If the shoe fits, thank your farrier

Whether they play golf, basketball or do ballet, every athlete can agree that the shoes they wear impact their performance. The same can be said when it comes to equine athletes. In order to perform at their highest level, our harness racing equine athletes need nothing but the best on their hooves.

They might not get listed in the programs but the farriers that fit and customize the shoes our equine athletes wear are crucial members of the team of people that are involved in getting a horse to the races.

Farriers begin their day in the early morning hours. As trainers and grooms are strapping on tack, they are loading up their rigs and organizing their office which is their truck. Their day will end many hours later when they return home and take the keys out of the ignition as the hum of the trucks motor fades. 

In the hours in between, they will spend it either in their mobile office, driving to farms seeing clients and their human advisers. Once there they will spend their time bent over, doing strenuous labour, always being close to the sound of clanging metal.

One might ask why they choose the lifestyle? It is the passion for the horse and the sport that we all exhibit that motivates them.

Being a farrier is both a science and an art. It is a science because it takes careful calculations and an understanding of equine kinesiology to select then customize the perfect set of shoes. A farrier is also an artist because it takes a delicate hand and a precise eye to craft metal in the unique and necessary way that is required to make a shoe fit perfectly. It requires a gentle touch that is strong at the same time.

Every farrier has their own story of why they chose their craft and profession. Their stories are unique.  Here are two of those stories in their own words.

For Adam Carter,  it is in his blood. As a third-generation farrier, his work is more than an occupation, it is a tradition, a family legacy.

“I [have] been on my own the last 13 or 14 years. I started going to the [Blacksmith] shop at Mohawk, hanging out with dad and grandpa. It was during the summer of ninth grade that I started helping Dad full-time. [From then on] every summer, March or Christmas break [I would] be pulling shoes off. I slowly did a little more and Dad taught me how to weld. I did not start it as a full-time job until after high school. I then worked with Dad five days a week, gradually taking on my own clients”.   

 For other farriers, the reason they acquire their particular skill set is more economical. This is the case for Mark Herlihy:

“I was a trainer first and worked for a local farrier when I was on horses to learn a bit more. Prior to that, I had little knowledge. I could tack on shoes and maybe shoe a horse jogging back. I trained mostly on the “B” tracks…[so] you needed [to be able to] save money where you could.”

The old saying, communication is the key may be a cliche but when it comes to horse racing it is truly the key to victory. Herlihy says, “It's important to know when a horse is going too low to high or too wide or too narrow. Then try to communicate with the [farrier] what changes need to be made”.

When it comes to the relationship between a trainer and a farrier, that level of communication has a direct impact on the success of a horse.

In North America, harness racing happens to matter the season it is. This means the sport is well adapted to the bitter cold, snow and ice that are a staple to winters in Canada and the upper  United States. This is where farriers come in to lend a hand. They add little studs to the [horse]shoes, called ‘corks’. These give horses added traction they need to best grip the track, despite snow or ice. The contributions that farriers have on the sport plays a key role in why harness racing is able to be around despite the climate.

To most people, the horseshoe is a symbol of good luck and while this may be the case; for those that work with horses, whether they are an owner, trainer, caretaker or a driver, a horseshoe represents much more. In addition to good luck, in their eyes, horseshoes also represent hopes, dreams and the possibility to achieve greatness. Farriers both embody and make these hopes, dreams and possibilities come alive.

As society has modernized, our sport has too. Our sport is everchanging. Every day horses are redefining the meaning of speed; sulkies have evolved to allow drivers to be more arrow- dynamic. Technology enables a fan to watch as well as wager on races taking place across the province or across the world from their own home. Despite all of the changes, the craft of being a farrier has not. It is a craft that has stood the test of time. There is no automated machine to nail on a shoe or file the hooves of a horse. It takes the careful eye and sturdy, yet gentle that only a human has. Farriers are the modern-day connection to a simpler past.   

A trainer once told me something and not only did it resonate with me but it is perfect for this story as it captures the sentiment of the story perfectly. He said, “I’ve never met a farrier who [does not] take pride in his work. That being said, I truly believe whenever they set up a horse [as] they do, they are trying their best. It may not always work out, but I believe they are doing their best”.

There is also an old-time saying in the horse racing industry, "no hoof, no horse." A horse weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds, all resting on four hooves that weigh maybe 20 pounds. The farrier is the one who is responsible to make sure those hooves get the best possible care to help them when racing.

The work of a farrier is celebrated every time a fan cheer is heard cheering as a horse takes their final stride across the wire and the hoof makes contact with the ground signalling victory. Every time someone takes a used horseshoe and mounts it for sentimental reasons, memories are forever enshrined and a piece metal sculpted into the shape of a horseshoe and tailored to have perfect by a farrier becomes much more than that. It becomes a cherished keepsake. As that once worn shoe sits on display, a farrier is forever thanked for doing a job well done.

From an early age, the role of a farrier plays a key role in a horse’s life. Before they are old enough for [horse]shoes, farriers venture into the fields to trim their hooves. The foals may not realize it, but farriers are laying the groundwork for the essential skills and understanding that is required in order for a horse and farrier to have a positive relationship. 

They are there for a horse throughout their racing careers to provide routine maintenance and new shoes when they are required.  Farriers are also there years later to take off the last set of shoes off that same horse when their time on the racetrack is done.

The career of a horse starts and ends with a farrier. There is something special about this thought- how a farrier brings the career of a racehorse full circle. And just like any friendship, when one friend enters another stage in life their friend checks up on them every now and then; a farrier visits a horse from time to time to carry out routine trims and keep the feet of the horse in tip-top shape.

This story is to say thank you to all of the farriers that make our sport go from the ground up. Without you and your special skills, our sport would not be the same, our horses would not be able to excel as they do. So, thank you!

Footnote: Since his initial interview Mark Herlihy has been focusing on his work as a farrier; although he has not ruled out a return to training in the future.   

Footnote: A special thank you to Mr. Adam Carter and Mr. Mark Herilhy for their contributions to my story. Their insight and anecdotes were invaluable in the writing of this story.

by Sydney Weaver, for Harnesslink