One of the great parts of being involved in the horse industry is the never ending opportunity to learn. Some of the most knowledgeable professionals in our craft will readily admit that they enjoy learning and that they haven’t stopped. My dad, Dr. Doug Butler, is a great example of this to me. He has learned so much about horseshoeing, blacksmithing, and horsemanship. He has earned certifications and college degrees on these subjects. He has written several books, made several instructional videos and taught classes and clinics on these subjects all over the world. Yet, when talking to him, he is most excited to learn more about it. Many of the living legends that have been interviewed on the Farrier Focus podcast have shared this sentiment. Dave Duckett perhaps summed it up best when he said, “There is always something to learn! I’ll never get to the bottom of the barrel.”

Unfortunately, this discourages some people that are starting out in the horse industry. The overwhelming amount of information is seen as a threat instead of an opportunity to learn. Some become fearful and instead of learning, they reject information as useless. They try to excuse their lack of commitment to the trade by disguising opinion as fact. They use phrases like, “It just seems to me…” or “I’ve always felt…” rather than using scientific research to back up their claims. Some even seem to believe that their opinions have the same merit as true scientific research. What’s worse, some realize that they might be able to get away with not knowing the deeper parts of the craft. They simply rely on others’ ignorance to get by.

There might be several factors that motivate someone to learn. Some farriers are scared of being “found out.” They are afraid of being embarrassed that they don’t know the answers. While this might be a motivating factor to learn, fear is not a very good reason or a lasting motivator to learn. Some want to learn simply so they can teach. They enjoy the power of having more information than others. After attending a farrier clinic recently, I overheard a farrier say, “Everyone wants to be a teacher. No one wants to be a student!” The most successful learners in this craft are the ones who just “want to know.” They are insatiably curious. The best teachers are usually the best learners.

Some farriers are excited about the subject, but have a difficult time retaining what they learn. What is the best way to learn? It is different for everyone. Not everyone can learn by reviewing flashcards or watching a video. There has been a lot of literature written on the varying types of learning styles. Most popular among these is Neil Fleming’s V.A.R.K. model standing for Visual, Audio, Reading/Writing and Kinesthetic. The idea is that everyone has a preferred way of taking in information.

For example, when thinking of a horse, a visual person might immediately recall and see a familiar stock image of a horse in his or her mind. An auditory person might simply be hearing the word, “horse” or possibly be hearing a neigh along with it. A reader/writer might envision the word, “horse” perhaps in a certain type font. A kinesthetic learner might recall a specific horse that he or she has had an encounter with along with recollections of smells or the touch of that horse’s coat.

While it is tempting to think that each of us fall neatly into one of these four categories, and that once we know, we can learn anything we want by simply gathering data in one of these four ways, the truth is that we are all a combination  of each of these. It is important to take in information in multiple ways. There has been no conclusive scientific data to say that people learn better by specifically learning in their (one) preferred method.

In addition, the subject matter is likely to determine the best way of learning something. Trimming a hoof is easier to learn by doing rather than by reading. Learning anatomy may be learned easier by drawing rather than simply looking at models. Business principles may be learned easier by listening to audio books on the subject over and over.

Many farriers seem to be kinesthetic learners (learn by doing) so many of them seem to naturally gravitate towards the hands-on parts of the craft (trimming, shoeing, forging). The other parts of the craft (anatomy, physiology, horsemanship, business, people skills) should not be ignored simply because they aren’t as easy or fun to learn.

Finding out your preferred learning method is important but it does not mean that it will immediately make all learning easy. Learning is difficult. It is hard for everyone, but if you determine to learn simply because you are curious, learning becomes more pleasant. It is our hope at Butler Professional Farrier School to instill in our students a love for learning and to recognize that the learning process will always continue.