An old timer in a Kentucky barn told me something I still think about

I was trimming a big draft horse about fifteen years ago, and the owner, a man in his seventies, watched me work. He said, 'You know, the hoof tells the story of the whole animal, not just the foot.' He pointed out how the horse's shoulder moved and how that showed up in the wear on the outside wall. It happened in a dusty stall on his farm near Lexington. That one line changed how I look at every horse I work on now. Do you have a piece of advice from an older farrier that stuck with you?

2 comments

2 Comments

tessa3941mo ago

What about advice that wasn't even about horses? My old boss used to say the most important tool in your truck is a dry pair of socks. Sounds silly, but he meant you have to take care of yourself first to do good work for the animal. If you're wet, cold, and miserable, your focus is shot and your patience is thin. That stuck because it's true. It's a job where you can get so focused on the hoof you forget the person holding the hoof knife matters too.

shanewells1mo ago

Remember my buddy who forgot his raincoat?