David Krahn (Newbury Park, Calif.)
In the early 1980s, a young man came from a small town in Southern Idaho and began working as an apprentice for his father-in-law, a full-time farrier in Southern California. After a very short time, he told told his wife, “Honey, there are two things I will never do. First, I will never live in Southern California. Second, I will never shoe horses for a living!” After nearly 30-plus years as a farrier, all of them spent in Southern California, one might say the previous statement was slightly exaggerated.
I would like to shine a spotlight on David Krahn for several reasons. Mainly because he is an amazing farrier. But also because he is my father. I have watched my dad work as a farrier for almost my entire life. I’ve seen him approach every single situation with integrity, as well as a unique sense of compassion. He constantly strives to do what is best for each and every horse he works on. He takes the time to let every horse owner know that he cares about their animals as much as them.
Growing up, I have watched my father mentor and form close friendships with nearly every apprentice he’s ever worked with. I’ve spent countless hours with him as he has collaborated with vets on how to fix complex foot problems. He is always too busy and could easily pass on these cases. But, he simply told me once, “If the vet asks you to help with something, you should really try to do it.”
As my father moved into the later part of his career, he bravely took on his greatest challenge: having both of his sons apprentice and eventually begin working full-time with him in his practice. He always says, “You know you are good as a family when you can work together all day, and still talk to each other at the end of it.” I consider myself incredibly lucky to learn from such a professional as my father. He constantly shows me the perfect balance of how to treat not only the horses we work on but also with the people we interact with every single day. For this, I will always be grateful for my dad, David Krahn. He is one of the best farriers around.
— Tony Krahn (Moorpark, Calif.)