Horses have been a staple in Kirk Smith’s life long before he started shoeing horses in Freeville, N.Y.

He always had horses while growing up in the small farming town of Clark in northeastern South Dakota. He cut his teeth working cattle part-time as a high school student and later during his summer breaks while attending Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Along the way, he broke and trained horses.

I am concerned about the high percentage of young farriers who do not continue in the profession after a year. For the most part, the evidence is anecdotal, as there aren't firm studies on it.