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.

There are several options:

1) HorseshoeBorium® of screen size 8 to 10. This has the texture of coarse sand, has a mild steel matrix and is put on with an oxy-acetylene torch. It will cost several dollars per shoe. It can be put on as raised spots (best for snow and ice) or spread over the shoe (best for slick pavement).

2) Drill Tech Borium® of screen size 4 to 6. This has the texture of small gravel, has a bronze matrix and is put on in the forge on the shoe’s toe and heels. It is also expensive. It is preferred on draft horses.

3) Drive-in or screw in studs. Less expensive than Borium®. Screw-in gives the option of changing height and traction.

4) Weld toe and heel pieces made from square stock on the shoe. These can be made sharp – called “sharp shoeing.”

5) Weld 3/8th inch nuts on the shoe across the web. These are popular on working cow horses here in Nebraska and cost considerably less to install than Borium®.

For additional Winter Care tips you can download my tip sheet that has several more resources for keeping your horse safe and happy this season. Simply fill out the form below and we will send it to you by email.

If you have any additional tips please feel free to post a comment below and share them with me or go over to our facebook page and post them there.

If you want to work with horses and the people who value them, farrier school may be the best opportunity for you. Becoming a farrier is a great career opportunity that is often overlooked in today’s horse industry. Farriers work for affluent people who have discretionary income and have the “horse habit.” There are only a few thousand persons doing full time farrier work and many are approaching retirement. While it is true that the work is physically hard, requires focus, and years of practice to become highly skilled, one can get training, get started in business, and be making a good living, in a relatively short time compared to other jobs.

The media has succeeded in scaring many people from venturing into self-employment as evidenced by an article on the front page of section B of USA Today September 8, 2011. The author, Laura Petrecca, says more people are opting to work for wages in light of increased government intrusion and regulation of small businesses. She says that start up money is harder to get with tightened bank lending and the outlook is bleak due to sluggish consumer spending. Those that have lost jobs during the recent depression in our economy are opting for “safer” work instead of self-employment. “Constant news about a difficult economy makes people hesitant to venture out on their own,” she says.

However, no job is safe when you are subject to one other persons’s evaluation of your abilities. Farriers are self-employed. They get most of their business through word of mouth advertising. Many start out with another job and work part time until their business grows enough to be practiced full time. There is a lot to know and it may take many years of learning and practice to achieve the highest skill level. However, the learning curve can be reduced with good instruction and professional coaching.

Farrier work is very physical and for that reason many shy away from it. But if you like animals, have some mechanical ability, and can tolerate and even enjoy the physical exertion required, farrier work may be just the thing for you. The best beginning courses range from 6 to 12 weeks in length. (Courses shorter than 6 weeks don’t provide the preparation needed by most beginners). Tuition is inexpensive enough that you can enroll without debt. A set of the basic tools necessary to begin work will cost less than $2000. Since farriery is one of the last remaining skills that is not regulated by government bureaucrats, you have great freedom in where and how you practice your profession.

Farrier work depends upon you. You are the business. Therefore, you must take care of yourself and spend the time and money necessary to get training and become skilled so you can be all you want to be. You are totally responsible for the outcome. You can be very mobile, and if you stay free from debt, you can be very independent.

Contrast all this with college. In her article, “Ten Things Every Parent Should Know About College,” in the September 2011 Reader’s Digest, pg 138, Michelle Crouch said, “Two-thirds of college students go deeply into debt. Debt takes many years to pay off. If you default, you will be hounded for life by the federal government. The Feds will garnish your wages, intercept your tax refunds, and revoke your licenses – and you can’t ever work for the government or collect social security. In today’s colleges, especially the larger research oriented universities, your classes will be taught by graduate students or adjunct professors, not by experienced practical educators.”

Farrier school gives you a greater value. It takes less time to get foundation training (about 12 weeks or one semester). Graduates then learn on the job while earning income. Tuition and living costs are much less. Instruction is usually of a higher quality and practical. There are usually better learning resources available due to individualized instruction. There is practice time and homework to help you increase your skill and confidence. You work with your hands as well as your mind. You prepare to be an independent business person where you can set your own hours for work and family time.

Not all farrier schools are the same. You must do the research to avoid the remorse that comes with making a decision that is not thoroughly investigated and well thought out.

Do the instructors have sufficient maturity and experience to give you the best value?

Do the instructors have a good reputation in the industry?

Do the students do most of the work on horses or is it done by instructors as demonstrations?

Are there horses to work on every school day?

Are there distractions that make focus on learning difficult?

Is study and practice encouraged during non-class time?

Does the school have a good reputation in the community?

Is the farrier training offered a good value that will help you succeed?

According to The American Farriers Journal 2009 Farrier Business Practices Survey, published in their Getting Started in Hoof Care Career Guide 2009 – 2010, p. 32, the average nationwide farrier income after graduation from a farrier school for part time farriers after 3 years is $15,000, and after 5 years is $13,333. For those who go full time after 3 years, their income averages $35,624, and after 5 years equals $67,299.

In a survey with 448 responses published in the November 2010 issue of the AFJ, pg 18,

$92,000 gross annual income was reported for the average U. S. farrier. He or she handles 267 different horses 7 times a year. They work for 148 different clients. They will see a 20-year-old horse 150 times during its lifetime. Based on a charge of $105 for trimming and applying four shoes this can represent as much as $16,000 during the horse’s lifetime.

The majority of horse owners have more than one horse. Seventy-four percent own 2 to 9 horses while 12% own 10 or more. Two-thirds of the owners keep horses on their own property while others board elsewhere.

Lynne M. Caulkett, in her book Strike of the Hammer – A Guide to Understanding Your Farrier ©2008, pg 24, says “For those willing to take it seriously, and approach it like a real profession, this is a good time to be a farrier.”

The market is there for well-prepared and qualified farriers. We specialize in helping you become a success. Visit us at www.butlerprofessionalschool.com.

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. They value their free time when they’re not working more than their work time, which could be devoted to skill improvement.

Daniel Coyle in his book The Talent Code says that greatness or excellence isn’t born, it’s grown. He makes the case that anyone can become excellent at what they want to do, if they will do what the author calls ‘deep practice.’ It takes a long time – at least 10,000 hours – or about 10 years to master most skills with deep practice. Time to learn them can be significantly reduced by setting goals and focusing with our full attention. Initial training at a farrier school (of whatever length) should be seen as only the beginning of life-long learning. Yet, the old saying, “How you start out, is how you’ll end up,” is still true. You can be taught how to use deep practice to improve your craft.

Experience verifies that those who have a long term commitment to mastery and an obsessive desire to improve will eventually achieve what they seek. Inborn abilities can be cultivated or they can be ignored. Studies have shown that to achieve world-class mastery in anything requires about 10,000 hours of ‘deep practice.’ Deep practice is defined as practice where correction is made each time an error is made. This takes about 10 years for most people. Most world-class experts practice between 3 and 5 hours a day, no matter what skill they pursue.

Talent isn’t so much inborn as it is developed by focused and mistake correcting repetition. As we do deep practice, the myelin insulation covering of our nerves increases its wraps and eventually gives us skill mastery. All skills are built using the same fundamental mechanism. The mechanism involves physiological limits from which no one is exempt. The true expertise of geniuses resides in their ability to deep-practice excessively, even when it doesn’t look like they’re practicing. They have the ‘rage to master.’ It’s so obvious that if you have to ask if persons have it, they don’t. Talent development is best done when you are young as myelin breaks down with age.

Many of the more recently held theories on talent and skill development have been debunked by current research. The idea that has been held since at least 1899 that it takes 10 years of focused effort to become a master at anything is as true today as it was then. This applies to all skills including horseshoeing. The apprentice system has great value.

Every skill is a form of memory. Memory is strengthened by repetition. Higher skills are made of million-neuron wire-like chains working together with exquisite millisecond timing. Wrapping wires with insulation makes the circuits work faster and smoother. Repetition causes the body to wrap layers of myelin insulation around our nerves. Circuits that are fired the most and used most urgently are the ones that are wrapped with the most myelin insulation. As many as fifty layers have been measured – the thicker the insulation, the greater the skill.

Much of your ability to pay the price to achieve skill mastery goes back to your perception of self. Have you made a long-term commitment to achieve a goal of mastery? Have you identified a master you want to be like to create the ‘ignition’ needed to motivate you to put in the time and make the great effort to ‘deep practice?’ Have you set goals to prepare for certification or competitions? Can you visualize yourself mastering these skills in time?

External motivating factors may be helpful but not essential. Losing the feeling of security by: 1) losing a parent (“I’m not safe”), 2) being the youngest in the birth order (“You’re behind – keep up”), or 3) poverty or a failing economy (“I may starve if I don’t work hard”), can be primal cues to provide the energy needed to cause you to dedicate the time and effort necessary to build up your talents and take advantage of opportunities that lead to success. More commonly, identifying a master you want to emulate provides the cue that creates the ignition needed to acquire skill mastery.

The sequence is: 1) Talent development requires deep practice, 2) Deep practice requires vast amounts of energy, and 3) Primal cues trigger huge outpourings of energy. Learning any craft is best taught by watching it demonstrated the right or easy way, then observing and trying it the wrong way, and then seeing the right way again and then practicing it the right way.

Edward Martin, a Scottish Master Blacksmith said, “The difference between knowledge and skill is practice.” Francis Whitaker, the Dean of American Blacksmiths said in a clinic several years ago (he was 90 at the time), “Art is long, life is short, get going!” This applies to all crafts, and especially horsemanship and farrier skill. Pat Parelli says in his book Natural Horsemanship that it takes about 1,000 hours in the saddle to become comfortable with a horse and it takes 10,000 hours to become a high level horseman.

Because of the rapid expansion of knowledge in farrier and veterinary education, those who don’t work at obtaining significant continuing education, are inadequately prepared, even if they graduated in the last few years. It is a common saying among college graduates, “If you got your degree more than five years ago, you used to know a lot.”

The AAEP once said that less than half of the veterinarians who treat horses make a serious attempt at continuing education. This number is probably much less for farriers.

More important than attending meetings or subscribing to journals is the amount of effort you put into learning. Continuing your education helps you feel better about your performance, increases your competence, and your business becomes more financially rewarding. If you are not willing to take the time to become a master of your profession, there may come a day when you will regret you don’t have the skill needed to help a horse and its owner that are depending upon you. Consider the enjoyment you could feel knowing that you did the best that could be done – if you had made the effort to practice and develop your skill.

One of the most rewarding benefits to me in conducting closing interviews when our students are completing their farrier classes is to hear them say, “I understand Balance now – I never realized it was so important”!  And it is important both to horses and to people.

During our Farrier Focus® Conferences, we emphasized the importance of balance in the lives of farriers, especially when it comes to their family relationships. It was always rewarding to read testimonials that showed farriers “got it.” 

One such testimonial means even more since the person who wrote it has since passed away after a battle with cancer.  This respected colleague, King Lamadora, wrote and said,

“I was in awe of the Focus.  The 21^st century is truly an age of information, and bringing the art of farriery and business together with a balanced life is important. My family commented that they enjoyed my time                      with them during the holidays, and they said I was managing my time a whole lot better.  It’s a start and only the beginning.” 

We sincerely hope his family had many more years after this particular Farrier Focus Conference to enjoy his companionship.

A few days ago, we concluded our annual Butler Family Reunion, and it meant so much to hear words of gratitude from parents who enumerated events that meant so much to their children – our grandchildren!   I treasure one daughter-in-law’s comments when she said, “It is experiences like this reunion that help keep balance in our lives, and, though it is expensive in time and resources, its value is clear.” 

An appreciated mentor, Alan Weiss, writes a monthly newsletter titled, “Balancing Act.” Among the many good points in his most recent edition, he stressed the importance of taking time “every two weeks … to have an entire day to yourself.”  We suggest this is a good time not only to relax but to realign goals and spend time with those important in your lives. 

We encourage you to live your life with gratitude, hope and anticipation as you continue to build worthwhile memories.  Above all, cherish family.

While the future may not resemble the past in many ways, there will be new ways for each of us to discover meaning, balance and success in our lives. While the economic times may be uncertain, each of us needs to pause and count our blessings, determine that we will remain optimistic, and tightly hold on to the values, experiences and family that fill our lives with goodness.

We’re grateful for new acquaintances and old friends alike who continue to support us as the trusted voice of continuing farrier education.

Alan Weiss recommends taking time “to enjoy” and to “focus on the outcome of your work!”  He concluded by stating, “If you are not happy, optimistic, and energetic when you first arise in the morning, you need to change some things about your life.”

The Butler Team feels this is great advice.  We’re now in our 37^th year of helping farriers build firm foundations for horses, business and life!  We invite you to come along for the ride – “it’s worth it,” as our students say!

Marshall "Buster" Conklin

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 them much of the time.

Each of us who stands upon the firm foundation of knowledge that we use to make a living and enjoy the bounties of life stand upon the shoulders of those pioneers who have gone before us.

June 13, 2011 a giant in the farrier world passed away. Marshall “Buster” Conklin of Horseheads, New York, was responsible for getting me interested in shoeing horses. He was very supportive of my desire to do this, even though it was during the late 50’s and early 60’s, a time when horse numbers were at an all time low and many thought it was foolish to pursue a career in farriery. I would like to give tribute to him and others who have been giants in our industry. I look forward to doing this at Cornell this fall.

Buster encouraged me to get good training and build on the foundation of the past. I looked for and learned time-tested principles that would benefit others as well as myself. I was given the opportunity by my teacher at Cal Poly, Ralph Hoover, to write about and teach horseshoeing soon after I got out of school and have been doing so ever since.

I continue to focus on those proven principles in our classes at Butler Professional Farrier School and in clinics. I have made it an ongoing project to collect them and assemble them into my several books. The methods of presenting the ideas are now unique to me as they have evolved over the last 47 years. See www.butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com.

Buster was also a cowboy – one of the good guys in the white hats. He was an accomplished calf roper and he lived the cowboy life. His wife Bernice was a wonderful complement to him. The Conklins are special people to me. Buster helped many students along the way as an instructor and resident farrier at the New York State Vet College. 

Buster Trimming My Rope Horse, Pepper McCue, 1959

Each of us should recognize and acknowledge the source of our motivation and knowledge that makes us what we are. Buster was a good and great man. He had both skill and character. Skill plus character equals competence. Competence inspires confidence.

I recently read Bruce Daniels new book Just Another Sunday on the Farm. In it he includes many of his experiences that tell the real story of what it was like to shoe horses 50 or more years ago. Being a self-employed farrier today is not really a lot different. What we do is very unique. It’s dangerous, you work with hot fire, sharp tools, unyielding steel, and you get real dirty – all the things your mother said you shouldn’t do! You wrestle animals 10 or more times your size and have no guaranteed benefits if you can’t work.

Lee Liles of Sulphur, Oklahoma has built a splendid museum that honors farriers of the past. I would hope everyone could someday see it. There are shoes and stories of the great farriers of yesteryear that you will find nowhere else. Visiting there gives you a real sense of the heritage we have as farriers. William Russell, a horseshoeing genius, is prominently featured in Lee’s museum.     

I wish to acknowledge with gratitude that we do truly stand upon the shoulders of giants. Isaac Newton didn’t originate this phrase, but rather it was theologian John of Salisbury. He said, “We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”

We owe much to those who have preceded us. They are the true Giants of our industry.

Doug and Buster, August 1983

Last month we shod the horses and mules at Fort Robinson State Park for the first time this season. We have been shoeing them for the last three years. They have draft horse teams, mule teams, and saddle horses used for the stage coach, tour wagons, and short and long trail rides in the Soldier Creek wilderness area. We also do the Chadron State Park trail horses. These horses are used for trail riding in the Pine Ridge forest areas. This work provides valuable experience for the students at Butler Professional Farrier School.

Fort Robinson served as a military post for 74 years. It played a critical role in the settlement of the West. It was first built next to the Red Cloud Agency in Crawford, Nebraska. From here soldiers were trained and sent to fight in the great Sioux Indian Wars. Chief Crazy Horse was killed while trying to escape at the post in 1877. Later, Dull Knife’s band of Northern Cheyenne attempted to escape and were stopped after 64 were killed along with all their horses. Troopers were sent from here to quell the ghost dancers in the last of the armed conflicts with the Lakota Sioux in 1890. 

This was the last functioning cavalry outpost in the U. S. It was closed in 1948 and was made a state park in 1972. There are many original buildings including a multi-forge blacksmith shop stocked with “keg shoes.” Issue shoes made by Phoenix were called that because they were shipped in wooden barrel kegs. In addition, the post veterinary clinic and museum contain lots of interesting history. Numerous officers’ quarters have been converted into inexpensive guest houses, arena, pool, theater and a restaurant that hosts family reunions and other vacation activities for 100’s of thousands of guests each year.

From 1885 to 1907 Fort Rob became home to the famous buffalo soldiers. Cavalry battle reenactments are held here. In 1919, it became a remount depot. The cavalry remount was established to produce a source of quality horses. A few quality stallions were loaned out to local ranchers for a small fee. These approved stallions were bred to native mares with the agreement that the military would purchase suitable animals for the cavalry.

During World War Two the Fort became a German prisoner of war internment camp. It was also the army’s largest war dog breeding and training center. Polo teams and Olympic jumping teams trained here. Many mules were trained to pack needed supplies to troops fighting in remote locations. During World War Two there were more than 5000 horses and 4000 mules on the post. It was also the nation’s largest dog training center, having trained 3565 dogs by 1944 and with 1353 on hand at that time. Most of the dogs were used by troops in the pacific theater. For a short time after the cavalry left, the fort was a USDA beef research station. It is now Nebraska’s premier state park.   

Knowledge of history and an understanding of tradition are very important in any trade or craft to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. A sense of history adds to our motivation to be good at what we do. It makes us proud to be a part of our craft and encourages us to grow in skill in our chosen profession. A great source of farrier history is On the Horses Foot by Henry Heymering.  Our book The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3) goes into more detail about the history of the craft and is available at www.dougbutler.com.

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. Not that getting married to the love of your life is not significant! My marriage of 44 years has certainly been a most important event in my life that has allowed me much achievement and happiness.

Much preparation went into creating London’s beautiful pageant observed by three billion people. The beautiful horses that accompanied the bride and groom and chauffeured the British royalty were all shod by master craftsmen trained in an ancient but effective system of farriery that preserves the soundness of these noble steeds.

Farriers in England are trained in the most exacting farrier training system in the world. It has been under the watchful eye of the Worshipful Company of Farriers since 1356 A. D. I sought permission twenty years ago to study their system and take all of the exams administered by the Company. My objective was to better understand how to best teach and help students learn this difficult craft. In 1992, I was the first person outside of Great Britain to obtain the Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (FWCF), by taking and passing the Company’s highest examination.

Apprentices are first taught to trim the feet of horses that are kept in pastures and are not to be used on roads or ridden to any degree. Those horses that are used on roads, and do something besides eat, are shod with steel to protect them and the people who use them. Due to benefits to the health of the foot and precision in fitting, most horses are hot fit by British craftsmen. This seals moisture in the foot, prevents excess moisture from entering, and assures a perfect unity of hoof and shoe.

The steel horseshoes are fashioned according to the individual animal’s use. Some are made from fullered concave – a section of steel that until recently was available only in the U. K. Fullered refers to a groove all around the shoe which fills with dirt and dirt against dirt gives better traction than steel or even hoof against dirt. Concave refers to the self-cleaning pattern – meaning it is sloped or concaved on the inside edge so mud and snow is shed from the center of the foot as the horse moves. The portion of the shoe against the hoof is wide protecting the wall and sole from bruising. The edge of the shoe contacting the ground is narrow, creating a gripping action supplying traction to prevent dangerous slipping. The horses didn’t slip while carrying the royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Additional traction may be provided by installing studs – sharp projections that are screwed or driven into the shoe. They are of varying height depending upon working conditions. They have a tungsten core that bites into the ground or pavement to provide safety for horse and rider or coach passenger. Horseshoe Borium® or Carbraze® containing particles of tungsten carbide are often used for this purpose in America.

We wouldn’t shoe horses if we didn’t have to. Horses that are rarely used don’t need shoes. Wild horses that have been naturally selected for sound feet rarely need shoes. Domestic horses that are used to any degree need protection for their hooves, especially since we have bred modern horses for things other than and at the expense of soundness – such as color, conformation, and athletic ability.

The hoof wall is protected from chipping or cracking by shoes. The sole is protected from bruising by shoes. The fragile coffin bone inside a weak hoof is protected. Foot balance is maintained to lessen stresses on joints. Even race horses wear aluminum shoes to provide and maintain balance, protection and traction.

The current barefoot fad has been tried before in the horse industry. Books written before 1900 tell of its trial and call it “the barefoot experiment.” It was abandoned in England and America due to the injury of horses and riders.

Most horses that are rarely worked don’t need shoes. But, those that are worked, ridden over uneven or abrasive ground, and for extended periods of time, do. Horses used for athletic activities such as jumping, racing, reining, cutting, roping, etc. usually need shoes. Using unshod horses in these events could be judged to be cruelty to animals or to the humans who depend upon them. Especially in Britain, where the people are great lovers of horses, animal welfare laws that prohibit unskilled persons from working on horse’s feet are enforced. 

More than luck goes into making a Royal Wedding appear as a fantasy spectacular.

In reality, accomplished horsemen know they need a competent well-trained farrier to maintain their valuable horses. They will either find one or learn the skill themselves. At Butler Professional Farrier School we specialize in training farriers and horsemen to know how and why they do their job of keeping horses sound. We invite inquiries at www.butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com. Or call 1-800-728-3826 or 1-308-665-1510.

January brings a renewed hope for personal and family progress in the new year.  Starting with New Year’s resolutions, this is the time of year when people tend to set goals and make commitments.   Using this traditional time of the year to evaluate the past and plan for the future are worthwhile, healthy pursuits.

However, by the middle of January, many goals decided at the first of the year are already set aside.  It’s normal for many to experience cycles of progression and other times when it’s more a fight against inevitable challenges of regression.  Yet it’s  important  to not give up because goal setting and making commitments should be a continuous process rather than a once-a-year experience.

An example to illustrate this principle is the way we’ve set up our farrier school. To study important subjects on a regular, daily basis provides a better and longer-lasting understanding of the subject than does last minute “cramming.”  The mind has time to process and ponder the information, weighing the information in relation to other ideas and concepts we teach.  It’s easier to incorporate the information into an over-all perspective.

Cramming, on the other hand, fills the mind with facts and figures, without the information staying around very long.  A person normally prefers to undergo surgery at the hands of a physician who had not crammed for his exams, but rather one who consistently and carefully continues his studies and practice with the commitment to keep learning and progressing.  Just as it is “good medicine” for people to do this, it’s very desirable for horse owners to only allow practiced professionals to work on their valuable horses.

A story told by Dr. George Platt [found in detail on page 728 of The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3)] tells of the importance of “doing work that fits you.”  Some work requires a lot of skill and experience you may not have acquired yet in your career.  In the scenario Dr. Platt discusses a veterinarian working on a founder horse case.  The vet recognizes the farrier “is not up to solving this problem.”  In explaining to the owner the serious condition of the horse, the vet explains the farrier’s role is very critical.  He explains how the farrier he recommends would probably cost about $300 to do the job, and the monthly follow-up would be an important, added expense for about six more months.  Fortunately this owner chose to go with the experienced, well-trained farrier, while the comparison situation, in contrast, doesn’t work out when another owner chooses an incompetent farrier as the cheapest route to go.  (Dr. Platt’s whole explanation in P3 is worth reading.)

The point is that to excel and be capable of treating the horse correctly takes time and effort on the farrier’s part.  There’s more to starting off a new year than only having a few goals in mind, especially if there’s no serious commitment behind those goals.

Selecting worthwhile goals are intermediate mile-posts that mark progress.  Determining your overall “vision” and purpose can have a far-reaching effect on your farrier career and even exceed the importance of goals.  A vision is like a lighthouse, for it gives direction rather than a destination – it’s important to keep this perspective in what you hope to accomplish.

It’s never too late to refocus your vision of future desires, as long as that vision is supported by goals that provide purpose and direction in the here-and-now.   In Star Wars, Yoda had good advice: “Do or do not.  There is no try.”  There must be genuine, wholehearted effort if worthwhile change is to occur.

Values, as well as vision, are important in your farrier business.  Have integrity and sincerity among your new year’s commitments, for example, and you’ll better serve your customers and their valued horses.  There are no shortcuts to any place worth going!  Practice is a means of achieving the perfection desired.  As Irving Berlin, the famed musician, stated, “Talent is only a starting point.”

Dave Ramsey, a well known money management expert, says:

“Malcom Gladwell in his book Outliers studied people who are unusually successful.  He discovered that while some people have a natural predisposition toward some areas, the key was they took the gifts they had and then practiced and studied for thousands of hours to turn their gifts into world-class talents.  In other words, these people made choices, and the “talents” were really acquired skills.

“This stuff doesn’t just occur.  You’re not a born leader [farrier] any more than you’re a born football player, actor or musician.  You may start with a gift, but you have to make a choice to work your tail off if you want to develop that gift to its fullest potential.”

In my own life, I retired from university teaching in 1995, yet no matter how many times I’ve thought about retiring, I seem to keep flunking, or dropping out of, the “retirement course”!  Goal setting, therefore, is still important even at my age!

We’re excited to have a new class starting this week!

• “I think the school is set up real well because of the way we do class in the morning and then right after have an example in a horse to work on that we had talked about in the lecture. We work on horses until lunch and then forge in the afternoon … it’s a pretty well rounded day.  It helps you learn because you do it. You talk about it, you go out and actually get to see it on the horse, hands-on, so you feel and experience it.   For your homework, you read it, write it down, think about it, and also draw it. It applies to all your senses in every way it can.  The horse I worked on for my final was great, and I felt real good about the job; once again, it gives me even more confidence – knowing I can do the job.”                                              –Guy Nelson, OH

• “I decided to come back here because I was so satisfied from the first two times I came here.  Each time – the basic and then the advanced class – everything became easier.  I like the teaching style – you have three teachers just for you – it’s a one-to-one teaching system.  It’s the best in my opinion.  You learn all the steps you need to do.  It’s much easier learning when the teaching way is easier.”    — Cristiano Biacca, DVM, Italy

• “I had a really good time and learned a lot more than I thought I would.  The best part was getting under so many horses.  I had someone from home ask me during our fourth week if I had been able to shoe any horses yet, and I said, ‘Yeah, since the second day!’  I liked the six week course – others I looked at were 12 weeks long, and it didn’t look like I’d do as much as I would at this school in only six weeks.”                           –Dani Jo Rueter, IA

• “In the morning class – I learned about founder, how to know if a horse has founder and what to do to fix it.  That same day, we work on the horses which have founder – it’s very good:  we learn in the morning and do in the afternoon!  The homework makes me improve – something’s carved into my brain so I can remember that because I’m drawing.  I know how to find something I need to know in the P3 book –it helped me pull things together and apply things.  Here I have everything I need – it’s really convenient.  I can be here and have more time to study than at other schools.  My friend went to another horseshoeing school, and he had to travel to other places to shoe horses, wash clothes, buy his noon meals and get other things he needed.”                                 –Hyunsuk Ma, South Korea

• BPFS is more in-depth even in the foundation course.  The thing I really respect about Dr. Butler is that the horse comes first.  He’s very interested in the individual horse’s welfare. He taught us to recognize our limitations.  I know where to draw the line when I reach the point that I’m not experienced enough and need to refer something to another more experienced farrier.              –Kelly Avery, Canada

For those of you who don’t yet own The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3), you may purchase it at www.dougbutler.com.

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 the programs. There are about 30 to 50,000 horses in Israel with 50 to 60 farriers and 50 to 60 vets that work on horses. There are 7.2 million Israelis. They are 0.1% of the world’s population.

We felt very safe there. There are armed guards everywhere. And the ranches were all surrounded by high fences and guarded by dogs. The weather was perfect. The ranch where the event was held was a beautiful oasis garden just outside of Tel Aviv. It was owned by a gentleman named Arik Raizner, who was very kind to us. The venue was perfect.

The clinic emphasis was on Founder and Limb Length Disparity. Each person received a copy of Life Data’s Laminitis and Founder, written by Dr. Gravlee and myself. Guy constantly reminded us, “We are making history,” for this was the first time such a thing was ever attempted in Israel. It was very well received. The mornings were occupied with lecture and discussion. A delicious lunch was served, and in the afternoon we did hands-on shoeing.

The first afternoon, with the farriers and veterinarians, we did demonstrations on foundered horses. We were fortunate to work with veterinarian Amos Frishling, using his digital radiographs. Both horses were improved after we worked on them, and there was good discussion and interaction.

The second day, with the farriers, we talked about balance. Several brought horses with problems that we were able to solve, working together. The farriers had modern rigs and were knowledgeable. I was impressed with the horse owner’s level of horse knowledge and concern for their animals. One horse that we did had previously fractured a navicular bone. I made and fit some bar shoes and was able to see a very positive change in the horse.

The third day, we talked about balance and answered horse owner’s questions. Many farriers came again, too.  

I was very impressed by the Israelis. They are a happy and committed people. They are happy to be in their homeland. And they love their families. They are modest. They eat healthy. They believe in being prepared. Military service is compulsory – 3 years for men and 2 years for women. They all have weapons in their homes and know how to use them. They seem to have the same four problems as Arizona: hot weather, lack of water, poisonous snakes and dangerous aliens.

The first day after our arrival, we toured Jerusalem with Guy and Dr. Rachael Shuster, a former student of mine at CSU and now a horse vet in New Jersey. Her mother lives in the old city, and she was raised there. Guy had connections with the Jerusalem Mounted Police since he shoes their horses. We started our tour at their stable which is inside the old walls right below David’s Tower. The stable is very old. They employ a young trainer whose full-time job is to train and keep the horses fit.

Most of the police horses are large warm bloods, especially Friesians and Hanovarians. The police ride Western saddles made in the U.S. and carry a lot of riot-suppressing equipment in their saddle bags. The horses and riders are protected from rocks by various pieces of armor and helmets. They are shod with rubber shoes and some have steel plates to protect their feet from caltrops that may be thrown down by terrorists during a riot.

Security in Israel is unbelievable. Even though the guards at the entrance to the stable compound knew Guy, they still checked for bombs under his car. Going in to visit the Western Wall was like going into an airport. People and packages are checked with scanners and physically. On most of the ranches we visited they had high electrified fences with dogs that are turned loose at night.

There were soldiers everywhere, even at street intersections. Military service is required of all Jewish Israelis. Arabs are prohibited from serving in the military. In addition, along with the most religious Jewish clergy, Arabs don’t pay taxes. They mostly live in their own cities. Those that don’t live in Hebrew or Arab cities live in “mixed” cities. Palestinians are not allowed into Jerusalem and other Jewish areas for security reasons.

Jerusalem is a divided city – meaning that there are different quarters that are dominated by different religious groups. The shops are mostly in the Muslim or Arab quarter. We first visited Golgotha, or the place of the skull, where Christ was crucified. It is outside the old city walls and not far from the Garden Tomb, where many church authorities agree that His body lay until He was resurrected. Others believe that Christ was crucified in a place that is now within the city and He was placed in a tomb on the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

We passed through Stephen’s Gate (where Stephen was taken outside the city and stoned by Saul – Acts 7) and began our walk on the Via Delorosa (Path of Sorrows). This is the traditional path that Jesus walked as he was imprisoned, condemned, scourged and where he carried the cross to Calgary. There are 14 points on the Via Delorosa. It starts where Jesus is condemned by Caiaphas and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. At each of the points there is a church as a monument to the event said to have occurred there.

We then crossed the valley and went into the Garden of Gethsemane, which is at the base of the Mount of Olives. Some of the trees are more than 2000 years old and would have been there when Christ prayed, as he worked out the Atonement for you and me.

The next day we went north to Galilee. We passed through the Valley of Jezreel where the Battle of Armageddon is to take place. It is a rich agricultural valley, the most fertile in Israel.  Our guide was a man from a kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He was in charge of banana plant propagation on a large plantation.

A kibbutz is a community of people who share resources. No one owns land and all that is produced and sold goes into a community fund. Each family receives a stipend and they usually all eat together at least one meal a day. Rules vary for each kind of businesses the people of the kibbutz own. Persons coming into the kibbutz must wait a year and show they have good character. Then they are voted on by the members before they can join. Later we visited the famous artist blacksmith Uri Hofi, who also lives in a kibbutz.

At the Sea of Galilee, we went to the area where it is believed that Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. Nearby the Sermon on the Mount was given. Where the sermon occurred was probably about a mile outside the city on a hillside. Last, we went to Capernaum, on the northern end of the Sea of Galilee. There is a church built over the top of the remains of the home of the apostle Peter. His home was next to the Sea and is very close to the remains of the synagogue where Christ preached (Mark 1:21).

After the clinics we traveled south to the Dead Sea. Guy had lived near the Dead Sea when he was younger and had shod horses for Itzik, the man who ran a horse riding concession at the Kalia Kibbutz that owns the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. Itzik was very knowledgeable about the Essene people who were apparently like monks who wrote and copied biblical manuscripts on to scrolls. The prevailing theory is that many of the scrolls found here were apparently taken from the temple library in Jerusalem to hide them from the Romans before they destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D. Copies of all of the books of the Old Testament have been found here, except the Book of Esther. Itzik wonders if the Arc of the Covenant isn’t still hidden nearby! He told us that the Dead Sea is going down about a meter a year. I asked if their government is doing anything about it. He said, “Yes, they’re talking about it!” Some things are the same everywhere you go.

 Last of all, we went to Masada. This was the stronghold of the Jewish Zealots who held out against the Romans until 73 A.D. We went up on a cable car to the top rather than walk “the snake path.” The ramp made by the

Romans to breech the fortress was clearly visible. There were many storerooms and cisterns to hold supplies of food and water. Herod’s palace was built here in 37 B.C. and is hung on the side of the mountain where he felt safe for a time. Soon after his death in 4 B.C., the Romans took it over. Before the Romans could breech the walls and force the Jewish people into slavery, the Zealots killed their families and themselves. Israelis soldiers are sworn in here with the words, “Masada shall not fall again!” The horses that were used in the Hollywood movie “Masada” were shod by Guy’s father.

Near Guy’s house and property is the ancient city of Geza, inhabited at the time of King Solomon 3000 years ago. There is also a beautiful forest and park nearby where his family can ride their horses.

Even though we thoroughly enjoyed the weather, and were treated royally by our hosts Guy and his wonderful wife Liat, we were very glad to get back to the United States. We now have a new appreciation for Biblical events. We, more than ever, recognize the importance of family ties. God bless all of us to remember the true spirit of Christmas brought to us by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

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 will help a horse get or stay sound.

Today’s horseshoe nails are manufactured to a high standard. One company, Mustad, controls the majority the nail production in the world. The nails are of high quality and are consistent. Most farriers eventually choose a preferred nail and stick with it. I prefer a slim-bladed nail as it doesn’t displace as much hoof as a nail with a thicker shank.

Nail head fit in shoes is most important. The nail should be tight and not wobble in the hole. When pushed into the shoe it should seat in the nail hole and not fall out when the shoe is turned upside down. The head should project above the shoe 1/16 of an inch to allow for clinching.

Nails should be driven to come out about 1/3 of the way up the wall from the shoe. The nail line should be parallel to the coronary band. Since the hoof wall grows down from the coronary band, the next shoeing will place the new nails in sound horn where they will hold the shoe securely.

After driving all the way into the shoe, the end of the nail should be turned out and wrung off with the hammer claws or hammered down against the side of the hoof to be cut off later. Severe injuries can occur when the ends of the nails are not properly made safe.

Before letting the hoof down, block the nails to seat them in the shoe and start the nail ends to turn where they exit the hoof.

Place the foot on a stand and turn all the nail stubs to a right angle with the wall with the clinching tool. Rasp the projecting ends of the nails to all the same length – about 1/16 of an inch. Turn the nail ends with the clincher letting the jaw slide over and shave the nail. Change position by moving the handles downward and push the nail into the foot with a second squeeze of the handles. Finally, smooth the job with the fine side of the clinching rasp.