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 […]
Some horses have crooked legs. Some of these horses become lame because of the deformatity. Other horses seem to learn how to “get along” with the deviated limb and though it is unsightly, the horse doesn’t seem to be affected. Farriers are often called upon to work on these crooked-legged horses. There are some factors […]
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 […]
Horsemanship is such a vital part of being a skilled farrier. In order to be successful at horseshoeing, farriers need to learn how to get along with the horse. When a farrier attempts to do the job without empathizing with the horse, there is inevitably trouble. To learn horsemanship, farriers should study the work and […]
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 […]
Distance riding competitions have become popular in the United States and all over the world in recent years. Distance riding competitions consist of both endurance and competitive trail riding. These competitions showcase a horse’s ability to cover large distances without becoming too fatigued. Speed, horsemanship and the condition of the horse are all factors that […]
Horses’ hooves grow down from the coronary band to the ground at a rate of 1/4 to 3/8 inch per month (Butler 1976). At this rate, it takes approximately 8 months to a year for the horse to grow an entirely new hoof. When a horse injures itself near the coronary band, the evidence of […]
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. […]
Often farriers are asked about the rings on the horse’s foot. They have the potential of giving us twelve months of information about a horse’s health. Visible rings indicate there has been some disturbance in the metabolism of the horse affecting the keratinization of the hoof. The indentation or ring is formed sometime before it […]
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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