Mullins Farrier Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brian Mullins
In this episode, I sit down with Matt Hillegas, CJF, a farrier from New Windsor, Maryland, whose nearly 40-year career has been shaped by a commitment to never stop learning.
Matt shares how pursuing his AFA certification after decades of shoeing challenged long-held beliefs and opened the door to becoming a tester and board member. We also talk about shoeing hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses, how small changes can make a big difference in performance, and why slowing down has made him a better farrier.
Matt shares many tidbits of wisdom he has accrued over the years as well as his philosophies on teaching and learning new concepts.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
In this episode, I sit down with Brendan Paulson, CF, to talk about building a stronger future for the farrier industry through his nonprofit, Shod with Love. Created to help farriers access continuing education, certification, and the tools they need to succeed, Brendan shares the inspiration behind the organization and his vision for giving back to the trade.
We also dive into his own path into farriery, the value of certification, running a practice in New Hampshire, handling difficult horses, pricing, travel, and the everyday realities of life under horses. Whether you're just getting started or have been shoeing for years, there's plenty to take away from this conversation.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For more information on clinics and ways to support Shod With Love go to:
www.shodwithlove.org
For access to this episode in its entirety, please subscribe here:
mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
In this episode, Brian does a deeper dive into the topic of burnout. Referencing the episode he did on the topic back in the first season, he delivers a more informative account of it's three defined symptoms and six causes according to the research of Christina Maslach. He also relates these symptoms and causes to the farrier trade and offers some advice to mitigate it's effects. In the midst of a busy show season, this is information he hopes will help some of his peers.
For access to full length episodes, please subscribe here:
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Farrier Major Paul Jones, AWCF, joins the podcast to share his remarkable journey through 24 years in the British Army. Raised in a military family, Paul discusses his deployment to Afghanistan, the devastating IED attack that changed the course of his career, and how his lifelong connection to horses led him into farriery.
Four weeks from retirement from the military and serving at the Defence Animal Training Regiment in Melton Mowbray, Paul gives an inside look at Army farrier training, exam preparation, and the unique challenges of shoeing both ceremonial and sport horses. With retirement on the horizon and a new chapter ahead in teaching and business ownership, Paul reflects on a career built on service, adaptability, and a passion for the trade.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to the whole episode and many others, please subscribe here:
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This week, I'm joined by Heidi Stoer, CJF, from Midland, Ontario. Known to many as "Bam Bam," Heidi shares her journey from growing up around horses to building a successful farrier business.
We talk about her experience at Heartland Horseshoeing School, the challenges of building a client base, lessons learned working with difficult horses, and the importance of horsemanship and client relationships. Heidi also dives into her AFA certification journey, the persistence it took to earn her CJF, and the study methods, mentors, and resources that helped her along the way.
Whether you're working toward certification yourself or simply enjoy hearing how others have built their careers in the trade, Heidi's story is full of valuable insight, determination, and practical advice.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Abbie Robinson Wyss CMF shares her remarkable journey from joining the British Army in 2014 to becoming the first qualified female farrier in the Army in 2024.
In this episode, Abbie talks about life in King's Troop, the challenges of Army farrier training, balancing ceremonial duties with horsemanship, and the pressure of qualifying through a demanding apprenticeship program. She also discusses her current pursuit of the AWCF and the unforgettable experience of meeting the late Queen and handmaking shoes for the funeral horses.
This conversation offers a unique look at military farriery, dedication to the craft, and the opportunities that come from pushing yourself to the next level.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Subscibe here to hear the full episode and if you do before July 1, 2026, you'll be entered into a draw for a Tyler Joos rounding hammer:
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In this week's episode, Mark Aikens shares a career shaped by education, travel, and resilience. From a non-horsey upbringing and early days in Irish racing yards to earning his farriery qualifications and later a BSc in Farriery Science, Mark reflects on how continued learning has influenced every stage of his work.
He also discusses shoeing endurance horses, international teaching in places like India and Romania, and how a serious shoeing accident led him to develop a "plan B" through tool rebuilding.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to the full length episode, please subscribe here:
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Sarah Logie, a farrier based in Inverness, Scotland, joins the podcast to talk exams, education, and why farriery is never just black and white. From building her associate-prep course and revision book to mentoring farriers through the realities of exam pressure, time management, and horse-first thinking, this episode is packed with practical insight, blunt honesty, and years of experience from the Scottish Highlands and beyond. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For access to the full episode and the chance to be entered into the new subscribers draw, subscribe here before July 1, 2026: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
In this weeks episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast, Andrew Casserly of East Sussex takes us through a lifetime in farriery—from first hearing Michael Soo at the forge at 15, to a four-year apprenticeship making and fitting handmade shoes, and on to a career spanning competition, education, and examination.
He shares his path through the qualifications, earning his AWCF and later his Fellowship at 60, along with the research behind his thesis on frog support and palmar angle. Andrew also reflects on teaching 18 apprentices—including his sons—and what it's meant to spend five decades in the trade.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Ada Majocha, Polish veterinarian and equine podiatry practitioner, shares her path from starting riding at 12 to focusing on hoof care after trying to help her own horse through serious issues. She reflects on early mistakes, her shift toward more evidence-based, x-ray–guided trimming, and how her thinking has evolved through ongoing education.
She also discusses her mobile practice treating complex hoof cases in Poland, her hands-on workshops, and developing hoof-care products and training. Ada highlights the challenges of laminitis-heavy work and her goal of improving collaboration and education within hoof care and farriery.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
In this episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast, Tom Smith, a farrier from South England and former chair of the Farriers Registration Council, discusses why he created Forge Smart after seeing farriers struggle with long hours, tight margins, and pricing confidence.
He shares practical insight on understanding true costs, communicating value to clients, and implementing sustainable price increases to support both business success and work–life balance.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to other full length episodes:
www.mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
For more information on the courses
www.forgesmart.co.uk
From horse-crazy kid to Certified Journeyman Farrier, Jennifer DePollo Horn's path into the trade wasn't exactly traditional - but it was meant to be. In this episode, Jennifer shares how an unexpected push from a high school teacher set her on a lifelong career in farriery, the challenges she faced along the way, and the mentors who helped shape her into the professional she is today.
We talk about the value of certification, the artistry behind the craft, her passion for blacksmithing, and the importance of giving back through teaching and mentorship within the farrier community.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to the full length episode, subscribe here:
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In this episode, I sit down with Sam Wolfenden, a farrier from Halifax, West Yorkshire, with 17 years in the trade. Sam shares his journey starting out under his father, working on everything from show horses to riding school horses, and how he unexpectedly found a second career on social media.
From hesitant first posts to millions of views on TikTok, Sam talks about consistency, staying authentic, and why kindness toward the horse always comes first. We also dive into balancing traditional farrier work with a growing digital presence—and the challenges and surprises that come with it.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to full length episodes, subscribe here:
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In part 2 of Ask Brian Anything hosted by Lee Olsen CJF, Lee and Brian cover more listener submitted questions. They discuss why Brian started the podcast in the first place, what future retirement looks like for him, the negative plantar angle epidemic, and many other topics.
To see the many farrier resources Lee Olsen has on offer, go to www.olsenequine.com
To subscribe and support the podcast go to:
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In this first of two "Ask Brian Anything" episodes, the tables have turned. With questions submitted by farriers and listeners from the community, I sit down with my good friend Lee Olsen CJF and dive into numerous topics about my career path, continuing education, the hot vs. cold shoeing debate, and the importance of mentorship and setting goals in the trade. It's a wide-ranging conversation shaped by the farrier community and the questions you wanted answered.
For access to full episodes and to support the podcast, subscribe here:
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To see more of what Lee has been up to:
olsenequine.com
In the final episode of 2025, I talk with Jake Fivecoate CJF, from Northern Colorado, who shares his experience taking part in the Edward Martin Cultural Exchange across Scandinavia. Jake talks about the application process, earning his journeyman certification, and what it was like working in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
He reflects on adapting to different techniques and tools, winning a team shoeing contest in Denmark, and how the experience shaped both his skills and outlook on the profession. We also touch on his goal of keeping his business small to preserve the freedom to keep traveling and learning.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
In this episode, I sit down with Manuel (Manny) Gutierrez of Farrier MX, to talk about his path from growing up in poverty in Monterrey to running a successful farrier supply company in Mexico. Manny explains how he moved from the sugar and chocolate industries into farrier supplies after spotting a gap in the market, and what it took to build something from the ground up. We get into his efforts to support and professionalize the farrier industry in Mexico, his approach to money and goal-setting, and the mindset that helped him move forward when the odds weren't in his favour. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For full length episodes please subscribe here: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
In this episode, I sit down with Mark Trussler FWCF, Jay Tovey FWCF, and Simon Curtis FWCF to explore the story behind their new farrier textbook, Farrier Skills and Knowledge - A comprehensive textbook on hoof care - from how the idea first came into being at a clinic to the collaboration that brought it to life. They share their backgrounds, the challenges of balancing writing with work and family, and what it took to manage all the components of the book's creation. We also get into the realities of publishing, tight timelines, and the unique features of this farrier textbook.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Get your own copy of the book here:
www.farrierybooks.com
Subscribe for full length episodes here:
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In this episode, I sit down with Billy Bleach DipWCF, a Norfolk-based farrier with a deep passion for working with heavy horses. Billy shares his journey from discovering farriery at a young age to mastering the art of crafting handmade shoes tailored to each horse's unique needs. He discusses the importance of early hoof care, his approach to training young horses, and his drive to inspire the next generation of farriers. From competition stories to shop talk, this conversation offers a genuine look into the craftsmanship and care behind the trade.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
In this 'Farrier Phone a Friend' episode, I sit down with Mike Mehak CF, President of the Ontario Farriers Association, for a wide-ranging conversation about the craft and community of farriery. We talk about the upcoming Royal Canadian Horseshoeing Classic, the day-to-day challenges farriers face, building better client relationships, and finding balance between work and life. Mike also shares insights on tools, conventions, and the value of continuous learning within the trade. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For access to more fll episodes like this one, please subscribe here: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com For more information on the Ontario Farrier's Association and their upcoming events, check them out here: ontariofarriers.ca
In this episode, Certified Journeyman Farrier Riley Mickelsen shares how growing up around horses in Idaho put him on a path that shifted from veterinary ambitions to farriery, thanks to his love of working with his hands. He talks about the five years he spent in Mexico, including missionary work, and how returning to the U.S. led him to train in Oklahoma, co-own a farrier school, and eventually build his own successful program in Idaho. Riley reflects on expanding into Mexico, the challenges of running a business across borders, the importance of work ethic in students today, and how social media has helped him reach farriers worldwide.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
For access to the full this episode and many others, please subscribe here:
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In this episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast, I sit down with veteran farrier Mac Head of Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire.
The conversation explores Mac's journey from his father's post-WWII blacksmith business to a long and varied career in farriery and horseshoe manufacturing. He shares insights into his time with the Worshipful Company of Farriers, his approach to designing shoes for the English market, and the evolution of horse care over the decades.
Also included is a valuable business tip from Andrew DeVisser of Fletcher Forge and Tool on the lifetime cost of tools.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to the full episode, please subscribe here:
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In this FREE FULL LENGTH episode, John Harshbarger from Amarillo, Texas, talks about his journey in the farrier supply business - from his early days running a local feed store to building a national operation. He shares insights on customer service, adapting to regional needs, and growing through challenges like the pandemic. John also reflects on acquiring two anvil manufacturing companies and his continued passion for farrier competitions and the industry as a whole.
For more full length episodes, please subscribe here:
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In this episode, Mark Humphrey AWCF ATF reflects on his experiences at the Focus convention and international farriery competitions, where he reconnected with peers and deepened his craft. He shares insights on the AWCF journey, the importance of continued education, and the evolving techniques that shape modern farriery. Mark also discusses his approach to teaching, research, and the value of community in advancing the trade. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For full length episodes, subscribe here:
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In this episode, Jay Tovey FWCF and Gavin Golby AWCF share their journeys in farriery, from their early days in the trade to becoming tutors and mentors. They talk about the challenges they faced, the importance of competition and continuous learning, and how education has shaped their careers. They also discuss Farriery Tuition, a supplementary educational resource for farriers who want to pursue higher exams or just improve their everyday work. As a participant in one of the Farriery Tuition shoemaking days with Spud Allison, I can personally attest to the value their clinics offer. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did... You can sign up for future clinics here: farrierytuition.com Subscribe for full episodes: Mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
It’s a way back play back! We’re re-releasing this episode with Dr. Sarah Cohen of Equity Performance Equine, based in Wellington FL, in anticipation of the NAEP’s Saratoga Conference coming up next week. In this episode Dr. Sarah and I discuss her path to becoming a Vet, her concierge style practice in Wellington Florida, the NAEP and why she became a part of its board, as well as many other topics. Sarah shares a lot of great information in this episode. It’s worth a re-listen for long time followers and it’s a great first time listen too! I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Sign up for the conference today thenaep.com
In this episode, I talk with Team Norway, a group of farriers coming together from across the country as they prepare for a major competition. Most are based near Oslo, while others travel from much farther away, but they’ve built a strong team through regular practice and support from coaches like Ian Gajczak. Along the way, they share how they got started in farriery, the clinics and apprenticeships that shaped their careers, and the types of horses they work with, from Icelandics to drafts and sport horses.
Katinka reflects on becoming the first female farrier to win the Norwegian championship, an achievement she never expected, and the group talks about the ups and downs of competing in Norway, where the scene is still small but growing. They also touch on the realities of working in today’s economy, with changing costs and pressures on horse owners, and how those challenges shape their day-to-day work.
Through it all, what stands out is their commitment to improving, pushing each other, and enjoying the journey as a team.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For Full-length episodes, subscribe here:
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We’re kicking off a brand new episode format on the Mullins Farrier Podcast called Farrier Phone a Friend. These episodes are all about those in-between-job conversations farriers have on the road - casual, candid, and full of real-world updates from the trade.
In this first one, I catch up with my friend and returning guest Danny Bennett. We talk about everything from truck troubles and teamwork at international competitions, to the role of the “Purple Army,” social license in farriery, and even a bit of lighthearted travel banter. Of course, there’s plenty of practical shop talk too - cases, tools, and habits that make the work easier.
It’s an unpolished, behind-the-scenes look at farriery, and I think you’ll enjoy riding along for the chat.
This episode is available for free to non-subscribers but if you want to listen to future full length episodes please subscribe:
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From his early training in Staffordshire to his current role as a practicing farrier and clinician, Wayne Preece FWCF, has navigated challenges, setbacks, and successes throughout his farrier career. In this episode, he shares his journey, his philosophy on shoeing and apprenticeships, and why continuing education and community support are so vital to the trade. Wayne also reflects on mentorship, teaching, and finding balance in the later stages of his career.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
For access to full length episodes, subscribe here:
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In this episode, Dr. Sasha Hill and farrier Keith Green CJF AWCF share the stories of how they found their way into equine veterinary medicine and farriery. Sasha reflects on her path from being a 4-H kid and groom to specializing in sports medicine and podiatry, while Keith talks about his transition from crop farming to working with horses full-time.
They discuss how collaboration became central to their work, highlighting the importance of clear communication, mutual respect, and preventive care in keeping horses sound. They also touch on their involvement with the NAEP, the opportunities it provides for continuing education, and why bringing different practitioners together matters so much for the future of the horse industry.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Learn more about the NAEP and their Conference here:
www.thenaep.com
From his beginnings in Scotland to shoeing Derby winner Desert Crown, Ian Alexander Nixon shares the journey that’s taken him to some of the sport’s most prestigious yards. We talk about working under Simon Curtis, how farriery has shifted into a service-driven industry, the value of apprenticeships, and his approach to handling high-energy horses. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.
For full length epsiodes subscribe here:
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Nick Harvey, a farrier based in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, shares his journey from wanting to be a cowboy to building a successful farriery career. He talks about the lessons learned working with thoroughbreds in a racing stable, transitioning to a mixed clientele, and the importance of adapting hoof care to seasonal changes. He also touches on managing lameness, setting client expectations, and why less is often more when it comes to trimming.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
In this episode, Spud Allison shares stories from a career that’s taken him from his forge in Warwickshire to horse shows and competitions around the world. He reflects on the changes he’s seen in shoemaking, what it takes to keep standards high, and how he’s passing those lessons on. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
This week, we’re joined by Ben Schroeder, CJF, who shares how his interest in horseshoeing started as a kid on his aunt’s dairy farm and eventually turned into a full-blown career. From early mentors like Lee Olsen and Aaron Lohmann to working across Wisconsin, Colorado, and Texas, Ben talks about the ups, downs, and everything in between. He also shares what it’s like helping behind the scenes at the Chattanooga convention, and why staying connected to the farrier community means so much to him. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Farriers from the pleasure horse and race horse worlds rarely find themselves in the same place to have a chat. In this episode, I speak with Gavin Moody AWCF of the legendary Racehorse community of Newmarket in England. Gavin explains his philosophies of shoeing thoroughbred race horses and dispels many of the myths and misconceptions that exist about that industry. We also cover Gavin’s journey through the higher level exams, what compelled him to do them, and how it has benefitted him and the horses he shoes everyday. Join me for a wide ranging and thoughtful conversation with this incredible farrier! To support the podcast and access full length episodes, please click the link below: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
Tune in to our latest episode featuring a panel discussion from last year’s AFA Convention with multi-farrier practice owners sharing what it takes to run a thriving, sustainable business.
From training apprentices and setting high standards, to pay structures, legal logistics, and how to handle mistakes - nothing was off the table.
Hear from: - Kayla & Lyle Shepherd (Tennessee) - Lee Olsen (Texas) - Jason Critton (Colorado)
Whether you're a solo farrier or dreaming of scaling up, this conversation is packed with real talk, hard-won advice, and a reminder that mentorship and community matter more than ever.
Special Bonus Episode!
For over 30 years now Heartland Horseshoeing School has been producing high calibre farriers and educating seasoned ones. I managed to get Kelly, Chris, and Cody to sit still for a brief period during the weekend anniversary celebration to discuss the past, present and future of their incredible school. From its humble beginnings, to Cody’s childhood working alongside his folks, to what it takes to become a successful Heartlander, we cover a lot of ground in this episode.
I hope you enjoy it…
As much as I did.
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From a South Dakota ranch to a successful haul-in practice in Texas, Lee Olsen shares the journey that shaped him into the farrier he is today. In this episode, we dive into his roots, work ethic, mentorship, business evolution, and the importance of balance in life and work.
Lee also opens up about the farriers who’ve inspired him, his unique four-year apprenticeship program, and why giving back to the farrier community matters more than ever.
For access to full episodes, subscribe here:
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In this episode I sit down with Jason Critton CJF TE AWCF at the 2024 AFA Convention and we discuss all things horseshoeing. Many know Jason because of his very successful multi-farrier practice in Colorado but that is just the tip of the iceberg. His challenge oriented personality lead him to successfully pursue his AWCF and we discuss the intense regime of practice and studying he held himself to in preparation for the exam. We also discuss: his journey from Engineering student to full fledged farrier, work life balance, his methods for shoeing horses on fibre footing, stories of the mentors who helped him on his way, and many other topics. Be prepared to be inspired by Jason's contagious enthusiasm for our trade.
For access to the full episode subscribe here:
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Ever wondered what it takes to become a military farrier? In this episode, we’re joined by instructors from the Defense Animal Training Regiment at Melton Mowbray - Sergeant Stuart Wyss, W2 Adam Cooper, and Mark Neal - who share their unique paths into the trade. From firefighting dreams to ceremonial roles, their stories highlight the grit, skill, and camaraderie behind one of the most intense farrier training programs out there. Subscribe for full length epsiodes here: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
In this week's episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast, I sit down with Alex Mercer, a military-trained farrier from Leicestershire, England. Alex shares his journey from the King’s Troop to civilian practice, competing internationally, launching his own tool business, and teaching the next generation of farriers.
Tune in to hear about his experiences, the evolution of farrier practices, and the incredible support within the farrier community!
Subscribe today for full episodes:
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From apprenticeship to Assiociate, Stephen Britten has built an incredible career as a farrier, working in the UK . In this episode, he shares his journey - from learning under top mentors, to his journey through the US with the Cultural Exchange, to navigating the mental and physical challenges of the trade. We dive into the cultural differences in farriery, the importance of continual learning, and what it takes to run a successful business.
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In this episode, Certified Journeyman Farrier Paeden Underwood shares his journey from ranch horses in Nevada to building a successful farriery business in Portland, Oregon.
Paeden dives into the lessons he's learned along the way - from seeking mentorship and mastering hoof anatomy to balancing confidence with humility. He also touches on the challenges of managing client expectations, running a financially sustainable business, and making time for family.
Plus, he gives us a sneak peek into his upcoming podcast Stoic and Steel, where he'll highlight extraordinary stories from everyday people.
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From apprentice to expert. In this episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast, we sit down with Marc Jerram, a highly qualified farrier from the UK, to dive into his incredible career journey.
Marc shares his experiences working around the world, his research on limb loading and gait analysis, and his approach to therapeutic farriery. Plus, he offers valuable insights into shoeing techniques and discusses his book designed for both farriers and horse owners.
Tune in for a masterclass in farriery - Subscribe to the Premium feed for access to full episodes: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com/
In this week’s episode, Christian Roy shares his incredible path from Quebec welder to professional farrier. Starting with his own horses in 1989, he honed his craft through mentorship, competition, and hands-on experience to build a thriving career. Despite challenges, Chris continues to give back - mentoring apprentices, judging competitions, and staying deeply involved in the industry. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, expertise, and the evolution of a true craftsman!
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In this special episode, Katie Panos, a certified journeyman farrier from Brooklyn, Connecticut, shares her journey from being a burnt-out lab researcher to a passionate farrier. Katie speaks to the supportive community she has found within the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) as well as her involvement in the AFA research committee, where she’s helping to make incredible things happen.
Tune in to hear her full story!
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In this week’s episode, I sit down with Kelvin Lymer of Worcestershire, England. Involved with horses as a child, Kelvin expressed interest to his farrier at the age of 11, sparking a lifelong career which included being the Team Farrier for the British Endurance Team. From competition and collaboration to innovation using 3D printers - tune in to discover how he’s transforming traditional methods with cutting-edge technology.
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In this episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast, I sit down with Paige Poss, the Master Horse Digit Dissector from Tucson, Arizona. Paige shares her incredible journey—from her early days trimming and learning from horses in need to becoming a sought-after educator and collaborator in the world of hoof care.
Discover how challenges with her own laminitic horse sparked a passion for deeper learning, leading to impactful collaborations like her work with Jenny Edwards. Paige shares invaluable insights, opening up about teaching and balancing work with passion.
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This week, Danny Elliott, a skilled farrier from North Yorkshire and the man behind the Silverback Chap Company shares his career journey. Danny talks about how his sister's connection to horses and subsequent loss of interest shaped his path, the challenges he faced during his apprenticeship, and what it takes to build a reputation in the farrier community.
He also discusses the balance between work and personal life, the story behind his Silverback Chap Company, and the importance of mentorship and continuous learning.
Tune in to hear Danny’s thoughtful insights and experiences in the farrier world.
click the link below to subscribe for whole episodes
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From growing up with horses in Danville, Illinois, to earning numerous farrier certifications including CJF, TE and AWCF, Steve Sermersheim shares his journey of dedication, mentorship, and lifelong learning.
When his brother left horseshoeing, Steve stepped in, taking a crash course in the craft, and never looked back. From competitions and clinics to teaching and mentoring the next generation of farriers, Steve’s story highlights the power of continuous learning and giving back to the community.
Meet Stuart Muir, a dedicated farrier at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, originally from New Zealand, who has traveled the world refining his craft. From sport horses to therapeutic cases, Stuart shares his journey of growth, mentorship, and the challenges of working on high-performance horses.
We dive into his transition to the U.S. with just two suitcases, the evolution of the farrier industry, and his passion for elevating hoof care through innovation and collaboration.
This conversation is packed with insights, heartfelt stories, and a genuine appreciation for the art of farriery. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Tune in to hear about Stuart’s remarkable experiences and his thoughts on the future of the profession.
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Welcome, everyone. I ran into today's guest at the International this year while cheering on her husband Steven and the rest of the English team as they competed their way to the top. While most, if not all, of the farrier world is likely to know the world champion and top toolmaker, Steven Beane, they may not be familiar with his wife, and fellow Canadian, Kathrine who is a mover and shaker in the farrier world in her own right.
Since taking over the daunting task of organizing and running the Masters Cup competition in her home province of Quebec, it has become one of, if not the largest, competitions in Canada, drawing competitors from all over North America and across the pond. We also discussed Kathrine's start in the farrier world, accumulating many mentors along the way, her present, living in England with her new beau, and her future plans with Beanie Tools and life in general.
I appreciate that Kathrine took the time to do this. It was a deeply honest and insightful chat. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Here is a link to sign up for the monthly subscription and the process is fairly simple. Once you subscribe you will receive an email that allows you to open the feed in your preferred podcast player. https://mullinsfarrier.supercast.com/
Visit https://www.mullinsfarrier.com/ for more information.
Today's episode comes out on the eve of the AFA convention, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is a PSA of sorts and will be available to paid and unpaid members of the podcast. I've had this thought for years that people don't appreciate or aren't aware of how much goes on behind the scenes of their associations to make these important entities run as smoothly and efficiently as they do. The two women in this interview play one of the most important roles in that system, but ironically they are so effective at their jobs that we barely think of them. I separately asked both Martha of the American Farriers Association and Holly of the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association a few years ago to do an interview to help their members understand what it is they do and who they are. They both politely brushed me off, but to be fair, I asked them in the midst of their busiest time of year during their respective conventions. Eventually though, they made me a counter offer, an interview with both of them together. It was a brilliant idea. So, as FOCUS was winding down this year, we sat down amidst all of the controlled chaos of the event teardown and had this chat. All of the competition's shoes were in the same room as us, so you will hear them clinking away as Jed Hallam and his team of scorekeepers inventoried and put them away. Thanks to my hosts at the BFBA, I had the opportunity to do so many fantastic interviews at FOCUS this year. You will hear those in the coming months. My face hurt the most from laughing at this one though. The bond between Martha and Holly is clearly strong and reflective of the bond between the AFA and the BFBA, which has benefited all of their respective members and the trade as a whole. So, if you're at convention this year and see either of these two incredible women, please thank them for all that they do for us or call or email them to do the same, just not in the week leading up to Convention or Focus. They're a bit busy then. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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For this episode, I've come to realize that after years of interviewing fellow farriers, I struggle at interviewing the suppliers in our business.
I think it's because I don't know enough of the background of that world to ask the right questions. Due to these struggles, this interview ended up being a shorter format than my typical long form. But in the end, I hope I was able to do Steve and his company justice in telling his story about a brand we are all familiar with in the farrier world.
You will hear the familiar tinging of anvils in the background as we recorded this down at Vern Powell's Puerto Vallarta clinic in Mexico last year. I hope to see him again this year on the same trip. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Today's guest has played a large role in helping a group of super keen Mexican farriers to better themselves and pursue the AFA exam. I met Ellie-May Buckland on my first trip to England. She introduced herself and said, I hear you're joining us in Puerto Vallarta this year. I was indeed and got to spend a lot of time getting to know her on that trip. I tried multiple times to get her to do an interview, but to no avail. But ask anyone with a restraining order on me, and they'll tell you I am persistent. Last December in Mexico, we finally had that conversation. Ellie-May drops so many tidbits of wisdom during this chat. We talked a lot about setting client boundaries and adhering to them. As well as maintaining a healthy work-life balance. So typical, it's the seemingly quiet folks who have all the best advice to share once you get them talking. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome, everyone. Well, I'm about at the midpoint of my English farrier tour, had a great time at Focus and The International, and got a lot of fantastic interviews done. Stay tuned for those. As it goes at that type of event, I had a lot of fun and interesting conversations with fellow farriers, both on and off the mic.
My esteemed tour guide, Danny Bennett, took me with him to Hereford College and I got to spend some time with the students in the Forge and the classroom. It's hard not to be envious of the facility and the program that they get to attend there. As an added bonus, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, was visiting the college at the same time and I got to meet and converse with him on his tour of the Forge. It doesn't get more British than that.
For those who haven't heard Danny's episode with me on the Lockdown Farriery podcast, I'm sticking around England for a little longer to attempt the associate exam of the Worshipful Company of Farriers. I've been prepping for it for a few years now. But this year, I've been focusing a lot of effort on it. With multiple trips down to the Heartland to get lots of help from Chris and Cody, and then attending a Jonathan Nunn clinic down there as well. I was also fortunate enough to get Danny to fly over to Canada for some of his tutelage as well. I can't emphasize enough how much going through the process of pursuing certification and higher level exams has done for me. It's the challenge, the learning, the progress, and it's the people. I have had so many people offer me help, insights, and tools in big ways and small. The Farrier family is a real thing, and they go out of their way to help you out when you show some effort and keenness to learn.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me out on this journey. There are way too many of you to name, but all of your help has been appreciated. All of this is a great segue into my conversation with today's guest, an examiner for the AFA, David Sierra. David and I met on Vern Powell's Puerto Vallarta trip, where many of the farriers down there in Mexico were taking their AFA exams.
Ask anyone about David Sierra in the farrier world, and they all have nothing but kind words and praise. After finally getting to meet him myself, I understand why. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. Before we start today, I wanted to have a discussion about mental health. Just this summer in Ontario, we had two farriers take their own lives. Over the relatively brief time that I've been a farrier, this has occurred far too many times. I know from discussions I've had with many of my friends and peers that it does seem to be getting tougher out there. My friend Mike Mehak wrote a very well worded Facebook post about how it's the people, not the horses, who make this job so tough. These are Mike's words. The people are what cause us to put a tremendous amount of stress upon ourselves. The people are the ones who have unrealistic expectations, who assign blame, who bring on guilt. I couldn't agree more. I have experienced a great deal more of this in my own practice this year, and while I am extremely fortunate to have a full book of fantastic clients, unfortunately, it's the minority of squeaky wheels who have made themselves stand out. This time of year with show season peaking, and horses breaking, the tensions are high. For farriers and vets, it feels like we are constantly being bombarded from all sides. Mike's post offers a solution that he has come up with and that is social engagement - going to clinics, courses, certifications. He says it's not just the learning that he's there for, it's the camaraderie and conversation. There truly is something about being able to converse about our shared experiences that thwarts the feelings of isolation. As someone who has struggled personally with mental health issues for most of my life, the loss of any of my peers really hits close to home. There is nothing wrong with seeking professional help. I myself have used a therapist for many years. Sometimes you need more than a fellow farrier's ear. Sometimes you need to call in the pros. The people who've been trained to listen and to help you come up with solutions. You'd be surprised how many of your peers have already gone this route. Now, I'd like to ask you all to do me a favour. We can all think of someone, a farrier or vet, who has seemed a little distant lately, someone you suspect has been having a difficult time. Please reach out to these people and ask how they're doing, but not in the surface stuff niceties way. Really ask them. We're all in this together and we can be a source of support for each other. When I say take care of yourselves and each other out there, this is exactly what I'm talking about. All this said, there is an event coming up soon that many of your peers will be at, The BFBA Focus 2024 and the Stoneleigh International. There will be tons of vendors, lectures, demos, and a world class competition all in one place and all in one weekend at the end of September, Go to https://www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk/event/bfba-focus-2024/ to register.
I met today's guest at that very event last year, and we sat down and had a chat. As you will hear, no dust settles on Jim, and resting on laurels is just not his style. We discuss his time competing for the Welsh team during the record breaking streak at Stoneleigh, his multi farrier practice, and, of course, his world renowned tool and farrier supply business. The theme of independence runs strongly through Jim's entire story, and I bet you'll be as inspired as I was by the end of it. It was a genuine pleasure getting to know this man. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone! A little shopkeeping before we start. The BFBA's Focus and the Stoneleigh International are coming up at the end of this month. If you haven't already heard my most recent episode on the 2022 Focus and International, give that one a listen and it'll give you a pretty good idea as to what you can expect over there.
Both are truly world class events and definitely worth attending. This will be my third year in a row heading out there and I find myself just as excited now as I was on the first trip. Go to www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk for more details. I hope to see you there.
Just a reminder that my friend Brandon Paulson, with his passion project Shod With Love, will be hosting an upcoming event. Shod With Love is a foundation dedicated to assisting individuals pursuing an education in hoof care. They aim to generate funding through events and donations to provide financial aid for farrier schools and certifications. Shod With Love's first event will be a clinic and contest this October 11th and 12th with the legendary Mike Poe. Enjoy the crisp fall weather and beautiful foliage in the upper valley of New Hampshire while learning and competing amongst your peers. Visit www.shodwithlove.com for more details. Now I should say that I first met Brandon Paulson in the Heartland during his journey to achieve his certified farrier certification with the AFA. Brandon is just one of the many cool people that I have met through doing that journey myself and that certification process exists due to the mostly unrecognized efforts and sacrifices of many folks like the gentleman you're about to hear. Craig Stark is the Chairman of the Certification Committee of the AFA and I got to spend some quality time with Craig and his wife, Emily down in Mexico during Vern Powell's Puerto Vallarta clinic. We bonded pretty quickly over conversations about mountain biking and certification and I had a great time getting to know them both. As the clinic was drawing to a close, Craig and I found a somewhat quiet corner and had this chat.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome, everyone. We are less than a month away from the BFBA's Focus Convention and the International at Stoneleigh. It's not too late to pre order your tickets online, and I highly recommend doing so after bearing witness to the record long queues last year for people who waited to purchase theirs at the event. I've been told that protocols have been put in place to help shorten those queues. But it's still quicker to use the online option. As I'm sure you've already heard by now, the podcast has moved to a subscription based platform, but this episode will be released in its entirety for everyone. The following is a compilation of all the audio I collected on my first visit to the to the 2022 Focus and Stoneleigh International. It was an incredible experience, to say the least. So much so, that I am returning for my third trip this year. My goal of this episode is to give you some insight as to what the experience is like. As well as some background on what goes on behind the scenes to make everything happen. You'll hear many interviews with core members of the BFBA who work diligently year round to ensure that both events go off without a hitch. I was so impressed by what I saw that I am a paid member of this organization myself. I would encourage you to do the same. There are many benefits to being a member of the BFBA, and now one of those exclusive benefits is having access to two free months of the paid feed of the podcast, which roughly equals to four free episodes when you sign up for the BFBA. Now, admittedly the audio format makes it difficult to give you an idea of what the full experience of the Stoneleigh International and Focus are all about, but I'm going to give it the Boy Scouts try. I hope you enjoy these conversations. As much as I did. Get Your Tickets Here: https://webcollect.org.uk/bfba/event/bfba-focus-2024 BFBA Memberships: https://www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk/membership/ Here is a link to sign up for the monthly subscription and the process is fairly simple. Once you subscribe you will receive an email that allows you to open the feed in your preferred podcast player. https://mullinsfarrier.supercast.com/
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Today's guest is a mover and shaker in the farrier world whose efforts have received a lot of well deserved attention this past year. She's a brand ambassador for Mustad and recently had a feature article about her in the Equine Living in the Bluegrass magazine.
Last year, Meghan traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico as one of the clinicians in Vern Powell's crew. It was here that I was finally able to sit down with this ambitious woman to have a chat. Please excuse the constant construction noises in the background. This was the quietest spot we could find on the resort at the time.
As usual, the crew at Canopy River were busy making the resort bigger and better than the year previous. As you will hear, Meghan is the type of person who has found her purpose through helping others, whether it be through her first career as a social worker or her second helping horses. Throughout the interview and the Perto Vallarta trip, it was a great opportunity to get to know Meghan and what she's all about. A devoted mother and a passionate farrier, she somehow achieves the balance with humor and grace. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Today's guest, is another gentleman from across the pond. You probably heard Haydn mentioned before quite fondly by Ben Benson in his episode. Haydn has even been a guest as a panelist from a discussion I recorded at Focus a couple of years back. I've had several folks explain to me the influence that Hayden has had on the farrier trade in the UK. I believe our Tech Bro counterparts in the Silicon Valley would refer to him as a disruptor.
He took some traditionally held precepts about shoeing and flipped them on their head. You'll hear him discuss a few of these in his own words in the following conversation. Clearly his methodology worked as he eventually went on to be the lead consultant farrier for 20 years to the British Equestrian Federation. He served as the lead farrier for Team GB, whose results on the world equestrian stage have spoken for themselves. Haydn is one of those folks whose energy is contagious and his passion for what he does is palpable. We covered a lot of ground but I feel like we could have done a whole other interview and maybe we will someday.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
This episode marks the first episode of our new subscription feed. Here is a link to sign up for the monthly subscription and the process is simple. Once you subscribe you will receive an email that allows you to open the feed in your preferred podcast player. https://mullinsfarrier.supercast.com/
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HOOF BALANCE 3 WEBINAR Live Webinar + Video Recording
SPEAKERS: Simon Curtis, Matthew Jones, Mark Trussler, David Nicholls
TOPIC: Four methods for foot balance
DATE: Wednesday 4 September
You get a 30% discount on tickets! There is also a limited number of “Early Bird” price tickets available which will give you a double discount when you use the links in this email.
- You must book before the Early Bird end date 21 August to get the double discount *
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/965840564127/?discount=MULLINS
Welcome everyone. I met today's guest at Stoneleigh at the same time I met one of our previous guests, James Todd. As you will hear, James and Mark are great friends, and I was happy we managed to get both of them in for an interview. It was not planned, but I found it interesting that this guest and our last one both had hard learned lessons about listening to your body when it tells you to settle down a bit.
Alan and Mark said that after years of not listening, their bodies made the message clear. Fortunately, with some medical intervention, patience, and next level perseverance, they both have been able to come back to the career they love.
I'm sure by now you've noticed a trend in all of the Stoneleigh episodes where everybody seems to mention this Stephen Hill character. He pops up in Mark's story as well and if you haven't already heard his interview, it was released just a couple episodes ago. It was great getting to know Mark, and he shares some fantastic stories spanning his long career as a mentor to many. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
This marks our last episode before we move to the subscription model.
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Welcome, everyone. I first met today's guest at Spruce Meadows in Alberta. I had just arrived at the beautiful and expansive grounds and could not find a single staff member to direct me to Craig's competition tent. Always friendly and eager to help, Alan immediately stood up, and despite being sore from his recent back surgery, led me to where the competition was being held. We had a couple of great conversations that day, and when we met up again in Cincinnati at the Hoof Care Summit, I convinced Alan to do an interview. In it, he shares some really hard earned lessons on taking care of your body, as well as the value of chasing certifications, even if you're well into your career when you start the process. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
I have to say I've been blown away by the many messages of support I've received in response to my announcement about the podcast moving to a subscription model. We are still setting up the infrastructure, so by next episode I will be able to tell you how to sign up and we'll have links posted on all the socials.
As I said before, I don't want someone's financial situation to hinder them from having access to our content. So, if you're an apprentice already barely scraping by, or find yourself in a tough financial spot no matter what stage of your career, please reach out on Facebook Messenger and we will get you access.
And as I said before, even after August 12th, all listeners will still have access to the whole catalog of episodes we have published up to that point. Thanks again to everyone for your support in this big change. Your messages were encouraging and exactly what I needed to hear.
Welcome everyone. Stephen Hill FWCF came highly recommended by many farriers in England while I was there for Stoneleigh. Thanks to an introduction from Jamie Hughes, I was able to sit down with him and do this interview. You will notice this common theme from many of the interviews that I did there, wherein the guests and I go into deep detail about certain shoeing concepts. While Stephen alludes to the fact that audio probably isn't the best platform for describing some of these three dimensional concepts, he and many of the other guests are so articulate in describing what they're talking about that it's pretty easy for us to see in our minds what it is they're describing. This is one you're going to want to pause and rewind several times to gather all the information that Stephen shares here. I know I have. This was a lot of fun, and I learned a ton. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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I have run into today's guest several times over the years and unfortunately, our exchanges have always been brief. I was looking forward to getting to know Steffi better at Vern Powell's Puerto Vallarta clinic in Mexico, but I missed one trip and she missed the other. We finally connected at last year's Stoneleigh for long enough to be able to sit down and do this interview. As you will hear, Steffi started her shoeing career with very little knowledge and very few tools. Through her ability to network, she found herself a world full of mentors once she set her sights on the certification process through the AFA. It is incredible to hear how much she sacrificed, and how much grit and determination carried her through that process, so that she was eventually able to achieve her CF. She's an inspiration and a force to be reckoned with. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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I met these two characters a couple of years back at my very first Stoneleigh. They played a very key role in all aspects of the competition and Focus. They helped set it up, run it, and tear it down and they stayed until the very last case had been packed up. As you will hear, Sam has a family background in theater production. So he is the reason we could all see underneath that giant canopy. He set up all the lights and ran all the audio for the announcements. Every morning before we arrived, Jamie Hughes was there ahead of us, and had all the fires lit and ready to go for the competition that day. Last year, Danny was busy with his duties as the chief steward, so he put Jamie in charge of helping me to retrieve and schedule guests, as well as just overall keeping me watered and fed.
Over the past couple of years it has been fun to get to know these two characters. Whenever they work together, the banter is unending and always comical. So, I thought, let's put them together and do an interview. I will say the cutting room floor was covered when we were done editing this one. We just took out a few parts to protect the identities of those involved in the stories of their debauchery. Fear not though, we still left a lot in. Please excuse the occasional cuss word here and there if you're sensitive to that. Overall though, we covered the gamut of horseshoeing, from silly to serious. It is always a pleasure to run into these two gentlemen, and I look forward to next year. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. As you will hear, I met Jim Hayter a few times by this point through my travels across the pond to Stoneleigh, as well as at the World Championships in Calgary. Each time he was accompanied by his son, George. As will become quite clear during the interview, Jim is quite proud of his son and all that he has accomplished. When you speak to George, the endearing thing is, that streak runs both ways. While I haven't had an opportunity to sit down and interview George, I foresee that happening the next time our paths cross. While Jim was quite busy with his duties as the judge for the apprentice teams, he still managed to whittle off a little bit of time for us to sit down and have this chat. It was a genuine pleasure to get to know this man a bit better. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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I was introduced to this gentleman under the big competition marquee at Stoneleigh. I had just run into one of my friends, Ellie-May Buckland, whose interview is also in the pipeline, and she said, you should meet James. He would make a great interview. So she made the introduction and without hesitation, James agreed to sit down and have a chat. As you will hear, James's career spans many decades and he lived through the various disruptive changes in the world that threatened the trade of farriery. He also has some interesting insights into the various ways that horses were brought back into popularity. We covered a lot of ground, and it was great to hear his stories. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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I first met Douwe and his wife Naomi on my first trip to Stoneleigh. He was one of the judges that year and understandably quite busy. So while we made plans to do the interview then, it didn't work out. Last year, however, Douwe was back, but this time as part of the Dutch team and he had a little bit more time, so he made it happen. You'll hear us briefly allude to it in the conversation, but there is a great story that exemplifies how tough and determined Douwe is as a competitor.
Through Danny Bennett's military-like leadership as the chief steward, he might have even been in the military now that I think of it, the volunteers worked diligently to get the competition arena set up early on the afternoon before so the teams could practice. Team Holland was one of the first to arrive and take advantage of this.
Douwe was building a shoe with a striker and something went wrong with the rhythm, causing his hammer to recoil off the sledgehammer and hit him right in the face below the eye. I just happened to be watching as it occurred. Everyone stopped and held their breath. Douwe's striker looked horrified. Douwe touched his face and asked, Is there blood?
His partner shook his head and said no. And Douwe said, "Okay, good. Let's go" and carried on. Needless to say, if I ever end up in a bar fight, I hope this man is on my side. During our conversation, we touched on several topics, including how he and his wife Naomi run two separate shoeing businesses, where they specialize in different areas and use different shoeing techniques. We talk about their bad run of luck after the previous year's Stoneleigh with a house fire, and we talk about his unique side hustle that brought him to North America long before he started competing on this side of the pond. Anyway, it's always a pleasure to run into this man and I'm glad we were able to do this.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. I'm trying to recall the first time I met this gentleman. I've known him by reputation for years and unfortunately missed a clinic he had put on up in Ontario here a few years back. Everyone who attended had great things to say, so I suffered a sufficient dose of FOMO from missing that one.
I finally managed to catch up with Derek Poupard at Stoneleigh last year, and with the help of my esteemed assistant Jamie Hughes, we scheduled him for an interview. The farrier world seems to attract innovators, and Derek is among the more successful of those. His creation of the 3D pads has created quite a stir throughout the farrier world.
We discussed how his shoeing career took him all over the world. And how his 3D pads are only one of his many inventions. And, he's still innovating, so there will be more to come. Derek's enthusiasm and creative spirit were quite infectious. It was a great pleasure to get to spend some time with this inspiring man.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Today's guest has played an important role in having me over to Stoneleigh the past couple of years, so I could interview farriers from across the pond, promote the BFBA's Focus Convention, and of course, spend some quality time with my podcast bro, Danny Bennett.
As you will hear, Ben is a busy man with a lot of irons in the fire. From his position as a consultant for Team GB and one of the lead farriers for the London, Rio, and Tokyo Olympics, to his tenure as the president of the BFBA, working with his talented team to grow the BFBA Focus into its largest event ever in 2023, And his work running his farrier practice near Banbury in Oxfordshire.
He's a hard man to pin down for any length of time. It only took me two trips across the pond to snag him for an hour and have this conversation. One of the highlights for me is when we really dig into his thoughts on shoeing the hind feet of performance horses for their various disciplines. The result was a lot of practical takeaways and concepts to ponder. Ben's time spent under the tutelage of Haydn Price, as well as his tenure working as a consultant for Team GB, has offered him a very unique vantage point to see these concepts at work in the real world. Anyway, I learned a lot from this gentleman, and I hope you too enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
I finally got to meet the legendary Sarah-Mary Brown at this year's International at Stoneleigh. Because he was so busy being the chief steward, Danny Bennett left me in the capable hands of Jamie Hughes to arrange guests and keep the interviews coming. I was listing off my wish list of potential guests to Jamie and when I said Sarah Brown, he stopped me instantly and walked away. Seconds later, he came back with Sarah in tow and she agreed to do the interview. As you will hear, Sarah has an infectiously positive attitude when it comes to all aspects of farriery. Whether it's learning, competing, or pursuing higher level exams, her enthusiasm is quite apparent. Anyway, it was an honour to get to sit and chat with this very talented woman.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Today's episode is another one that came out of my visit to the World Championship Blacksmiths competition in Calgary, Alberta.
I got to meet Todd for the first time in person while we were both in the periphery of the WCB tent watching as the competitors had their goes. Todd agreed to do an interview and we found a quiet spot up on the balcony of the farrier's lounge and as soon as I pressed record, music started playing and announcements were made in the speakers overhead. I apologize for some of the noise. As you will hear, Todd and I had a wide ranging conversation, covering everything from his apprenticeship with the infamous Poor family, his multiple experiences as a member of the American Farriers team and the WCB team, and his decision to step back from competing to focus on his young and growing family.
For Todd, it has been an incredible journey, and it isn't over yet. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome, everyone. This interview comes to you once again from Calgary, Alberta at the World Championship Blacksmith's Competition. As I'm sure you've already gathered, I collected a lot of great interviews from my short visit there. I came home with a memory card full of them and this one is no exception. It is unique, however, in that this is the first interview I've done with a blacksmith and as you will hear, blacksmiths can be just as passionate as we are discussing the nuances and intricacies of doing what they do with metal. As you will hear, Dustin donated his beautiful wrought iron hammers as the top ten prizes for the competition.
We do a very deep dive into the unique processes that Dustin uses to create these beautiful hammers, and how he tries to stay as stubbornly close to the traditional methods that would have been used way back when. I'm fairly certain that a lot of you traditional shoemakers out there will find yourselves in agreement with many of Dustin's philosophies.
For me, his willingness to unselfishly share trade secrets put Dustin in a league with many of the great shoeing mentors that we know of out there. Anyway, I had a great time getting to know this gentleman, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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This episode comes out one week after the HoofCare Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio was held. I spent all four days there and it was great getting to catch up with old friends and meeting new ones. This episode, however, was recorded at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, during the Blacksmith World Championships.
Alex was there with a couple of his fellow countrymen from Switzerland, competing as individuals for the title of World Champion. I had just met Alex the year before at Stoneleigh, competing with those same individuals as a team. As you will hear, Alex is no stranger to North America and has spent some time here visiting with other farriers.
His easy and outgoing nature seems to help him make friends everywhere he goes, including even famous ones like Hank Chisholm and his wife Stephanie, who just returned from a vacation out there, hosted by Alex and his fellow teammates. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Today's interview comes from the World Championships in Calgary, Alberta. I had heard about Chad Lausen for years and was happy to finally meet him in England a couple of years back, preparing for Stoneleigh. He was busy with the team prepping, so we didn't have a chance to do the interview there. After his go in Calgary though, we had some time to chat. I enjoyed hearing Chad's personal and unique philosophies on a lot of topics including business, marketing, and competition. As you will hear, he is also someone who likes to get involved in making the trade better. And in that spirit, since this recording, he became the president of the Western Canadian Farriers Association. I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes there. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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00:00 Introduction and Background 00:04 The Importance of Mental Game in Horse Care 00:39 The Art of Pricing in Horse Care 00:54 The Role of the Western Canadian Farriers Association 01:18 The Importance of Continuous Learning in Horse Care 01:44 Interview with Chad Lausen 02:36 Chad's Journey in the Horse Care Industry 03:03 The Importance of Community in the Horse Care Industry 04:33 Chad's Apprenticeship Program 08:56 The Importance of Being Coachable 10:05 Chad's Approach to Business and Work-Life Balance 12:17 Chad's Journey in the Horse Care Industry 15:33 Chad's Approach to Teaching and Apprenticeship 17:28 Chad's Experience in Rodeo and its Influence on His Career 26:12 Chad's Approach to Avoiding Burnout 27:15 Chad's Experience in Competitions 31:50 Chad's Tool Making Business 33:59 The Art of Knife Making 34:43 Balancing Craftsmanship and Podcasts 35:08 The Business Side of Farriery 36:32 The Importance of Profitable Business 37:37 The Value of Quality Work and Marketing 39:04 Promoting the Farrier Industry 39:17 The Journey Towards Certification 40:31 The Importance of Competitions and Certifications 41:54 The Impact of Apprenticeships 44:26 The Importance of Business Knowledge 46:36 The Stratum Tectorium: Short Answer Questions 47:33 The Importance of Sponsors and Competitions 01:03:11 The Importance of Stretching and Exercise 01:03:29 The Importance of Passion in Your Career
In this podcast, our guest, James Findler of Langley, British Columbia, shares his expansive career as a farrier with us. From his early days of finding passion in horseshoeing, honing his skills, and competing at world-class levels to mentoring future farriers, James shares his experiences, challenges, and achievements. He also discusses the importance of continuous learning, the mental aspects of the job, the evolution of the farrier industry, and his advice for the younger generation. James emphasizes the significance of preparing well in advance, valuing quality over speed, and not only focusing on the present task but also looking ahead when shoeing horses.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
03:05 First Encounter with James Findler
03:31 James Findler's Experience at the World Championships
03:56 The Early Days of Horseshoeing
04:09 The Formation of the First Canadian Horseshoeing Team
04:46 The Influence of Legends
06:47 The Journey to Becoming a Farrier
15:51 The Importance of Proper Horseshoeing
19:11 The Impact of Competing at a Higher Level
24:51 The Honor of Judging at Major Competitions
26:17 Preparing for the Big Moment
26:55 Dealing with Pressure and Nerves
28:03 The Power of Preparedness
28:14 The Importance of Focus and the 'Zone'
29:55 The Role of Apprentices and Team Members
30:56 Advice for the Younger Generation
31:17 The Joy of the Farrier Industry
32:24 The Evolution of the Farrier Industry
34:18 The Stratum Tectorium: Short Answer Questions
39:16 The Future: Retirement and Beyond
39:44 The Challenges and Rewards of Being a Farrier
46:19 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude
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Welcome everyone. This episode comes from me a week after getting back from Vern Powell's brainchild, the Farrier Clinic in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This year, yet again, was an incredible experience with meeting many new friends and getting to hang out with old ones. I got another bunch of great interviews done, so stay tuned for those in the new year.
Today's episode was recorded in Calgary at the World Championships, where I finally got to meet one of my heroes. Thanks to a nudge from Spud Allison, another legend I hope to get on here at some point, I was able to convince him to do an interview. As with all of the legends that I get an opportunity to sit and have a chat with, I left this conversation feeling like I wish we had had more time.
As you will hear, Bob Marshall is full of great stories, and I feel like we just scratched the surface on what he has to share. But then again, how do you fit a lifetime into just an hour? All that said, it was an honour to get to spend some time with this gentleman. Here's an early Christmas present for you all.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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I met today's guest many years ago in the Heartland, when he was practicing quite a bit with Cody Gregory.
More recently, I've run into him a bunch, at Stoneleigh, the AFA convention, and in Calgary at the World Championships. Adam was always so busy competing at these events that we never had a chance to sit down and do an interview. Calgary was finally our chance, and after an earlier round for Adam one day, we went up to the Farrier's Bar at Spruce Meadows and sat on the balcony overlooking the trade show hall. Unfortunately, the music and ambient noise intruded on the recording and drowned out Adam a bit. Not to worry though, Heather over at Twisted Spur Media worked her magic and there are only a few instances where Adam's voice sounds a little bit distorted. Almost like the audio version of an over-pixelated picture. Don't worry though, ladies, overall, Adam's smooth southern voice comes through loud and clear. As you will hear, he is full of wisdom, and there were a ton of quotable lines from him. One of my personal favorites is that, "As farriers, we live life at 90". I think that should be put on a t-shirt or something. I was also quite inspired by his concept of improving 1 percent each day and how over 365 days, that's a lot of improvement. This concept of marginal gains came up in quite a few of my interviews at Stoneleigh this year as well. I guess if so many top competitors and prevalent farriers are all talking about it, there must be something to it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. A little shopkeeping before we start. Dr. Simon Curtis is hosting his last webinar of the year on December 6th. It's called the Hough Rehab Webinar with Marty Sala and Paige Posse. For tickets to this event, go to www.eventbrite.co.uk and look up the Hoof Rehab Webinar with Dr. Simon Curtis.
And don't forget to enter Mullins as the discount code at checkout. This episode is being released just after hosting my good friend Cody Gregory for a one-day forging clinic at Andrew DeVisser's shop in Paris, Ontario and then a two-day whole horse dissection at the McKee-Pownall Clinic in Schomburg, Ontario. As usual, Cody knocked it out of the park with both clinics. Cody is the king of full immersion, and Equine Anatomy has been one of his deep dives. About 40 whole horse dissections later, he has teaching it down to an art. If you're interested in setting up one for your own association or group, I would highly recommend reaching out to him. Go to www.codygregoryllc.com and send him a message through his site.
Today's interview comes from my time spent at Stoneleigh this year, and we've released it first in the queue of many interviews I did there because of its topical nature. You may recognize Tom Smith's voice from the episode I did with the Farriers Registration Council last year. As the chair of the council, Tom has a unique perspective on the controversy surrounding the diploma and higher-level exams in England through the Worshipful Company of Farriers. I would highly recommend that you listen to both the FRC and the Worshipful Company episodes.
If you're not familiar with the organizations and the jobs that they fulfill for farriery in England, then to make you do even more homework, I would point you to the BFBA's website at www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk and search for the press releases on the farriery endpoint assessment updates under the latest news tab. I feel like with this little bit of leg work, you will have a much better understanding of the situation.
Ever since meeting Tom last year, I wanted to sit down with him and understand why he took the often thankless position he has with the FRC and what his journey to become an FWCF was like. After our relatively brief first encounter, my instincts told me that he was going to be an inspiring guest and as you will hear, he did not disappoint. Thoughtful, driven, and not afraid to tackle the hard things, Tom has accomplished many impressive goals. You'll even hear us get a little choked up about our respective truck dogs who recently passed. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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This episode is being released just a week after I arrived back home from Stoneleigh and Farrier Focus. Once again, England took home first prize but it was incredible to watch the American team come so very close to almost upsetting that victory. Once again, I had a fantastic time hanging out with my podcasting buddy, Danny Bennett, and so many other now-familiar friends and faces. Danny was busy this year as the chief steward for The International, so he lined me up with Jamie Hughes as my podcast PA. Jamie was an amazing help, lining up guests, as well as keeping me watered and fed.
You will hear his episode where I interviewed him and his partner in crime Sam Masters in the new year. Today's guest was at Stoneleigh as part of the team representing Sweden. I met him for the first time last year at the International and then again in Calgary where he was competing as an individual at the world championships.
Once he had finished his final go, we sat down and did this interview. It's always a pleasure to run into Johannes. His determination to get better and his brutal honesty are attributes that I always find inspiring whenever I run into him. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. At Focus last year, Ben Benson, the president of the BFBA, approached me about doing a few panel discussions. I hope in the future to be able to interview both of these gentlemen separately at some point, Marc Jerram BSc (Hons) Grad Dip ELR CJF AWCF Master Farrier and Dr. David Marlin BSc (Hons), PhD. As you will hear, they both have a lot of information to share and we only scrape the surface of their knowledge. Maybe I'll catch one of them this year as I head to Focus again today.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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The conversation you're about to hear occurred at the Focus Convention last year at Stoneleigh at the end of October, it isn't too late to buy tickets for this year's Focus Convention, if you do, stop by the Farriers Foundation booth and buy some swag or throw a wet sponge at somebody or whatever activity they have set up this year. As you will hear, it all goes to a very important cause. You will hear me say that there aren't any organizations like this in North America and that isn't completely true. The International Association of Professional Farriers has a program set up for their members, where if somebody gets hurt, a group of their members get together and help them take care of the horses on their books. It's a different program, but it has a similar end result. There may be similar programs throughout North America that I'm not familiar with, and if so, please reach out on social media and let me know about them.
I know in my area, it has always been a very spontaneous thing, but there never seems to be a lack of farriers willing to help each other out, a fact that makes me very proud to be part of this profession. Anyway, this is yet another episode where Danny Bennett and I teamed up to do the interview. As you will hear, these gentlemen are very passionate about their cause and put a lot of work into making it happen. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
The Farriers Foundation https://www.thefarriersfoundation.co.uk/index.htm
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Welcome, everyone. Before we get started, I would like to say a special thank you to the gracious sponsor of this episode's Stratum Tectorium. Outwest Design and Fabrication. You can see all of their beautifully made farrier and vet bodies on full display on their Facebook page. While you're there, maybe just reach out and tell them ~ Thank you for making this episode possible.
Way back in one of the first episodes of the podcast, I had complained to a guest that I was struggling to get my hands on a copy of Chris Gregory's forging book, the one that he had written before his infamous textbook. Shortly thereafter, a stranger I'd never met sent me my own copy. He apparently had two. I've had the great pleasure of meeting this gentleman several times since mostly at the HoofCare Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio where Mike Bagley JIICF, APF-I is a constant fixture at the IAPF's booth in the trade show hall. As you will hear he's a kind and humble man who really wants to give back to the industry that has given him so much.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome, everyone. Well, at this point, the fires have all cooled and the winners have gone home with their medals from the World Championships at Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament in Calgary, Alberta. Today's interview was recorded back at the beginning of the year at the Hoof Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, and you will hear Jack say that competing at the World Championships blacksmith competition was on his bucket list. I'm happy to report that he did make the list. As I'm recording this before heading out there, and before the competition, I apologize, but I can't tell you how he did.
Speaking of international farrier competitions, do you have your flights booked yet for the International at Stoneleigh in England? It's coming up quickly and you might as well attend the focus convention while you're there. Visit www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk for more details.
Today's episode is proudly sponsored by Spencer and his team at Outwest Design and Fabrication, where they build farrier bodies, custom interiors, vet boxes and just about anything else you can come up with. I have seen many of their finished products and spoken to many of their happy clients. So happy in fact that it inspired me to use them for my next project. Check them out on Facebook at Outwest Design and Fabrication.
As you listen to today's guest, you may think that you accidentally changed your podcast app's speed to double time but that's just the speed that Jack Ketel’s mind works. I had only known this man by reputation for the many years that he had been on the Canadian team and it was a true pleasure to finally get to meet him in person and have this conversation. As you will quickly come to realize, dust does not settle on this man and he has a very unique ability to always make life an adventure. I found him quite inspiring, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Today’s episode is proudly sponsored by Outwest Design and Fabrication https://outwest.ca/
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I ran into today's guests at the Hoof Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, where whenever possible they have attended every year as they find continuing education extremely important in their practice. I had first met Connor at this very convention many years before where he introduced me to his father Lance. Those of you who are avid listeners of the podcast will be familiar with Lance's episode from several years back. Unfortunately, we lost Lance just over a year ago, very suddenly and as you will hear, Connor was left with a very large and successful business that he had helped his father to build up over the years. Connor's wife, Ashley joined in to help and now they are a husband and wife team carrying the torch of EquiTerra Ferrier services. For some context, you will hear me mention a horse park and the horse park we're talking about is the infamous Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, where Connor and his father Lance, had been the horse show farriers for many years.
While Connor and Ashley have decided to focus their efforts more on their private practice and are no longer working for the horse show, you will hear how their unique experience of working there for so many years has really shaped their practice. They have seen some of the best jumper shoeing from all over the world and sometimes not the best, and they got to see that shoeing in practice at one of the most prestigious horse shows in the world.
As with many of the incredible guests I've been fortunate enough to have on the podcast, Ashley Connor and I have become quite good friends. I always look forward to running into them at the various farrier events that bring us from across the country to the same locale. They are incredibly kind, thoughtful, and always yearning for more knowledge.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Simon Curtis Grip and Purchase webinar Promo Code MULLINS
FBA Focus 2023
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Welcome everyone. I've got a few items in the shopkeeping portion for you here. First of all, the BFBA Focus 2023 tickets are now available for sale.
There are live demonstrations as well as a very large trade show. Go to forgeandfarrier.co.uk For more details, just click on the BFBA Focus 2023 link. I hope to see you there.
The folks at the Canadian Equine Hoof Care Association wanted me to let you know that they have an event going on September 30th to October 2nd called The Evolution in Whole Horse Soundness. This is a conference for all hoof care professionals, equine industry professionals, students and owners. On October 2nd there's a bonus wet lab for members only. For more information, go to canadianequinehoofcare.com/conference
The end of September is a busy time. There is also the Ontario Farriers Association's Convention, September 28th to the 30th. Riley Kirkpatrick is the keynote speaker and the judge for the contest.
As I'm sure you saw on our social media feeds, we had an auction last week. Today's guest farrier and toolmaker extraordinaire, Tyler Joos donated one of his handmade hammers for us to raise money for the podcast. Thank you to everybody who bid on the hammer. A special thank you goes out to Payden Underwood who had the highest bid.
My good friend Andrew DeVisser, who you know from several episodes on this podcast, gave me a call and he said, you need to talk to Tyler Joos. As you'll hear in the interview. Tyler reached out to Andrew for some business advice. They have corresponded many times since, and Andrew hasn't led me astray yet. So I put Tyler on the hit list and low and behold, Tyler reached out to me. I wasn't aware, but he's an avid listener of the podcast and he wanted to support the podcast in his own unique way, hence the auction for the hammer.
Now, Tyler is one of those people where anytime his name comes up, everyone has nothing but nice things to say about him. Salt of the earth is actually a term I've heard used to describe him several times. At one point in the interview, you're going to hear Tyler talk about a time where a customer wasn't happy with one of his hammers. So Tyler made a new one and sent it off to him, and he mentioned that gentleman by name, Connor Sloman. At the end of the interview, he was actually concerned Connor might not want that story told, but I reached out to Connor and asked him if he would be okay with it, and as I already suspected, he was.
Tyler and I had a great candid chat. I. And I think there are a lot of great takeaways from it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone, I was introduced to today's guest last year at the AFA convention. Hailey was wrapping up a project that she had done to complete her doctorate in occupational therapy and her research project had some very specific relevance to what we do. A few months later we were able to finally sit down and chat about the details of this research project. In our conversation, Hailey reveals a lot of details about things that we could do to improve the longevity of our careers, just our overall physical health. She offers quite a few takeaways and I hope you find them useful. As you will hear, Hailey is pretty passionate about farriers and helping us to improve our work lives.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. Today's guest, Mike Nale CJF, was one of the really cool folks I got to hang out with in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Every time I've crossed paths with Mike, I've been impressed with his wisdom and his willingness to share it. Mike is the type of fellow you can get into a deep conversation with whether it's about the definition of a club foot or the much-underappreciated television series Justified. Mike will have his opinions and some well thought out arguments to back them up but as you'll hear in the interview, he's also willing to change his mind if new evidence is compelling enough to do so. I guarantee you that by the end of this interview, you'll probably want to spend some time with this gentleman. I know I'm looking forward to the next time we get to hang out. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. I hope you're all doing well this busy time of the year. I have a lot to cover today in the shopkeeping portion, but the interview is actually quite short, so I feel like the two will even out in the end. As I said just a few seconds ago, it is a busy time of the year for us and as we grind it out and do as many horses as our clients put upon us, sometimes it's hard to remember why we're doing the job we do in the first place. It's easy to get lost in the never ending sea of horses and suddenly this very cool career that we have starts to feel more like a job. As you've heard me and several of my guests say over the years, two of the very good remedies for this problem are competition and certification. But sometimes you need to take a break from horses and horseshoeing altogether, and that's what I have attempted to do this summer by taking up mountain biking.
For years, I have told myself that I didn't have time for a hobby, so I didn't make time. But this summer I've started to, and the results have been pretty cool. I've even been able to go for a ride with Kathy Lesperance who, as you know, is a former guest on the podcast. During one of our many discussions on that ride, we both commented on how much better we felt horse horseshoeing because of the physical activity we were doing in our off time.
Many of the other guests have also shared their off-duty pastimes, like Kenny Hoyle with his dirt biking, Riley Kirkpatrick with his hunting, and of course, Danny Bennett with his mountain biking, although I'm pretty sure he prefers to take a lift to the top of the big hills. So I was thinking in an effort to show your fellow farriers that it's okay to not shoe horses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and to have a pastime after work, that we would do a little social media exercise.
Post a picture of yourself doing your favorite after work pastime, and post it to your social media and tag the Mullens Farrier podcast in your post, along with the hashtag off-duty farrier. I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with.
For the next item, I'd like to thank the following folks for supporting the podcast by buying us a virtual coffee, Alexander Werner and Kendall Black, thank you so much for your support.
If you'd like to support the podcast by buying some swag, this is the time to do it until July 4th. You can receive 15% off everything with a $79 purchase. In both the Canadian and the American stores, use the Code Canada 15 to get the discount or you can always buy the podcast a coffee. Please see the links in the show notes.
The folks at the Ontario Farriers Association wanted me to let you know that their convention is from September 28th to 30th, 2023. Riley Kirkpatrick is coming down and he's the keynote speaker and the judge for the contest. Keep an eye out on their Facebook page or go to www.ontariofarriers.ca to get more details on this event.
Exactly one month after that convention I'm heading across the pond to watch the International Horseshoeing Competition at Stoneleigh and hang out with the cool folks at the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association for their Focus convention. You too can come and I highly recommend that you do. As always, the International will host the best teams the world has to offer, and there's a pretty stellar list of keynote speakers for Focus as well. Look at all the details online at www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk.
Now for today's guest, Alex was another member of Vern Powell's crew of clinicians for the Puerto Vallarta clinic last December, like me, this was Alex's first trip down to Puerto Vallarta, and she fit in perfectly with the group. So well, I think she stole the heart of one of the veteran clinicians. I would refer you to her Facebook page for more of an explanation. As in any situation when a group of farriers spend too much time together, there becomes a plethora of inside jokes and farriers being farriers. Some of them can be inappropriate or dark.
One of those jokes found its way into this interview, and I couldn't let it be omitted. You'll hear Alex mention an embalming table that she purchased from a scrap yard, and the joke was that that embalming table had come from the local funeral home where Alex's late grandmother may have spent some time on it. For the rest of the trip, it was always brought up as Memaw's table. Well, folks buckle up as I'm sure you can already tell you're in for a wild ride. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone! A little shopkeeping before we start.
What are you doing at the end of October this year?I highly recommend that you attend the International Horseshoeing Competition and the British and Blacksmith's Associations Focus Convention at Stonleigh Park. As I am sure you've heard me brag about before I attended this event last year and had a fantastic time.
What more could a farrier want in an event? You have the world's best competing as teams. You have the convention full of world-class speakers and every vendor represented that you could think of, as well as live shoeing demos by some of the best in the world. I realize that October seems quite a ways off right now, but plan ahead. Get yourself a ticket and hopefully, I'll see you over there. For more information, go to www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk
I'm also excited to announce the release of Chris Gregory's second installment in his series of memoirs titled For the Want of a Shoe, the Horse was Lost. This book covers his time growing up as a child on his family's ranch in New Mexico and his time voluntarily spent at military school. That's right. He wasn't sent there. He asked to go. Anyway, as with his previous book, this one is full of anecdotal stories and humorous misadventures that all accumulate into the legendary man that we all know today. The book is available on Amazon or through the school's website.
As well, if you'd like to hear some more from Chris. He started his own podcast and the first two episodes are out now. Have a listen. It's called Final Approach with Chris Gregory, and it's available where all fine podcasts can be found.
There have been a lot of listeners who kind of poke fun at the way that I talk. My Canadian accent is apparently more prevalent than I think but today's guest is going to top that. His Canadianness is next level, and I imagine that he'd be pretty proud to hear that. I met Brad down in Puerto Vallarta with the rest of Vern Powell's crew, and we got to know each other quite well during that trip. As a podcast first, this interview was recorded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean while we were on a deep sea fishing excursion. Brad is humorous, humble, and handy, all attributes of many of the greats of our trade. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. I've changed the format of the episode a little bit this time for you. This will be a sort of an audio documentary of my trip down to Puerto Vallarta Mexico in December of 2022 with Vern Powell and friends for a clinic that they host down there. The music you hear in the background is from a really cool cat that we met on a catamaran tour.
Verne was kind enough to invite the Mrs and me down to Puerto Vallarta with his crew to interview many of the folks giving the clinic as well as many of the folks who attend the La Clinica de Herraje Puerto Vallarta 2022 every year. Enjoy!
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Welcome everyone! Odds are that if you've taken an AFA certification exam in the past several years, somewhere within the Midwestern US, you've probably run into this gentleman. I met Ward McGuire at both of my exams and several others that I've attended, and he is everything you would want in an AFA tester - fair, really good at putting you at ease and letting you know that he's there to help you, not fail you. As someone who has recently retired, Ward has a unique view on what we should be doing earlier on in our careers to set ourselves up for this eventuality. It's always a pleasure to run into this gentleman. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone! A little shopkeeping before we start. Well, spring is here and already a few of my local farrier friends have been injured. Seems to be a thing every year, and it just reminds me to remind the folks that are listening from Great Britain that you have a foundation that is set up just for this purpose, a built-in insurance policy created by your fellow farriers. The Farriers Foundation steps in and offers financial aid for those times when you're too injured to work and helps cover your expenses while you heal. The Spring is a busy time for farriers worldwide, and it is a great time when you're flush with cash to put a little aside to help out your fellow farriers in need.
Back home as usual, several farriers stepped up for the folks that were injured here and did the horses so that they could keep them on their books and keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. I must say it's an honour to be part of such a good group of folks in my community here.
Now for today's guest, as you'll hear in the conversation I first met Kenny Hoyle at Heartland Horseshoeing School, and I didn't realize it at the time, but he was just beginning his certification journey. As you will hear, it's never too late to start that. Kenny is one of the kindest human beings you'll ever come across, and as you will hear, he has put a lot back into the industry as a tester and as a board member of the AFA.
It is always great to cross paths with this gentleman as I did in Arkansas at Convention. I was very fortunate to be able to pin him down this time and do an interview. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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So this following interview was done during my time at convention this year. I was visiting with Cody Gregory in the trade show hall as everyone was getting their booth set up, and he introduced me to Conrad.
Conrad was getting his Grand Circuit booth set up, and although he was in for a few busy days there at the convention, he agreed to sit down and do an interview. The next day after doing our interview, I ran into Conrad again, and who else was there, but another legend and former guest, Nigel Fennel. They were discussing the modifications that Conrad had already made to Grand Circuit's product to make the shoes more farrier-friendly and usable in our day-to-day work, which you will hear later in the interview was part of Conrad's mission when he took over the company. It was kind of a surreal moment for me to stand there while these two legends of the industry discuss shoe shape and potential changes that Conrad could make even further to the product line.
I learned a lot just standing there and observing that conversation. I wish I had had my mic on me. Anyway, as you will hear, Conrad is a very glass-half-full kind of guy, and his enthusiasm I found quite infectious. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone, a little shopkeeping before we start. If you haven't already seen it on socials, we now have a merch store, two in fact, one for the US and one for Canada, to make things easier on both sides of the border. I'll leave it to the international folks to decide which one's easier for them.
The links to both stores are on all the socials and they will be in the show notes of this episode. Also, on the supporting the podcast front, I must send a shout-out to Gary Martin and Nick Harvey. Thank you both for supporting the show by buying a virtual coffee.
So a while back when I was introducing the episode with Mercy and Ben Bishop. I had mentioned that quite a few people have reached out to me requesting interviews with folks who are at the beginning of their careers, and this particular gentleman you're about to hear fits that bill perfectly. The thing is, though, whether you're at the start of your career or partway through it, I don't think you can help but be inspired by this gentleman's stories.
When I first met him at the pre-cert course at Heartland in October, a couple of years back, he walked up to me, shook my hand, and he said, I know you're nervous, but you don't have to worry. Yes, I will be a guest on your podcast. As you will hear, at that time, he was able to count how many horses he had done, literally how many shoes he had nailed when he showed up at this course. It's a reoccurring theme, prepared or not, Riley will jump in head first at any opportunity to learn something new. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Today's guest was another gentleman that I got to meet whilst over at the International at Stoneleigh, Russell Jones was the judge for the apprentice teams and the individual competition and if taking the piss out of somebody was an Olympic sport, I would have to say that he and Danny Bennett would be nose-to-nose for the gold medal. I wonder if this has anything to do with their military training. As you'll hear, Russell was in the army as a farrier, and I don't know if Danny has ever mentioned it before on his podcast, but he too was an army farrier. It was an honour to meet Russell and to spend some time with him. He was serious when he needed to be as the judge, but he was also fun when we would all hang out socially afterward.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone. I'm coming to you from down in the Heartland where I just spent a week with my fellow farriers learning all we could from Chris and Cody and a special guest, Emilio Giannotti.
As always, I met so many great folks down here, made some new friends, and got to hang out with some old ones. The blacksmith workshop that we just finished attending here is a very neat and unique course where you've got students who are just starting out on their farrier journey and have never used a forge or struck a piece of steel, and then you have seasoned farriers wanting to get better in their day to day or start their certification journey. It never ceases to amaze me how Chris and Cody can teach all of those skill levels in the same place and keep it interesting and challenging for all of us. It seems every time I speak to somebody who's come here after years of me recommending it, one of the first things they say just a few days in is "I've gotta come back here".
The conversation you're about to hear took place once again across the pond on my trip over to Stoneleeigh. If you're in North America, this particular organization might not be very familiar to you, and if you're from England, It might be familiar to you, but you might not completely understand what it is that they do.
This was another conversation I recorded with Danny Bennett of the Lockdown Farriery Podcast, and ever since we recorded it, he has been pushing for me to release it so the folks over in his country could understand how integral the FRC is in the role of the farrier organizations over there. As you will hear, the three gentlemen that we interviewed representing The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) really take their jobs seriously and are passionate about what they do. I found it really informative and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) is a corporate body established under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975. Our vision is the "Prevention and avoidance of suffering by equines through ensuring that equine owners are able to access the equine hoof-care that best meets their needs in a timely and assured manner; this care will be delivered only by those capable and qualified to do so."
https://www.farrier-reg.gov.uk/
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I met today's guest across the pond as he was preparing with the rest of his American teammates, Team America as Danny Bennett would refer to them, for the International at Stoneleigh. I have to say this gentleman is intimidating when he's got his game face on. We arrived when he was just in the midst of a mock run and nothing was going to get in his way, including some strangers who just all of a sudden showed up in the forge. After his run was done though, and we were all sitting down as a group to do an interview together, it became quite clear that this gentleman was just as friendly and hospitable as his southern accent would have you believe.
A few short weeks later, when we met again at convention, Daniel agreed to sit down and have a chat. As you will hear, his raw honesty is quite endearing and he pulls no punches. Very early on in our interview, we were joined by Daniel's wife, Allison, who you will hear is just as ambitious and as much of a force to be reckoned with as Daniel is. If I had been thinking I would've hooked up another mic and given that to her because I'm sure her insights would've made the interview even more entertaining than it already is. It was an honor to get to know this man who is such an inspiration to so many people on this side of the pond. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
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Welcome everyone, we are working on setting up a swag store by the next episode and I will keep you posted on that. We have now set up another way for you to support the production of the show during our time in the booth at. I was reminded that we are an industry full of amazing people who are so supportive of each other. I'm grateful for all the listeners who've been tuning in to our show over the last four years as I interview these very same people.
There will be a link to support the show below by buying a virtual coffee. Every little bit helps, and it would be greatly appreciated. I would be remiss if I didn't thank all of our guests for joining us on the podcast and sharing their stories. We're so grateful for your time and effort in helping us to create the podcast for our listeners, thank you.
Today's guest is a local legend. He lives a four to five-hour drive east of me here in Ontario, and I've always known him as one of the very few Canadian examiners for the AFA as well as the guy you didn't want to go toe to toe with bidding on an auction item at our local Ontario Farriers Association Convention. Once he has his heart set on an item, you are not going to outbid him. Steven Morris, CJF imparts a lot of wisdom in this conversation, well earned and hard gained through his long career as a farrier.
As someone who just recently retired, he has a lot of advice for those of us in the midst of our careers, or those of you just starting out. hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. This episode's release comes just a few days after the final lecture at The Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio. As I alluded to in the previous episode, I had a booth set up in the trade show selling shirts to support the podcast, and the response was incredible. My father, Ian, came along to help and it was quite amazing to be able to introduce him to so many of my heroes and good farrier friends.
In true farrier fashion, dad was welcomed and included in all the events and outings with open arms. We sold quite a bit of swag and I sent the remainder down to where I stay when I'm working in Florida so if any American listeners want to buy a hoodie or a T-shirt, let me know and I will see if I have your size.
Having the booth was also a great way to meet so many listeners in person and one of the suggestions is one that I've heard many times before, and the timing of it was perfect. People said that interviews with the big movers and shakers of our industry were great, but they wanted to hear more from the people who were just starting out or early in their careers. To share the trials and triumphs they experience in the dawn of their farrier business.
Today I'm speaking with Mercy Bishop CF and her father, Ben Bishop, CJF. At the time we recorded, Mercy had just freshly graduated the 12-week program at Heartland Horseshoeing School and was in the midst of her journey to get her CF, and Ben was in the midst of his CJF during the pre-cert course. So there you go, I do listen to suggestions.
I hope you enjoy the conversation I had with this wonderful duo as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. We are just over a week away from the Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I am busy preparing to get stuff set up for that booth. This is a new endeavor for me, so we'll see how that pans out. But hoping to have some swag there and be able to meet and greet with so many of you while you're wandering the halls of the trade show. Also hoping to catch a few interviews while I'm there, so stay tuned for those.
Today's guest I met at another convention across the pond at Focus in Stoneleigh. This gentleman, Jürgen Gotthardt FdSc AWCF BSc(Hons) APF-I, was walking the halls of Focus with the legendary David Gully, and he had in his hands a book that he had, David, Danny, and myself to sign which you'll hear about in the interview.
He has put a lot of time and effort into educating himself and doing a better job for the horses that he works on. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Welcome everyone and Happy New Year. I hope that 2023 has great things in store for all of you and of the many resolutions you have probably made over the past few days, I hope that you stick to some of them.
A little shopkeeping before we start. I hope to see all of you at the 2023 International Hoof Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio. That is January 24th to the 27th at the Duke Energy Center and the Hyatt Regency. If all goes as planned, I'm hoping to have a booth there for the first time this year with some swag for sale to help support the podcast. So, if you haven't already, go online to americanfarriers.com and click on the International Healthcare Summit link and buy your tickets. If you find yourself there, please stop by the booth and say hi. The summit is such a cool opportunity to learn from and network with so many good folks from our trade. I hope to see you there.
Well, as you probably gathered from his introduction, today's guest is from across the pond in Scotland. He was one of the judges of the International at Stoneleigh this year. Over that weekend I had several conversations with Ian and he is, as you will hear, a very easygoing fellow and great to talk to. Despite some hardships that he has come across, his mantra of adapting and overcoming has helped him to carry on through this time. I found it quite inspirational and wanted to share his story with you.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
So I met today's guest in England of all places, even though we live in the same country. She lives on the other side of it from me, and I was quite happy to finally meet the legendary Canada Kim. As you hear the interview, you'll understand why Kim has become somewhat of an ambassador of Canada to the rest of the farrier world, or at least the places she's visited.
It wasn't a surprise that once again she was representing Canada as the alternate for the Canadian team at Stoneleigh. I had an opportunity to watch Kim prepare for the competition along with the rest of the Canadian team, and her grit and determination was quite evident. Kim also became somewhat of a mother hen to the rest of the team, keeping them all in line, and generally getting them to where they needed to be somewhat on time.
On the final day of Focus, during a well-deserved break from herding all the cats, Kim sat down with Daniel Bennett and I and I hope you enjoy the resulting conversation as much as we did
Welcome everyone, as you will hear, this is another episode from my trip to England and Danny Bennett played co-host on this one. This was great because he and Billy Crothers AWCF have a bit of a history through the competition world, so they were able to take the conversation in directions that I wouldn't have been able to.
As you will hear during this episode, Billy has a great attitude and philosophy when it comes to life, his career, and competing. I found it quite infectious. It was really great to sit down and have this talk with him and Danny, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
As you probably noticed, this episode is a little bit early compared to my two week schedule that I've been maintaining thus far. This is a bit of a public service announcement, a PSA if you will because I feel like this topic is really important. It's really affecting us right now, and as in all business things, who better to explain it to us than Andrew DeVisser?
You may have heard his previous episodes where he has shed a bit of light on the business and financial end of things in what we do. Every year Andrew hosts a small forging clinic at his home, and then his wife makes us a wonderful lunch. Afterward, he always does a business talk and this year I asked if I could record it and then share it with you.
Andrew agreed, but part of the deal was that instead of him asking himself the questions, he had me do that part of the job. There were a couple of audience questions that I was unable to really record, but Andrew does a pretty good job of repeating what they say, so you'll get the gist of it. I hope you find this informative and enjoy it as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. I'm sure you noticed the new intro. I worked on that the whole flight back from England. Just thought I would change things up a little bit for you with some new and equally inspiring quotes from some other folks who have been on the podcast. As I'm sure you already gathered from the accents of the people in the new intro, this is the first episode of many to come out of my trip to England.
Abby Bunyard is the Vice President of the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association. Abby was admittedly a bit hesitant to do this at first with a little bit of cajoling from Danny Bennet we were able to convince her to sit down and do this, her positivity and her kindness came through quite strongly.
In re-listening to the edited version of this, I was reminded of a good friend over here, Cathy Lesperance, who you've heard in an interview way back in the beginning. Their two personalities are very similar. They're just go-getters, very strong women, and very kind as well. I've told many people that it was really cool to go to England and meet many of my heroes whom I'd heard about for so many years but I also met many new heroes, and Abby Bunyard, AWCF is definitely one of those. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone, I'm just back from England where I got to hang out in person with none other than Danny Bennett and so many other folks that I have only known through Facebook. We had a behind-the-scenes tour of Newmarket, thank you to Dr. Simon Curtis and Ian Alexander Nixon. We were also able to hang out with the Canadian and the American teams as they prepared for the International at Stoneleigh and then at the International as well as Focus.
Danny and I wandered around with microphones in hand getting as much content as we could to share with you about everything that was going on at those events. Needless to say, I have a ton of interviews to share with you, so keep an ear out for those as we put them out.
My guest today is Shearer Wludyka, CJF ASF. I first heard about this incredible woman many years back when I first started attending Heartland Horseshoeing School. Chris often speaks of her fondly as one of his star students who went off to do great things.
There had been a few occasions where we were supposed to be in the Heartland at the same time, but unfortunately, life got in the way for one reason or another that didn't happen until this October. Shearer was there with one of her employees helping her to prepare for the CF exam. I think she was supposed to be working on her AW herself, but she was so busy helping out others that I don't think she got around to it.
Anyway, we found a few quiet moments and she, her trusty sidekick Jinx, and I got to sit down and have a conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
As I record this intro I'm packing up and getting ready to head to England to hang out with my friend and fellow podcaster, Danny Bennett. It looks like Danny has me signed up for several interviews with some legends over there, so look for those in the coming months and keep an eye on the Lockdown Farrier Podcast Facebook page as well as my own, as we will be trying to put up some content leading up to and during the International Shoeing Competition at Stoneleigh and the BFBA Focus Convention. If you're going to be there, please seek us out and say hi.
Today's guest is someone I truly look up to. He has pushed himself to pursue and achieve many certifications in our profession and the whole time that he has been on that journey he has willingly shared his knowledge and mentored many on the same path.
Emilio Giannotti, AWCF CJF- TE, and ASF is a humble man, but an incredible talent in the forge and a wealth of knowledge. We only had a short window of time in which to do the interview down in the Heartland. I'm glad I finally was able to get him to sit down for a few minutes and have a chat.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
As I record this intro I'm packing up and getting ready to head to England to hang out with my friend and fellow podcaster, Danny Bennett. It looks like Danny has me signed up for several interviews with some legends over there, so look for those in the coming months and keep an eye on the Lockdown Farrier Podcast Facebook page as well as my own, as we will be trying to put up some content leading up to and during the International Shoeing Competition at Stoneleigh and the BFBA Focus Convention. If you're going to be there, please seek us out and say hi.
Today's guest is someone I truly look up to. He has pushed himself to pursue and achieve many certifications in our profession and the whole time that he has been on that journey he has willingly shared his knowledge and mentored many on the same path.
Emilio Giannotti, AWCF CJF- TE, and ASF is a humble man, but an incredible talent in the forge and a wealth of knowledge. We only had a short window of time in which to do the interview down in the Heartland. I'm glad I finally was able to get him to sit down for a few minutes and have a chat.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
My guest today needs no introduction, Mr. Steven Beane FWCF of England. He was the judge and clinician for our annual convention for the Ontario Farriers Association this year and I had the great honour to be able to sit down and interview him before the convention got started.
I really appreciate Steven's raw honesty. He was quite forthcoming with a lot of really good wisdom. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
My guest today needs no introduction, Mr. Steven Beane FWCF of England. He was the judge and clinician for our annual convention for the Ontario Farriers Association this year and I had the great honour to be able to sit down and interview him before the convention got started.
I really appreciate Steven's raw honesty. He was quite forthcoming with a lot of really good wisdom. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Today's guest comes from the other side of the planet from me, where every creature big and small is seemingly trying to kill you and the toilets flush in the wrong direction. I'm talking today to Dean Lewis, a WCF. If memory serves, Dean is one of only a couple AWCFs in the country and in corresponding with him, I discovered we share a mutual friend in Mr. Daniel Bennett. It never ceases to amaze me how small the farrier world truly is. It has been a lot of fun getting to know this kind and thoughtful man from the other side of the planet and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Today's guest comes from the other side of the planet from me, where every creature big and small is seemingly trying to kill you and the toilets flush in the wrong direction. I'm talking today to Dean Lewis, a WCF. If memory serves, Dean is one of only a couple AWCFs in the country and in corresponding with him, I discovered we share a mutual friend in Mr. Daniel Bennett. It never ceases to amaze me how small the farrier world truly is. It has been a lot of fun getting to know this kind and thoughtful man from the other side of the planet and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Today I'm speaking with Sam Durham, CJF, dipWCF. Sam was up here in the great white north, along with Hank Chisholm to be a clinician for the first ever pre-cert hosted in Ontario. As I mentioned in the intro to Hanks's interview, it was a late night after two solid days of teaching for the two gentlemen and they had an early morning ahead of them. Despite all this, they still pressed on and did their respective interviews. As with Hank, Sam was informative and insightful. Our discussion about the suspensory apparatus of the distal phalanx was especially enlightening for me. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Today I'm speaking with Sam Durham, CJF, dipWCF. Sam was up here in the great white north, along with Hank Chisholm to be a clinician for the first ever pre-cert hosted in Ontario. As I mentioned in the intro to Hanks's interview, it was a late night after two solid days of teaching for the two gentlemen and they had an early morning ahead of them. Despite all this, they still pressed on and did their respective interviews. As with Hank, Sam was informative and insightful. Our discussion about the suspensory apparatus of the distal phalanx was especially enlightening for me. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. Today, I'm talking to Hank Chisholm, C JF.
Hank is the current president of the AFA and I caught him for an interview when he and Sam Durham were up here in the great white north to give a pre-cert clinic. Before the interview, dinner went a little long, as they tend to do when a bunch of farriers get together. Even though it was late and Hank and Sam only had a few hours of sleep ahead of them before their journey to the airport, they pressed on with their interviews. It is short and sweet due to our time constraints but I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Today, I'm speaking with Chris Diehl, CJF, FE, AWCF. When I first started this little podcast project of mine, I had more than just a little bit of difficulty getting some people on board with doing an interview. Many didn't know what a podcast was, let alone who I was. To this day, I have quite a few interview request messages in my outbox that have not been responded to.
So, on the day that someone reached out for me to interview then I knew that the podcast had reached some sort of pinnacle of traction. Chris' opening message to me promised that he had a lot to offer in a conversation for the podcast and as you will hear, he did not disappoint. To this day when I'm working on a set of keg shoes with pre-made clips, I hear Chris' voice in my head saying “I'm pro clip, I'm just not pro angle iron”. Sometimes controversial but always calling things as he sees them, I now bring you Chris Diehl CJF, FE, AWCF. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. Today. I'm speaking with Douglas Hogue, CJF, EE. Doug currently runs his business out of a county, close to Houston, Texas.
We cover a wide range of topics and Doug shared his straightforward and honest opinion on all of them. As you will hear, Doug, isn't afraid to be controversial, which seems to be part of his charm.
One of the topics we covered was being fired by clients and I had the unfortunate luck to have that happen to me this very week. As you will hear me say in the conversation, it doesn't seem to matter how far into our careers we get being fired, still stings for most of us. My friend and former podcast guest, Kathy Lesperance and I have had this conversation as well. She has about two decades on me in this trade and she says, in the particular situation from this week, it still hurts.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. As this is being released, we are just past the middle of July. For many of us in the Northern hemisphere, we will be amid our busiest season. Horse shows are in full swing and those clients that tried to get by riding their horses over the roughest rockiest most abrasive terrain barefoot now want shoes yesterday. There aren't enough hours in the day to get everything all done and those of us with partners and children who have normal civilian jobs are now feeling the added pressure to take advantage of the weather and take holidays with them. It's a lot of pulls and several different and opposing directions.
The people pleasers amongst us are never seemingly able to please anyone at this point in the year amongst all of this. Take a step back and reflect on what this is all for. What are your priorities? If you have financial goals and they're at the top of your list, those goals may be the driver that keeps you going but don't sacrifice your health to get there.
Future goals aren't easy to enjoy when you're living in a state of poor health. If your family, your significant other, or your hobbies outside of shoeing are your priority, learn to get good at saying no to unrealistic requests from clients. Sometimes that shoe can wait another day to get fixed. I've been that person who tried to please everyone and failed miserably. I've come to believe that there is no such thing as work life balance. It's not a noun. It's a verb. It's a process. One that constantly needs addressing and reworking. Figure out what your priorities are, what you're doing all of this for and let those answers guide you in the process. I believe we all need reasons to push us forward and without them it's easy to become lost adrift and a sea of never-ending lists of horses to do and barely able to keep our heads above the water.
They say that what you focus on you'll achieve, but I believe if you're not focused on anything, treading water is all you've got. I guess, with all of this, what I'm really trying to say is take care of yourselves and each other out there. It's just that time of year and it too will eventually pass.
Today's guest is Dusty Franklin, C JF, ASF, AWCF. If anybody had the honour to hear Dusty's talk at this year's convention, they will know that he is quite the inspirational guy. It will be no surprise after hearing Dusty's story today that many of the students that graduate from the various programs at his school in Oklahoma, Five Star Horseshoeing School go on to be such successful farriers in their own right. Leading by example, Dusty is always pushing himself to learn more and to achieve more in this trade and he, along with his network of like-minded individuals, instill those same principles in the students that come through the school. Anyway, I am so glad that we were able to have this conversation.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Welcome everyone, a little shopkeeping before we start. If you haven't already, you should pick up Chris Gregory's new book For The Want of a Nail The Shoe Was Lost. It's a fun read and introduces you to several legends of our trade, including my guest today. Look for it on Amazon, or you can order it directly from Chris at www.heartlandhorseshoeing.com.
Also, I'm excited to announce that I'll be travelling to the UK this fall for Farrier Focus, the kind folks at the British Farriers and Blacksmith's Association invited me to come and interview some of the key speakers and clinicians. I'm looking forward to joining forces with my fellow podcaster and friend Daniel Bennett, to give you some insight into the convention, the international team, horseshoeing competition, and all the farrier folks who will be attending.
To check out the details online of the convention, go to www.forgeandfarrier.co.uk and hopefully, I'll see you there.
Today. I'm speaking with Derek Gardner AWCF. This man has been a legend to me since I started shoeing. Many of the folks I looked up to often talked about Derek and his mastery in the forge. Many of my former guests have also spoken fondly of their time under his tutelage, including Andrew DeVisser, Sarah Vanderpol and of course, Chris Gregory. We had a great chat covering everything from Derek's experience during the foot and mouth disease crisis in the UK many years ago, and his journey to the wild west as a young lad to experience ranching firsthand as well as many insights he has had while working on horses' feet.
It was truly an honour to speak with him and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone. A little shopkeeping before we start, I am excited to announce that Chris Gregory's new book "For The Want Of A Nail, The Shoe Was Lost" is now available for purchase. This book is a memoir focusing on the many influential mentors who helped Chris along in his incredible career. There is a series of questions to his still-living mentors and the responses to those as well. Signed copies are available through Chris personally and unsigned copies are available through Amazon.
Today, I'm speaking with Olivier Dufresne CJF. Olivier hails from my neighbouring province in Canada, Quebec. In Quebec, they primarily speak French, the other official language of Canada.
Although I and all Canadian students learn this language in our schooling, my French has become a bit rusty, to say the least. Quebec has a very strong association called the AMFQ, which is strong in no small part because of Olivier. He was the president of this association for several years. Quebec has many clinics, contests and certifications. You will typically find Olivier in the background doing something to make the event better or run more smoothly. Oli is always about education and I knew I had to have him on here to share his story. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Welcome everyone! A little shopkeeping before we start, don't forget to get your tickets for this Saturday's upcoming webinar, Saturday, June 11th with Dr. Simon Curtis and Sarah Logie and it will be on Hoof Horn Infection. With your tickets, you will get access to the interactive webinar, a full recording of the webinar, afterwards, your questions answered in an open Q and a, a certificate of attendance or CPD or CE points and PDFs of studies, papers, and key takeaways.
Also, if you happen to be in the neighbourhood of Schomberg, Ontario on June 17th from 1 pm to 5 PM - Foot for Thought is hosting a clinic called “Casting Call - Foot Cast Applications for Case Management of Surgical Medical and Podiatry Issues.
The speakers in this one are Dr. Orlaith Cleary, Chris Gerber, Tristan Miles and Elisa Miller. This will be a good one, we haven't been able to have a Foot for Thought event in quite a while. So it will be nice to see everybody there. RSVP to andrea@mpequine.com to attend.
Today I am speaking with my good friend, Daniel Bennett, AWCF. After hearing a couple of episodes where guests and I were discussing the AW exam, Danny reached out and suggested that we might have a few of our concepts a little misconstrued on what is involved in the exam and he wanted to clear that up.
As you will hear, Daniel is coming at this from a very interesting vantage point and his information is current and very helpful. This whole episode was basically Danny's idea and is in the format that you would typically find on his podcast, the Lockdown Farrier Podcast. If you haven't already, you should definitely check it out and subscribe. You will learn a ton. It is very focused on education and Danny has had many guests who are at the forefront of research in our trade.
I am very thankful that Danny took some time out of his fishing vacation on a Sunday afternoon to discuss all things AW, if you are in the midst of preparing for and attempting this exam, I'm sure you will find a lot of the information here very helpful, and it will help dispel a lot of myths. You've probably heard over the years about what is involved. It could even save you from practicing for the wrong things or surprises on exam day. Now, if you're just at the beginning of your certification journey and the AW seems like a daunting far-off goal, please don't disregard this particular episode.
Ever the educator, Danny shares a lot of information about preparing for any exam. There is also a video version of this episode where you can see Daniel’s presentation as well. You can find it HERE
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Welcome everyone, I've been quite busy on the podcasting front and we have quite the queue of great guests coming up, including this one. Today, I'm speaking with Mike Garrett CJF ASF. Mike is a Colorado-based shoer who runs under the business name, Sweet Feet Farrier. I've run into him down in the Heartland a couple of times now and his story is quite inspiring. With his seemingly late start in this career, Mike has managed to acquire his CJSF and ASF certifications in a fairly short span of time and as you will hear his aspirations don't end there. Eternally curious, externally calm and ever cracking jokes it is always a pleasure to forge beside this man. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Welcome everyone, a few shopkeeping items before we start.
Mark your calendars for the 19th and 20th of August, there will be a Sean Robertson benefit clinic at Cascadia equine veterinary clinic in tangent, Oregon. The clinicians will be Riley Kirkpatrick, Jacob Manning, and Chris Wycliffe, DVM Sean, AKA Shrek Robertson was a second-generation farrier who had shot all of his life and was a mentor to many. He was known for his large stature and his kindness. Sean tragically lost his life due to an auto accident back in December. and the proceeds from this clinic will go to support his wife, Wendy, to help with the expenses from the accident and her, as he was their only source of income. For any inquiries about the event or ways that you can help out please contact Quentin Gravelle at 541-749-0861 or gravellefarrier@gmail.com.
If next weekend, May the 13th and 14th, you find yourself in the neighbourhood of Puslinch, Ontario the Ontario Farriers Association is hosting Jan Krogh for a clinic. The title of the clinic is Therapeutic Shoeing for Sport Horses. Jan is a master farrier from Denmark and amongst his impressive list of items on his resume, is the national team farrier. If you want to learn more about Yan and his story, you can listen to his interview with Simon Curtis on the Hoof of the Horse podcast. Visit Ontario farriers.ca for more information.
With today being “Mother's Day” boxing day, we decided to celebrate by having a conversation with a mother we don't often hear from.
Kelly Gregory CF has helped numerous students build the foundational skills necessary to become successful farriers in this trade. Her influence has been great in our world, but she likes to work quietly in the background, so much so that even getting a photo for this episode was a challenge. Just imagine how hard it was to convince her to sit down and do the interview!
She has done some cool things, including being a competitor on Forged in Fire. I completely gapped and forgot to ask her about that whole experience during the interview so my apologies to everyone for failing in my journalistic duties. She had some great stories to share nonetheless, and despite the struggles to get her there, we had a fun time.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Welcome everyone, today I'm speaking with Liz Longworth, CF. I first met Liz a few years ago in the Heartland during a blacksmithing course. What became apparent quite early on in meeting her was the fact that she is probably one of the highest energy people I have ever met. Like an Energizer bunny, she just keeps going and going. The pile of shoes under her forge during that course was the largest out of anybody there and I just knew I had to find out what made this woman tick. As you will hear, that course was the catalyst for Liz's decision to pursue her certifications with the AFA. Now that she has that certification bug, I imagine she will be pursuing those until the furthest reaches that one can. We also briefly touch on her furry friend at home Teddy Bear Longworth who, unfortunately, since recording this episode, has passed on. However, Liz was quite happy that he got included in this episode. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Welcome, everyone! As you probably noticed from the intro some things are going to be a little askew in today's episode.
Before we start a few shopkeeping items. First, my fellow podcaster and the infamous farrier educator Dr. Simon Curtis has been putting on some great webinars over the past few years. I have found them to be very informative and their content applicable to my day-to-day shoeing. For a limited time, Simon is offering a discount to listeners of this podcast. If you enter MULLINS all caps as the discount code at checkout, you'll get 20% off the ticket price for the next webinar.
I have found that even if I couldn't make the time for the actual webinars, my tickets entitled me to videos of them later that I could watch at my leisure. Dr. Simon's next webinar is a live dissection with Mitch Taylor and will take place on the 23rd. You can find the link to purchase tickets to this event on Simon's website at https://www.drsimoncurtis.com/calendar
Also, some exciting news, former guest Heather Beauchemin has written a fantastic book for horse owners. It's titled The Hoof Book, a horse owner's guide to demystifying hoof care. It debuted at number one in new releases in the equestrian sports category on Amazon.
This book could be your best way to quell those questions you get from those clients who like to go online and look up a thing or two about how to shoe horses. I believe that properly informed clients can make some of the best clients. So if you're thinking of getting multiple copies to give to clients, reach out to Heather online, and she can offer you a volume discount on orders over 10 books, you can find Heather Beauchemin’s book on the Amazon app or online at www. amazon.com.
Now for today's episode, many of my guests have said that they weren't sure why I had asked them, of all people, to do an interview. Today's guest is no exception. When Chris Gregory suggested an episode where he interviewed me, I was hesitant at first. After I said, yes, Chris made sure to make me nervous about the event. Every time we spoke, he also reached out on social media, asking if people had questions for this interview. Some, I had the opportunity to see in the responses to one of his posts, but most of the others, including his own questions, I did not.
A few months later, we were able to sit down in the Heartland, in the room where it all started with Chris being my very first guest. As you will hear, Chris is a natural interrogator, I mean, interviewer and we had a lot of fun.
Keep an ear out for Chris's latest project as he is starting his own podcast called Final Approach with Chris Gregory. While he plans on interviewing some farriers, Chris's focus will be on professionals from all walks of life. Anyway, here it goes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Unfortunately, the farrier community has lost one of the good ones with the passing of Lance Sloman. Lance was from Alberta, Canada, and he was the onsite farrier for the legendary Spruce Meadows Horse Show.
I had the opportunity and the honour to be able to sit down and have a conversation with Lance back at the Hoof Summit in 2019. We are re-releasing that episode in honour of Lance today. I'm sure the kindness of this man will shine through in the recording. There isn't a single person I have met, that has met him, that doesn't have a story of something kind or helpful that he did for them. He was truly one of the good ones.
Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Welcome, everyone. Today, I'm speaking with Dr. Bri Henderson, DVM (amongst many other letters) and Sean Elliott CJF. Many years ago, Sean was kind enough to invite me to his shop and spend numerous days helping a very green forger become less green. His wife, Bri has worked with me on a few special cases, and I have always valued her input and our shared passion for helping horses.
I thought it would be interesting to interview them both at the same time and the result of that interview is what follows. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I do.
Welcome everyone, today I'm speaking with Jason RoTramel, CJF ASF.
If you have been to a farrier competition in the U S you have probably noticed a gentleman with a beard of epic proportions, the coolest hat in the crowd, and a cell phone on a tripod, this would be Jason. If you nudge someone and ask who that character and the great hat is, they will usually say “Oh, that's Jason, he's the Kahn Forge guy”. As you will hear, Jason played a big role in helping to rebrand the relatively unknown company from China selling horseshoes nails and tools to the Kahn Forge name we know today. While Jason isn't a partner in Kahn, he is a definitely a brand ambassador who was passionate about the product and that passion shows in this conversation.
He also has his side project Vagabond Forge, we discuss what he's been up to there and where he wants to head. I had a lot of fun with Jason in this interview. He even turned the tables on me a couple times and asked me some questions. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
One of the fantastic things about attending something like the AFA convention or Summit is you can be chatting with somebody about farriery and not even realize that you were talking to a legend. That is what happened when I met Dave Showen. Later on, after our conversation, I asked Chris Gregory if that was who I suspected it was and he said yes. I approached Dave and asked him to do an interview. As you will hear, Dave is all about sharing knowledge. He willfully shares many of his trade secrets in the processes and materials he uses in the tools that he is so well-known for. He talks about his journey in learning how to weld aluminum and make aluminum bar shoes.
An entertaining man and a very unexpected surprise at the AFA convention. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did
An old year ends and a new one begins, to start out 2022 on the right foot, we have a very special guest for you today. My guest today needs no introduction, he's a North American legend in the farrier community, author, educator, toolmaker, competitor, artist. Jim Keith is all those things and many more. I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with this man. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I do.
There are a few shopkeeping items as well. I am extremely excited to be able to tell you that Gregory's Textbook of Farriers will very soon be available as an audio. It is narrated by yours truly and I can now say with full confidence that I have read that textbook cover to cover several times. I am truly honoured that Chris asked me to do this project. Keep checking in www.heartlandhorseshoeing.com for availability.
Secondly, the Victory Racing Plate company has joined us as a sponsor. Since coming on board with Victory, my friend and former guest, Mark Hickcox has become quite the jet setter and he's been out representing them as they've been supporting many educational events and competitions. We're quite honoured that they have decided to do that with the podcast as well. For the very first time I get to say “and now for a word from our sponsor”. Please check them out at www.victoryracingplate.com.
Welcome everyone, this past month I attended my very first American Farriers Association convention, which happened to be the 50th anniversary. My time there was unfortunately limited to two short days, but I was able to attend a few presentations, watch some of the competitors in action, meet some legends and even do a few interviews.
I have to say a huge thank you to Martha Jones, the executive director of the AFA for providing me with a room to do the interviews in.
Today, I'm speaking with Jeremy McGovern, the executive editor and publisher of the American Farriers Journal. I found Jeremy in the competition hall, armed with a camera and doing his thing. He was kind enough to offer some of his limited time. Jeremy gave some great insight into what goes on behind the scenes at the journal and the Hoof Care Summit. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
In today's episode, I am speaking with Brad Davidson, CJF, the proprietor of Professional Farrier Supply based in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada. As you will hear, Brad and his peers were always hungry to learn more and get better in this trade.
We recorded this episode, live at the Ontario Farriers Association Conference, and as Brad is very descriptive with his hands, sometimes his volume drops considerably as the microphone moved further away from his face. My apologies for this, but regardless, I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much as we did!
https://www.profarriersupply.com/
Today's guest is none other than Nigel Fennell, AWCF. Mark Hickcox kindly sent the podcast mic on to Nigel after our conversation. As I expected, we had a great chat, and I left our conversation feeling quite inspired by Nigel. You will notice a continuous theme in his story - one of sacrifice and investing in himself. I then realized that this has been a theme of many of the stories guests have told. Pretty much all the people in this trade, that we look up to, have had to make this calculation and decided to forfeit any semblance of work-life balance for a time to learn and practice the skills needed to get to the top of their game and achieve their career goals.
As the saying goes, nothing worthwhile comes without sacrifice.
Life is all about trade-offs.
And unfortunately, we are restricted by many things, not the least of which is time. If you have lofty career goals yourself, I hope that at least one of the guests, if not more, has inspired you and shown you how it can be done even with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. If raising your young children seems like an obstacle, listen to Elisa Miller or Lori McBride's episodes. If you feel like you don't have enough time, listen to Cody or Chris Gregory's episodes, if you failed at your goal once or twice, and are hesitant to try again, listen to Mark Hickcox and if you don't think you can afford it financially, listen to both of Andrew DeVisser’s episodes and he will help you lay the financial groundwork to make a plan and see it through.
These are only a few examples of many, but you get my point. All this said, please don't interpret this as me promoting an unhealthy work-life balance. Most of the folks I just mentioned only did this for a time. Eventually, they turned to focus on achieving a work-life balance only now armed with some credentials or bragging rights or an enviable client list that often made this a lot easier.
Anyway, as you will hear, Nigel's years of commitment to improving his skills at the cost of making more money have found him where he is today - well-positioned to teach those skills and make the next generation of farriers better for it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
https://www.nigelfennellandforemansforge.org/
Welcome everyone, today I am speaking with Jason Fox. Jason is a farrier from a little west of me, in Wellington County, Ontario, Canada. We've been running into each other for years at clinics and conventions and I've always had great conversations with him when we did. Jason is a deep thinker and for many reasons, I would consider him a holistic thinker. This combined with his confidence to ask questions, when sometimes no one else in the audience would, is why I knew this would be a great podcast episode. You will occasionally hear Jason refer to another farrier named Pete or Peter and that is Mr Peter Ayranto CJF, who was a guest in another episode, which if you haven't already heard was pretty good.
You may agree or disagree with Jason, but I guarantee he will leave you thinking more critically about many aspects of our job. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Welcome, everyone. I apologize for the long span in between episodes. Between some technical difficulties and both my guests and myself being in the midst of a heavy show season, it has been difficult to get episodes recorded. In the end though, as usual, perseverance paid off which could well be the mantra of the gentleman you are about to hear.
Chris Gregory called me one day a while back and asked me if I remembered a student who had come to the school a few times, Mark Hickcox CF. Of course, I did. He was always super friendly and very dedicated to getting better at our craft. Chris gave me a brief synopsis of Mark's life and career since we had last met and said you need to have him on to tell his story. Chris hasn't led me astray yet and I had to agree. It is a fantastic story. It is a story of perseverance, dashed hopes, pivoting when roadblocks turn up, and finding your way back to the path. All told, Mark's story is pretty inspirational and I'm honoured he was willing to share it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Welcome everyone, a group of fellow farrier podcasters and myself, decided to get together and have a conversation about farrier and healthcare professionals' safety. We did this to address the seemingly epidemic number of farrier injuries the world over as of late. Upon conversing about these incidents, it has become apparent that many could have been avoided.
Our goal here was to have a conversation, bringing our unique perspectives to the table, to educate horse owners on the various ways they can mitigate the dangers faced by farriers. We understand that it is sometimes awkward to have these conversations with your clients without potentially offending them or sounding like we're just complaining. The sad reality is that in some cases, these conversations could potentially save careers or even lives, so we had it for you. Please share this with as many horse folk as you can. It was an honour to have this discussion with Alicia Harlov of the Humble Hoof podcast, Dr. Simon Curtis of The Hoof of the Horse podcast and Daniel Bennett of the Lockdown Farriery Learning podcast.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.
I wanted to start this episode off with a term we use in my practice. Unfortunately, we don't get to use it often, but it is always exciting when we do, let me explain. A brief career as a sound and lighting engineer doing live acts followed by a career hammering metal and using all the power tools a non- purest farrier does, has led to some hearing loss for me and I often don't hear what people say properly and my creative brain fills in the rest. Often, this leads to some pretty funny misinterpretations of what people say. One day, two of my shoeing compatriots were talking as I came into the barn and one of them, a highly-skilled chap from England named Pete, was talking about getting the fit on the first burn. What I thought he had exclaimed was Portuguese touchdown. Two words that probably have never been uttered in conjunction with each other in any language ever, but they stuck and became our triumphant call whenever someone got the fit on the first burn. My guest today probably has more Portuguese touchdowns than most, but I suspect he wouldn't settle for less than perfect before he proclaimed it.
This will become clear from his favourite Bob Marsh quote, Minnesota farrier, Mark Thorkildson CJF AWCF is my guest today. I have had him on my hit list since the podcast started. Mark was an examiner when I did both my CF and CJF exams down in the Heartland and as you will hear, he was key in helping all of us to settle a bit once he gave us his introductory talk.
I wanted to have an episode to explain the process of the various levels of certification with the AFA, but it was hard to peg someone down to do it. Mark graciously agreed to take on the task and I hope it helps some of you to understand it a little bit better and inspires you to go down the certification path. Mark was awesome, inspiring, and full of wisdom as I knew he would be. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
My guest today joins us all the way from Cape Town, South Africa. Robbie Miller AWCF ASF is an accomplished racehorse shoer, competitor, and promoter of the farrier profession in South Africa. He accomplishes this through his joint effort with Robbie Dawson, to set up the South African Association of Professional Farriers, the SAAPF and as an official tester for the Farriers International Testing system FITS. Robbie is a good friend of my mentor and friend, Chris Gregory but you will notice that Robbie becomes good friends with almost everyone he meets.
Robbie joined me from his back garden so there is some wind noise that I hope doesn't get too distracting. I quite enjoyed our time together and I hope we can meet in person someday. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Welcome, everyone. First, a little shopkeeping. I recently finished a book by Greg McKeown called essentialism. The main premise of the book is exactly as the title indicates. It's about honing in on just the essentials in order to be more effective with your time and your effort. As someone who is easily distracted by a potential new project or new hobby before finishing the ones I am already committed to, this book seemed like a necessary read for me. One of the key chapters that really stuck out is titled “Protect the Asset”, and the asset, in this case, is yourself. Mr. McEwen basically points out the not-so-obvious, even though it should be, that unless you prioritize your own health and wellbeing the rest of your efforts will be compromised. He talks about the necessity of getting enough proper sleep and nutrition, as well as booking time off for relaxation and recovery. Something that I'm sure most of us in this career, myself included, probably don't do enough of. He basically makes a pretty compelling argument for scheduling time for doing absolutely nothing so that we accomplish more when we actually get back to work. With all of that in mind, I would ask you to consider how do you protect your biggest asset? What do you do to keep yourself operating at your best? Do you prioritize yourself and your body's needs when they inevitably arise or do you always put the horses and your clients first? And finally, the question that plays a central role in my conversation today - What do you do to protect yourself during your workday when situations with difficult horses and difficult environments arise?
Today, I am very excited to introduce you to Elisa Miller, CF. Elisa was a recent graduate of the eight-week shoeing course at Heartland horseshoeing school many years ago when we first met. Fresh out of school and already a force to be reckoned with Elisa challenged me constantly with her questions and her strong, fresh out-of-school opinions. I learned a ton from working with her and we had a lot of adventures too. We have literally shed blood, sweat, and tears together, and I know she has always had my back. I always knew she would be a guest one day on the podcast. I just wished that it hadn't been under the circumstances that precipitated in us doing this interview. You see, Elisa was the friend that I mentioned a while back who had been injured quite badly. It was a long road, but in true Elisa style, she faced it headlong and headstrong and she is now back to shoeing full time. The whole experience changed Elisa’s perspective on a lot of things, especially being an advocate for her own safety and she really wanted to share them with you. Her goal in doing this was to help at least one of you to learn from her situation and appreciate how fragile our careers and our bodies can really be.
She's a wonderful mother, a great farrier, and a good friend. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
My guest today is Dr. Sarah Cohen, and she definitely has a unique perspective on her business as a veterinarian serving the Wellington Florida area, her business website for Equity Performance Equine has the description listed under the subtitle team approach, seamless concierge-style medicine, tailored to the needs of your specific team and program.
Dr. Sarah was recommended to me as a guest by a previous guest, Dr. Andrea Dubé. Dr. Andrea described her as a bad-ass vet that I needed to talk to. I'll read you her bio from her website, and you'll start to understand why.
Dr. Sarah Cohen grew up in New Jersey showing in the hunters and equitation before attending Purdue University for her undergraduate training. She graduated from Ross University in June of 2007. Having completed her clinical training at Iowa State University, Sarah then joined Merritt and Associates Equine Hospital outside of Chicago for a one-year intensive internship. Then joining Miller and Associates in 2008, and finally launched Equity Performance Equine in the fall of 2020.
Over her decade plus in practice, Dr. Cohen has developed a client-based consisting of some of the most well-regarded in the Hunter and showjumping community in the country. Dr. Cohen believes passionately in evidence-based medicine and putting the horse's needs at the fore of all decisions. Since 2010, she has been a regular on the international scene serving as the USEF showjumping team veterinarian in competitions in Spain, Slovakia, Belgium, France, Wellington, and other international competition locales.
Sarah is president of the Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners, having served on the board of directors for five years. She is a member of the USHJA's horse and riders advocates committee. She lives in Wellington, Florida, and Waccabuc, NY with her husband, Lance and two daughters, Evelyn and June.
Dr. Andrea's recommendation was spot on and Dr. Sarah did not disappoint. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
As mentioned in the episode if you are interested in participating in the American Farriers Association Journal club please reach out to Martha Jones at mjones@americanfarriers.org
As the COVID pandemic struck and international borders closed, I was unable to head South and visit one of my really good accounts in Tampa Bay, Florida. On those occasions when you're unable to tend to some of the horses in your care for any number of reasons, you're left in that awkward position of not knowing what the person coming in behind you is going to do and what their plan or their vision for their feet is going to be. I did not have those concerns when I found out that they were going to use Bruce Martin. I had met Bruce several times at that account. We actually, as you will hear in the interview, had a chance to spend an afternoon together, just chatting while he was shoeing some horses and we were waiting to catch an Uber and fly out. I knew that my client was in very good hands and I have not been disappointed. Bruce has sent me several photos, keeping me updated on their feet and their progress and his vision was the same as mine. He has done a fantastic job of keeping those horses shod and looking beautiful.
As you will hear in the following interview, Bruce possesses all of the traits of a really good craftsman. He is constantly being self-critical, paying attention to the results of his work, he's ever humble, and he's just an all-around good dude. I'm really glad that we were able to get in touch, do this interview and share some of his insights with you. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Today I'm speaking with Dr. Alan Manning, MSC DVM. From my early beginnings as a farrier, it was always exciting to run into this gentleman. He is one of those vets who will always work with you on a lameness problem and will never throw you under the bus if things don't go as predicted with the shoeing plan. Some of my early mentors warned me about working with vets, but Alan quickly showed me that farriers and vets could work together as a team and that this was to the benefit of everyone, most importantly, the horse.
Dr. Alan Manning is well known in Canada for his expertise in performance horse lameness and rehabilitation, he has been an FEI accredited veterinarian for Canada for over 20 years and has attended the Pan-Am games for the Canadian Dressage team, as well as the World Equestrian Games for the Para-dressage team.
Every time I have had an opportunity to work with this man, he has patiently taught me a great deal. He is however a very hard person to peg down for an interview. It took a snowy day while working on a case with him at his farm and clinic in Orton Ontario, for us to finally have that conversation.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Welcome, everyone! If it seems like it's been a while, you're right. Fear not though, I've been busy sending microphones all over the world and I'm excited for the guests we will have on in the coming months.
A little shopkeeping before we start, you will notice that some of the questions in the Stratum Tectorium portion have been added and some have been omitted. Some I found were becoming redundant. The answers were always the same, or they weren't really offering that much insight into the personality of the guests. Then there were others that I thought would be interesting to add. I apologize if I omitted any of your favourites.
My friend, Ali Carpenter’s shoe board contest is almost finished its first round, but it's not too late to enter the second one, feel free to reach out to her on Facebook. It's a great opportunity to get your journey to becoming a certified farrier started.
Finally, I wanted to direct you to my friend and former podcast, guest Daniel Bennet's Lockdown, Farrier Learning Podcast. Since the pandemic caused the world to come to a screeching halt, no one has done more to keep the continuing education of farriers going. Daniel has used as many platforms as possible to do this. His Facebook page has had several videos on tips for the diploma exams in the UK and his podcast has had several great episodes with lots of practical advice and many useful takeaways. At this time with many of us missing the traditional convention, summits and clinics, the lockdown farrier learning podcast is a great way to get your educational fix.
Today, I'm speaking with Peter Ayranto CJF Peter is a farrier whose practice is predominantly West of mine in Southern Ontario. We don't cross paths nearly enough, but we always have great conversations when we do. Peter lives close to the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph and has been the resident farrier in their large animal clinic for many years, you may hear me refer to it in the conversation as OVC or the university, as you will hear, Peter is always thinking, observing, and striving to do better in this craft. All good attributes to have in his role at the university. We hadn't seen each other in quite a while so it was great to have the opportunity to have this conversation.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
In today's episode, I am speaking with Riley Kirkpatrick CF, of Kirkpatrick Forge in Oregon. As you will hear explained in more detail, Riley was strongly recommended to me by a friend of mine as a potential podcast guest. She was not wrong and he did not disappoint. We talk about his journey from running a regular farrier practice to becoming the toolmaker that many of you will be familiar with. We also talk about his brief stint in Hollywood on Forged in Fire. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Kirkpatrick Forge
In this episode, I am talking with Andrew DeVisser CJF. You will be familiar with Andrew's voice as he has been on the podcast before. Through many conversations we've had over the past year, Andrew and I decided that it would be a really good opportunity to sit down and do an episode just on the business of farriery.
Andrew gives a talk on some of the fundamental things that you need to know from the business side of what we do. I have seen it a couple of times actually now, and I'm still learning each time he does it. It surprised me how little of it I knew or understood until he broke it down and explained it to me.
He has become a bit of a mentor to me, as far as my business and finances and all things money. I think this would be a good opportunity for him to hopefully help some of you out as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The Blacksmith’s Guide To Financial Freedom by Andrew DeVisser CJF
In today’s episode, I had the opportunity to talk with Vern Powell, CJF (TE). Vern is the owner of MVP’s Farrier Service in Marengo, Illinois, USA and has been a farrier for 20 years. He is the chairman of the American Farrier’s Association Cultural Exchange Program and throughout this episode shares many great stories about the exchange. The mission of the Cultural Exchange is to select, organize and supervise an international exchange of farriers between the AFA and participating national farriery associations. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
For more information about the Cultural Exchange Program please follow this link: https://americanfarriers.org/page/cultural_exchange
Here is the link to the Cultural Exchange application: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6skL6kVz25DTTBabU1TLWxQWFk/view
In this episode, I have an amazing conversation with Heather Beauchemin, CJF (TE). Heather shares her experiences regarding certifications, the Cultural Exchange and her time working with Vern Powell CJF (TE) at their farrier practice outside of Chicago, Illinois. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Today I am talking with Mike Mehak CF. Many of you will know Mike from his presence on many of the Farrier Facebook groups including Farrier Q and A. Mike has had a unique journey on his way to becoming a farrier. A lot of the knowledge that he has acquired along the way has become quite useful in his day to day work. Mike resides in Ontario, Canada, and through many years of attending the same clinics and conventions, I have grown to really respect the man for his humble dedication to the craft and the industry as a whole. It was an honour to sit down and hear his story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
In today's episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Travis Burns. Travis is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. He is a Certified Journeyman Farrier with both the Therapeutic and Educator Endorsements from the American Farriers Association. He is one of 6 Americans to become a Fellow in the Worshipful Company of Farriers by examination from the United Kingdom, the FWCF. He currently serves as the Chief of Farrier Services in the Equine Podiatry Service of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Daniel Bennett AWCF. Daniel created a new podcast during this COVID pandemic geared towards continued farrier learning and that is how we connected. Daniel got his start as a farrier in a less direct route than most. His unique upbringing in this trade eventually led him to become an educator. You won't have to listen very long to understand why he is the ideal person for the job of teacher. Daniel's passion for the trade and the bettering of those of us in it has caused him to be very resourceful in his methods of helping us. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Here is the link to Daniel's podcast Lockdown Farrier Learning Podcast
Today I'm speaking with Lori McBride CJF. I can't remember where I first heard of Lori, but I'm guessing it was from one of her biggest fans, who often works with me. After becoming Lori's friend on Facebook a while ago, I started to understand where this fandom came from. On a platform where so much negativity and hatred runs rampant. Lori's Facebook posts always seem to be full of inspiration and encouragement, and of course her kids. It is there you will also see tons of enviable handmade shoes. She seemed to be exactly the type of person I wanted to be able to visit with on the podcast and find out what makes her tick. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Welcome to the fifth instalment of The Love of Anatomy with Chris Gregory FWCF. This is a spin-off series of short anatomy focussed segments geared to help all of us with future certifications and become better farriers. This information and much more can be found in Chris’ textbook Gregory’s Textbook Of Farriery found on Amazon and in most Farrier Supplies worldwide. Enjoy!
Welcome to the fourth instalment of The Love of Anatomy with Chris Gregory FWCF. This is a spin-off series of short anatomy focussed segments geared to help all of us with future certifications and become better farriers. This information and much more can be found in Chris' textbook Gregory's Textbook Of Farriery found on Amazon and in most Farrier Supplies worldwide. Enjoy!
In this episode, I wanted to focus on a cause that's very important to me. With all of the sudden and unexpected challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused. One has it very close to home in my province of Ontario, Canada, the plight of the schoolies. I'm sure Schoolie barns are a facet of every country and community the world over. They are those special places where those saints on four legs carried the most nervous of riders around the arena and often eventually around the competition ring. These barns were immediately shut down when the pandemic reached Canada, and their income streams screech to a halt. As we all know, horses are an expense sense of animal to have cared for and feed. So while their doors were closed to their paying clientele, the schooling barns were left with the challenges of feeding and caring for these animals without any money coming in to do so. As I'm sure you've already surmised, the situation for many has become very dire very quickly. Now, it was just announced that the province is lifting some of the restrictions on equine facilities, and this for sure is great news. It is important to remember, however, that these won't mean business as usual for the schooling barns and that they aren't out of the woods yet. has one of my guests will mention, it will be a very long time before things get back to normal, and these businesses and especially equines will still need our help. The purpose of this episode is twofold. Firstly, as advertised over the last few weeks, I've offered a sponsorship of this episode which would go directly To the For The Herd fund. I will continue this offer for the next podcast episode as well, just in case, this one inspires some more goodwill. Second, I wanted to introduce you to some pretty incredible people who are doing big things in an effort to help out these horses.
In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Joanna Soloman and Kristin Gerrits of Benchmark Equestrian, Jennifer Sweet of Lionsbridge Equestrian and founder of the original Save The Schoolies initiative and Tracey McCague-McElrea, Executive Director of Ontario Equestrian.
If you would like to donate directly: https://www.fortheherd.ca/
Special Thank you to all of the sponsors of this episode. Every sponsorship dollar will be directly donated to the For The Herd fundraiser.
Pommies Cider
Shiland Equine Services
Sarah Lunn, Broker of Record Coldwell Banker Ronan Realty, Brokerage
Coldwell Banker Ronan Realty, Brokerage
Halliday Farrier Services
Simon Abblitt Farrier Services
Prostart Services
Twisted Spur Media Solutions
In today’s episode, I talk with Wesley Stewart CF APF-1 all the way from Australia. Right from the beginning, Wesley has been an encouraging supporter of the podcast. We were fortunate to meet in person at the Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati earlier this year. At the time, I had immediately started asking about life and shoeing Down Under. Recently, when asked to feature more Aussie and Kiwi farriers, Wesley was a natural choice. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Welcome to the third instalment of The Love of Anatomy with Chris Gregory FWCF. This is a spin-off series of short anatomy focussed segments geared to help all of us with future certifications and become better farriers. This information and much more can be found in Chris' textbook Gregory's Textbook Of Farriery found on Amazon and in most Farrier Supplies worldwide. Enjoy!
In this episode, I am speaking with Betsy Lordan DVM CJF TE (AKA Dr. Danger). Dr Lordan is the first female veterinarian to pass the Certified Journeyman Farrier Examination. Betsy and I met at Heartland Horseshoeing School when she was preparing for her exam many years ago.
Betsy grew up in Massachusetts and her career path has in no way been a direct one. She has recently completed her Therapeutic Endorsement. While she was preparing for this in February of this year, she agreed to sit down and share some of her stories with us. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!
Welcome to the second instalment of The Love of Anatomy with Chris Gregory FWCF. This is a spin-off series of short anatomy focussed segments geared to help all of us with future certifications and become better farriers. This information and much more can be found in Chris' textbook Gregory's Textbook Of Farriery found on Amazon and in most Farrier Supplies worldwide. Enjoy!
In this episode, I had the good fortune to sit and talk with both Craig and Bodie Trnka at the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati. Craig Trnka, CJF is the founder of the World Championship Blacksmiths, a past president of the American Farrier’s Association and a member of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame. Bodie Trnka CJF is a 2nd generation farrier who has been around horses and horseshoeing his whole life having trained under his father. He currently resides and practices in Minnesota, USA. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
In this episode, I had the opportunity to sit down at the International Hoof-Care Summit with Lance Sloman CJF. Lance has been the resident farrier at Spruce Meadows, the world-renowned show jumping venue, for 40 years. He has been shoeing since 1976 and resides and practices with his son, Connor, in Alberta, Canada. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Welcome to the first instalment of The Love of Anatomy with Chris Gregory FWCF. This is a spin-off series of short anatomy focussed segments geared to help all of us with future certifications and become better farriers. This information and much more can be found in Chris' textbook Gregory's Textbook Of Farriery found on Amazon and in most Farrier Supplies worldwide. Enjoy!
Today I am speaking with Roy Bloom CJF. This interview has been a long time in the works. Dave Farley mentioned that I should interview Roy back when he was a guest on the podcast. At the Summit in Cincinnati, Dave Farley and I worked for three days to convince Roy that it would be a good idea to sit down and chat with me for the podcast and I am so grateful that he agreed.
Roy Bloom started his journey in 1971 working for Rick Kreis. Rick encouraged Roy to go to North Texas Horseshoeing Institute. He did and graduated in May of 1973. Roy found the AFA in 1984. He completed his basic Certification in 1985 and Journeyman Certification in 1986. In 1989, Roy was the alternate on the American Farriers Team. In 1990, Roy had a position on the Gold team and the Silver team in 2001. Earning a position on the team changed everything for Roy and since then he has done clinics and classes in 40 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Roy was awarded the Outstanding Educator in 2001 by the AFA. Roy has both judged and presented for the AFA convention several times. Roy has judged competitions nationally and internationally including the WCB Horseshoeing Classic, the Australian Nationals, and the World Champion Blacksmith Competition at the World’s Fair in Calgary, Alberta. Roy was inducted into the Horseshoeing Hall of Fame in 2001. He served as the Team Coordinator from 2009-2002 for the AFA Farriers Team. His journey has produced a great many articles for numerous trade magazines and along with Dave Farley has produced a number of instructional videos. Through many years as a farrier, Roy has perfected his forging skills and is recognized throughout the industry for his blacksmithing, tool production and great attention to detail. Roy is a founding member and served as the 2012 - 2018 Treasurer for the American, Canadian & International Associations of Professional Farriers.
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!
In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Wildenstein CJF FWCF (Hons) at the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio. Thank you to Dave Farley for the introduction.
Michael was inducted into the International Horseshoers Hall of Fame in 2006. He is the former adjunct associate professor of Farrier Medicine and Surgery in the Department of Clinical Sciences of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University from 1991 - 2010. He specialized in the shoeing of lameness cases and heavy horses.
He now spends much of his time coaching. Interested farriers, veterinarians or horse owners are welcome to call 607-279-7645 or email or mjw25@cornell.edu
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Enjoy!
This episode was recorded at the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati. I was fortunate to sit down with fellow podcaster, Dr Simon Curtis for an amazing interview.
Dr. Simon Curtis has been a practicing farrier in Newmarket for 44 years. He has lectured and demonstrated farriery in more than 30 countries on 6 continents including the USA, Australia, India, Russia, and Brazil. He is an author of 4 textbooks on farriery. He has been published in numerous journals. Simon is the only farrier to have been awarded an Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (2001-2002) and has chaired the Farriers Registration Council (2006-9). He is a Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers by examination (FWCF) and is currently an examiner. Simon is a 4th generation farrier; his family have been farriers and blacksmiths on the Cambridgeshire and Suffolk border for at least 150 years. In 2005 Simon was inducted into the International Farriers Hall of Fame at the Kentucky Derby Museum. He gained a First Degree, Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Farriery through Myerscough College, University of Central Lancashire in 2011 and completed a PhD degree in Equine Physiology and Biomechanics in 2017. In 2018 Simon Curtis was presented with the Sir Colin Spedding award for his contribution to equine knowledge and published The Hoof of the Horse.
You can keep up to date with Simon's work on Facebook: facebook.com/drsimoncurtis
Follow for useful information on farriery, how-to guides, book release news, future lectures, events and more!
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Hello, everyone. I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season. I'm sure for many of you the next couple of weeks will involve a lot of catching up on the horses that you had to push over the holidays. Just before Christmas, I travelled to Ottawa, Ontario to give a clinic on breakover. Mark Struthers who graciously hosted the clinic at his farm suggested that, while I was in the neighborhood, I should do an interview with his mentor Terry Osborne CJF. Terry has always been a bit of a distant legend to me. He lives and works in an area five and a half hours from where I do, and until the clinic had never actually met the man. I had heard many stories about the quality work he did and the unhuman efficiency at which he did it. I also knew that he worked on many of the top horses in his region, and an interview was the perfect chance to meet and find out more about this enigmatic character that I had heard so much about. Before we start here's a brief bio provided by Terry
Terry started shoeing in 1980. Over the years his clientele has evolved to primarily hunter jumper and dressage. He was an avid competitor and won the Ontario Highpoint in 1986 and 1992. Seeing the need for continuing education he was a founding member of the Ontario Farriers Association. He is at present a member of the AFA, AMFQ, AAPF and the NEAEP. Terry was part of a team that got three different horses onto the Canadian show jumping team. He's also an educator and a clinician. I was thankful to have the opportunity to sit down and have this conversation with Terry. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Hello everyone, as the year and this decade come to an end, I wanted to thank all of you for joining me on this little project of mine and listening in. I also wanted to thank everyone who spoke to me in person or reached out online to give their feedback on the podcast. It started out as just one of my many ideas, but because of you, it has grown into such an incredibly fulfilling thing. I have learned so many great applicable lessons from my guests, and their many achievements have really inspired me and many others to pursue our goals. Last year, as everyone asked me what my new year's resolution would be, I said one word, Kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese word meaning change for better or continuous improvement. There's a lot of literature on this concept, and how it made the Japanese automakers and tech companies a driving force in their industries. It speaks of always looking for ways to improve even if they are small and incremental. It's a never-ending process or striving towards quality. When I first learned of it, I felt an immediate affinity to the word. I've always found that the times I've been the happiest in my life have been when I was working towards a goal. Things like learning a new skill set for a job, or writing and performing a new song. They required me to be consistently pushing myself to be better times when I would plateau, like say at a job that didn't require much mental bandwidth or room to grow, I will become bored and unhappy. That's what makes this career so fulfilling. If you plateau, you only have to look to someone with more knowledge in a certain aspect of the job like forging, toolmaking, lameness, evaluation, etc. and ask them to teach you more. For me, Kaizen actually meant going through all of the steps to start and maintain the podcast, and then starting the process of attempting my fits ASF and it meant attending more clinics and having more forge nights to improve my skill set. My challenge to you is to embrace the concept for your year 2020. Sign up for a pre-certification course. Heck, sign up for a certification! On a smaller scale instead of merely benefiting from their time savings, use resets as a chance to improve the shape of the feet you work on. Take the time to adjust the shoe, not the foot to the ideal you're aiming for. I know there are a lot of non-farriers tuning into some of these episodes as well. Why don't you sign up for a clinic or an online course you're interested in? I realized the time is always a precious commodity for any of us who work with horses. But I have experienced the energy creating power of doing these things myself. It's counterintuitive, but it works. That concludes my pushy speech... Well, almost… Did I mention you should aim to attend a certification this year? All right, maybe I did. But you should really just do it. You won't regret it. Before I sign off, I want to say a few words of thanks to the folks at Twisted Spur Media, especially Heather. It is safe to say that the podcast wouldn't be half of what it is without Heather's hard work and dedication. She tirelessly edits all of my scripts out of the episodes and ensures that the final product is always top-notch before it gets pushed out of the nest and flies on its own. I've been told she has a wicked blooper reel and I'm hoping she never pushes that one out to you. She is the wizard behind the curtain and I wouldn't be able to do this without her. Until next time, have a safe and Happy New Year. I can't wait to see what all of you are going to accomplish this year. Take care of yourselves and each other out there!
Today I have the pleasure of talking with Jonathan Nunn, FWCF. With over 34 years of farriery experience, Jonathan Nunn FWCF is based in Staffordshire England and has a multi farrier practice covering all aspects of farriery. Jon personally specialises in veterinary remedial work and performance horses nowadays. After many successful years in competitive farriery in the UK and internationally, Jon’s simple, practical approach to horseshoeing is what he believes is key to maintaining soundness and good balance in the horses he trims and shoes.
Jon attained his Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farrier’s in 2017. As an examiner for the Worshipful Company of Farriers Jon is ever aware for the need to educate and share knowledge and techniques and is very much involved in educational events, regularly tutoring those wishing to attain higher farriery examinations.
Jon was a late starter in the competition circuits as family life was a priority for him whilst his three children were younger and didn’t start to compete again until he was aged 39, although he has always remained active in farriery education and competition organising. He met one of his mentors and friend Grant Moon who lived nearby and they forged and competed together at many national and international contests including the Calgary Stampede, winning rookie 2010, pot luck forging 2011 and 1st place in the World four-man draft team in 2013 and achieved top five in the World Championship also that year.
From these practical experiences in competition, the learning curve was steep and fast and Jon has seized every opportunity to compete and further his knowledge of farriery. He now travels as a clinician representing Werkman Hoofcare and is involved with his own farrier tool making products with his son Josh Nunn
Jonathan is the co-founder and chairman of The Farriers Foundation which is a registered charity which supports farriers and their families that have been injured or become ill and require financial help in times of hardship. Jon and his wife Sara run the charity from home with the help of five further trustees and run many events to support the charity which relies on donations and farrier fundraising activities.
In this episode, I speak with Russel J Floyd AWCF. Russell was born and grew up on Vancouver Island in the small town of Honeymoon Bay. He had a love for horses and the outdoors since he was old enough to walk. He went to Old’s College farrier program in Alberta right out of High School and then attended an apprenticeship program with a farrier on the Island shoeing the Island carriage horses. Being in his early 20’s at this time he searched for work and got on with an outfitter. This led to the next 10 years of guiding Big Game Hunts, Guiding Pack Trips and Instructing Guide Schools. Listening to the advice of a business mentor he started his own farrier practice in Prince George, which is just about in the middle of British Columbia, a place that is just about as wild as it can get. Pursuing certifications and competitions he recently just completed his Associate Worshipful Company of Farriers and is gearing up for this year’s WCB finals in Las Vegas. He runs a successful farrier practice alongside his beautiful wife, Anya.
Live from the Ontario Farriers Convention in Orangeville Ontario, September 2019
Barney Cummings APF has been a horseshoer for over 40 years and has travelled extensively to do his craft including a time as the team farrier for Team Canada.
Barney is a member of the Foot for Thought team and has endeavoured to educate horse owners over the years. In serving his passion for ongoing education, Barney has produced a series of web-hosted educational videos to inform the horse enthusiast. Barney is a member of the AAPF and the AFA and the OFA and takes advantage of the continuing education opportunities these associations provide.
Barney was one of the first farriers in Ontario to set up a multi-farrier practice. He now works with his son but at one time had many members to his practice which is the main focus of this episode.
What you might not know is that Barney is also a recording artist and obviously a multi-talented fellow. I have learned a lot from the interview and hope you do too. Enjoy!
In this episode, I sit down with Certified Journeyman Farrier Andrew DeVisser from Paris, Ontario, Canada. I was fortunate to have spent the entire day with Andrew prior to this interview where we discussed everything from shoeing theory and practices to business insights and methods. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.
Andrew DeVisser shoes primarily hunter/jumpers along with a healthy dose of Fox hunters and eventing horses. He has been shoeing for 10.5 years, attended Butler Professional Farrier School and served an apprenticeship under Leo Chapman of Milton, Ontario. He has always worked towards improving his skills through competition and certification. Through a lot of hard work Andrew was able to pass his CJF at the age of 23. Andrew continues to compete as time allows with 4 kids at home. Andrew loves shoeing horses and has taken a special interest in the business side of shoeing horses.
Andrew is giving a business talk at the Ontario Farriers Convention this upcoming weekend September 26 – 28, 2019 in Orangeville, Ontario
In this episode, I want to touch on a subject that is very important to me. As the Summer season draws to a close I know that many of us are experiencing some degree of burnout. I figured this would be a good issue to address and give some tips and tricks on burnout that have come from some of our guests so far and based on personal research and experience.
To close out this episode we are fortunate to have Jarrod Morris allow us to play the single from his latest album West of East. Enjoy listening to Coyote. Jarrod is a fellow farrier and musician. Jarrod's Facebook pages describes him as “a Country/Americana songwriter that writes about his authentic experiences so that his music to be relatable & relevant to his listeners. Writing is the core of Jarrod’s music. He believes when you write a song, you have a deeper connection to the music. As he says, “Something very special happens there.” Jarrod doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into any one genre. His music is anything he likes to play with a nice melody and an original hook. No fluff– just raw and real, with a little grit.”
How to find his music? Jarrod Morris – Website
Jarrod Morris – Facebook
Jarrod Morris – Twitter
Jarrod Morris – iTunes
Jarrod Morris – Instagram
Permission to use Coyote granted by ©Jarrod Morris Music
In this episode, I sit down with Andrea Dubé DVM. When we first met, I was immediately impressed by Andrea. She is an equine veterinarian who currently practices in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. Dr. Dubé is one of the masterminds of our local Foot For Thought Veterinarian/Farrier Group, a colleague and friend.
Dr. Andrea Dubé is a 2007 graduate of Atlantic Veterinary College in P.E.I. After interning at New England Equine Practice in Patterson, NY she remained as an associate for 4 ½ years, practicing predominantly sport horse medicine, thoroughbred and warmblood breeding and geriatrics; working both in the hospital and on the road. From there, she returned briefly to the Maritimes where she enjoyed the company of cows, standardbred broodmares and draft horses. Subsequently, Andrea moved back to New York and practiced at Mid-Hudson Veterinary Practice in Carmel for 2 years in predominantly sport horse practice and reproduction before returning to her roots here in Canada. Dr. Dubé's passion is breeding (including mare and foal medicine) followed closely by sport horse practice and geriatric medicine.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Today, I'm speaking with Ray Matthews. Before meeting Ray, I only knew him by his reputation of being the expert on trimming foals. This was because of his time spent as the resident farrier at Windfield's Farm in Oshawa, Ontario. Windfield's was a giant thoroughbred breeding operation that had over 700 horses at its peak. Through his time there, Ray's focus was on improving the rotational and angular limb deformities that would inevitably come up in a breeding operation of that size. I finally got to meet Ray in person at a Foot for Thought clinic we held this spring where he imparted much of his wisdom on an engaged crowd of roughly 50 farriers and vets. I was so impressed with his presentation that I felt many other farriers needed to hear the lessons Ray shared with us so I approached him with my idea of doing an interview.
Several months later we found ourselves at the same horse show for a short window of time, so we quickly organized a sit-down. A great farrier and friend Mark Struthers and his partner Lauren Hunkin of Synergy Farm were gracious enough to lend us their dressing room, so please pardon all of the horse show noise is going on in the background. I think you will find that they added some great ambience to the conversation.
Ray started shoeing in 1970 and spent 12 years shoeing mixed breeds from quarter horses to gaited horses. Then he was hired on as the resident farrier at Windfields farm where he was responsible for up to 750 horses during each breeding season. His main focus was the foals through two yearlings for the sales. He became a CJF in 1984 and then an AFA examiner for about 12 years. After three years as the resident farrier at Windfield's, he went back to private practice but still retained Windfields as a client at their request. In the mid-nineties, he moved to the U.S. for a year and then settled in the Hudson/St Lazare area of Quebec where he shod mostly dressage horses. He has done some lecturing, consulting and clinics over the years. He started to cut back on his workload about 15 years ago and now he was fully retired. As I suspected Ray had a lot of great advice to share in our conversation. Even the horse in the stall behind us seemed to get excited a time or two punctuating Ray's good points with it loud whinny. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
In this episode I sit down with Sara Vanderpol, CJF. I have run into Sara many times over the years at shoeing competitions, clinics and conventions. Each time she had a new credential with the AFA or had stepped up into the Open Category or she had just made the Canadian Farrier’s Team or she had just come back from working in the UK. On and on she just kept setting the bar higher and higher for her peers. I was always inspired and admittedly sometimes jealous of her achievements and her neverending search for another challenge.
Sara began her career in 2011 and currently operates her business out of Elora, Ontario and shoes dressage horses, hunters and pleasure horses.
Recommended Books and Links:
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
Edward Martin Cultural Exchange – Travis Vern Powell
Stratum Tectorium Most Gifted Book: Gregory’s Textbook Of Farriery by Chris Gregory
Favourite Work Boots: Wolverine
Favourite Rasp: Heller XL legend Lime green
Dream Farrier Rig: Stonewell Full Body
Favourite Rounding Hammer: Derek Gardner 2 1/4 lb hammer with gamma tennis wrap
Favourite Bar Stock: 3/8 X 1
Gas or Diesel Truck: Gas
Favourite Pastime: sleep
Next On Your Bucket List: Find enjoyment in other things in life outside of horses.
Favourite Brand Of Keg Shoe: Kerckhaert DF
Leather or Synthetic Pad: leather
Favourite Type Of Horse To Work On: A good one!
Ideal # Of Horses To Shoe All Around In One Day: 3 or 4
Favourite Anvil: Round Horn Legend 120 lb
Favourite Quote: none
Accounting Software: pencil and paper
Favourite Jeans: Silvers
Favourite App: text messages
Preferred Social Media Platform: Facebook
Favourite Drink: Sommersby strawberry kiwi cider
Brand of Phone: iPhone 5s
Do You Have Injury Insurance? Not yet
Planner: paper day planner
Method To Soothe Aches And Pains: yoga
Favourite Music: Heavy metal and rock /classical or pop
Do You Workout? Yoga
Do You Meditate? In the truck while I drive
What Would You Have Been If Not A Farrier? Veterinarian
Today I am speaking with Dave Farley. Dave is a well known and sought after farrier in the Sporthorse world. He is also well known and respected in the farrier world as a generous educator. Many a farrier and vet have ridden in the truck with Dave and his son Jay for a day of mentorship. I met Dave over dinner in Wellington one night and I was amazed at how much information he shared. He imparted upon me decades of knowledge for the mere cost of a dinner at Chilli’s.
Dave’s passion for the job started when he was just 7 years old when he visited the local Blacksmith and Coal Mine Tool Maker shop in 1961. By thirteen he was nailing on shoes. In the seventies, he took over a Farrier Shop at the county fairgrounds in Coshocton, Ohio where he worked on Standardbreds. On the recommendation of a veterinarian named Dr. Gable, he then started working at Ohio State University as the resident farrier. Then in the eighties, as the standardbred industry started to dwindle he started working on Hunter/Jumper and Dressage horses in Columbus, Ohio.
His quest for knowledge has never dwindled and he credits his first two mentors Mr. Fritz Bookman and Mr. Frank McGinnis for instilling in him this desire to learn and to pass it on.
Dave’s list of accomplishments is long, so here are just a few of many:
- Past Resident Farrier at Ohio State University
- Farrier Instructor at Otterbein College
- Farrier for the American Quarter Horse Congress
- First Official Farrier of the National Reining Horse Association
- American Farriers Association “Clinician of the Year”
- Founding member of the North East Association of Equine Practitioners
- Founding Member of both the American Association of Professional Farriers and of the International Association of Professional Farriers as well as past president of both
- Member of the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame
- He has also shod several horses competing in several Olympic Games
I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview Dave. He has a lot of well-earned wisdom we all could benefit from. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
So let's get to it….
Today I’m speaking with Cathy Lesperance. Cathy shoes many high-level sport horses in Ontario, Canada. Her clients have flown her far wide, to such places as Florida and Alberta to service their horses. She is 56 years old and lives with her partner Renee and their two very large dogs.
She has loved horses since she could remember. She owned, rode and showed horses for years, from barrel racing to reining to eventing. She started her shoeing career in 1981 by apprenticing with Pat Cullen who is now deceased. She later apprenticed with Larry Lesperance, who she then married 7 years later.
Larry set out on another career of running a group home for troubled boys and Cathy took over the shoeing business. It was a very scary time for her, but she still had Larry for his support and expertise. They later divorced when she was 36 as the group home life had taken a toll on their relationship.
Cathy’s mentor over the past several decades has been and still is Dave Farley.
As I’m sure will become very apparent in the interview, Cathy is a genuinely kind, intelligent, and funny human being. She has a lot of experience that she graciously shares and her brutal honesty is both comedic and endearing.
Now let’s get to it…
Today I’m speaking with Cody Gregory. Cody has been one of my most influential teachers since I have been attending Heartland Horseshoeing School. We have this unusual dynamic where he is considerably younger than I am, yet I very much look up to him. Just like his Father, he has become an inspiring role model for me.
Cody trimmed his first pony and made his first shoe when he was four, and shod his first horse all around when he was eight. He became the youngest Certified farrier with the AFA at the age of 14 and the youngest CJF at the age of 15. Later, at the age of 19, he became an Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
An avid competitor, Cody won his first belt buckle at the age of 6. He was the alternate on the American Farrier’s Team in 2012 and won first place in the International Alternates Class in Stoneleigh that year. From 2013 to 2015 he earned a spot on the World Championship Blacksmith team where they won the world title in 2015 and he was the WCB national champion in 2014. Cody was also the top placing American at the World Championship Blacksmiths Competition in 2013.
Just as you will hear him say in the interview, Cody’s brain doesn’t work the same way as other people’s do. When he says that, it’s not to be pretentious, its just a fact. His ideas come fast and frequently, but if you can keep up with him, the insights you gain through his philosophies on shoeing and learning are fruitful. I especially liked his concept of “getting to the point that you are ready to ask the right question”. I hope you learn as much as I did in this interview.
So let’s get to it…
Welcome to the very first episode of the Mullins Farrier Podcast. My first guest, Chris Gregory was a natural choice for me. Chris has been my mentor and teacher for many years now. He is a role model in every sense of the word. He has continuously held himself to impossibly high standards and has always achieved them. Each new goal forcing him to get better and learn something new. With each accomplishment, he takes the opportunity to pass on what he has learned.
Chris has been a professional horseshoer since 1987. He holds several academic degrees, including a masters degree in human resource development, two bachelor’s degrees (with a minor) and an associates degree. He has been a member of the American Farrier’s Team, competed 18 times at the world championships Blacksmith Competition in Calgary and has been in the top ten at that contest.
He earned his CJF from the AFA in 1991 and the title of Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers at the age of 30. He is also the first American to be an examiner for a WCF exam. Chris is the creator of the FITS farrier exam system that has been adopted in Brazil, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and in North America as well. 1000’s of students have graduated from Heartland Horseshoeing School that Chris runs with his wife Kelly, son Cody, Cody’s wife Kirsty, daughter Jaqueline, and her husband Cameron.
I’m sure you will agree that if this whole shoeing thing doesn’t pan out, Chris could have a promising career in Radio. His voice would be perfect for one of those late night call-in radio shows “This Is Lovers and Other Strangers with your host Chris Gregory”
So let’s get to it…