like to add a few comments from the outside looking in. In defence of my trade a few things: we are not all of the same mindset and skill level. Being a farrier does not (or should not) mean that we say every horse needs shoes. This is not the case at all, and any modern and well trained farrier should be able to give that response. You look at everything involved with the horse before making a decision: conformation, use, stabling, health. the whole picture. There are plenty of clients that have asked for shoes, and I have responded with my reasoning for them not being necessary in their case, and then trim for being barefoot. In my book, that is just how it should be. There are alot of shoeing and trimming devices and methodologies that any well learned and forward thinking farrier will disregard, because it does match up with basic physiological or movement mechanics. We dont just put on the newest and flashiest device and charge the client out the ass for it. I do agree though, that there are many farriers that do not act in the ways i have described. That is why I say “modern” farrier. This is a farrier who is actively and constantly learning, practicing, studying, and analyzing new info and techniques, with the horses health in mind first, not a paycheck. The point i am trying to say is that being a farrier doesn’t mean you are a big, dirty, angry, rough-cut and foul-mouthed jerk, that cant nail on a trashcan lid and make it fit to save your life. Thank you for reading all this and i’m sorry for the length. I just don’t want your impression to be that ALL farriers are the way often described and shown in posts, or that we all hate and disagree with barefoot trimmers. Keep up the great blog and again, thank you for your time. :)

Hey thanks, for the message. No problem about the length, the Tumblr messaging system sucks. I can definitely see where you are coming from. There are, in fact, a few farriers that I know/know of that I like. Well, there are aspects of their practice that I like. For instance, the other night I was looking for a video of someone trimming underrun heels, and I came upon the video of a farrier who did a really nice job and knew what he was talking about, so I used it. At one of the barns that I visit, there is also a farrier that works there. He told an owner he couldn’t shoe a horse any longer because the hoof wall wasn’t good enough. (Of course, on the flip side of that situation, he can’t seem to trim a hoof properly either, but at least he eventually refused to shoe on top of an unhealthy hoof). I agree that there are farriers out there that are definitely trying their best to keep up with the newest information. Some are succeeding. I can’t say that in my experience as a horse owner or in the experience of my clients and friends that this is the majority of cases. There is no farrier that I have met so far that I would trust to care for my horses’ hooves if something were to happen to me. That says a lot.

There are farriers (like yourself) that seem open to at least some kind of communication between the two groups. But there are also a lot of efforts to silence professional trimmers (and owners/owner-trimmers) on the part of traditional farriery. There are some really ridiculous arrests and prosecutions of trimmers and hoof podiatrists in Europe and some outrageous legislation trying to prevent owners from providing their horses with adequate care. There are professional trimmers receiving death threats and near constant harassment and ridicule from other “professional” hoof care providers (and even VETS!). There are professional trimmers that have people actively trying to destroy their businesses and livelihoods. It's hard for me to see a way that this is not, at least in part, related to money.

There is an aspect of control, a hoarding of information happening as well. The refrain I hear from my clients: “So-And-So would’ve never explained that….. So-And-So acted like l was st*pid when I asked a question….. So-And-So said my horse would never be comfortable without shoes….. So-And-So said my horse just had bad feet….” In some ways, this actually shows a lack of knowledge on behalf of the previous farriers, but it also tells me that many farriers seem to think only some people are entitled to information about hooves and hoof care/their time. And if they don’t deem the person worthy….? This sense of having all the answers is directly related to farriers (and people in general really) NOT seeking out new or contradicting information.

Hahaha who’s the lucky one you’re betrothed to? XD