The Farrier Project

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler interview Devon-based farrier Brad Greenham about his background, training, and career. Brad describes starting an apprenticeship at Cockington Forge, finishing his training in Gloucester and Dorset, qualifying in 2004, and building a practice in Devon, including an early 200-horse riding stables account and a high-volume “numbers game” approach he later regretted...

Mark Trussler and co-host Jay Tovey open The Farrier Project and discuss demanding Clydesdale and Highland Show competitions before interviewing retired Scottish farrier Sandy Beveridge from Carluke, who trained with Jim and Allan Ferrie and quickly achieved Dip, Associate and Fellowship (1984–1988). Sandy explains he retired at the end of October last year due to the physical toll of the job, ref...

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler interview Hereford College farriery lecturer Danny Bennett about UK farrier education, sponsorship, and how colleges rise and fall based on staff teams and management support. Danny describes his roles at Myerscough and Hereford, Hereford’s near-loss of FRC approval around 2016–17, and how Dean Bland helped rebuild admin frameworks alongside renewed senior leaders...

Mark Trussler and co-host Jay Tovey interview farrier Jeff Townsend-Berridge, known as the “Glue Guru,” about his background and expertise in glue-on shoeing. Jeff describes growing up in the New Forest around horses, early trimming experience, mentorship with Colin Smith, and how a disrupted UK apprenticeship path led him to Kentucky Horseshoeing School, where he fast-tracked through training, la...

In Part 2 Mark Trussler and co-host Jay Tovey interview farrier Paul Duddy about learning through mistakes, asking questions, and the value of clinics and competitions. Paul explains how competitions build confidence and skill for young farriers, shares memories from Calgary and other events (including injuries, disqualifications, speed classes, team wins, and placing top 10), and describes what g...

The Farriery Project hosts Jay Tovey and co-host Mark Trussler introduce guest farrier Paul, who grew up in Strabane, Northern Ireland during the Troubles and is a fifth-generation farrier who started in the forge at 11 before his father died when he was 15. Paul describes the highly competitive Irish National Stud apprenticeship in Kildare, annual training blocks in England, and qualifying via a...

Mark Trussler and co-host Jay Tovey welcome Fred Cox to The Farrier Project to discuss his background, training, and specialist stud-farm farriery. Raised around horses in Oxfordshire and a former youth polo player, Fred began a farrier apprenticeship in Lambourn under Gary Pickford, initially disliking race-yard work before finding his niche on stud farms. After qualifying in 2009, he worked a ye...

Jay Tovey and co-host Mark Trussler continue their chat with farrier Alex, focusing on foot balance, conformation assessment, and trimming and shoeing plans with an emphasis on the caudal hoof. Alex describes his influences from Stefan Wehrli and Dr. Rick Redden, explaining trimming in multiple planes (landing, standing, and breakover phases) and using heel rockers to increase caudal weight-bearin...

Mark Trussler and co-host Jay Tovey introduce The Farrier Project and interview Bavarian farrier Alex Werner DipWCF in Germany. Alex describes growing up near Munich, starting with horses as a child, and learning farriery by holding up feet for an elderly local farrier before trimming his own horses as a teenager. Encouraged by a vet, he pursued training in England, securing an apprenticeship with...

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler welcome farrier Haydn Price to discuss dressage shoeing and his career. Haydn explains starting farriery at 14, restarting his apprenticeship with Tim Rooney, and how conversations with farrier Alan Bailey led him to question traditional UK “follow the foot” concave hunter-style shoeing. Influenced by Continental shoeing seen with David Broome’s horses, he adopted...

Mark Trussler and co-host Jay Tovey introduce The Farrier Project and interview Alison Talbot, a veterinary surgeon and equine orthopedics clinician at the University of Liverpool with a background in diagnostic imaging, FEI showjumping and dressage work, and farriery examinations. Alison discusses the benefits and drawbacks of moving between practices, and how referral work affects client relatio...

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler interview newly qualified farriers Connor (South Wales, trained by his father, represented Wales) and George (Yorkshire, trained by Gary Harland, England team reserve) about their backgrounds, competitive mindset, and training support networks. The core discussion compares Connor’s new VetSkills EPA route with George’s final Worshipful Company of Farriers Diploma:...

In part two of The Farrier Project interview, Simon Moore explains how the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) lost FRC approval in 2023 to run the EPA after an IT supplier change left insufficient exam software support, and says FRC also removed approval for the AWCF to count toward Approved Training Farrier status without a council vote, prompting his resignation. He outlines how EPAO’s are app...

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler introduce The Farriery Project and interview farrier Simon Moore FWCF about his background and professional journey. Simon grew up in Hertfordshire UK with a lion-tamer father, lived on a circus as a child, and later entered farriery through horses bred at his father’s yard, first learning from Mick Williams and then serving his apprenticeship under Paul Atkins, q...

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler introduce The Farrier Project and interview Swedish farrier Henrik Jansson, their first international guest. Henrik describes entering farriery after early work as a carpenter, completing Swedish farrier school and exams, and later pursuing UK Worshipful Company of Farriers qualifications to the Fellowship level. Since 2007 he has worked at a Swedish university an...

Journey through farriery's evolution with Mac Head, Fellow and past master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers. In this extensive conversation, Mac shares his remarkable career spanning from a 1963 apprenticeship with his blacksmith father through to founding MNC Horseshoes. He offers candid insights on how farriery transformed from a "joke" and "dead trade" in the 1960s to today's profession, e...

Jay Tovey and co-host Mark Trussler interview New Zealand–born farrier Andrew “Kiwi” Nickalls. He is now based in Dorset, and the guys ask about his background, WCF diploma, shoemaking competitions, and his long involvement with Team New Zealand (including five World Games and four Olympic Games, stepping down in 2019). Nickalls discusses why he values the Worshipful Company of Farriers diploma an...

Mark Trussler and Jay Tovey introduce The Farrier Project podcast and interview UK farrier Andrew Bowyer about his background, including apprenticeship with Haydn Price, overseas work (New Zealand, Australia, Mexico), hobbies, and roles as a Worshipful Company of Farriers Fellow and examiner, Approved Training Farrier, Devon County Show c0-organizer, and former Team GB farrier through the Tokyo an...

Understanding the Impact of Frog Support Pads in Farriery In this episode of The Farrier Project, hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler discuss the evolution and applications of frog support pads in farriery with special guest, Andrew Casserly. They explore historical use, personal experiences, and the results of Andrew's FWCF thesis study on the efficacy of frog support pads and packing materials. Th...

In this episode, hosts Mark Trussler and Jay Tovey, along with special guest Ian 'Spud' Allison, delve into the intricate and methodical world of shoemaking. Spud shares his extensive experience with various types of horses, including sport horses and racehorses, shedding light on the adjustments he's had to make due to changes in the industry, such as Brexit. The discussion highlights the importa...

An introduction to the new and exciting farriery podcast. This podcast series will explore all subjects related to farriery, hosted by Mark Trussler and Jay Tovey with special guests.