Farriers of a certain age often bemoan the lack of horsemanship among many horse owners today. These shoers have lived it, so they can speak to it through their collective experiences.

The signal-to-noise ratio of the Internet requires filtering by the equine enthusiast. The accessibility of information has empowered horse owners, which has advantages and disadvantages for the farrier.

With nearly 1,200 horse farms in Ocala's home county of Marion, the equine industry is big business. But ample opportunity doesn't guarantee success.