---- Danvers Child, CJF ---- Foxtail Forge & Farriery

Reggie Kester

2009-02-05T01:51:00.000-05:00

As 2008 came to a close, I lost a mentor and friend, leaving me with an empty, lost feeling but with fond memories of a solid friendship that spanned more than 30 years. Reggie was what all good mentors are: he was inspirational and genuine.

In the late 1970’s, he took extra time to help a wayward young man that he never quit calling “Rowdy.” In those days, I worked hard to live up to the name, and Reggie spent days working to keep me out of the Ardmore and Texoma jails, in horseshoeing school, and on task.

As the years passed, our relationship developed and changed. He went from seeing me as a wild, semi-talented kid to seeing me as one of his own that had “made good” and made him proud. I never quit thinking of him as my mentor and teacher.

Maybe anyone could have taught me the basics of farriery, but Reggie taught me to respect it, to share it, and never to take it for granted. Reggie and I didn’t sit on the phone and chat regularly or even often, but he was one of my best and greatest friends.

He was quiet, patient, and humble. Like a lot of others who learned from Reggie, I often felt that he knew it all, but what made him great was that he knew he didn’t.

There’s an empty spot in my heart, in Ardmore, in the AFA, and in the horseshoeing world. Reggie’s gone.

Danvers Child, AFA CJF, OSHS Grad ’78

Independent?

2009-02-05T01:48:00.000-05:00

As a rule, Americans tend to value independence. So, I suppose farriers must be great Americans, as you’d have to look long and hard to find a group that would qualify as being more independent. We’re the poster boys and girls for independence and non-conformism.

In fact, when you look at the individuals who make up the AFA, you can’t help but know that our association is great--because it’s made up of people who aren’t typically “joiners” and conformists. We’re a group, but we’re a grouping of people who are accustomed to setting their own rules, schedules, agendas, and priorities--people who are accustomed to working alone and doing things their own way.

Most things that can be viewed as a great strength are dual purpose and also qualify as a great weakness. So it is with our independence, which can cause us to be inflexible and argumentative. Sit down with a group of farriers, and you’ll hear stories about how clients were fired for x, how vets were ignored for y, and how trainers were argued with for z.

At times, all the braggadocio sounds pretty cool, and we applaud ourselves for sticking by our standards, for running our own businesses, and for refusing to compromise when it comes to how we go about our work. But it’s a thin line we walk, as we balance between refusing to compromise our standards and simply refusing to compromise.

My father used to talk about it as the difference between confidence and arrogance, and--as I embarked on my writing career, ghost-writing political speeches--he struggled to help me learn the difference between arguing and persuading. Persuasion, he said, was the language of self confidence, while argumentation was the language of self righteousness.

I’m still working and trying to get it right. But I know it’s important--in running my business, in conducting my life, and in making relationships and organizations work. Being a team player isn’t always easy. It demands humility, understanding, openness, and a general willingness to view the big picture. Let’s all aspire to be team players!

Who is the AFA?

2009-02-05T00:45:00.000-05:00

It seems like a question with an obvious answer, but I don’t think the answer is nearly as simple as some would have us believe. Some would say “those AFA guys are all about improvement and betterment.” Others would say, those AFA guys are full of themselves.”

I would like to think that we would all be in the first group, promoting improvement in farriery. But I suppose we do sometimes fall into that second group, with a bit of a swollen head. Somewhere in the process of bettering ourselves and improving ourselves, it’s not uncommon that we tend to get an overblown idea of our self worth.

I remember a time when Dick Fanguy and I were visiting with a young shoer, who was quite full of himself and the fact that he had shod a “world champion.” Dick turned to me and asked how many world champions I had done. After some clarification about what constituted a world title, I tossed out a number.

Dick then asked, “How many of those campaigners would have gone on and won a world title if you had nailed their shoes on sideways?” I admitted that way more than half of them would likely have been wearing their ribbon no matter what I had done.

If you shoe long enough, you’ll find horses that could perform if we nailed a squirrel to the bottom of their foot. And you’ll find trainers that either know the circuit or the horses well enough that they could find a way to get a ribbon riding a goat.

Some among us might be wizards at hoof prep. Others might be kinghell at building a shoe. Yet others excel at applying glues and goos. And others may rival the graduate veterinarian when it comes to lower limb anatomy. But we’ve all got something to learn and some ways to go to improve and better ourselves and our trade.

So… circling back to the question… Who is the AFA? Each and every one of us is the AFA, and the way we present ourselves as individuals is they way we are perceived as a whole. Our presentation determines how people perceive not just us, but the organization we belong to.

Some will expect us to flaunt our certification level, to throw our client list in somebody’s face, to brag about our world champion horses, or to gloat over our forging skills. Surprise them, and flaunt the AFA mission statement, the AFA’s five basic tenets, and the bottom line purpose of the AFA… Education.

AFA member numbers...

2009-02-05T00:36:00.000-05:00

A lot of discussion flies around about AFA membership numbers and the AFA’s failure to retain members. Many of the folks who speak on this subject like to point out that the AFA has lost more members than it has gained, that the AFA loses three members for every one it gains, and so forth.

It appears quite damning when they write or say these things, because their numbers are reasonably accurate. So… Are these doomsayers and naysayers correct? Is the AFA foundering? Are we riding a sinking ship?

Absolutely not!

Ask these same people how many people last more than a year in the farrier profession. Ask these same people how many people make it more than two years in the farrier profession. In fact, simply ask yourself how many people you know who have made a false start in the farrier profession.

You might also ask these same people how many of the people they started with are still shoeing horses. I don’t have accurate numbers, and I don’t know that anyone does, but I can tell you that I graduated horseshoeing school with 16 other people. Out of the 17, I was the only one still shoeing at the five-year mark. I don’t think that’s terribly unusual or different, and it’s probably pretty typical.

While you’re asking, ask these people how many horseshoeing practices they’ve seen fail each year. We know this business eats people up. It’s not easy to get established. It’s not easy to stay sound, physically or financially. Not everyone has the horse sense to stay with it. Not everyone has the business sense to stay with it.

So, yes. The AFA loses a lot of members, just as the farrier profession loses a lot of practitioners. It’s the nature of the business, and it’s reflected in our organization. When someone leaves farriery to work in a factory or an office or to drive a truck or start a lawn care business, they don’t renew their membership. Duh.

In any case, be prepared, because the folks that want to manipulate the numbers and paint the AFA as foundering and failing are going to be better armed in the future.

Now that the AFA is giving graduating students a free membership, it’s inevitable that we will see more memberships go un-renewed. Despite our best efforts to help new graduates, the fact remains that newcomers will fail at a higher rate or simply choose to take another path, and our membership losses will reflect that.

So… if you wanna manipulate numbers and paint ugly pictures, get a life. If you want to promote excellence in farriery, get a membership. The AFA is alive and well.

Certification RANT...

2008-07-30T04:55:00.003-04:00

On my daily tour of Craig's List, I stumbled upon an ad for a "Certified, Professional Farrier." Following the link, I found that it took me to a website for a pair of farriers I had never heard of... despite the fact that they're working in my area. Hmmm... suspect... bells & whistles... not members of the American Farrier's Association, not members of the Indiana Farriers' Association....

So, who certified them, and how are they professionals if they're not affiliated with the professional organizations? Upon further reading on their site, I discovered that they were "certified" by the Oregon Farrier School. After checking that site, it appears that one can be a "certified professional farrier" after only 10 weeks of study. Had they stayed for another 4 weeks, they could have been "certified master farriers"!!

This kind of stuff really ticks me off, but I can understand a little bit... I remember when I first came out of farrier school. My first stop was a the local print shop, where I promptly got business cards, stating that I was "certified" by OSHS, that I was qualified to do "corrective" and "pathological" work, and that I was a highly qualified, genuine farrier. Of course, I didn't know jackshit, but it took several years of work for me to realize that I didn't know anything, and it took several humbling failures at a valid certification before I cracked down and became a lifelong student of this trade.

SO.... farrier certification is only as valid as the certifying organization. If someone tells you they're certified, they probably are, because there are dozens upon dozens of private schools and individuals who are certifying farriers each day. Caveat Emptor ... "Let the buyer beware" ...

I'm all for farrier certification--I earned mine through the American Farrier's Association and through the Guild of Professional Farriers.

Forums, Blogs, and such...

2008-06-29T15:56:00.012-04:00

OMG.... The latest and greatest from the small but vocal group of dissenters on horseshoes.com is that the AFA is somehow behind the times and inadequate because the new AFA website doesn't incorporate a discussion forum, blog, or newsgroup for members and non-members.

I'm not an expert on internet forums, but I do have a modicum of experience with such beasts. I was on dial-up bulletin board systems as early as 1978, and I've been a participant/observer on web-based forums since 1996. Back in the days when I thought forums could be positive and productive, I was one of the earliest and most prolific contributors to horseshoes.com, and I only recently reached such a point of total disgust that I asked Baron Taylor to remove the old references to myself as their "Resident Farrier." Anyway, I feel that I've got a little knowledge as to how this works....

So, if the AFA is out of touch and archaic for not having a discussion forum, we're in good company. I've checked a number of equine-based breed and non-profit organizations, and I can't find a bunch of forums on their websites. The USET does not have one; the AAEP does not have one; the USDF does not have one; the AQHA does not have one, even the youngsters at the USPC don't have one.

Why could this be???!!! Why would all of these major associations not utilize public discussion forums?? Maybe because forums tend to be fraught with vitriol and negativity.... Maybe because they more effectively spread disinformation than information.... Maybe because they simply seem to attract and promote less than professional behavior.... Maybe because they're a great venue for spreading rumor and gossip.... Maybe because they're a magnet for those who are bullies (or aspire to be).... Maybe these associations don't want to be perceived as the National Enquirer of the equine community....

In any case, most of the forums I visit tend to provide the frequent posters an opportunity to ride their hobby horses, while denigrated and haranguing with those who have a different view or perspective. Some of those who engage in playing the devils' advocate and who choose argumentation as their preferred form of entertainment are honest about--e.g., Phil Armitage saying he likes to "stir the pot" or Rick Burten referring to his argumentative approach as "entertainment." But that doesn't make it better in my book.

The bottom line is that I've not visited a positive forum. Sure, when valid questions get presented, there's often a valid response offered... You simply have to be willing to wade through the mire of mud, feces, and personal attacks to look for it. Ultimately, I've got no faith in forums...

Hammer-In / Invitation

2008-06-29T04:29:00.004-04:00

Now that we're moving into summer, I find that I actually have a few weekends at home. I'm scheduling one of those for a get-together, so mark off your calendar for a hammer-in on Saturday, July 26th. We'll get started around 10 or 10:30 and go until whenever.

I should have the paddock fence rebuilt by then... and the oak that took the fence down cut up into firewood (ugh). Pack yourself a noon lunch or snack, but don't worry about an evening meal; April and I will provide some sort of good cooking and beverages for the tee-totalers. Please give me a call if you're planning on coming, so I'll have an idea of how much to cook.

I've got a few extra forges and anvils if you don't want to bring your rig, but do bring your own hand tools. I can wreck my own punches enough without any help!

AFA Site Remodel

2008-06-28T11:42:00.005-04:00

copyrighted image courtesy of AFA
Check out the newly updated American Farrier's Association website!! April's spent a lot of time working out the new look, and it's up and running. She'll be working with Tom Stovall (Chair, AFA Website Committee) to add new features and elements, so check back often.

Yes... I'm Alive

2008-06-25T10:50:00.002-04:00

I've had so many irons in the fire that I somehow managed to forget that I had this blog. I was reminded of it when I saw that Andrew Elsbree, AFA President, had established one as well. If you've not checked his blog, do so! It's found at http://andrewelsbree.blogspot.com/

SFA Supports Fanguy

2006-11-22T00:16:00.000-05:00

David Hodges, President of the Southern Farriers Association, posted a letter on the AFA Members Only discussion boards, indicating that the AFA members of the SFA publicly and proudly support Dick Fanguy's candidacy.

Hodges encourages AFA members to contact each candidate's chapter "to see what kind of team player" those candidates are and what kinds of contributions they have made to their chapter.

Interesting!

More AFA Politics...

2006-11-19T13:41:00.000-05:00

The ever-interesting political climate of the AFA rolls on... And just in case I've been less than clear as to where I stand, I'll say it clearly: I am supporting Dick Fanguy for Vice President and Andrew Elsbree for President-Elect.

The "reform" candidates, Ron Kramedjian (VP candidate) and Rick Burten (P-E candidate) have some valid points, and they're willing to swing them around like sledge hammers. But, as Fanguy says, all of the candidates recognize the need for reform, and the real issue is the attitude this group of candidates brings to the table and how they will choose to initiate change/reform.

I've known and worked with all of these men. I've known Dick for over twenty years, and I consider him one of my best friends. I've known Rick and Andrew for over ten years, and I consider both of them as friends. I've known Ron Kramedjian for a couple of years.

I believe they are all sincere in their desire to serve the AFA. I believe that Dick and Andrew will try to build concensus and rejuvenate the AFA. I believe that Ron and Rick both have valuable insights that we should listen to and inorpoate into that rejuvenation, but I believe that both Rick and Ron have an attitude, a demeanor, and an approach that will only foster and promote a continuation--and even an elevation--of argumentation and turmoil....

Good Kid -- Good Season

2006-06-29T15:25:00.000-04:00

Heeler Pups!!!

2006-06-12T14:24:00.000-04:00

Right now they look more like Guinea Pigs than Heelers, Queensland Heelers, Australian Cattle Dogs, or whatever term you use for good dogs, but they're beginning to get their color and looking less and less like gelatinous blobs. I figure it will be about seven or eight weeks before they're ready to travel; by then, they will have had their puppy shots and a round or two of dewormer. There are seven of them--four males (3 red, 1 blue) and three females (2 red, 1 blue)--$80 each. Place your order now!

Update: 3 males & 1 female left... all reds. Ryan Clark reserved a blue female; Steve Sermersheim reserved a red female; Brian Beasley reserved a blue male.

photo credit: iHorseshoe

More Natural Balance Complaining...

2006-06-11T21:16:00.000-04:00

I consider Gene Ovnicek to be a good friend, and I admire his efforts, his work, his knowledge, and his integrity. We need more people like Gene in this profession, people who are innovative and passionate about improving farriery. But I just can't stand his shoes! Easing breakover is one of the key concepts that drives this design, but I don't buy it. Look at where the breakover is in this photo. The poor horse had to fight against the design of these shoes to build his true breakover into the lateral toe; thankfully, they were aluminum, and he could get it worn in before the last week of the shoeing cycle. But it gets back to one of my many pet peeves.... In the process of easing or facilitating breakover, we are always going to end up orienting and directing that breakover. Subsequently, if we get it in the wrong spot, we're not easing breakover at all; in fact, we're more than likely delaying breakover, and we're more than likely creating stress and strain as well. That's the problem with NBS shoes, and it's the problem with the way the majority of people apply rockered toes....

photo credit: iHorseshoe

Take Care Captain CJF!

2006-05-29T15:55:00.000-04:00

While I was in KY, I had the pleasure of visiting with one of my greatest friends ever. Steve Spencer was there, serving as an AFA Tester. Service is nothing new to Steve; over the years, he's done an awesome job of serving the AFA (he's the reason AFA members have life insurance policies as part of their membership) , the IFA, the Indiana Horse Council, and numerous other organizations.

One of those other organizations is the Army Reserve, and they've slated Steve to ship out for Iraq in early July. Godspeed Steve. I've always admired the way you hold your head up, but for Christ's sake, keep your damned head down for the next year!

photo credit: iHorseshoe

KY Certification

2006-05-29T03:35:00.000-04:00

...just returned from Mt. Eden, KY, where I spent my Memorial Day holiday with a notebook full of score sheets while a bunch of dedicated farriers were sweating bullets and taking tests. We put a lot on the line when we commit to the pursuit of the AFA's voluntary certification exams, and I truly admire the farriers who work so hard to complete the difficult process. The people choosing to participate are well aware that the AFA does very little to promote certification to the consuming public, so they're not doing this because their clients want it, expect it, or request it. By and large, they're doing it because they're commited to improving themselves and the farrier profession, and I'm humbled and honored to have the opportunity to work with folks like this...

photo credit: iHorseshoe

Get Well Steve!

2006-05-26T09:07:00.000-04:00

I was expecting to see Steve Sermersheim at the certification in KY this weekend, but--alas, alak, forsake, and forsooth--he's not going to make it; instead, he's going under the knife today for a hernia repair. So, give him a call or drop him an email (shodwellbysteve@aol.com) and wish him a speedy recovery.

I'm scheduled to do a hands-on clinic at Steve's shop on the weekend of June 24th, but it looks as if I'll be going that way sooner to help do some horses for him. I'm sure he'll appreciate the help if anyone else wants to make a run over to Colison, IL to shoe for a day.

photo credit: King Lamadora

Apprenticeship Wanted...

2006-05-22T10:55:00.000-04:00

The pic shows me working with Dusty Jager at the River City Roundup in Omaha. I saw on the AFA site that Dusty was looking for an apprenticeship, and I wanted to put a plug in for him. He's a great guy; he worked hard at the Omaha clinic and gobbled up information. This year, I saw him again at the AFA Convention, and he was running from one venue to another, working hard not to miss anything. He's a good guy--eager and ready to learn--and if you're looking for an apprentice, I'm sure he'll make you a good one! All of his contact information is on the AFA site.

photo credit: MidWest Farriers' Association

Petty Politics...

2006-05-18T00:07:00.000-04:00

Can't we all just get along?! We always seem to find something to fuss about that keeps the AFA's focus from centering upon the five basic tenets of the association: education, communication, innovation, research, and certification. If we put our efforts into those five foundational elements, we would be one strong, powerful, and influential voice within the equine industry.

Henry Kissinger once said he had formulated a rule "that the intensity of academic politics and the bitterness of it is in inverse proportion to the importance of the subject being discussed." Simply replace "academic" with "farrier" and you get the jist; we get our little farrier panties in a wad over the insignificant stuff and lose sight of the big picture.

photo credit: iHorseshoe

Peer Pressure

2006-05-17T23:25:00.000-04:00

Yep, that's Danny Ward and Bruce Daniels watching me make an auction item for the Delta Relief Fund at this year's MintVale Forge clinic. I don't care if you're a farrier, a teacher, or a stripper; one of the hardest things to do in any vocation or avocation is to perform in front of your peers. After you do 100 or so clinics and certifications, it gets easier and less stressful, but it still keeps you honest. The important thing is to step up and do it and not let it freeze you out, put you off, and keep you from growing. So... just do it Mr. French. You're one of the top farriers in southern IN, and whether you pass or fail your certification on the first go isn't going to change that.

photo credit: iHorseshoe

Duh... Natural Balance Resets

2006-05-16T12:31:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, I'm not a big fan of the NB shoe. It is, however, the best thing that ever happened for bad horseshoers. It helps them "back" the foot up and control flares that many of them wouldn't know what to do with if they were using traditional shoes. BUT, today, I saw a new reason to be irritated with it.... I looked at a horse that was wearing a pair of NB aluminum shoes that had just been reset. About an inch of the toe had been worn off the shoes during the initial shoeing cycle, so the web at the toe was worn to about the same width as the branches. Nevertheless, the farrier had set the shoe by using the inside of the toe web as his reference point, which put the point of breakover damned near at the apex of the frog. Good God! if you're going to use the inside of the web to determine shoe placement, don't reset these shoes.

Shout Outs for IN and IL farriers...

2006-05-16T03:00:00.000-04:00

Ryan Clark is Indiana's newest AFA CJF! Congratulations Ryan. Steve Semersheim's well on his way; he's passed his journeyman horse and only has a barshoe to go before he's got the CJF designation he deserves. Rob Spellman, Tim Byrne, Jr., Havilah Elia, and Kevin Wyatt are all out of the starting blocks as well; each of them has completed at least one portion of the CF exams!!!

Buster Conklin

2006-05-16T02:36:00.000-04:00

You can get all the details from Fran's blog (the link is on the sidebar), but the bottom line is that Buster Conklin, one helluva farrier and an icon within the farrier industry, is in the hospital and not doing well. You can send cards and/or letters to:

Marshall "Buster" Conklin
989 Ridge Road
Horseheads, NY 14845