As an avid reader of horseshoeing books new and old, it was with great delight that I got my hands on Gregory’s Textbook of Farriery, by Chris Gregory, CJF, FWCF.

Gregory really doesn’t need any introduction, but for those unfamiliar with him, he is the owner of Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. He, his wife, Kelly, and their son, Cody, are the instructors at the school.

Gregory has pretty well circled the globe conducting lectures, hands-on clinics and administering farrier exams. These are just some of the achievements of a person I consider to be an icon in the farrier world.

If you’ve had the chance to attend one of Gregory’s clinics, I think you will find the book that much easier to read, as it’s almost like sitting back and reading along as he tells a story on how to shoe horses. You may even find yourself trying to read along as fast as Gregory talks!

In typical Chris Gregory fashion of doing it great or not doing it at all, there was obviously no expense spared in having the book printed and published in the U.S.A. Not wanting to judge a book by its cover, let’s have a look inside.

What’s Inside

Upon initial perusal, you will find it richly illustrated with drawings and pictures covering anatomy, conformational defects and step-by-step instruction on building and applying shoes and modifications. As we delve a little deeper, you will find the book broken into 14 sections with each section…