Six times holder of the prestigious title of World Champion Blacksmith, Grant Moon AWCF is arguably the most famous farrier. He has shod in no less than 36 different countries and delivers clinics across the world. In our first ‘Farrier Focus’ we fire a few questions at Grant to give us an insight into who …
What’s the one piece of advice you’d give a new farrier starting his/her career?
What's the one piece of advice you'd give a new farrier starting his/her career? Share your thoughts in the comments section (below) of this farrier blog or our Facebook page or Twitter @nzfarriers
The hoof: Inside and Out (part two)
Inside the hoof Some of the structures inside the hoof are less well known – with the exception of a few which can cause the most lameness problems – but are just as vital for the health of the hoof and therefore the horse. Taking up a large area in the hoof capsule are the …
The hoof: Inside and Out (part one)
The hoof: Inside and Out There should be no understating the importance of healthy hooves to the equine. We rely on these four relatively small but vital parts of the horse in order to be able to do just about anything with our beloved friends. The health and functionality of the four feet can mean …
Farrier Seminar New Zealand
Guest Post by Alistair Dalziel AWCF: On the 27th and 28th August 2012, David Hankin provided an awesome opportunity for a pre-service teacher. He invited farriers from the length of New Zealand to practice on how to deliver lessons which encourage higher order thinking. Alistair Dalziel - an Associate of The Worshipful Company of Farriers, …
Will using aluminium shoes improve my horses movement?
Q: I have been told to use aluminium shoes on my show hack, to improve her movement in the ring. is this a good idea, and what are the drawbacks? Pauline, Canterbury A: Hi Pauline. The best approach might be to give aluminium shoes a go on your hack – in between important shows to …
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Shoes left long at the heel
Question: My farrier generally shoes my horses with the outside back of the shoe much wider than their actual feet. I am concerned that they may be able to stand on their shoes and pull them off. Should I ask him to fit the shoes more neatly to the hooves, or is there a reason …
Shoeing across the world
Guest Post by David J. Barron, CF, APF David Barron is an working farrier certified through the American Farriers Association and the American Association of Professional Farriers in the State of Washington, USA. David grew up on a large coffee farm in Zimbabwe, where he trained horses and competed in national polo and polocrosse. He …
Fabricating horseshoes using a band-saw
Thanks to David Bartley for this guest post: One way to fabricate nearly any special shoe For any farrier that does an amount of work of the “one off” type, (experimental shoe types in an effort to save a horses life for example), I think the bandsaw is probably one of the most under rated …
Sheared heels
Q: I am riding a 16-year-old mare and my farrier says she has sheared heels and needs bar shoes. Please tell me more about this condition, and what the shoes will do to improve it. Mandy, Auckland A: Mandy, sheared heels are reasonably common but in extreme cases can cause the horse a lot of …
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