When providing hoof care for hunters and jumpers, a farrier is focused on the fundamentals of improving performance — but how does our work positively or negatively affect our clients’ chances in the show ring? I have been shoeing horses for more than 30 years, but I’ve also spent some time as a show judge. In that role, I’ve learned how the decisions we make as farriers can influence scores, what judges are looking for and what we can do to help our clients experience show ring success.