American Farriers Journal
American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
Tom Curl marked 50 years of hoof care with double knee replacement surgery after suffering from years of arthritis. The Vero Beach, Fla., farrier learned that his quad muscles changed and atrophied while compensating for the pain over an extended period. Source: Tom Curl
Professionals in physically demanding careers, especially the self-employed, often feel invincible. Strength building and physical fitness are simply part of the job. No one thinks a life-changing illness or injury will knock on their door — until it does
“What we do is dangerous,” Ian Curry says, “and we all take that for granted.”
In August 2022, the Wellington, Fla., farrier flew to a horse show in Michigan for a client. Onsite, another rider asked him to fix a shoe on a hind end. The horse kicked, breaking Curry’s knee in 16 places. The injury required a 2-week hospital stay. He underwent immediate emergency surgery (fasciotomy) to relieve pressure from blood clots. In the months since, he’s needed multiple reconstruction surgeries on his tibia and soft tissue. A year later, he still had limited mobility in his knee — only about 30%.
“I was just doing a random favor for a friend,” he says. “Every farrier has bumps, bruises and broken fingers, but this was a giant wake-up call.”
Fellow Wellington farrier Zach Osborne’s knee fracture was not caused by a…