The most basic of pads is the rim pad – but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t complexities in its use. As with any pad, the most important think is to apply it correctly. Rim pads are most often used for absorbing shock and concussion, according to Blake Brown, a veteran farrier from Penryn, Calif.

Mentoring is a topic that gets a lot of play in business schools and publications. But it’s nothing new in the horseshoeing world — even if a “ride along” is a lot less formal than the programs you’ll read about in textbooks.