There are more than 60 horseshoeing schools in the U.S. and Canada, so it would be risky to predict their general reaction to the planned American Farrier’s Association survey based on the comments of a few. Just as telling, perhaps, is that several smaller schools did not return phone calls requesting their opinion on the subject.

Still, the reaction of those who did talk ranged from enthusiastic support to the suspicious “We’ll see.” Farriers working in university-based programs strongly endorsed the survey, while the owners of private schools were often more reserved. None rejected the plan outright.

Here are the comments of the school owners, administrators and instructors interviewed by the American Farriers Journal staff:

F Robert Martin, Colorado School Of Trades, Lakewood, Colo.

Martin calls himself a big supporter of the AFA. Asked about the survey, he says, “I’m not necessarily against the idea. It might be the greatest thing since sliced bread. But I really need to know more about the whole plan. I have bureaucrats here all the time, and I need a really good reason before I open my door to any more.”

Noting that the private school he owns is already approved by the Accreditation Commission for Colleges and Schools of Technology, he says, “I’m not sure that an AFA accreditation would mean that much to me. We teach what we teach.”

What he teaches is shoeing to the standards of AFA certification, putting 66 students through the 4 1/2-month program last year. The students…