Tradition that is based on sound principles should be retained and mastered. It is the foundation for everything else we do.”

Dr. Doug Butler, a member of the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame, wrote those words nearly a quarter-
century ago in an American Farriers Journal  article titled “In Defense of Tradition and Common Sense.” In the wide-ranging article, the Crawford, Neb., farrier who owns and operates the Butler Professional Farrier School with his sons Jacob and Peter, emphasized the importance of mastering the traditional horseshoeing techniques before using “new” methods and materials.

“There are some things that have changed, but the concept that the article addresses hasn’t,” Butler tells American Farriers Journal  after recently reflecting on the article.

The article remains as relevant as ever, he says, particularly because the thesis is largely ignored or diluted as a…