AFTER A SURGE of controversy about its proposals on standardized farrier education and registration, the American Farrier’s Association has dismissed the original members of the Education/Registration Task Force who developed the plan and started looking for new members from inside and outside the AFA.

DURING THE American Farrier’s Association annual convention in Chattanooga, Tenn., in late February, members re-elected Bob Earle of Chino Valley, Ariz., as vice president and Walt Taylor of Albuquerque, N.M., as treasurer.

Dedicating a portion of the American Farrier’s Association convention to horse owners was apparently a good move, as record-breaking numbers attended the event in Chattanooga, Tenn., during late February.

Pointing to a need for increased professionalism and catching its own board of directors by surprise, the Executive Committee of the American Farrier’s Association and a task force it quietly created have proposed standardized education, testing and registration of farriers nationwide.

You can almost feel the horseshoeing industry shaking on its foundations already.