We thought this issue devoted to products for horseshoers was an appropriate place to say a few words about safety.

As you look through the pages of this issue — or just about any other issue — all too often you’ll come across photos of farriers at work doing something you know is inherently unsafe. Working at an anvil or operating power tools without wearing safety glasses in a prime example.

Reader Concerns

It’s not unusual for us to be contacted by readers with concerns about such photos. It’s sometimes suggested to us that we not run any pictures that show farriers engaging in any unsafe practices.

We sympathize with these callers and understand where they’re coming from. But when we’re in the field, we’re there as observers of farriers at work. We don’t dictate how they do their jobs. And whether we like it or not, there are many farriers who don’t take all of the safety precautions they could.

For the record, we strongly believe that safety should be the No. 1 priority for horseshoers — or at least as big a priority as it can be in a profession where picking up and caring for the feet of a live creature that may outweigh you by more than a thousand pounds is a given.

Of course, sometimes that practitioner will also be driving nails into those feet. And did we mention hot fitting?

Taking Control

Given the inherent dangers involved in horseshoeing that you have little or…