Unfortunately near the end of November I ended up with a laceration on my hand that made it so I couldn’t swing a hammer or use the hand to squeeze at all. Something like this really makes you stop and appreciate how much we take for granted in being able to do daily tasks. SinceContinue reading “Working Wounded”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
IFA Fall Clinic 2020
While most of our work at DFS is based around traditional trimming and shoeing techniques on sound horses, most especially english sport horses, there are times that we need to work on horses with extra special needs due to some type of pathology. When these needs arise it is imperative that we have the educationContinue reading “IFA Fall Clinic 2020”
Rider Influence on Hoof Shape and Soundness
Of the many factors that influence hoof shape and distortion, one of those is how the horse loads the foot. The hoof is what we refer to as viscoelastic, meaning that it has properties that are both elastic and plastic. When an elastic structure is deformed it will return to its original shape, plastic deformationContinue reading “Rider Influence on Hoof Shape and Soundness”
Marketing, Its Not Just For New Farriers
For many farriers when you mention marketing they think of advertising. A little over a decade ago as DFS was being established, it was commonly thought and taught by many of the farriers around this area that as long as you did good work and showed up on time then you would have all theContinue reading “Marketing, Its Not Just For New Farriers”
Road to the Journeyman Part 2
After putting off my CJF test for several years, I finally began the test earlier this year. You can find part one of this post about beginning the process here. The past few months of completing my CJF has been a mix of educational, humbling, and confirming. Our company has always been committed to education,Continue reading “Road to the Journeyman Part 2”
Shoeing Philosophy – Basics First
“Fundamentals win ball games.” This was a phrase that was drilled into us growing up. It does not just apply to sports however. Too often in many parts of life we lose sight of the basics of what we are doing and start to pursue skills that are more advanced without keeping the basic skillsContinue reading “Shoeing Philosophy – Basics First”
Shoe Type & Selection – Barshoes
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 talkedContinue reading “Shoe Type & Selection – Barshoes”
Shoe Type & Selection
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 aContinue reading “Shoe Type & Selection”
Road to The Journeyman Part 1
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 shoeContinue reading “Road to The Journeyman Part 1”
Shape of the Horse’s Foot
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,Continue reading “Shape of the Horse’s Foot”
Hoof Care While Showing – Show Organizers
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. BothContinue reading “Hoof Care While Showing – Show Organizers”
Giving Back
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 variousContinue reading “Giving Back”
What is Good Work?
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 willContinue reading “What is Good Work?”
Hoof Care in the Winter
As the weather is cooling off and shows and trail rides are winding down for the year, we have to consider what care is needed for horses’ hooves. For most horses, hoof care during the fall and winter will look about the same as it does the rest of the year, but for others, itContinue reading “Hoof Care in the Winter”
Boundaries as an Entrepreneur
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, boundariesContinue reading “Boundaries as an Entrepreneur”