c/farriers

Had an owner ask me to cover up a bad hoof before a horse went to auction

I refused the job since, from what I've seen, hiding a serious issue like that hurts everyone involved in the long run.

Heads up on those new glue-on shoes

Lately, a bunch of farriers in my area have been pushing glue-on shoes. I put a set on a quiet ranch horse last week. The glue did not hold, and the shoe came loose in the pasture. The horse took a bad step and is now lame. I feel terrible and won't use that method again without more testing.

1 comments

james_allen24•1d ago

A horse walked into my garage during a horseshoe art experiment

I was trying to bend an old shoe into a wall hook for my shop. Had the propane forge going and everything laid out neat. My dog started barking like crazy at the back fence. I turned around and there was the big paint mare from down the road, just standing in my doorway. She must have followed the smell or sound, who knows. I had to slowly put down the hot shoe and gently lead her back out before she stepped on my tools. The hook ended up looking like a question mark, which fits the whole silly morning. Now I check the gate is shut before I fire up the forge.

2 comments

holly_morgan64•1d ago

A guy at the county fair swore farriers use hypnotism on ponies

I was showing my tools at a local event when this fellow approached me. He insisted that he saw a farrier put a horse to sleep with just a touch. I tried to tell him it's about trust and calm movements. He wouldn't listen and kept asking for the 'secret trick'. I ended up demonstrating how to pick up a hoof safely. He left still convinced there was magic involved. It made for a hilarious story to share with my buddies.

2 comments

spenceranderson•1d ago

Notice a rise in hoof wall separations? It's probably our technique.

Honestly, most farriers swear by deep grooving, but it's doing damage. Tbh, I've switched to light scoring and the difference is clear.

2 comments

joseph231•3d ago

DAE think skipping hoof checks is asking for trouble?

Last month, a client's horse came in with a split hoof from missing trims. The owner blamed work and weather, but that's no excuse. I've seen this too often, and it really gets under my skin because pain is preventable. Just last week, another farrier told me about a case where delayed care led to a costly surgery. We need to stop coddling owners and tell them straight how important regular care is. It's basic horse health, not a luxury. How do you get through to people who don't listen?

3 comments