Farrier Focus Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Fran Jurga of Gloucester, Massachusetts. She is the founder of Hoofcare Publishing, which was established in 1985 to fulfill a growing global demand for information about the horse's foot that could be accessed by equine professionals, especially farriers and veterinarians, around the world. She is also the creator, publisher and editor of Hoofcare and Lameness Journa...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier and past president of the American Farriers Association, Margie Lee-Gustafson. She and her husband Don are based in Palo Alto, California. We talk about her beginnings as a farrier, lessons and mistakes she made when starting, the value of a multi-farrier practice, her experience as president of the AFA, and numerous experiences from her c...

In this episode, Dr. Doug Butler shares his insights in how you can learn to enhance your powers of observation and see more so you an properly diagnose and discuss the work you do with your clients and veterinarians. You'll get a lot out of this episode about the importance of seeing more because you have trained yourself to concentrate and see what others may otherwise miss.

In this episode, Dr. Doug Butler and Jacob Butler share insights on front limb conformation and unsoundness. You'll get a lot out of this episode on ways you can treat the various unsoundnesses that result front limb conformation deformities. We recommend you use Chapters 20, 22, and 40 from the Principles of Horseshoeing III as a reference when reviewing the information from this podcast episode.

In this episode, we talk with Pat Burton, CJF, of south Fort Worth, Texas. He has been shoeing horses since the late 1970s and shares his insights on the fundamentals of horseshoeing, some of his early mentors, his experience of becoming certified, and experiences he has had as a certification tester. You'll gain a lot of valuable advice from Pat on what it takes to build up a successful practice...

In this episode, we talk with Allie Hayes of HorseScience.com about how she got started as a farrier, her interest in horse anatomy, and how she began processing horse feet and limbs to help farriers, veterinarians and horse owners see what is really happening inside the foot structures of the horse. She shares some of the lessons she has learned from studying, processing, and teaching anatomy thr...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier and AWCF, Gerard Laverty. He is the instructor of the Farrier Program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia. He has been shoeing horses for more than 40 years in several different countries.

In this episode, we talk with Walter Varcoe about his work as a farrier and his interest in equine skeletons.  Walter was a professional rider and equine manager for the New York State Department of Corrections as well as their only farrier until his retirement in July 2006. In addition to his normal duties Walter also served as their equine instructor, teaching inmates the proper care of horses a...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier, Jim Quick of Niwot, Colorado who has been shoeing horses for more than 27 years. Jim shares his start as a farrier, his education at Colorado State University including studying with Dr. Doug Butler in Colorado, his beginnings into competitive shoeing, and lessons he has learned through numerous mentors he has had over the years. He share...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier, Peter Butler about his experiences in becoming a farrier, getting certified, competing, and training horses. Pete shares lessons about teaching students, how students learn differently, the value of understanding the origin of words in mastering anatomy, and experiences with horses over the years. He also shares his experiences of working...

In this episode, we talk with certified journeyman farrier Nate Allen. He studied under Dr. Doug Butler at Northwest Missouri State University and Colorado State University. He taught as an instructor at Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico for many years. He currently serves as an administrator at Central Community College in south central Nebraska.  He has been shoeing horses for...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Farrier Bob Smith. He is the founder of Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School and has been shoeing horses as a professional farrier for more than 43 years. He was inducted into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, KY in 2010. Bob has authored many articles published in leading equine magazines such as Practical...

In this episode, we talk with farrier Bryan Farcus of Athens, Ohio. Bryan was a director/instructor of a farrier program at Meredith Manor Equestrian Centre in Waverly, WV for 14 years. In addition, Bryan was an adjunct farrier instructor for Hocking College in Nelsonville, OH for 6 years, and breifly served as a guest instructor for an Equine Science program at Salem International University in S...

In this episode, we talk with FIA President and GE Forge and Tool Representative Dan Bradley. He was recently inducted into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame and has been shoeing horses for more than 43 years. Dan talks about lessons he has learned through the years, insights into the history of tools and manufacturing, how he developed the specialty of working and shoeing with aluminum,...

In this episode, we talk with Todd Allen, a Certified Journeyman Farrier from Vandergrift, Pennsylvania who has been shoeing horses for more than 35 years. He started in 1982 at Northwest Missouri State University studying under Dr. Doug Butler.  Todd shares valuable lessons from injuries he has received as a farrier, how he learned to balance work and his family, and his thoughts on how to succee...

In this episode, we talk with Lee Green of Yucaipa, California about how he got his start in horseshoeing, memorable experiences of shoeing during the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles, and lessons he has learned on improving his efficiency in shoeing horses over the past fifty years.

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier and AWCF Doug Russo, who is the resident farrier at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He has been shoeing horses full time for the past 15-16 years. He shares insights from his career, memorable cases he has worked on, his observations about the future of veterinary and farrier...

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Simon Curtis, FWCF, PhD. He has been shoeing horses for 46 years. He is a Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers by examination. Based in Newmarket, Simon has been a farrier since 1972. He is a 4th generation farrier. His family have been farriers and blacksmiths on the Cambridgeshire and Suffolk border for the past 150 years. He is a Past Master of the Wors...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier Dennis Manning of Roosevelt, Utah. He shares his beginnings as a farrier, lessons he learned from studying with Dr. Doug Butler, the beginnings of the AFA and the history of certification from his years of being on the certification committee, stories from his career of shoeing horses, his interest in making tools, guns, and hobbles. He al...

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Doug Butler about how he got into horseshoeing, stories from his career, and thoughts about the profession of farriery.

Today, we're privileged to talk with farrier legend and Certified Journeyman Farrier Myron McLane of Somerset, Massachusetts. He has been shoeing horses for more than 55 years. Myron talks about how he got started as a farrier, his experiences as a harness shoer, his experiences on the rules committee for the AFA, his thoughts on improving farrier / veterinarian relationships, and his goals today...

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier Henry Heymering of Frederick, Maryland. He is the founder of the American Farrier's Journal and has been shoeing horses for more than forty-five years. Henry shares how he got started as a farrier, how he began the American Farrier's Journal and the Guild of Professional Farriers. He shares numerous experiences from his career and advice t...

In this episode, farrier legend Lee Liles shares how he got his start shoeing horses and in particular his specialties of shoeing Tennessee Walking horses and therapeutic cases. He also shares how he started collecting items for the National Museum of Horse Shoeing Tools and Hall of Honor located in Sulphur, Oklahoma.

In this episode, we're privileged to talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier Jim Poor of Tuscola, Texas. He has been shoeing horses for more than forty-three years. Jim shares lessons he learned from his father as a farrier, how he got started manufacturing tools, mistakes he made as a farrier, toolmaker, and competitor. Jim shares lessons about several of his competitive wins and why being a true...

In this episode, we talk with farrier Steve Kraus, who is the head farrier at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Steve is an American Farriers Association Certified Journeyman Farrier and has shod many types and breeds of show and performance horses for more than 53 years. In addition, he has worked for Mustad Hoofcare since 1976 as their farrier consultant, representing the or...