Information on Farriers and Shoeing Horses

hillcountryannie said:

I'm writing a short story whose MC shoes horses for a living. I see him more as a farrier, not so much the blacksmith side.

Now, I've watched my farrier work, but I want to know more. Anyone have specific information that would make my piece more believable? Or know of a book, fiction or not, that would help? I've seen farrier and hoof care guides. One better than the other for what I want?

I'm interested in the sensory part of it. As well as specific issues and problems shoeing horses presents (my horse and those I've seen haven't had problems being worked with). Basically, what is like to be a farrier without getting too technical.

Thanks!

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One of my thesis topics was on shoe related lameness in horses, and I can tell you that it's a HUGE topic that couldn't possibly be covered in a post here.

How much info do you really need for a scene/chapter etc on this?

Being a farrier is very hard work - it's tough on the back and the arms. Very few farriers hot shoe these days as it's expensive and time consuming. Many still make their own shoes using moulds, although you can buy them. Cold shoeing is popular because you can shoe a horse in half the time, but it's not as 'perfect' as hot shoeing.

Not all horses get shod either - retired horses, companions, most native ponies, broodmares and a lot of riding horses only get trims now - but their feet are trimmed in a different way to shod horses.

Also, the type of work dictates the type of shoe, which dictates the way the horses is shod.

Then there's the conditions of the feet, any injury, deformity of remedial shoeing needed.

The first reply has some good points. I am a fair blacksmith, but I have never shod a horse. One little detail that might help you is that the shoe would vibrate with every hammer blow, but the vibrations would decrease as the nails were driven in. When the shoe was firmly attached the vibration would end.

Ask your farrier. They're probably in the best position to give you some ideas and guide you to useful books.

hillcountryannie said:

Thanks for the help.

I started to write examples of the sort of thing I'm looking for. The sort of details you know about a trade only if you or someone you know does it. I started to write my example about my little brother building ranch fencing and gates. Then, I thought....duh....that could be what my character does.

Because I know things like how he cut his hand open really bad once, how he is filthy when he finishes work, how he's run across rattlesnakes and even a mountain lion, etc.

I would still be interested in having a character in the future be a farrier after more research, but this story is rolling now, so I need to get going with it.

But still would be grateful for any resources. Thanks!

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Write what you know. Hsving the character build fences probably would come out better.

Is this a 21st century farrier in Kentucky? Or is your story set elsewhere and elsewhen?

If the former, then yes, talk to your own farrier. When she has a bit of time. Or pay him for some time.

This is one of those times where you need to do your own research, and not just ask about it online. Try to spend a day with a farrier, helping him or her, or perhaps find another job for your character to enjoy--one you already know enough about.

King Neptune said:

One little detail that might help you is that the shoe would vibrate with every hammer blow, but the vibrations would decrease as the nails were driven in. When the shoe was firmly attached the vibration would end.

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The hoof's natural shock absorbtion quality is decreased by the addition of a shoe - each blow, or each time the shod hoof strikes hard ground at a trot, for instance, is equivelant to a human hitting concrete with a hammer. The first few blows aren't so bad, but if you do that repeatedly then you are going to delelop joint problems, stress fractures etc. Just because the vibrations have stopped feeling as evident in the hoof as it's being worked on doesn't mean that those vibrations have stopped - they have simply travelled further up the leg.

Old Hack said:

This is one of those times where you need to do your own research, and not just ask about it online. Try to spend a day with a farrier, helping him or her, or perhaps find another job for your character to enjoy--one you already know enough about.

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This. Farriers are brilliant sources of information and there's nothing like observing first hand how something works.

Some things to think on:

• Back pain.
• Mini horses (size and behavior)
• Horses that act up
• Horses that act up and their owners who won't let the farrier deal with it
• The fact that a career ending injury is a mere horse's kick away
• Owners that never show up on time
• Owners who have been through every farrier in their region and don't understand why
• Checks that bounce
• Your truck mechanic explaining to you that all that stuff in the back of your truck would kill any truck
• The mud hole in the driveway that the horse owner says isn't a problem for his or her truck and buries your truck up to the axles
• The first call of the day that was supposed to be simple, and takes two hours longer then it should have, doing wonderful things to the rest of your schedule
• The owner that thinks he or she knows more then you

Best of luck,


Jim Clark-Dawe

In addition to Jim's list:

Stroppy horses
Stroppy owners
Horses leaning/falling on you
Arriving to shoe in the late afternoon in winter to find there are no lights on the yard

hillcountryannie said:

I guess I wasn't specific in that I was looking for more unusual story tidbits. ... I know I need to talk to my farrier.

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I wasn't intending to give you good stories to use; I was intending on giving you openers for talking with a farrier. Quite honestly the good farrier stories that I have I'm not going to give away, but save for when I can use them.

But ask a farrier what they think of minis. You'd think they'd be small, cute little critters to work on. Not quite. One farrier I know can't see a mini or hear the word 'mini' without letting loose with at least one F-bomb.

To get good results with an interview, the first requirement is that it can't feel like an interview. Second requirement is you have to know the magic phrases that will pry open the good stuff. What Shaldna and I gave you are some of the magic phrases. What I can't tell you is what magic phrases will work the best with the farrier(s) you talk with. And you'll only get the best stories when you talk to people so they don't know you're interviewing them.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

jclarkdawe said:

Some things to think on:

• Back pain.
• Mini horses (size and behavior)
• Horses that act up
• Horses that act up and their owners who won't let the farrier deal with it
• The fact that a career ending injury is a mere horse's kick away
• Owners that never show up on time
• Owners who have been through every farrier in their region and don't understand why
• Checks that bounce
• Your truck mechanic explaining to you that all that stuff in the back of your truck would kill any truck
• The mud hole in the driveway that the horse owner says isn't a problem for his or her truck and buries your truck up to the axles
• The first call of the day that was supposed to be simple, and takes two hours longer then it should have, doing wonderful things to the rest of your schedule
• The owner that thinks he or she knows more then you

Best of luck,


Jim Clark-Dawe

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These!
I've had nothing but good experiences with farriers in my horse-owning days. They were all fantastic characters. Hard to choose a favourite. The Welsh chap was hilarious. Spoke with a very strong Welsh accent. Always blunt, always had great stories to tell, not necessarily ones about horses. It's been 18 years since he last shod a horse of mine, because I moved, but I was pleased to hear that he's still in the business.

hillcountryannie said:

Haha. Didn't want you to give yours away. I don't have much experience with mini's but I never thought they'd be that much trouble. That's interesting. I probably should just casually ask him sometime about the oddest or funniest thing that has happened.

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Ask him about minis, and about donkeys and mules.

And mini donkeys.

Ask him about hooves and nutrition, and the change from winter to spring.

On minis - I tend to think of them all as having Tinkerbell syndrome - that is to say, they are so small that they only have room for one emotion at once. Usually evil.

The grossest thing I can think of about farriers is how much the dogs seem to love eating the hoof trimmings. I don't know why it grosses me out so much, but seeing the farm dogs skulking around, then dashing in to grab bits of ex-hoof... yuck. And these are well-fed dogs, too.

shaldna said:

On minis - I tend to think of them all as having Tinkerbell syndrome - that is to say, they are so small that they only have room for one emotion at once. Usually evil.

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I used to loathe them, and feel sorry for them; they have all sorts of skeletal and dental issues, their organs are often deformed, they're prone to digestive problems because they're intestines are crammed into too little space, and their brains are crammed into very tiny skulls, and sometimes, they have seizures as they mature because there's no room.

But some of them are better adapted than others. And I've met a couple that are actually charming, and don't realize they're mutants. There's this one who's old--30 or 31--and he's funny as all get out. He's a gelding, an escape artist. He runs with a mare herd, and they adore him, and are protective of him. I sometimes think maybe they think he's a baby.

hillcountryannie said:

The dogs eating the hoof trimmings, I haven't seen, because there haven't been dogs around the barn. That is such an interesting piece of information. That is so helpful! Thanks! That's the sort of info I love....things like that might not even come up even if I asked about his work. Love odd stuff like that.

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A courteous farrier picks up the hoof trimmings, because while dogs love them, the trimmings make many dogs, especially smaller dogs, vomit.

They also pick up their nails and the bits of nail they clip off. Some use a magnetic matt to collect filings etc.

Annie, if you want another topic to get your farrier talking--horses that lean is always a good one for stories. As in, the horse will decide to use the farrier for its fourth leg. Usually with a lot more weight than it would actually put on the leg by itself. This is the reason draft horses get trimmed and shod in stocks. They're notorious leaners and they weigh up to a ton, literally.

If you want to make your fictional farrier's life miserable, give him a Clydesdale who's ready for a stand-up nap, and no shoeing stocks in sight.

P.S. Since someone will add this if I don't: many if not most farriers use a simple hoof stand for smaller to mid-size (non-draft) horses, but, depending on the patience of the horse, this isn't always an option.

Medievalist said:

But some of them are better adapted than others. And I've met a couple that are actually charming, and don't realize they're mutants. There's this one who's old--30 or 31--and he's funny as all get out. He's a gelding, an escape artist. He runs with a mare herd, and they adore him, and are protective of him. I sometimes think maybe they think he's a baby.

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Over here it's pretty common for studs to put a mini in a feild with young or recovering horses - a herd will only go as fast as it's slowest member, so having something very small slows the whole herd up and reduces the risk of injury and strain - especially in winter where the ground is a bog.

Medievalist said:

A courteous farrier picks up the hoof trimmings, because while dogs love them, the trimmings make many dogs, especially smaller dogs, vomit.

They also pick up their nails and the bits of nail they clip off. Some use a magnetic matt to collect filings etc.

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Bolding mine. I'm yet to see a farrier who cleans up after himself. Just for once it would be nice.

L.C. Blackwell said:

Annie, if you want another topic to get your farrier talking--horses that lean is always a good one for stories. As in, the horse will decide to use the farrier for its fourth leg. Usually with a lot more weight than it would actually put on the leg by itself. This is the reason draft horses get trimmed and shod in stocks. They're notorious leaners and they weigh up to a ton, literally.

If you want to make your fictional farrier's life miserable, give him a Clydesdale who's ready for a stand-up nap, and no shoeing stocks in sight.

P.S. Since someone will add this if I don't: many if not most farriers use a simple hoof stand for smaller to mid-size (non-draft) horses, but, depending on the patience of the horse, this isn't always an option.

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I have a gelding who has fallen asleep, and on one occassion fell ontop of the farrier.

I have no idea what shoeing stocks are though - is this a US thing?