In this episode, we talk with Fran Jurga of Gloucester, Massachusetts. She is the founder of Hoofcare Publishing, which was established in 1985 to fulfill a growing global demand for information about the horse's foot that could be accessed by equine professionals, especially farriers and veterinarians, around the world.

She is also the creator, publisher and editor of Hoofcare and Lameness Journal and her articles can be read at hoofblog.com. You can find over 1700+ articles there that she has written over the past twelve years.

Fran has won many awards and honors for her work and today offers high-quality reference material for sale and individual consultation services. Fran talks about many of her favorite memories from her career as a journalist (including her start as an editor of the American Farrier's Journal), stories about farriers she has worked with over the years, and her thoughts about the future of farriery.

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier and past president of the American Farriers Association, Margie Lee-Gustafson. She and her husband Don are based in Palo Alto, California.

We talk about her beginnings as a farrier, lessons and mistakes she made when starting, the value of a multi-farrier practice, her experience as president of the AFA, and numerous experiences from her career. Margie is a fantastic example of service and she shares her perspective about the importance of giving to the industry and impacting the lives of the horses she works with on a daily basis.

In this episode, Dr. Doug Butler shares his insights in how you can learn to enhance your powers of observation and see more so you an properly diagnose and discuss the work you do with your clients and veterinarians.

You'll get a lot out of this episode about the importance of seeing more because you have trained yourself to concentrate and see what others may otherwise miss.

In this episode, Dr. Doug Butler and Jacob Butler share insights on front limb conformation and unsoundness. You'll get a lot out of this episode on ways you can treat the various unsoundnesses that result front limb conformation deformities.

We recommend you use Chapters 20, 22, and 40 from the Principles of Horseshoeing III as a reference when reviewing the information from this podcast episode.

In this episode, we talk with Pat Burton, CJF, of south Fort Worth, Texas. He has been shoeing horses since the late 1970s and shares his insights on the fundamentals of horseshoeing, some of his early mentors, his experience of becoming certified, and experiences he has had as a certification tester.

You'll gain a lot of valuable advice from Pat on what it takes to build up a successful practice as well as several lessons he learned the hard way that you can use to be successful in your farrier business.

In this episode, we talk with Allie Hayes of HorseScience.com about how she got started as a farrier, her interest in horse anatomy, and how she began processing horse feet and limbs to help farriers, veterinarians and horse owners see what is really happening inside the foot structures of the horse.

She shares some of the lessons she has learned from studying, processing, and teaching anatomy through these invaluable resources. She also details some of the trial and error experiences she has had in learning how to best process these models to showcase anatomy in the best ways. Learn more and get a hoof model for your practice by going to www.HorseScience.com.

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier and AWCF, Gerard Laverty. He is the instructor of the Farrier Program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia. He has been shoeing horses for more than 40 years in several different countries.

In this episode, we talk with Walter Varcoe about his work as a farrier and his interest in equine skeletons.

Walter was a professional rider and equine manager for the New York State Department of Corrections as well as their only farrier until his retirement in July 2006. In addition to his normal duties Walter also served as their equine instructor, teaching inmates the proper care of horses as well as teaching many of the inmates the art of farrier work. This not only allowed the animals to receive better care, but taught a valuable skill that those men could use throughout their lives.

During his tenure, Walter also ran the commercial composting operation at the Otisville Correctional Facility where the first horse to become a skeleton was processed. A patrol horse on duty had been kicked by another horse and had it's leg broken. Unfortunately the injury was so devastating that the patrol horse had to be euthanized. It was from this incident that the first skeleton came to be. With the help of his crew the carcass was placed in a static aerated compost pile and allowed to compost for several months and over the following winter the first skeleton mount was built. That first mount still proudly stands today at the Otisville C.F. Horse Barn office, teaching others the value of equine skeletal anatomy. Later, another mount was crafted by Walter for the New York City Police Mounted Unit and it stands at their Remount Training Facility in the Bronx, NY.

After his retirement from the Corrections Department Walter began a full-time career as a farrier. At the prompting of many of his NYPD friends Walter began doing small educational seminars using his skeletal displays. Those seminars were well received and Walter began to get more requests for speaking engagements and for the purchase of his unique articulated mounts.

The demand for his expertise and his skeletal mounts has grown rapidly and has taken Walter all over the country as he lectures about equine anatomy. By using his unique mounts Walter can let participants lay their hands what others can only diagram in books or on posters. From schools to barns these mounts are being used to help people care for their horses better than ever. Walter continues to put what he has learned from these skeletons into daily use as he maintains his farrier business for select clients. You'll get a lot of insight from this episode about horse anatomy and from Walter's experiences as a farrier that can help you in your daily work.

In this episode, Dr. Doug Butler shares insights to a group of farriers and veterinarians how to look and see conformation deformities and what can be done to help horses that have these different conditions.

Dr. Butler shares numerous experiences and techniques on observation that will help you better assess the horses you work with on a daily basis.

In this episode, we talk with Certified Journeyman Farrier, Jim Quick of Niwot, Colorado who has been shoeing horses for more than 27 years.

Jim shares his start as a farrier, his education at Colorado State University including studying with Dr. Doug Butler in Colorado, his beginnings into competitive shoeing, and lessons he has learned through numerous mentors he has had over the years.

He shares insights into what it takes to be the best at this craft in terms of time and practice and his perspective now that he has had the opportunity to judge as well as compete. Jim shares numerous stories and lessons from his career that farriers can learn from especially when it comes to insurance for your shop and business.