The front driving position — the position used for pulling shoes, trimming feet and nailing on shoes — begins with the simple, yet profound act of picking up one front foot. It’s profound because many farriers start with a front foot, so how we do that initial act often sets the tone for the rest of the shoeing process.

Often those who work with horses lift the front foot by grabbing the cannon or twisting the chestnut. As farriers, I don’t believe this approach is the most efficient for what we want to accomplish. For many horses, especially a young horse or an old sore horse, this abrupt action catches them by surprise. As a result, they tend to pull away or snap…