Doug Bradbury of Derbyshire, England (pronounced Darbyshire) recently passed away. I had the privilege of meeting him at the Sunderland Draft Horse Farrier Conference in September 21, 1987. It was at that conference I was introduced to Her Royal Highness Princess Ann. Later I was able to travel to Hereford Technical College, having previously obtained […]
Knowledge on any subject must be gained a little at a time. Unfortunately, we can’t just dump a lot of research and information into our brains all at once and be expected to retain it for any length of time. The internet has complicated this process a bit as many people have a false sense […]
Last week, I interviewed and wrote about Martha Crawford Cantarini. She mentioned how her horsemanship skills were influenced by Ed Connell. She said, “Ed Connell was without a doubt, one of, if not the finest horseman California ever produced.” Ed Connell was born in 1900 in Livermore, California. He went on to become a great […]
This week is the 35th anniversary of the landmark AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) meeting where Burney Chapman, CJF and Dr. George Platt, DVM presented their research on effectively treating laminitis and founder. Much of what they presented then is still what competent farriers today are using to save afflicted horses. There has been […]
I hope everyone has the privilege of being taught by a great teacher. If you haven’t, you have missed one of life’s great experiences. Much of what I know and was motivated to learn came from my association with great teachers. What makes a great teacher? How can we identify them? How can we please […]
Trimming and shoeing a horse’s foot can be a stressful experience to the careful beginner. No one wants to intentionally harm the horse. In order to gain more confidence about trimming the hoof, a farrier must learn what is inside the foot. Just like any good mechanic understands what is under the hood of the car […]
Draft or heavy horse shoeing is different from light horseshoeing. Draft horses move slowly. They often pull heavy loads. They are heavy and their feet need more protection than light horses. They are very strong, and though they are often gentle for most work, they sometimes resist shoeing. A heavier, thicker stock shoe is required […]
Only about 10% of snakes native to the U. S. are poisonous. Most of these are in the West and South. However, rattlesnakes are found in all the lower 48 states except Maine. Australia has the most poisonous snakes, spiders, scorpions, and jellyfish. Several hundred horses are bitten annually by poisonous snakes in the U. […]
Horses have a unique skeletal structure that is highly developed at birth (compared to other species). A young foal can run with a herd within hours after birth. The skeleton creates the framework for the body to function. Or as my 6 year old daughter explained to me, “Without a skeleton, we’d all just be […]
Driving horseshoe nails accurately, consistently and safely is a difficult task for the beginner. Some persons have abandoned horseshoeing altogether and become barefoot advocates because of their lack of confidence and skill in this area. It’s sort of like throwing out the baby with the bath. There are times when nothing but nailing on shoes […]
Butler Professional Horseshoeing School
495 Table Road
Crawford, NE 69339
(800) 728-3826
jacob@dougbutler.com
If you think you want to become a farrier (or know someone who does), this book can help you make that decision. Horse owners will learn the importance of choosing a qualified farrier and how to select the “right” one.
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