Kids didn’t have career choices in the 1800s. Children were expected to follow in their parent’s footsteps, often in a family business. Blacksmiths of the time, like other tradesmen, relied on their sons to learn the skills and backfill the ranks as their elders retired. Most daughters weren’t offered an option back then.

Working under a horse all day is hard on the body — especially the back. And there are always risks for a wreck. With close to 30 years of shoeing, 18 of those full-time, Jacob Manning of Roosevelt, Utah, wishes he had taken better care of his back.

Is there a connection between equine tooth alignment and hoof balance? Less than 2 decades ago, discussions surrounding the possibility emerged. Opinions on the topic are mixed. 

Finksburg, Md., farrier Harry Serio resisted upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone until 2016. While Serio doesn’t consider himself a tech-savvy person, he’s learned his way around the phone, although he says it has more functions than he knows (or cares to know) how to use. Purchased mainly for GPS capabilities, Serio soon discovered several Facebook groups for farriers and joined the conversation.

Horses want two basic things in life, peace and comfort. When experiences meet these criteria they are agreeable much of the time. This includes easily tolerating regular trimming and shoeing. But for some horses the recurring visits can be anxiety-provoking for the horse, which may show signs of impatience and nervousness, making the farrier’s handling more complex.

Sedation during hoof care is a trend New Hampshire-based farrier Mary Bramley is seeing used more frequently. Predominantly, it is used for safety reasons, but Bramley also has seen farriers use it to train horses to stand and others who lean toward sedation on larger accounts because it allows them to get the job done faster.