Farrier [ˈferēər]

Noun: a craftsman who trims and shoes horses' hooves.

The definition makes it sound so straightforward, it’s anything but. It is hot, heavy, hard work and it takes a toll on the body. 

Hot shoeing is a practice where once the hoof has been trimmed, rasped and is ready for the new shoe, the farrier will heat the shoe in the forge and place it briefly on the foot to sear the path where the shoe will ultimately lie. 

While many farriers start with a pre-formed shoe and work from there, Scott often starts with bar stock, carefully heating the bar stock in the forge and working it into shoes that are truly customized to each horse and hoof, taking time to test fit and reshape both the shoe and the hoof, until the fit is perfect. It is time consuming and precise, it has to be to create the desired outcomes.

The goal is healthy hooves, and a well fit shoe will enhance hoof conformation, improve both gait and performance, and address existing weaknesses or vulnerabilities in the hoof. Foot health benefits from hot shoeing as the heat seals the horn tubules, making them less likely to dry out in dry climates or take on moisture in wet climates. The heat kills fungi and bacteria that often lead to other hoof problems.

Does every horse need hot shoeing? No, but when they do craftsman like Scott answer the call.

Scott is both a deeply experienced craftsman and an animal welfare expert – you see this in the way he works with and around the horses, placing their needs equal with his own.

It’s a calling, a labour of love, and this is reflected in his craft.