles of files, binders full of slides, and a head full of ideas about what laminitis may be all about.

For years, Dr. Belknap has been perplexed by the severe laminitis cases encountered in veterinary college hospitals. These are not your foundered ponies in the field down the street. They are high profile, devastating cases of sudden and severe laminitis secondary to colitis, colic surgery, retained placentas in mares, or Potomac Horse Fever.

Like all researchers, Belknap understood that laminitis is a disease of the whole horse, but like the others, he questioned--rather than accepted--why the foot was the most severely affected part of the body. If the whole horse was suffering a dramatic medical insult, why did only the foot show the damage? Why did the laminae (tiny fibers that hold the hoof wall to the inner foot) rip apart, while other, similar connective tissue in the body remained intact?

Seeking alliances with other researchers working on equine and human disease, Belknap has opened new chapters in laminitis research with pioneering work on the inflammation process in laminitis. He has identified the disparity in inflammation sensors called leukocytes in the laminae of horse's foot that make it unique in the entire horse's body. While other tissues in the horse are able to cope with massive disruptions in cell metabolism, the foot lacks their anti-inflammatory defenses. "It is as if the foot is immune-compromised," he muses.

Belknap looks to human medicine for clues, and in particular to studies devoted to Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), a deadly infection that attacks human hospital patients, to see how the body's immune system fights off inflammation. While science cannot change the cellular structure of the foot, medications that aggressively reduce or bypass the inflammatory response may lessen damage to the hoof tissues in horses at high risk for acute laminitis.

Belknap's piles will get higher before they shrink but his unique approach to research on the hoof has the potential to change the face of laminitis treatment.

Notes: Some of the text above appeared in the article "Laminitis Battle Stations" in a recent issue of Practical Horseman magazine.

To learn more: http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/news/laminitis.html
(This is a link to an easy-to-read summary of Dr. Belknap's earlier research when he was at Auburn University.)

Other papers are posted on www.ivis.org. (You will need to sign up as a member in order to access these papers but we should all support IVIS anyway!).

Several of Dr. Belknap's papers are published in the Equine Veterinary Journal's special collection of recent papers on laminitis; this volume is sold individually through Hoofcare & Lameness at a cost of $30 plus $5 post.

Farrier and horse owner attendees: If I can understand this research, you can too! Don't rule out the scientific sesssions for some information that will help you learn more about the unique metabolism and physiology of tissue in the foot. It may inspire you to read more and learn more and become involved in research or fundraising for the scientific session presenters.

Thumbs Up: Palm Beach Will Be Open for (Laminitis) Business!

Official message from Kelly Malone of Slack Inc., event managers for the TIECOLADOTF, received today at 1:07 p.m.:

The Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot taking place in West Palm Beach, FL on November 4-6, 2005 will go on as planned. The Palm Beach Convention Center and the West Palm Beach Marriott sustained very minimal damage and both are open for business.

RIC REDDEN: The Laminitis Warrior Returns to Do Battle!

Dr. Ric Redden is the world's best-known laminitis consultant. He recently announced his return to active consulting and practice after an attempt at retirement. Here's a short introduction to just a few of the topics that Doc will address.


VERSAILLES, KENTUCKY—Ric Redden, DVM, has pioneered the use of a diagnostic test called a venogram, which shows a veterinarian the extent of damage to the blood supply in the foot following laminitis. Knowing the extent of damage will be important; without a healthy blood supply, medications cannot reach foot tissues, and growth of the hoof will be retarded, or possibly deformed.

One of Redden’s many accomplishments is a protocol for preventing laminitis in horses with a severe injury in one leg. When a disproportionate amount of weight is put on one leg in a pair, the so-called “good” leg HOOF? often develops laminitis. Redden uses wedges and wraps to support the good leg as soon as the injured leg has been operated on, or a cast has been applied. His recommendations are now followed at veterinary hospitals around the world.

In all laminitis cases, Redden uses radiographs extensively to evaluate the position of the coffin bone inside the foot. When a horse has laminitis, the fibers holding the coffin bone to the hoof wall are destroyed, and the bone may move, or “rotate” away from the wall. At the same time, the deep digital flexor tendon in the back of the foot loses the opposing connection o the hoof wall and, in simplest terms, may pull up on the bone and worsen the rotation.

Redden’s process of “de-rotation” is widely adopted, and his use of “self-adjusting” horseshoes allows a foundered horse to find a point of comfort based on the coffin bone’s angle. These shoes allow a horse to virtually rock back and forth and stand in a position that is comfortable. For more horses, the comfortable position will be where the coffin bone is almost parallel to the ground. Flat shoes and a hard surface to stand on make it more difficult for a horse to “self-adjust” its stance.

Some of the this text may have appeared in the article "Laminitis Battle Stations" in a recent issue of Practical Horseman magazine.

Palm Beach Hurricane Damage Update

YES! The conference is still on! Palm Beach is struggling back to its feet after Hurricane Wilma!

I have been monitoring the local media in Palm Beach County and everything around the convention center and downtown West Palm Beach seems to have escaped devastation. They even had an interview with the architect from the Kraviz Center inside CityPlace, which is a complex that includes the Convention Center. It was/is fine.

Here's the latest (quoting from The Palm Beach Post):

In downtown West Palm Beach, winds toppled a construction crane on the Community Foundation building, blew out the windows of eateries along Clematis Street and left residents with a boil-water order because of water main breaks.

In Lake Worth, the storm turned the Dixie Highway business district into a deserted street littered with dislodged shingles, tattered awnings and shattered glass from storefronts. And in Lake Worth Towers, an 11-story home for the elderly, about a dozen windows were smashed during the storm when tethered cement blocks on the roof began to swing wildly.

(end quote)

The problem now seems to be Florida Power and Light. Power is still out at Palm Beach International Airport, where they are operating on emergency power, as is the case for much of West Palm Beach. Commercial flights are cancelled but the private side of the airport was operating this afternoon.

KATY WATTS: Grass Roots Research Reveals a New Aspect of Laminitis Prevention

(left) Researcher Katy Watts peers through spectrometer to gauge the sugar content of grass at the Palm Beach Polo Club at the 2003 Palm Beach Laminitis Conference.

CENTER, COLORADO—An expert in crop science, Katy Watts became frustrated when her own horses suffered from grass founder, the seasonal laminitis so common in many parts of the United States where the seasons change and grass pastures surge in growth in the spring and fall. Katy was unable to learn how or why the grass caused the terrible disease. She wondered about different types of grass. She wondered what happened to grass when it was dried for hay. She wondered about the effects of storage time and temperature. Did rain help or hurt the sugar content of hay?

Thanks to extensive collaboration between Katy and the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit at the University of Queensland, headed by researcher Chris Pollitt PhD, more and more information is becoming available about the role of non-structural carbohydrates in grass. In particular, the carbohydrate, or sugar-chain, called fructan has been implicated in laminitis.

Fructan is one of the energy engines in a blade of grass. When grass is stressed, it responds with an adrenalin-like surge of fructans to insure continued photosynthesis and survival. An example is a frosty evening, followed by a sunny morning. Katy has measured that grass on after-frost days is extremely high in fructan, which Pollitt in turn has shown can directly cause laminitis in large doses.

Katy is determined to educate American horse owners about the dangers of grazing horses on pastures planted and fertilized to fatten cattle. She would also like owners to be suspect of the carbohydrate content of their hay. High-fructan grasses are exactly what is needed for rapid weight gain and milk production in cattle.

Keeping horses off pasture at high risk times—such as after frosty nights--is only the beginning for Katy Watts. She also studies hay, and has conducted a study to show that soaking rich hay for an hour before feeding will reduce the carbohydrate content by 30 percent and hence drastically reduce the danger to horses.

Katy Watts has publicized the responsibility of horse owners to have their hay tested to determine the carbohydrate content. Independent laboratories are springing up where a small baggie of hay can be analyzed for a small sum; an example is the new Equi-analytical Laboratories, a division of Dairy One labs in Ithaca, New York. Color, grass types, blossom counts, and age are not reliable indicators. Watts has determined that a safe level of sugar/starch in hay is 10 percent or less for horses.

Rental Car Information for Palm Beach International Airport

If you need to rent a car during your stay in Palm Beach, here is a list of the companies with offices at Palm Beach International Airport. And yes, some of them DO rent convertibles!


Alamo Rent-a-Car
(800) 327-9633

Avis Rent-a-Car
(800) 331-1212

Budget Rent-a-Car
(800) 527-0700

Dollar Rent-a-Car
(800) 800-4000

Enterprise
(800) 325-8007

Hertz Rent-a-Car
(800) 654-3131

National
(800) 227-7368

Wilma Has Left West Palm Beach...

I have been monitoring reports from West Palm Beach today about damage from the hurricane. So far, so good. There is some damage, but it doesn't sound like the Apocalypse. One report said that the Kravitz Performing Arts Center, which is next to the Convention Center and part of the CityPlace complex, was not damaged. So that's good news for our meeting.

We'll keep you posted. Let's hope everyone, everywhere is ok.

laminitis

Who is "SPOT"?

Spot was a special horse, and still is. He lives on in the hearts and memories of everyone who worked on him and tried to help him fight laminitis.

Spot was a stout-hearted Appaloosa who belonged to Mr. and Mrs. John Castle, who live in Palm Beach. In spite of the best care that their personal veterinarians, Dr. James Orsini of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Rob Boswell of Palm Beach Equine Clinic, could provide, and all the expert veterinarians and farriers that they brought to Spot's side, Spot was finally laid to rest.

Spot's sad passing inspired the Castles to suggest to Dr. Orsini that an international meeting of the world's laminitis experts should be organized. They became magnanimous supporters and active participants in the first and second incarnations of the International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot.

With their support and encouragement, we are back again. You will no doubt hear Spot's name over the course of the conference. His name is also part of the Spot Courage Award, which will be presented at lunch time on Saturday.

Spot lives!

Be sure to introduce yourself to Mr. and Mrs. Castle and let them know how you are personally involved in helping horses with laminitis. They have played a huge role in making this meeting possible.


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

No room for you at the hotel?

If you only registered recently, you may have been told that the host hotel, the Marriott West Palm Beach, is sold out during the conference.

That may be true. Keep calling, in case someone cancels. It is a huge hotel, and there are other groups beside ours who have booked blocks of rooms. Perhaps some of them will cancel. Don't expect the discount rate, though.

There are lots of hotels nearby at the aiport. The Courtyard by Marriott and the Hampton Inn both had rooms as of 10/22.

Here are the Courtyard's details, though I have never stayed at either one. Try www.hamptoninn.com to find the airport Hampton Inn. There are many hotels in the area.

Courtyard by Marriott: Palm Beach Airport
(561) 207-1800
1800 Centrepark Dr E
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Good luck!

Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

RSVP for Cruise, Please! Deadline November 1!

All convention attendees and exhibitors have received a spectacular and generous invitation for an evening dinner cruise about the luxury mega-yacht Lady Windridge. You will be the guest of Mr. and Mrs. John Castle, who have chartered the boat with our pleasure in mind.

If you are registered and have not received an invitation, please contact Slack Inc.

Please meet in the lobby of the West Palm Beach Marriott at 6:00pm on Saturday, November 5, 2005, transportation will be provided to and from the Palm Harbor Dock. The cruise will last until 8:30 p.m. or so.

The course may or may not include ocean passage; the intercoastal waterway of Palm Beach can be a great adventure. Watch out for manatees!

Dress for this evening event is requested to be "business casual".

This evening event is a great way to spend time with the speakers in a casual, fun setting. You will have a chance to say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Castle, too!


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

Review the lastest laminitis research papers

Hoofcare & Lameness has a few copies of the Equine Veterinary Journal's 110-page Laminitis Special Issue. It contains approximately 20 scientific papers from the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit (Dr. Chris Pollitt), the Royal Veterinary College (UK), and the papers on inflammation response in the equine foot by Dr James Belknap.

Cost is $30 each plus $5 post in USA, $10 post to Canada, $15 post air mail to the rest of the world. US funds only, please provide your name, address, and a Visa/Mastercard account number and expiry date. Supply is extremely limited but this could be a very valuable "crash course" for you if you are new to laminitis research. It will provide some idea about the research of two of our main speakers.

Send an email to , send a fax to USA 978 283 8775 or call the Hoofcare office at 978 281 3222. Sorry, there probably is not time for you to mail in an order before the conference. Thanks!


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

DAVID HOOD: The Hoof Project's Full-Scale, All-Out War on the Laminitis Enigma

Note to attendees: Dr. David Hood is one of the chief organizers of the conference. He will be working with Dr. Chris Pollitt to provide an educational and entertaining debate on the process of acute laminitis on Friday evening. Billed as "The Trial of the Century", this is a not-to-be-missed event! The article below will give you some insight into Dr. Hood's work on laminitis.


COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS--One of America's foremost researchers into all aspects of laminitis, David Hood, DVM, PhD, is overseeing construction of the new Hoof Project hospital and research center in the grassy hills outside College Station, where he teaches equine anatomy and physiology at Texas A&M University.

Many horses donated to The Hoof Project for research suffer from chronic laminitis, Cushings syndrome, or other types of long-term lameness.

Among Dr. Hood's most recent achievements is a reliable hoof biopsy test, which allows veterinarians to extract samples of hoof wall tissue for study under a microscope. Since most laminitis damage occurs in the toe area, a sample punched at the mid-toe will show how badly the delicate laminae have been stretched, distorted, or even destroyed. Once the extent of damage is known, a horse's recovery plan can be made more realistically. The biopsy site is kept clean and quickly heals.

The damage of laminitis is a heavy weight on Dr. Hood's mind, but his recent studies also show that horses suffer from secondary sources of pain. Changes in stance, posture, and gait affect tendons and ligaments in the legs, and joint angles may be altered, leading to arthritis. Even back and neck pain can develop in horses that are standing in abnormal positions for long periods of time. The fact that a horse has laminitis may cause other co-existing lamenesses, such as ringbone, collateral ligament injuries, sheared heels, or navicular damage to be overlooked.

Hood is developing protocols to separate pain from laminitis from other types of pain in the foot. He uses a pressure-sensitive Tekscan floor mat to monitor how laminitic horses bear weight, shift weight, and how they place their feet when walking. Using Dr. Hood's emerging data, horses may be simultaneously treated for multiple problems that were not discernible because of the dramatic mask of laminitis pain.

Note: Some of this text may have appeared in the article "Laminitis Battle Stations" in Practical Horseman magazine.

Chris Pollitt's Latest Research Summarized in Hoofcare & Lameness #79

New information about laminitis and the microanatomy of the hoof will be presented by Chris Pollitt in Palm Beach. Hoofcare & Lameness Jouranl Edition #79, just completed, should reach all subscribers before the conference, so you will have a chance to learn about some of the Australian advances. We expect to hear about even more.

A very interesting aspect is this arterial (not veinous) cast of the blood supply to the lamellae. Dr Pollitt "discovered" an aspect of the microcirculation in the foot, whereby an alternate blood supply was discovered within the "bone marrow" of the coffin bone. What implications does this have for laminitis prevention and/or treatment? Find out in Palm Beach!


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

Transportation to the Marriott from
Palm Beach International Airport

The Marriott West Palm Beach Hotel (host hotel) is only ten minutes (three miles) from the aiport. The horel has a shuttle to and from the airport every half hour. They request that you call them from one of the (free) courtesy phones in the baggage claim area and notify them of your location so the driver can find you.

Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

Overseas Arrivals

Most international flights come to Florida by landing in Orlando or Miami. If your flight is coming into Miami and you want to travel to Palm Beach by land, you will need to rent a car, take a taxi, or hire a driver.

The Marriott suggests that you call the concierge at the hotel a few days in advance for advice about land transport to the hotel. They may be able to help.

Call the Marriott at 561-833-1234 and ask for the concierge. (No guarantees!)


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

BREAKFAST

The Marriott will be serving a full buffet breakfast every morning, beginning at 6:30 a.m.
However, the conference is tentatively planning to serve complimentary continental breakfasts at the convention center in the exhibitor area. Continental breakfasts will be offered at 7 a.m. on Friday and at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. I don't know about breakfast on Sunday.

The conference begins at 8 a.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Attending the continental breakfast will give you a chance to 1) eat; 2) visit with sponsors and exhibitors; and 3) get a good seat for the morning sessions!


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

Horse Sculpture Exhibit by Deborah Butterfield at Palm Beach's Norton Museum During Laminitis Conference
What a coincidence! While we are in Palm Beach, the city's esteemed art museum will be hosting an exhibit of scultpures by Montana welder/sculptor/artist Deborah Butterfield. Her work is exclusively of horses--some seem to be welded plates, other seem to be crafted of driftwood, still others are light as air. All are realistic depictions of horses in incredibly expressive postures made by a complex casting and wax process from original found materials.

No one who has seen one or more of her sculptures has failed to be impressed and moved. I watched one of her "driftwood" horses being installed in an exhibit at Saratoga one summer years ago. It was huge and I can only describe it as a magnificent sum of its parts. I became an immediate fan. If you looked at any section of the horse, it was but a mismash of sticks and branches. From across the huge gallery (and a huge gallery was needed for this sculpture), it was an almost-living, expressive horse.

I highly recommend you arrive for the conference early or stay late, and plan a side trip to the Norton Museum.

The Norton Museum of Art is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission for the special Deborah Butterfield exhibit is as follows: Adults: $10; Visitors age 13-21: $4; Children 12 & under and members: Free. For general information, call (561) 832-5196.

The book on Deborah Butterfield's horse sculptures would make a fabulous Christmas gift. I am not sure what the museum shop may have for sale, but there is a DVD about how she creates the sculptures.

The museum is about a ten minute drive from the hotel and convention center; I am not sure if the hotel shuttle will take you there or not.


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!

Marriott West Palm Beach Hotel Details

The Marriott West Palm Beach was renovated in 2004. It has 10 floors, 352 rooms, and complimentary shuttle service to the airport, convention center, and downtown.

If you are having packages or faxes sent to you at the hotel, you need this information:
West Palm Beach Marriott
1001 Okeechobee Boulevard
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
Phone: 1-561-833-1234
Fax: 1-561-833-4689
Toll-Free: 1-800-376-2292

• Have packages addressed to your name and mark them "hotel guest arriving (date)". There is no charge to receive packages or faxes. Faxes will be delivered to your room.
• Check-In time is not until 4:00 PM; Checkout time is 11:00 AM.
• The Marriott has free parking outside
• For some reason, they have a "no pets" policy.
• The hotel has a business center with computers if you need one. High-speed internet access in your hotel room is available at a cost of $9.95 per day.
• The hotel has an outdoor pool and hot tub and an indoor 24-hour fitness center.
• HOTEL SHUTTLE BUS goes to the airport every half hour from 6 a.m. to midnight; the hotel requests that arriving guests use the (free) courtesy phones at baggage claim to let the driver know where to pick you up.


Information on this blog is posted for the use of attendees at the Third International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. This blog is an informal information source and may contain unintentional errors or omissions. Please double-check all information. Information is not intended for use beyond the conference group. All contents copyright 2005 Hoofcare Publishing. For more information about the conference, please visit www.slackinc.com/laminitis or call 1-877-307-5225. To contact Fran Jurga or Hoofcare & Lameness Journal, creators of this blog, please visit www.hoofcare.com or call 978 281 3222. Thank you!