FACTORY FRESH. The newest anvils of all shapes and sizes from J.H.M. Manufacturing in Peaster, Texas, were on display at this year’s American Farrier’s Association convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Although anvils have played an integral role in the work of farriers for centuries, manufacturers are continually discovering innovative and cutting-edge designs for the heaviest tool in your rig.

While the basic design stays the same, modifications are always being made in today’s anvils to make your work easier.

“As with people, farrier anvils are designed with ‘different strokes for different folks’ in mind. There are always new ideas coming on the market to try to improve on traditional anvil designs and weights,” says John Marino, owner of J.H.M. Manufacturing in Peaster, Texas. “There are assets and drawbacks to everything. 

“Though not as heavy as traditional anvils, minimizing the weight factor in some of the newer designs sacrifices the density and size of working surface as well as length and width of the horn. Different placement and addition of clips, cams, etc., are a personal preference and many anvils are designed differently as a result.”

HOLLOW-CORE INNOVATION. The hollow-core anvil from MFC Horseshoeing Tools in Purcell, Okla., offers a light, but durable anvil that can save a farrier from the back-breaking process of loading and unloading an anvil at shoeing jobs.

Bruce Daniels, an inductee into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame, from Mullica Hill, N.J., has seen several intriguing modifications come along in recent years.

“You’re seeing some…