International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member Reuel Darling of Clovis, Calif., passed away May 24, 2025.

Darling began his professional hoof-care career in 1958, building a reputation as a consummate craftsman. He shod horses of all breeds and disciplines and excelled. He was willing to go the extra mile to serve his clients.

“You can make a living anywhere in the world if you are a blacksmith,” Darling is quoted by the California Blacksmith Association (CBA).

He was heavily involved in the farrier and blacksmithing communities as an early member of the CBA and a lifetime member of the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) and was generous with his time and knowledge.

“Reuel was the truest friend anyone could ever hope for,” says Michael Savoldi, a fellow member of the Hall of Fame. “He was a steadfast companion whose kindness knew no bounds. Always ready to lend a hand, he would help anyone, anytime, without hesitation. His mastery of horseshoeing and blacksmithing was nothing short of extraordinary, a reflection of both his deep knowledge and his unwavering dedication to his craft. Reuel’s legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the work he so passionately pursued.”

Darling was dedicated to teaching his trade, opening a horseshoeing school in 1975 in Clovis.

“The school was part of the adult school program, but high school seniors were allowed to take the course,” recalls Rocky Armitage, a Jamestown, Calif., farrier who was in Darling’s first class. “I already had most of my tools, but one day, Reuel brought in a box of old tools and told us if we liked one, take it, and just leave a tool in exchange. I had a Diamond driving hammer then, but I picked up this hammer from the box and instantly knew it was ‘the one.’ I used it exclusively for the majority of my 43-year career.”

Hall of Fame farrier Lee Green’s recollections echo those from Savoldi and Armitage.

“Reuel’s largest function and interest was to teach and help anyone he could,” says the Yucaipa, Calif., farrier. “He was helpful to all. After the Anvil 21 was formed in 1986, he was the first inductee. Reuel was a big part in participating in the shoeing events at Mule Days. What a great pleasure it was to room with him at several AFA conventions. He was a giant and an honored man in our profession who will always be missed.”

His devotion to education led to bringing Professor William Russell’s book, Scientific Horseshoeing, back into print in 1987.

“My first experience with Russell’s book was a condensed version of his work that Ralph Hoover had mimeographed and, along with the Army Manual, was used as the text or the Horseshoeing class Ralph started at Cal Poly,” Darling wrote in the forward to Russell’s reprinted book. “I would like to have met Mr. Russell while he was writing his book, heard some of the discussions he had with his friend Mr. Harris. To have been present for the development of these theories would have been a fascinating experience. I imagine they would have been something like the midnight lectures in the halls of the hotel at an American Farriers convention. I feel that Russell’s craftsmanship and years of work to resolve specific shoeing problems are worthy of reprinting.”

The book remains popular to this day.

“The farrier industry owes him a huge debt of gratitude,” Armitage says. “He was foremost in encouraging the sharing of knowledge and ideas.”