It’s not all that unusual anymore for a couple of farriers to get together to share techniques, talk about approaches to horseshoeing and simply see how “the other guy” does the job. But it’s still safe to say that not many travel as far to visit the other guy as Chuck Uhlir did during July.

The shoer from the Hawaiian island of Oahu traveled to Wisconsin to spend a week shoeing with Mequon farrier Red Renchin, a member of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame. During a day spent shoeing with Renchin and three apprentices, Uhlir said he was getting a lot out of the visit.

“This is a whole different method than what I’m used to,” says Uhlir. “It’s been excellent. Anytime you experience something different, you should learn something.”

As you’d probably expect, Renchin wasn’t about to let an experienced 27-year farrier like Uhlir just ride along and watch during his “vacation.”

“We let him spend maybe a half-day watching what we were doing and how we do things,” says Renchin. “Then we put him to work.”

COMPARING TOOLS. Chuck Uhlir stands by while apprentices Chris Adickes and Greg Frederick look over his Shayne Carter driving hammer.

Uhlir says the horses Renchin shoes are quite different than the ones he usually sees. Renchin’s clientele consists…