There’s no business like shoe business!

There’s no business like shoe business!

The age- old art of farriering

A Times Staff Feature Having shoes put on a horse seems like a simple thing to most people. It is not! The one and only time I tried to rasp a horses’ hoof I ended up with more of my skin off than hoof.

That is when I decided to leave the shoeing to the professionals.

Last night Adam Fahr, a professional farrier from Paragould, stopped by on his way home from shoeing in Mississippi. He had an apprentice with him, Brendon Venne. The young apprentice has been going to school at Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Missouri to become a farrier. The school closes in July and gives the young students a chance to travel with a accomplished farrier for that month for some ‘hands on’ training.

This young man was from New York state, (‘get a rope’). He had never been to Arkansas before but said he really liked the state.

Adam has been in and won many awards in the AFA (American Farriers Association) competitions and the WCB (the World Championship Blacksmiths Association). He has even traveled to Europe to do shoeing and competitions.

I asked Adam if he wanted to use aluminum shoes on the front of the horse and he said, “No, I’d rather make the shoes.” Yes, Adam makes the shoes, some from total scratch and he forges them to smoking hot and hammers them to the size and shape he needs. He even hammers clips in them where needed to help hold the shoes on or cover cracks in the horses’ hooves. He lays the hot shoe on the horse hoof (no it does not hurt the horse) and then uses the lines made on the shoe to further shape it to a perfect fit. The apprentice shaped the horses’ hooves, under Adams’ direction and use of a magic marker to show him where to make the next rasp or cut. He reminded the young man to look down the hoof and check the angle. When Adam finished making the front shoes I asked the apprentice, “How do you know which one is the right or left shoe?” He answered me, “Adam marks them,” and then showed me the notch he made in the shoe that goes on the right front foot.

The two guys did a fine job on the horse and the young apprentice said he has learned a lot from his travels with Adam Fahr.

Adam told me he has had at many apprentices and is recommended by the school often.

Becoming a farrier is a tough job and not cut out for just anyone but this could be a great job for those interested in a different profession.

By Joy Hall