Adapt to the Demands of the Horse

Marijke Ellert, CJF, makes it a point to keep up with how her clients perform in the show ring.

“I can’t imagine how you could not be involved as a farrier, because the soundness of these horses depends on you,” Ellert says. “The horse has to be moving at the best of its ability at all times.”

The farrier plays an important role in the horse’s advancement.

“It’s an evolving sport,” she says. “As the horse advances, it starts moving more and more onto the hind end and does more advanced movements. Sometimes you need to add more support as they get up to the higher levels. I don’t think there’s a way you can progress as that horse’s farrier unless you’re paying attention to what that horse is doing.”

Ellert remains in the loop by asking a lot of questions.

“Part of my plan is before I touch the horse, I ask, ‘How was the show? How did you do? What areas need to be improved on? Do you think something could be better? Does something need to change? Are you happy with the status quo? What’s the plan at the next show?’”

Learn from Competition

“I was really reluctant at first to compete because I thought, ‘I can’t go up against all these people,’” Ellert recalls. “‘They’re way better than me. There’s no way that I can compete with them. I’m in a whole different league; they’re so far above me.’”

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