Quebec farrier Christian Roy has advanced his footcare practice by keeping horses sound, but he finds attention to detail is a difference maker in client satisfaction
Christian Roy has been a horseman for most of his life, owning draft horses for many of those years. Those draft horses deserve much of the credit in leading Roy to become a farrier.
Nearly 120 attendees gathered May 31 in Bromont, Quebec, for the American Association of Professional Farriers (AAPF)/Canadian Association of Professional Farriers (CAPF) biannual Hoofcare Essentials Clinic. Held at the Maréchalerie Bromont supply shop, the day featured footcare lectures, presented in English and translated into French.
Being the official farrier at a horse show appears straightforward. A horse loses a shoe in the ring or on the course. Someone gives it to the farrier during a timeout or after the class. The horseshoer nails it back on during or after the event if there is enough foot. If there isn't, the farrier won't. The horse walks off. That's all there is to it.
Ramsey, Minn., farrier Mark Thorkildson grew up around horses. During his youth, the work by the farriers who shod his family's horses didn’t spark Thorkildson's interest in footcare. It wasn't necessarily that their work was bad, but these shoers were in-and-out backyard practitioners. Nothing stood out about their work with horses that would catch the eye of a novice.
Years ago, Hardeeville, S.C., farrier Steve Prescott didn't set out to craft his own wood tool handles - it just happened out of necessity. Newly relocated to the Palmetto State, he moved away from his local supply shop. This forced him to be creative with the tools he uses.
It seems today that many horseshoers found farriery after having careers in non-equine fields. The influence of that previous life emerges in their everyday work. A horseshoer who served in the military often is very disciplined in showing up to footcare appointments on time. Farriers with a background in accounting tend to closely mind the dollars and cents going in and out of their practice. You get the point.
I've just returned from the American Farrier's Association Annual Convention, held in Reno, Nev. This year had a great turnout of several hundred footcare practitioners.
Hoof testers are a go-to tool for veterinarians and farriers alike. But how consistent is the usage among practitioners? Can differences in applied force tell us anything about how hoof tester results can vary?
Within footcare, there are plenty of subjects that inspire debate. Handmade vs. manufactured shoes is one such subject. I think there is a happy medium within this debate that is manifested in a farrier who can find value and benefits in using manufactured shoes. This farrier, who also is skilled in the fire, can build a shoe and modify an existing shoe for specific needs and correctly apply either shoe to a horse.
Greg Martin, CJF, of Boerne, Texas, takes the unique approach of marketing his hoof-care practice with a Christmas parade float in Boerne and Comfort, Texas. The award-winning float boasts a variety of surprising features.
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