W.J. Tomlinson III

W.J. Tomlinson III is an A.F.A. Certified Journeyman Farrier who has worked as a farrier for over 20 years. "J." has spent many years learning from Eddie Watson in the Charlottesville area when Eddie was available. They formed a close relationship and Eddie was instrumental in J.'s passion for horseshoeing and understanding corrective shoeing, blacksmithing and horsemanship. 

During J.'s career, he got an idea to create a tool for horse owners. He saw a need in the industry for horse owners to feel comfortable with using a rasp in between trims or when their horses lost a shoe, and so he became an inventor when he created RidersRasp (http://www.ridersrasp.com/).  J. no longer leaves an old rusty rasp for his clients "just in case they lose a shoe." Instead, he hands them a RidersRasp!  J. continues to shoe horses in the Charlottesville, Va., and Lexington, Va., areas, where he shoes sport horses including eventors, dressage and hunter jumpers. I am a horse owner, and J. Tomlinson is my farrier and husband.

— Heather Tomlinson


J. is probably the best farrier I have ever had  He is very professional, patient with the horses and knowledgeable. He is not a know-it-all, which can be a problem with some, and he is willing to go to clinics to expand his knowledge. I have never in 6 or 7 years had a bad nail or bad shoeing job. Also, if a horse loses a shoe,he  is willing to drive an hour — even on weekends — to tack it on. I would say he is the BEST!!

— Carol Bauer (Charlottesville, Va.)