From the category archives:

Best Business Practices

Farrier Competency for Horse Owners by Doug Butler

June 15, 2010 0 comments

I’m often asked how I would define farrier competency. “What should a competent farrier look like?” “How will I know one when I see one?” In the British Isles, they would call such a person “a qualified farrier.”
The way a person starts out is generally the way he or she ends up. Attitude is nearly [...]

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Farrier Competency for Farriers by Doug Butler

June 8, 2010 0 comments

Farrier work is a craft skill. It takes many years to master any craft. Farrier school is only the beginning. You must study and practice to become competent. You must train your eyes, your brain, and your motor nerves and muscles to do this precision work. You must obtain the knowledge and develop the skills [...]

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Learning to Learn – An Important Skill for Equine Professionals

April 29, 2010 0 comments

Learning to learn applies to every phase of life.
Recently I became aware, through an article titled “Divided Attention” by David Glenn published February 28, 2010, in The Chronicle of Higher Education, that many students today are having greater difficulty learning and applying what they’re being taught due to inattention and the illusion of competence that [...]

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FAQ #14 By looking at the outside of the horse’s foot, how can you tell what position the P3 bone is inside the hoof, if it’s out of normality or – if so – at what degree? How can you analyze how to trim and what to do in relation to a rotated or tilted bone?

February 20, 2010 1 comment

The best way to tell the position of the Distal Phalanx, or P3, is to have a lateral/medial radiograph of the hoof.  Usually, the foot will have to be placed on a block to get the x-ray beam parallel to the base of the bone.
Without an x-ray, you can look at the slope of the [...]

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Have you thanked your farrier and others of value in your lives?

February 13, 2010 0 comments

No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.             –Alfred North Whitehead

We have several notable holidays in the United States.  Valentine’s Day is one of them!  Not only is it a good time to communicate with loved ones, family members and [...]

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Horse Owner and Farrier Expectations

February 5, 2010 0 comments

What should horse owners expect from their farrier?
You, the horse owner, have a right to expect a well-trained and experienced professional to care for your valuable horse(s). Unfortunately, some farriers short-change their education by not acquiring a firm foundation of basic knowledge about their craft. Even those who make the sacrifice to attend a school [...]

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7 Farrier Fundamentals

January 29, 2010 0 comments

It’s important to have a memorized sequence of performing farrier skills so  nothing is left out.  This is the sequence we teach at Butler Professional Farrier School.  The image in the mind guides the craftsman’s hands.  This sequence must be practiced until it becomes a habit.
1. ASSESSMENT
Consider horse, shoe wear, and conditions
2. TRIMMING
Consider position of [...]

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FAQ #13 Why does a horse get nail-quicked?

January 22, 2010 0 comments

Hoof wall thicknesses vary. There is a very small margin for error. The farrier must pay close attention to selecting and driving each nail.  Not all nails are manufactured perfectly, and misshapen nails might not drive straight.
However, nail quicking isn’t the only kind of quicking that can affect a horse – he can also be [...]

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Trustworthy Farriers Horse Owners Can Depend Upon

January 15, 2010 2 comments

Farriers perform a valuable service for people who care about their horses. It’s important to be trustworthy and do the job right.
Let me share a true story. A stone mason was laying very large stones for the walls of a large church building. One of the stones had a crack on the [...]

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FAQ #12 What hoof knife brands are the best for their money?

January 15, 2010 0 comments

I believe the NC Tool hoof knife is the best value for the money.  They come sharp and are easy to keep sharp.  And they are relatively inexpensive to replace.  I think the best hoof knives in the market are Ringel knives.  I use them in my work, for they are made of high quality [...]

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