It occurred to me a long time ago that no matter how diligent you are in your work, no matter how much energy you put into improving your skills and enlarging your knowledge of the trade, 6 weeks after you put down the last foot with one of your shoes on it, there will no longer be any physical sign of what you did for a career.
As I reached out to open the door of the nondescript building, it opened in my face. A man, the spitting image of Hoss Cartwright (think of the TV show Bonanza, for those under 50), down to the 10-gallon hat, fished about a half ounce of chaw from his lower lip, deposited it neatly on the winter-bare ground and said, “Come on in!”
In this episode of the American Farriers Journal podcast, brought to you by SmartPak, we're joined by Walt Taylor, who discusses his history as a farrier, how the American Farrier's Association was created and a few of his thoughts on the state of farriery.
In this episode of the American Farriers Journal podcast, brought to you by SmartPak, we're joined by Walt Taylor, who discusses his history as a farrier, how the American Farrier's Association was created and a few of his thoughts on the state of farriery.
When discussing licensing and regulation of an industry in the United States, farriers often think of direct oversight — a government-approved agency to pass rules specific for the trade. This is a reality affecting a minority of farriers, such as certain states requiring track shoers to carry a license. However, for the majority of the industry, government regulation of the trade still doesn’t exist.
The American Farrier’s Association Annual Convention, held in early March in Arlington, Texas, was one of the most successful in recent memory with 609 attendees, says outgoing AFA President Jon Johnson.
“It might be our best convention in 10 years,” he says.
After having back surgery, Hillsborough, N.C., farrier Jeff Denson wanted more balance to his work and family life, so he established working hours of 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. for his practice.
Even if you have graduated from shoeing school, this is just a start, in terms of practical knowledge. Learning from someone who has been shoeing horses for many years is invaluable.
Progress continues in our work to define the professionalization of farriers. A few of us met and discussed many of the processes and permutations of the “Initiative to Professionalize the Practice of Equine Footcare and Farriery” in early March. We’ll meet in late summer, when progress can be assessed and new assignments undertaken.
For more than 4 decades, Walt Taylor has favored the licensing of farriers. But for years the founder and long-term president of the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) accepted the wishes of the AFA membership to develop an in-house certification program as an alternative to licensing.
Farriery requires knowledge and skills to provide proper equine hoof care. In this series, sponsored by VICTORY, American Farriers Journal visits Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. In this edition, Chris Gregory discussed his journey to becoming an educator, his focus in teaching farrier students and the state of farrier education.
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