This year marks the 50th anniversary (and 32nd year at Lessiter Media) of American Farriers Journal covering the farrier trade. We’re asking hoof-care professionals for a few words to include in a “From the Audience” section of our coverage – in the December edition.

Virgil Gluth of Scottsbluff, Neb., shares his thoughts on the hoof-care industry’s milestones as part of AFJ’s 50th anniversary.

I’ve been in the farrier business roughly 30 years. I’m not, as you would say, certified. I did an apprenticeship in the early 1990s for 4 years. It’s amazing the technologies that we have today. The pros can fix a problem faster and see what’s going on inside of the foot. Being able to see that gives us a better understanding of what we’re dealing with.

On the other hand, I believe so much has changed: diet, breeding, exercise. I work with mostly Quarter Horses, performance horses and ranch horses. What I see is a smaller bone structure in quite a few of the horses today. I don’t remember seeing as many cases of navicular disease back then as I see now. The causes can be debated all day, and yet I don’t believe we’ll all come up with the same answer.

I believe work ethic has also changed. We now have more aids to get the job done easier. These aids are great, but they can also hinder a lot. Getting around a horse that might be naughty also teaches some form of horsemanship. I’ve had a couple of young people who really don’t want to try anything that doesn’t stand, which is ideal but not realistic in the life of a farrier. I know this is going to sound stupid, as we deal with the foot, but I think many young farriers are focusing too much on the foot and not enough on the conformation that leads to that foot.

I enjoy the American Farriers Journal very much. I end up with a lot of information on issues that I don’t get to see in my area, as well as ideas that I wouldn’t necessarily think of in an area with few farriers, since sometimes there’s no one to throw ideas around with.

AFJ also keeps me up with the newest information out there. So, in short, I don’t really think I have changed my business much in the last 30 years, but I’ve seen a lot of changes. Some for the better, some not so much. As long as we remember that the horses are the clients, we’ll do a better job for the horse and the owner.