Clarence Crumpton, Jr.

In the spring of 2012, at the age of 41, taking up horseback riding was a dream come true. I took lessons from several different instructors and was willing to ride any horse that would stand still long enough for me to throw a saddle on their back. By late summer, I was foolishly smitten with a 10-year-old Haflinger, appropriately named Dennis the Menace. Our first ride was a non-stop, fast trot, forward moving adventure, with a few crow hops and small bucks added in for good measure. I was hooked. Ignoring all reasonable advice, I was done looking and bought a horse.

To say that combining my inexperience with horses along with Dennis’ keen, opportunistic pony brain was a bad idea is putting it mildly. Dennis got my number, and then proceeded to walk all over me, figuratively and literally. As fast as I made my dream a reality, this horse was beating it down. That is, until I met Clarence Crumpton, Jr.

Clarence was coming to the boarding farm to trim another horse, and I piggy-backed a trim on the visit. As I led Dennis from his pasture, I could see Clarence shaking his head. Dennis was in my space, ignoring my commands and being a brute, as is his natural tendency. Clarence asked if I had a few minutes to spare, and before the trim I was introduced to my first lesson in groundwork. A year and half later, not only is Clarence providing excellent hoof care and maintenance, but he is also teaching me advanced ground work, riding and horsemanship.

Clarence’s approach to the horse is whole and holistic. As a farrier, he explains each individual hoof and its trim to me as he works. He is welcoming of questions and eager to help expand my knowledge. Where he sees an issue, he takes additional time to address the problem and to provide me with a full explanation and a plan of action. He addresses all aspects of my horse’s daily life and how diet, exercise and terrain can and do effect his hooves and his performance.

As a clinician, Clarence has worked with me to improve my knowledge of groundwork so that I can effectively and effortlessly manage Dennis. One of Clarence’s top priorities is that horse ownership is a safe and fun sport, for the owner and the horse. He ardently believes that “patience, timing and feel” are training multipliers, and he possesses a thoughtful and encouraging persistence, which allows him to teach these skills. Working with Clarence has paid off enormously, transforming my brute into a kind partner.

These days I believe that the sky’s the limit with Dennis the Menace. Although I have a tremendous amount of horsemanship skills and techniques to learn, I am confident that with the guidance of Clarence Crumpton, Jr., as farrier, clinician, mentor and friend, we are building a strong foundation that will be the cornerstone of our relationship and our success together. Thanks to Clarence, there is no end to my dream.

— Cathy P. Cavender
(Colonial Beach, Va.)

I’ve known Clarence Crumpton since September 2010, when I began fostering a 7-year-old, off the track, chestnut Thoroughbred gelding named Golden. Golden had been adopted in Kentucky a couple of years before, but things weren’t going well. He needed a new place in a hurry. The Thoroughbred rescue I had been working with didn’t have a horse suitable for me to adopt, so I agreed to foster Golden.

Golden arrived after dark on a Sunday evening the first week in September. The first thing the transporter said to me was, “You know he’s lame.” I had been told there was a problem by the director of the rescue, and that’s why I was only going to foster for a while. The next day I called Clarence Crumpton, a farrier who had been highly recommended by one of my new neighbors.

Clarence arrived a few days later. He impressed me right away with his kind and quiet demeanor around the horses. (I also own a semi-retired Appaloosa/Thoroughbred cross gelding with perfect feet, according to Clarence.) Physically, Clarence has an imposing presence, but he has a wonderful way of being firm without intimidation. He listened to my observations of Golden, and we talked about a treatment plan. After watching Golden move, we both agreed that we didn’t think he was really lame. He was over-compensating for the overgrown misshapenness of his right front hoof. The toe had begun to turn up. There was a hole on the outside of the hoof that looked like it had been drilled and was growing out. The sole of the hoof looked like a piece of petrified wood. In fact, the sole, bars and frog were indistinguishable.

Through the fall and winter of 2010-2011, Golden received regular hoof care from Clarence, which included frequent trims, rebalancing and even shoes when needed. Clarence takes such pride in his work. He very carefully trimmed and rasped as much growth off as possible each time. Golden has two very different front hooves. The right front soles are thin and the heels are under run. His left front hoof is deeper with more upright heels. Golden’s hooves improved with each visit. Clarence advised me to begin riding a little as long as Golden was sound. I rode in a round pen and in the field, mostly at a walk and trot. On days he seemed off, I didn’t ride. By this time I really liked Golden and had gone through the adoption process.

Golden was putting on weight and his personality was coming out. He was smart and sweet, but he also had a little ornery streak. One day in the spring of 2011, I asked Golden to canter while I was riding in the round pen. He bucked. I turned him into the rail and stopped him. I trotted some more, asked for the canter again with the same result. It was time to get help. I was too old to get bucked off!

I found a dressage trainer, and Golden and I began traveling to our trainer a couple times a week. All was going well, but after 2 months, my trainer moved two counties away; too far to trailer on a regular basis. Golden had begun cantering, but was not consistently doing the canter departure. I continued to work with him by myself. Winter set in, and I didn’t ride much. Meanwhile, Golden’s hoof had improved to the point that it almost looked normal.

During the next spring and summer (2012), I put in a riding ring and began riding regularly again, but Golden was not cooperating with my aids to canter. He was back to bucking again. I tried to figure it out and came to the conclusion that I was backing off because of fear of getting hurt. I was 67 years old and there had to be a better way.

Clarence came to the rescue again. Over these past few years, I have talked to Clarence with great interest about his horsemanship training business. In addition to being the best farrier I’ve ever known, he trains horses and gives horsemanship clinics. Last July (2013), I told Clarence about my problem with Golden and asked him if he would be willing to help me. As Clarence suggested, we started Golden in training as if he were an unbroken colt. Clarence is a proponent of “natural horsemanship.” He is a very patient teacher of groundwork techniques and body language. I’ve learned that what we do on the ground with a rope halter and lead line encourages the horse to use the thinking side of his brain. Now I never ride without doing groundwork first.

The first time I cantered Golden under saddle with Clarence’s help was a real breakthrough for me. We had been working together for a few weeks, just on groundwork, when one day Clarence took the line from me and asked me to mount. I was very excited, but a little scared too. He told me that even though he had the line I was the one giving the cues. However, he said if Golden did anything unexpected, he would take over and I should hang on. First we walked and turned, then we trotted and turned, then I asked for the canter. Wow, it was so soft and rhythmic. I had never really had the chance to just sit and enjoy Golden’s canter! Clarence unsnapped the rope and asked me to canter around the ring both ways. It went perfectly! We were all grinning, even Golden!

I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but now it’s done calmly with confidence. Golden is a happy willing partner, with great hooves. (No hoof, no horse.) I tell everyone who will listen how much Clarence has helped my horse and me. He has restored Golden’s soundness, and he’s helping me to become a better horseperson. Clarence Crumpton is a good friend as well as a true, professional horseman.

— Vicki Brown
(Bumpass, Va.)

Our farrier, Clarence Crumpton, has been a tremendous asset for our four quarter horses. Our mare, Skye, had a serious problem with a bacterial infection in her left rear frog in 2013. She is now doing so well that she is the new mother of our filly, Bella, with no residual issues at all. If it wasn’t for Clarence’s quick assessment of her frog issues and his immediate treatment, she might have lost both bulbs and the frog on that left foot. He is a truly gifted horseman and farrier.

One of our other horses, Bandit, suffered a stone bruise, which worked its way through the hoof wall. He was terribly lame and Clarence had him back in great shape in no time.

He takes care of all of our horses and their feet are so good that it is a shame to put a nail in any foot.

— John and Sue Pighini
Livin’ The Dream Ranch
(Spotsylvania, Va.)