The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine recently announced that Harwood, Md., farrier Jamie Secoura is taking over as chief of farrier services for the veterinary teaching hospital. Secoura attended Kentucky Horseshoeing School and is a Certified Journeyman Farrier with a therapeutic endorsement and a diploma from the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
She is returning to Virginia Tech after a nearly 10-year stretch of owning and operating J.S. Farrier Service in Harwood. Previously, she was a farrier intern at the college and the resident farrier under Hall of Famer Travis Burns, who now serves as the hospital administrator and associate professor of practice. Burns encouraged her to run her own business, but she knew she wanted to return someday.
"I always knew this was something I wanted to come back to," she says. "When Travis asked me, there was no hesitation."
Secoura's first mentor, Maryland farrier Mike Poe, first educated her on specialty shoeing techniques when her own horse had navicular disease. Later, Burns and equine clinician, now professor emeritus, Scott Pleasant showed her what good vet-farrier communication looks like.
"You could have 10 different horses with the same exact issue, but you need 10 different shoeing setups," she says. "Really just trying to figure out what works for that individual horse and their specific needs."
She intends to expand Virginia Tech's podiatry education to help train young equine professionals in the art of collaboration. She aims to recruit additional farrier interns, increase outreach and strengthen professional relationships with area farriers, veterinarians and owners.
"I'm here to help grow what Travis and Scott Pleasant built," she says.
To read more about Secoura, click here.
