The Farrier’s Guide to Education and Employment defines the profession like this: “Farriers specialize in equine hoof care − caring for animals such as horses and donkeys, but mostly horses.” Add to that the fact that they also work on mules and that the craft largely involves trimming, cleaning and horseshoeing and you’ve got it.

Erath County’s Tim Sloan is a farrier and a guy who’s come a long, long way from his origins in Australia to arrive at this point in his life smack in the middle of Texas. He and his wife have a daughter, who’ll turn three shortly. He smiles and says there’s one more little Sloan on the way at the moment – a boy.

Here’s a closer look at Sloan and his horseshoeing business:

Q: Can you tell our readers a little about your life as a youth in Australia and how and why you made the leap to the U.S. and eventually to Texas?

A: I’m from a rural area in north Queensland and worked around there on farms and ranches growing up. When I got a little older, I traveled around Australia working all kinds of ag jobs. It was great; you could follow the seasons and just about any town you went to, you could always find a job if you were willing to work.

As for coming to the U.S., I originally came over to rodeo. I was saddle-bronc rider but when it was time for family, this area around Stephenville seemed like a good fit for us − and it is. My wife’s from Pennsylvania, so neither of us are originally from here, but people have really welcomed us, especially the people in our church. The sense of community and the idea of raising our kids in a place like this is exactly what we wanted.

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