Author: Cody Bogard

In our last post we talked about three main classifications of shoes by looking at open heeled shoes. This month we are looking at the purpose of bar shoes and some of the variations we use. First, any of the barshoes can be made in the same fashion as the open heeled shoes we talked…

When it comes to selecting the appropriate shoe for your horse there are literally hundreds if not thousands of options in different types, styles, and brands when it comes to keg (machine made) shoes. While every brand has several different styles of shoes each with different features, shoes can really be broken into just a…

Last month I finally began the process of getting my CJF. The test for the Journeyman is comprised of three parts, each scored to an exacting standard. A written test, a forging component where I build a fullered barshoe to fit a pattern in 35 minutes, and a shoeing portion in which I will shoe…

Last week we posted a photo to our Facebook page asking owners if they could identify which shoe goes on which foot (right front, left hind, etc). For some, this was a guessing game; however, if we consider the anatomy and conformation of most horses it is rather easy to tell the shoes apart. First,…

This blog post and the next will focus on hoof care as it relates to showing horses. Today, we will be addressing show organizers and next month we will focus on horse owners. For show organizers, two important considerations to keep in mind while planning are the arenas being utilized and the on-site farrier. Both…

At Dixie’s Farrier Service, we are committed to living out our core values. In doing so, we are driven to give back to our community, both the horse world as well as the general community. In the horse community, we are happy to offer multiple free education events each year. We have presented at various…

We all want our horse’s hooves taken good care of, but what makes it a good job? While the question of exactly what is correct for each horse is far too complex to answer in a blog, I will try to give a general overview of things to look for. For this example I will…

As we look back on the anniversary of the founding of Dixie’s Farrier Service, the past 10 years have gone by extremely fast. With that in mind, it is easy to get swept up in the daily routine of running a business, which is why setting boundaries is vital.   For many of us, boundaries…

Over the past couple of months, the dream of a multi-farrier practice has started looking more like a reality with the schedule full several weeks out and days pushing the maximum of what I can do on my own. It has come into our consideration of hiring help, however; this isn’t a simple or quick…

As farriers, we have a difficult and dangerous job – on a good day. Ideally, horses will be trained to stand for the farrier and vet and won’t cause any issues. Unfortunately, we see horses all the time that do not stand or show behaviors that are less than ideal. At best, this can lead…

How long have you been shoeing? Dixie’s Farrier Service was started in September of 2008. I began pursuing shoeing late in 2006. Why hot fit? There are several reasons for fitting shoes hot. First, it gives us a more exact fit than cold shoeing. In addition, hot fitting will kill the bacteria and fungi that…