Traditionally horseshoeing has been a male-dominated industry, but women are entering the profession at unprecedented rates. The most recent American Farriers Journal Farrier Business Practices survey indicates 6% of full-time farriers and 10% of part-timers are women. While many females are finding success in the trade, the road hasn't been easy and they still face some challenges.
Earlier this year, horseshoers gathered in College Station, Texas, for the Texas A&M University Farrier Conference. Some came for the clinic itself, while others made the trip for the American Farrier’s Association certification exams that were held over the weekend.
A cold morning 2 days before Christmas found Blane Chapman and two apprentices shoeing at the famed 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas. They didn’t let the closeness of the holiday keep them away, because it was Monday, and Blane has been traveling the 100 miles from Lubbock to Guthrie every Monday for 14 years.
To many outsiders, Texas seems like a whole other country. And residents of the Lone Star state are proud of this - the notion even appears on state specialty license plates.
In central Texas ranch country, Shawn Nanny shoes a variety of horses, including ranch horses, rodeo horses, backyard ponies and even some gaited horses. However, the backbone of his business and his specialty is the all-around horse.
Mark Milster gave some tips on everyday shoeing and forging at the first-ever clinic held at San Marcos Feed, near Santa Fe, N.M. When San Marcos Feed took over the farrier supply side of Wagon Mound Ranch Supply, owner Tom Macdonnell decided to continue the tradition of hosting an annual shoeing clinic.
Two instructional articles, a cover photo and an in-depth editorial package covering the 35th anniversary of American Farriers Journal magazine captured top awards in the annual American Horse Publications annual competition.
In this episode, Mark Ellis, a Wisconsin farrier who learned the ropes with Renchin, recalls Red’s relationships with area veterinarians, his legacy and the second career as American Farriers Journal’s technical editor.
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Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.