From the category archives:

Horse Foot Care

Easy Ways to Prevent Accidental Falls This Winter

February 1, 2012 0 comments

This time of year it is wise to stay warm and safe when riding your horse. In addition, you want to ensure your horse has shoes that are going to give them protection from the elements of weather.

One thing that you absolutely want to make sure of is traction to prevent accidental falls in addition to winter horseshoes.

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The Talent Code

August 30, 2011 1 comment

I believe one of the main reasons we hear so much criticism of the lack of farrier skills today is due to a lack of long-term commitment to skill mastery. It seems that many people only want to put in the minimum effort needed to graduate from a farrier school or to make a living. [...]

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Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

July 12, 2011 1 comment

Sir Isaac Newton, one of the world’s greatest scientists who formulated many of the laws of physics, once remarked in a letter to his rival Robert Hooke, “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” He said he came up with his revolutionary ideas by thinking about [...]

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Shoeing Draft Horses

June 23, 2011 2 comments

  “The Butler Team” recently won the three-man draft horse shoeing competition at the Four Corners Contest in Castle Rock, Colorado. The horses were well behaved and were owned by a carriage company in Denver. (Apparently there are nine carriage companies in Denver). We drew a Shire horse with beautiful feet that stood perfectly. Everything [...]

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Horseshoes Bring Luck to the Royal Wedding

May 3, 2011 3 comments

The royal wedding in England has captured the attention and imagination of the world. As I watched, Adam Smith’s statement in The Wealth of Nations came to mind, “The chief enjoyment of riches consists in the parade of riches….” In spite of the occurrence of other significant world events, “the story book event” took precedence. [...]

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Doug Butler Farrier Clinic in the Holy Land

December 21, 2010 10 comments

I was invited by Guy Karsh, a former student, to go to Israel to do a clinic for farriers and equine veterinarians. My wife and I traveled there and gave a two and a half day program the last part of November. There were 30 farriers, 27 vets and 33 horse owners in attendance at [...]

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Driving and Clinching Horseshoe Nails

September 28, 2010 0 comments

Driving horseshoe nails accurately, consistently and safely is a difficult task for the beginner. Some persons have abandoned horseshoeing altogether and become barefoot advocates because of their lack of confidence and skill in this area. It’s sort of like throwing out the baby with the bath. There are times when nothing but nailing on shoes [...]

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The Future of the Hoof Care Industry – a Mixture of Good News and Bad News

August 23, 2010 3 comments

The future will bring the foot care industry a combination of good news and bad news. The good news is that farrier communication will be better and easier. Publications, the internet, conventions, summits, sponsored clinics and general sharing of knowledge make learning faster and easier. The bad news is that unsound ideas will be spread [...]

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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 [...]

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Farrier Competency for Farriers by Doug Butler

June 8, 2010 6 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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