Frederick "Butch" Thompson

Sometimes someone comes into your life who makes all the difference in the world. My beloved farrier is one such person.

His name is Frederick “Butch” Thompson. He lives in Chocorua, New Hampshire, and it is a measure of his care and devotion to horses that I am a client in Lamoine, Maine, a four-hour, one-way drive from his home. I know other clients of his who live as far away as upstate New York, Rhode Island and Canada.

It may seem strange to some to say Butch truly loves horses, all horses. This is not true of every farrier — sadly, I had one for too many years who did not, to my shame and my horses’ detriment. But I saw Butch take my two Percherons from horses unhappy to be trimmed or shod to ones whose ears perked when Butch walked in the barn, who nuzzled him affectionately as he worked.

And equally important, he literally saved my gelding’s life. Without Butch’s skill and care, my horse Blue would never have survived his chronic laminitis. The first time he worked on Blue he spent over three hours on his knees, carefully realigning a horribly warped pair of front feet. For the first time in four years Blue walked out comfortably with his head held high. I will never forget watching that as long as I live.

	Butch and Marie, first visit (July 9, 2009)

Over his last four years, Blue was cared for under extraordinary circumstances. When he had to have bladder surgery in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, two hours from our home, Butch drove to my vet’s clinic to care for Blue. When we lost Blue’s lifelong companion, his sister Kate, Butch brought Blue a companion pony, and then another pony to keep the first one company.

And on the last day of his life, Blue had those who loved him surrounding him, including Butch and his wife, Marie. I cannot find words to say how much that meant to us.

I would like to say this as well, how important it is to a farrier to have the support of a loving spouse. It is a tough, dangerous job. The hours are long, the work physically demanding. People like Marie are an integral part of a team that supports the horses, the clients, and most of all, create a home refuge to return to at the end of the day.

My husband and I and our equine family are deeply grateful to Butch and to Marie as well for their caring, their support and their friendship.

— Carolyn and John Larson
(Lamoine, Maine)