Foal limb soundness begins before a foal is born. It involves considerations of nature (genetic) and nurture (environment). Genetic factors include inherited conformation and behavioral traits from the stallion and mare. Environmental factors include physical space in the mare’s uterus, nutrition, training and disease prevention.

Choosing a mating that has a good chance of producing a structurally correct horse is important since conformation deformities predispose animals to unsoundness. Nutrition of the mare is especially important during the last three months of gestation, as the majority of the foal’s limb growth takes place during this time. Nutrition of the lactating mare and supplemental foal feeding affects the growth of the foal after birth. Imprint training should be done soon after birth as a preparation for hoof care that should begin during the second month of life.

Genetics

Sound legs start with the mating of a sound stallion to a sound mare. They each contribute one half of the whole. Some horses are said to be very prepotent, meaning they are capable of stamping their characteristics on their offspring no matter what the genetics of the other horse. Sometimes, we see exceptional “nicks” or good combinations that consistently produce good horses. In some cases outcrossing is desirable as it produces heterosis or hybrid vigor. The mule is an extreme example since it is usually hardier than either parent. Most horsemen realize that breeding is a “roll of the dice” but they do what they can to control some of the variables.

Unfortunately, many of our modern horse breeding programs are not focused on soundness. Instead, they are focused on beauty, color, disposition, speed, cow sense, early rapid growth, mature size, etc. Structural deformities are accepted where they should be cause for rejection. Structurally incorrect horses are then trained and put into use, eventually becoming unsound. A price must be paid for adopting the short term at the expense of the long term. Structurally incorrect horses may stay sound for a while, but very few unsound horses are structurally correct.

Heritability of skeletal structure in horses is one of the highest for any trait, estimated by some researchers as high as .65. This means that there is a 65 percent chance that crooked or sound legs are due to heredity and a 35 percent chance that they are due to environment. Selection of sound horses for mating is essential.

Prenatal (before birth) Environment

Foals grow to the size of the mother’s womb before birth. Some almost look like spiders when they are born, as their legs are so much more developed than their body size. The limbs complete much of their development in the womb and are largely a product of the nutrition received by the mare.

The cartilage in the leg is rapidly proliferating during gestation and its maturation to bone may be delayed in horses fed diets deficient in some minerals and vitamins. Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Copper and Zinc are especially important minerals, as are Vitamins A and D.

Overfeeding of carbohydrates and protein can also cause problems. Excess protein is treated like excess carbohydrate by the body and may cause hormonal imbalance as well as nutritional diseases. Overgrowing in the confining uterine environment caused by a delayed foaling date causes some limb deformities.

Post Natal (after birth) Environment

Foals are naturally awkward when they are born. Their body size will grow faster than the length of their legs. The small bones of the knee or hock may not be completely formed at birth and are crushed by excessive exercise and body weight. Many times foal legs will straighten as the animal grows older and stronger.

Limb defects can be aggravated by many things. The stall should be safe and large enough that the foal won’t be injured by the mare. Exercise areas should be as safe as possible. Some foals have had a leg broken while in a stall or while exercising in a rough pasture. Other older horses in the same pen may purposely injure foals.

Fences that are sharp or not visible are especially dangerous. The fact that the foal has a short neck in relation to long legs may also aggravate deformities as he spreads his legs to eat off the ground. Standing with one front foot back and the other forward may also cause the development of club foot on the foot that is back if it becomes a habit.

The most important post natal consideration is the lactation of the mare. Too little or too much milk can cause limb development problems and lameness. Mares that are easy keepers and good milk producers have a higher incidence of foals with DOD.

Developmental orthopedic disease (nicknamed DOD) is the name given to various abnormalities of the limbs. These can have genetic or environmental origins. Horses bred to grow fast and mature rapidly are susceptible. Horses fed a high calorie, imbalanced ration are at great risk for epiphysitis – an inflammation of the growth plates of the long bones. Usually, this comes about from excessive grain and protein supplement consumption. However, overeating of high quality alfalfa hay may also produce it.

Types of Neo Natal (new born) Deformities

Foals with the knees or hocks turned in are called valgus. Foals with the knees or hocks turned out are called varus. When both left and right hock (or knee) joints are bent in the same direction, we say the foal is windswept.

A foal with a straight pastern and high-heeled foot is said to have contracted tendons or be club footed. A foal with the fetlock forward due to superficial tendon contracture is said to be knuckled over. Foals with the pastern down and the heels crushed with the toe up are said to have tendon laxity.

Early Limb and Hoof Assessment

Assess the foal’s limbs soon after birth. Most mild limb deformities can be helped by stall rest that limits exercise. Many problems are due to lack of cartilage and bone maturity and will improve with time if the affected areas are not stressed. If there is more than a 5- degree deviation in the limb, or concerns about the straightness of the legs, your veterinarian should assess the situation and make recommendations at this time. The hooves should not be trimmed until the foal is at least two weeks old, and then only if a problem is evident.

It is important to treat limb deviations before the epiphyseal growth plates of the lower leg bones close at about three months (short pastern), six months (long pastern), and nine months (distal cannon bone). After these plates close, very little structural change can be made in the limb by trimming or shoeing. It is questionable how much change can actually be made before that time. Severe angular (conformation) defects cannot be eliminated by corrective trimming or shoeing. Serious problems may require periostial stripping or check ligament surgery. Future plans for the horse should be considered in making this decision as its athletic career may be limited.

The Farrier’s First Visit

A foal’s feet should be checked by a competent farrier by the time it is two months old. You can help prepare your foal for the farrier’s first visit by (1) teaching the foal to stand and lead, (2) picking up and holding the foal’s feet daily, (3) providing the farrier a safe corner in which to trim the foal’s hooves, (4) having an experienced person hold the foal for the farrier, and (5) having an experienced person hold the mare close at hand.

Imprint training should be started as soon after birth as possible in order to begin the process of desensitization of the foal to the farrier. To do this, rub down the legs and pat the bottom of the hoof with your hand 40 or 50 times on each foot or until the foal relaxes. Repeat daily and then weekly and finally monthly. It is also important to clean out a foal’s feet each time the animal is handled to accustom it to foot handling.

Foot Balance and Trimming

Regular foot balancing will allow the foal to grow as straight as possible. The focus of trimming should be on keeping the weight of the foal evenly distributed over the limbs. The foal’s hoof may be trimmed more often than that of a mature horse, but less hoof is removed. The excess wall is trimmed down to the level of the sole at the toe.

Keeping the hoof length the same on the inner and outer sides of the leg (medial /lateral balance) is critical. This must be maintained because a foal frequently wears one side or the other unevenly. The animal will learn to compensate for minor structural faults. Avoid over-trimming of the sole and thus removing protection from the coffin bone. Trimming one side lower in an effort to straighten legs produces sheared heels.

Medial or lateral extension shoes made from aluminum or plastic may be glued or nailed to the feet of crooked foals to help in the distributing of weight more evenly over the bone column. Shoeing the foot may protect it from wearing away faster than it grows and sometimes it is necessary to maintain a balanced stance. If a horse is shod during the growing months, shoes should be reset frequently (every 3 to 4 weeks) and progressively larger shoes applied each time.

Having the hoof trimmed out of medial/lateral balance in an effort to straighten bones is not a good practice. Excessive stresses on the joint may cause damage, but the most noticeable effect will be the creation of a sheared heel. This may cause circulatory disturbance and lameness later on. The edges of a foal’s hooves should be kept rounded to avoid chipping.

When a young horse begins serious training, regular trimming and hoof care should include shoes that protect the foot or are necessary to enhance the action of the specific type of horse.

There is a tendency today for people to get all they can when dealing in business and personal affairs. Some have called our time “The Age Selfishness.” Paraphrasing from the book of books, the Holy Bible, it is better to give more than you expect to get. Here is a story that illustrates this.

Daniel Webster graduated from Dartmouth College and started practicing law in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1805. He loved his work and spent time apprenticing with an attorney who was established and had an outstanding reputation. He was just like anyone else starting out in his career, unknown and penniless. Times were tough and money was scarce in his newly opened practice. He barely had enough to pay his weekly board bill. The average beginning salary for self-employed farriers may be very low. It takes effort and time to build a business.

One morning there was a knock at the door of his humble office. Webster opened it, and the Portsmouth blacksmith entered. The smoke and soot from the forge was heavy upon him. His hands and leather apron displayed ground-in coal dust. “I’m in need of legal advice. I’d rather not deal with lawyers, but I have no choice here. Someone is trying to take something that’s rightfully mine.”

The legal question involved some peculiar point of land law that Webster couldn’t answer right off hand. He told the blacksmith he would give his opinion in three days, as he didn’t want to admit he didn’t know the answer. We should do the same when we don’t know, instead of making up a con man’s lie.

Webster searched the few books he had, but could find nothing similar to the blacksmith’s case. He felt compelled to find the answer. Have you ever felt that way about a horse foot problem?

Although he really couldn’t afford it, Webster took the stagecoach from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Boston, Massachusetts and spent the entire day in the law libraries there. He was surprised to discover that the point in question had never come up in that form before in America. Beginning farriers are often presented with situations that are new to them.

Nevertheless, in his study that day he did find similar cases in the statutes and common law of England. Webster constructed a theory of equity consistent with decisions in similar cases, made copious notes, purchased the volumes he needed to prove his case, and took the night coach home to Portsmouth. He was confident he could win the case and told the blacksmith he would be his advocate. We shouldn’t take on a job either until we are adequately prepared and confident we can do it to a high standard.

Webster easily won the case. The lawyer for the other side was overwhelmed, embarrassed, and buried by Webster’s presentation of the case. Coming out of court the happy blacksmith asked, “Well, how much do I owe you Mr. Webster?” We earn the respect of our clients and cause them to want to reward us when we do our best.

“Oh,” answered the lawyer, who was aware of the man’s poverty and was always careless about money matters himself, “pay me whatever you think you can afford.” “Well,” said the blacksmith, “You seemed to run it off pretty easily, so I guess a dollar will be about right?” We short-change ourselves as well as our families when we are careless about business. Many farriers seem more intent on perfecting their skill in forging and b.s.ing rather than in business.

Daniel Webster took the money without comment and returned to his office. He recorded in his record book that for his journey to Boston and the books he had bought that cost him over $40 he had received the magnificent sum of $1! We each have lessons of life that cost us dearly.

Twenty-five years passed. During this time Webster built his reputation as a nationally prominent lawyer, orator, and statesman. He continued to study and became a Congressman and eventually a U. S. Senator. He was accepted and acclaimed as “the Zenith of the American bar.”

One day the president of a large railroad telegraphed him. They met in Webster’s big well-appointed office in Boston. “Mr. Webster, I want to put before you a question that vitally affects the future of my company. The lawyers I have consulted give me no hope. The case is to be tried in 2 weeks and they say we can’t win.”

As the president explained the case, a smile came over Webster’s face. It was precisely the same case that involved the Portsmouth blacksmith. We can provide our clients with great value too, after we’ve paid the price.

Webster remained impassive and reserved. “This is a very complex problem. I’m sure I can help you if you give me the necessary authority.” The client felt hope for the first time. They shook hands and the client wrote out a check for $5000 as a retainer fee.

As soon as the client left, Webster went to his files and found his notes made many years before. In only two hours of study his memory was refreshed enough to prepare him to go before the highest court in Massachusetts. It doesn’t take long to prepare for a new situation if we pay the price the first time.

His arguments reduced the opposition to rubble. Without leaving the bench, the judges decided in favor of Webster’s client. The railroad president was ecstatic! He had been handed a victory in the face of certain defeat. He wrote out a check for $10,000, placed it in an envelope with a grateful letter of appreciation and handed it to Webster.

Daniel Webster returned to his office and opened the envelope. He read the letter and looked at the check. He pulled down his record book from the shelf and described the case and its conclusion. Then, he added this postscript: “I have now received the blacksmith’s fee – paid with compound interest.”

This story in its original form was written by Kenneth P. Wood and first published in Future Magazine. The story in this form was adapted by Ted Gibbons©1998 as Daniel Webster and the Blacksmith’s Fee. I first used it is the first Farrier Focus™ Business Conference in 2000. It has great application to farriers as well as to other professionals. We should always do our best in spite of what seems at first to be a meager return. Learning your craft well and giving more than you expect to get will always repay you with compound interest!

As a farrier and teacher of horsemanship for the past 45 years, I have run into many problems with horses that are caused by horse-loving people. Perhaps the most disturbing is the harmful, yet common notion, that “food is love.”

I have seen far too many cases of young horses crippled with developmental orthopedic disease resulting in club foot, epiphysitis and secondary hyperparathyroidism. I have also seen many older horses afflicted with low ringbone, navicular disease and, worst of all, laminitis and founder. Many of these conditions could be prevented or cured if horse owners would pay more attention to a horse’s condition and restrict its diet.

A horse is a combination of genetics and environment. When selecting for one trait over others, you typically get what you select for. However, strength in one trait often means weakness in others. When you add a faulty environmental component, it’s a recipe for disaster.

For example, for the last 30 years or so it has been popular to breed for rapid growth — producing maximum height at an early age. However, it has been shown in numerous controlled studies at various universities that feeding concentrated energy and excess protein to maximize a horse’s growth potential causes all sorts of developmental abnormalities and limb diseases. When you add excess energy in the form of grain and high protein alfalfa hay to the genetic component, the result is often a crippled horse. Unfortunately, these findings are largely ignored by people in the show horse industry.

Horses with extremely steep limb angles, especially of the pasterns and hocks, may also inherit under-run heels. The combination of concussion produced by the steep angles, and the added stress upon the deep flexor tendon and navicular bone region produced by the low heels producing a de-rotated coffin bone, is a predisposing formula for severe lameness.

Other factors include training a horse to carry most of its weight on the front limbs by keeping the head low, and shoeing with fad square aluminum shoes after “the heels were cut down to the widest part of the frog.”

Modifying the Diet

This horse also needs to immediately be put on a diet to reduce the stress on the foot structures and prevent a disastrous acute founder attack.

The first thing to consider when formulating a diet for a horse is the amount of feed given. Non-working horses should be fed about 1½ to 2 percent of their body weight. You can determine a horse’s body weight with a weight tape if a scale is unavailable.

For example, if a horse weighs 1200 pounds, then it should be fed 18 to 24 pounds per day. If a small square bale weighs 60 pounds, you should feed about 20 pounds or about one-third of the bale per day. This works out to 1/6th of a bale per feeding, or 10 pounds. Grain should be used sparingly as a carrier for medicine or supplements and as a reward for catching or training – not as a part of the regular diet.

A horse’s weight can be monitored visually using a 10-point scale developed at Texas A & M University. The ideal working horse is a “5.” A “5″ is a horse on which you can’t see the ribs but you can feel them. A “1″ is a horse that is skin and bones, a “10″ is a horse that is roly-poly fat. A horse in good condition is a “6.”

Careful monitoring and calculating of feed amounts is important for domesticated horses. You can best prove your love for your horse by calculating and feeding it a reasonable ration that is healthy for him. Over-feeding it is not love! Doing so may cut your horse’s career short and subject it to a life of pain, veterinary treatment and therapeutic shoeing.

Each year around Valentine’s Day, we are reminded to think more about how much the people we love really mean to us. Love can be defined as looking after the welfare of those you care deeply about. Love often causes us to care more about the comfort of loved ones than we do our own. Everyone who has children has felt feelings of concern for their immediate and long-term welfare.

We all love horses or we wouldn’t be in this business of caring for their feet and keeping them comfortable. We are anxious for their immediate and long-term welfare. Indeed, we believe it is our responsibility as stewards of these magnificent domesticated animals to provide for their several needs.

Several years ago when we moved to Northwest Nebraska to fulfill a long-time goal of opening a private horseshoeing school, I attended a local horse auction. That day I bought several horses to use for training students. Today we have the largest and most varied collection of horses in the country exclusively used to train aspiring farriers. Many have been donated by caring owners that wanted their horses to be used to train future farriers.

One of the horses I bought that day was a dun pony that we named Ginger. She was severely foundered and had white line disease. We were told that she belonged to an incapacitated rancher that could not take care of her. No one wanted her when all the horses were sold to help settle the estate. After we brought her home, we made a video of the students removing the excess hoof horn from and applying therapeutic shoes to the neglected feet of the pony. We posted it on YouTube.

We have since made a follow-up video that shows her condition both last summer and this winter.  You can watch that video here.  She has been sound for several years and, along with other ponies kept outside in a large pen, is loved and ridden by my grandchildren. I believe that horses can sense our feelings toward them and they often can feel more deeply than some humans.

Many years ago I was given a horse by a woman who could no longer keep it due to zoning law changes. The horse had been in a pen with another horse for twenty-five years. When I got the horse home I put it in a lush pasture with other horses, provided shelter, a salt and mineral block and water. It went over to the corner of the pasture, put its head down and in two days it was dead. I had the vet do an autopsy. He said, “I find nothing wrong with this horse, but from what you have told me about its background, I think it probably died of a broken heart.”

I told my mother about it and she wept. As a life-long horse person she had learned that horses often have feelings that are deeper than those of people. She said, “That horse died from lack of companionship and encouragement.” (Sometimes this happens to people too!).

Foot care is a most important part of horse care. Horses need space, quality forage, water and companionship. In addition, they need vaccinations against deadly and debilitating diseases, regular deworming and protection from parasites and a safe environment. If we truly love our animals, we will provide these things for them.  We will discuss these things in our next blog.

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

"Team Butler"

“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 went well for us. It was the first time that Jake and Pete and I have competed together. Jake trimmed and nailed, Pete struck with the sledge hammer and clinched, and I made the shoes. I’m most grateful for that experience of working together. It brought to my mind the differences in shoeing draft horses as opposed to shoeing light horses.

The Finished Front

The Finished Hind

Draft or heavy horse shoeing is different from light horseshoeing. Draft horses move slowly. They often pull heavy loads. They are heavy and their feet need more protection than light horses. They are very strong, and though they are often gentle for most work, they sometimes resist shoeing.

A heavier thicker stock shoe is required due to the size of the animal. Our horse required 18 inches of ½ by 1¼ inch stock to cover its front foot. We used 17 inches on the hind foot. Horses with smaller feet can be shod with a lighter section. Nail holes are punched over the white line and at the pitch of the hoof wall to insure safe and secure nailing.

The shoe was fullered to make it easier to extract the nails and to provide some traction. The fullering fills with dirt – you have dirt against dirt which provides more traction than steel against dirt. Heel calks from one-half to one inch in height are popular for farm and pulling horses. Toe calks one-half inch in height are usually only put on the hind shoes of farm horses. One-inch toe calks that are tilted forward, so they will dig in as the foot breaks over the toe, are put on the front and hind shoes of pullers. Horses used on asphalt road surfaces are often shod with Borium® or bolt-on replaceable rubber “tires.” Borium® can be put on with a forge or with an oxy-acetylene torch.

A wider web shoe is desirable since many draft horses are flat-footed and have a weak hoof-bone attachment that may be compromised by their weight and concussion on road surfaces. Although they need sole protection, they must not have sole pressure. The inside of the shoe must be seated out, sometimes called concaved (hollowed out), to prevent sole pressure and bruising when the sole descends slightly each time the horse’s foot bears weight.

A longer shoe is desirable to support the limb. It also should be a bit wider than the hoof from the last nail hole back to the heel to give more surface area to distribute concussion and prevent corns and deep flexor tendon injury.

The shoe heels should be made and fit to make room for the frog and allow easy cleaning of the foot. They should be finished straight up and down to provide the most ground surface area possible.

The outside branch of the shoes should be fit wider than the hoof since most draft horses are base narrow. The outside of the shoe should be boxed (filed on the foot surface) to reduce the chance of another horse in the hitch treading off the shoe. The inside branch should be safed (filed on the ground surface) to prevent injury when accidently treading on the opposite foot.

Toe clips should be used to prevent shoe shifting when the heavy shoe hits the ground. It is possible for the nails to be sheared off when a heavy horse’s foot strikes the ground. Clips on ½ by 1¼ stock should be an inch high and triangular in shape and without sharp points.

Front View

The nails should be appropriate to foot size (we used number nine nails on our horse) allowing you to drive them 1/3 of the way up the hoof wall with the nail line parallel to the coronary band. Nails must be driven above the chips and cracks found in neglected feet. Broken out areas can be filled with superfast by Vet Tech. Feet should be dressed to correspond to the shape of the coffin bone. The shape can be determined by looking down at the silhouette of the coronary band.

Horses that are not well trained for shoeing should be put in a stock or given a drug by a veterinarian to help them stand still when being shod. Each time the foot is put down it should be put down slowly to prevent the horse from falling. Also, dropping a foot with a heavy shoe on it can cause the coffin bone to fracture. Charges for shoeing drafts should be twice what you charge for a saddle horse since it is more than twice as much work.

Show draft horses are shod differently than working horses. The size and especially the width of the feet are exaggerated. Square shoes that have inserts welded on the inner web allow feet to be built to a greater size. These shoes are manufactured by Will Lent in Michigan. We have applied some for clients here at the school. We used a great quantity of Adhere or Superfast composite by Vet Tech to fill in the space and create square feet. We offer specialty courses of one week in length for those that are interested in draft horse type shoeing at www.butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com. 1-800-728-3826.