c/farriers

Had a bad shoe pull on a draft horse in Lancaster last month that made me rethink my whole approach to clinching.

Saw a guy at the county fair using a hoof knife like a pry bar

I was watching a farrier work on a big Percheron at the fairgrounds in Springfield, and he kept trying to lever out a big chunk of sole with the tip of his hoof knife. Heard a little 'ping' sound and saw the tip snap right off. That's a quick way to ruin a good tool and risk a bad cut if it slips. I always use a hoof pick or a puller for that kind of job, keeps the knife edge sharp for trimming. Anyone else see folks using their knives for stuff they really shouldn't?

I know everyone says to use a rasp right after the shoe is hot, but I waited a full minute on a draft horse last week and the fit was way better.

A client in Boise once told me my clinches looked like 'a blind bear did them' and I've used a different hammer ever since.

Switched to a 12 oz. hammer with a narrower face after that comment and my finish work got way cleaner, anyone else have a tool change that fixed a specific flaw?

My uncle told me to always use a rasp before the final nail set

He said it would seat the shoe better on quarter cracks. I thought it was extra work for nothing on a standard job. Last month I had a horse in Spokane with a persistent crack that kept opening up. Did his method and the shoe held tight for a full six week cycle. Anyone have a different trick for managing those cracks?

Looked at my calendar and saw I've trimmed 500 horses this year

I mean, I don't really keep track normally, but I added it up after finishing a big barn in Greeley last week. It just hit me how many different feet that actually is, and all the different problems you see. Anyone else get surprised by a number like that?

Finally got that portable propane forge and it's a total game changer

Dropped about $600 on it after my old coal forge gave out mid-shoe for a big draft horse. It heats up so fast and holds temp perfectly on cold mornings. What's the best way you guys keep the burner tips clean?

Can we talk about the day I trimmed 45 horses in a row?

I was working a big ranch event in Cheyenne and just kept going without a real break. When I tallied it up at the end, I had done 45 trims in one stretch, which is way over my usual 25. Has anyone else pushed past their normal limit and felt it the next day?

A client's comment about his old horse's shoes got me thinking

I was trimming a 28 year old gelding for a regular client yesterday, and he was watching me work. Out of the blue, he said, 'You know, the guy who shod him for the first 15 years always used a size 1, even when he was younger and bigger. Said it was better for his hoof wall.' I've always gone by the rule of fitting the biggest shoe the hoof can carry, so that stopped me cold. This horse has great feet for his age, no real issues. It made me wonder if I've been over-shoeing some of my clients' horses, especially the lighter-boned ones, just because the hoof looks like it can take it. Maybe a little less steel is better for the long haul. Has anyone else had a client share an old farrier's trick that actually made sense?

Finally caved and bought a proper hoof jack for $350

It felt like a splurge, but it saved my back on a draft horse job yesterday. The extra leverage meant I could work on his feet without him leaning on me. Anyone have a favorite brand for these, or is a generic one just as good?

Rant: A trainer in Lexington told me I was 'just the help' after I pointed out a shoeing issue on her jumper.

She said it right in front of the owner, who then ignored my advice about the quarter crack and the horse went lame two weeks later, so has anyone else had a client side with a trainer over your call on hoof health?

Had a tricky draft horse in Boise that wouldn't lift his foot for more than a second

Last month I was working on a big Percheron named Gus who kept slamming his foot down. My old boss told me to try resting the hoof on my thigh instead of holding it up, and it worked like a charm. I could get a solid 5 minutes of rasping done before he'd shift. Anyone else have a good trick for the real heavy pullers?

Found an old farrier's manual from 1923 that changed how I see trimming

I picked up a book called 'Horseshoeing for the Practical Man' at a farm sale in Lancaster. It said a horse's hoof wall grows at a rate of about a quarter inch per month, which I knew, but then it claimed the sole thickness should be a third of that. I've been checking my own work against that for a month now and it's made a real difference in how the foot lands. Anyone else ever run across that specific old rule and still use it?

A client in Bend really called me out on my hoof angle last fall

I was trimming a big quarter horse, thought I had the foot looking good and balanced. The owner, a woman who'd been riding for thirty years, just stood there and said, 'His breakover looks off... the toe is too long.' I was ready to brush it off, but she showed me how he was landing toe-first on the hard ground. I went back and measured, and she was right. I'd left nearly a quarter inch too much at the toe. Changed my whole check process that day. Now I watch the horse move on a hard surface before I even pick up a tool, every single time. It's a simple thing, but I was too focused on the foot in my hand. Anyone else had a client point out something you missed that actually made you better?

Hot take: I swore by my old straight peen hammer for 15 years, but after trying a cross peen on a tough quarter crack in a draft horse last month, the control was just better.

The cross peen let me work the metal sideways without hitting the hoof wall, something my straight peen couldn't do without risking a slip.

A lesson from a retired farrier at the county fair last summer

I was shoeing a big draft cross at the fairgrounds in Springfield when an older guy, must have been in his 70s, stopped to watch. After I finished, he came over and said, 'I saw you check that foot three times before you drove the first nail. I did that for 40 years and never had a horse come up lame from a bad seat.' He told me he used to keep a tally on his truck's visor, and by the time he retired, that simple check had saved him from over 30 potential mistakes. It wasn't some fancy trick, just taking that extra second. Made me think about the small habits that really matter in this job. Do you guys have any simple checks you always do that have paid off big?

Found a better way to set my forge temperature without a fancy gauge

For years I just eyeballed the color of the steel, but last month at the Kentucky clinic, an old timer showed me to use a magnet. When the metal stops sticking to a magnet, it's around 1400 degrees and ready to work. I started doing this on my last ten shoes and the consistency is way better. Anyone else use this trick for basic forging?

Spent a whole morning on a hoof with a weird, deep central sulcus crack

Had a horse come in last week with a crack running right up the central sulcus of its front hoof. Looked simple at first, but it was way deeper than I thought, almost into the sensitive structures. My usual method of cleaning and packing wasn't holding at all. I must have tried three different packing materials and two ways of setting the shoe to take pressure off, but nothing stuck. The owner was getting antsy, and I was there for over three hours just on that one foot. Finally, I remembered an old-timer telling me about using a thin layer of acrylic under a specific pad to really seal it before the packing. Tried it, and it held. What do you all do for a deep central sulcus crack that just won't stay clean and dry?

Shoutout to the old timer at the Kentucky Horse Park clinic

I was at a clinic at the Kentucky Horse Park about two years ago, watching a demo on a tricky foot. The main speaker was using all the newest tools, but this older guy, must have been in his 70s, was just watching from the back. During a break, he walked up, pointed at the hoof, and said, 'You're fighting the bar. Rasp it from the heel forward, not across.' He showed me with his own rasp, a Mustad he'd had for 20 years. It was such a simple shift in angle, but it changed how I approach every bar trim now. I still use that method every single day. What's the best piece of hands-on advice you've ever gotten from another farrier?

Vent: I trimmed a quarter horse's feet flat for years until a vet in Boise pointed out the palmar angle was way off.

I'm torn between thinking a flat trim is just simpler and cleaner versus the idea that you always need to consider the individual horse's breakover and internal structures, so what's your take on the 'one trim fits all' approach?

Just realized my old way of cooling a hot shoe was making it too brittle

I was working on a big draft horse in Spokane last week and instead of just dunking the shoe in my water bucket like I always have, I tried holding it about six inches above the water for a few seconds first. The shoe came out way less stressed and didn't have that weird, glassy ring when I tapped it. Has anyone else tried this kind of staged cooling method on heavy shoes?

Had to choose between a propane forge and a coal forge for my new shop setup

Went with the coal forge for better heat control on tricky corrective shoes, but the extra cleanup is a real pain. Anyone have a system to manage coal dust and clinkers without it taking half your day?

A Percheron with loose shoes made me rethink my steel width

Last month, a regular client's draft horse was popping front shoes almost every other week. I checked the old shoes and saw the web was too slim for his wide hoof, so I forged a pair with a broader base. They've stayed put for over a month now, which has me curious. What changes do you make for heavy breeds with shoe retention issues?

My take on trimming alone without a handler, and why it's not as risky as everyone says.

I know most farriers won't agree, but after years of dealing with unreliable helpers, I've started trimming most horses by myself. With calm horses and proper positioning, I find I can work faster and with less stress. Sure, there's a risk, but I've built trust with the animals and haven't had a serious issue yet. It's saved me time and money on hiring extra hands.

DAE get more requests for barefoot trimming from urban horse owners?

Lately, a bunch of my clients in the city have been asking to take off shoes and go barefoot. They say it's because of blogs and podcasts talking about natural hoof health. I mostly work with horses that do trail rides or light arena work, so I see where they're coming from. But some of these horses have been shod for years, and their soles are thin. I'm worried about making the switch too fast and causing soreness. What's the best way to ease a horse into barefoot if they're used to shoes? Do you use any special hoof hardeners or supplements? I want to help these owners but also keep the horses comfortable. Any tips from folks who've handled this change would be great.