HOT SHOD FORGE

22/04/2024

👌🏼👌🏼

Winter is on its way 😱

Here's how you can best prep for the farrier in winter weather:

✅ Make sure Fluffy is clean and dry. Brush off that caked on mud.

❌ Fluffy is not standing in mud or loose ground. A solid, firm, dry surface will yield the best work achieved by your farrier. So your getting your monies worth on high quality hoof care. A cheap flooring solution is a large rubber mat from Bunnings etc. Just make sure Fluffy is well practiced in standing on it.

✅ Take Fluffy's wet rugs off. We would like to remain dry the rest of the day. Dry rugs can stay on to keep Fluffy warm.

✅ Pick out Fluffy's mud balled feet.

✅ Brush/wipe off Fluffy's muddy feet and legs. Make sure you have a good stash of old towels.

❌ Hose legs. Wet legs = Wet farrier. 💧

✅ Provide shelter where possible. Farriers are like cats, we DON'T like getting wet. Have you ever wondered why your farrier stopped returning to your property over winter 🤔

✅ A hot drink. Warm up your farrier with a hot cuppa. You'd be surprised how much we appreciate such a small gesture ☕😍

❌ Have Fluffy and friends hanging out in the paddock upon our arrival. We want to get working straight away so we can get out of the weather. Please have them caught early. 🐴🐴

28/02/2024

So true

One Of Many Reasons The Farrier Will Ask If You Found The Shoe

30/01/2024

Food for thought:

If you think a good farrier is expensive try using a cheap one and see how expensive it gets 😉

21/02/2023

18/01/2023

Hoofcare Workshop EOI

In light of seeing a lot of interest on another post about hoof care and recognising the need in this region for people to learn and understand more about their horse’s feet, I have decided to offer my expertise and get expressions of interest in running a 2 day weekend course myself.

My qualifications are:
Cert 4 Training and Assessment
Cert 3 Farrier Blacksmith

We are not an RTO. This weekend seminar will offer no formal qualification. It is purely for personal use.

Classes would be limited to 10 people, bringing their own horse, to ensure quality of training and making sure people understand what is being taught, relevant to their own needs.

Learn about:
* Safe handling procedures
* Hoof anatomy
* Biomechanics
* Trimming to achieve a balanced hoof
* Hoof problem identification

Price $500 +GST, including sausage sizzle lunch and light refreshments.

Location Warral.

Dates to be advised.

Please PM with your interest.

24/12/2022

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from everyone at hot shod forge. Will see you all in the new year. We are closed from 23/12/2022 and resume work on the 3/1/2023.
Thank you for all the people who have supported our team over the last year.

02/12/2022

Horse had surgery on annular ligament on both hinds. On vet advice we have put a set of rolled toes on the hinds.

16/11/2022

Due to flooding and closed roads, I’ve had a big job cancellation freeing me up for tomorrow…

Therapeutic or regular shoeing/ trimming work all welcomed.

If you need a farrier tomorrow (Thursday 16th), send me a message and I’ll see what I can do. Will reply in the morning 🐴

07/11/2022

They don’t last forever!

20/08/2022

Fun job for a Sunday 😎

26/06/2022

They can’t say they weren’t warned 🤭🤣

09/05/2022

Another vet job. Correct HPA is important for longevity and soundness.

08/05/2022

In theory, it should be easy trimming the kids ponies.

In reality, not so much…

But at least we got a smile for the camera 🤦🏼‍♀️

06/04/2022

Another horse that has quartered its heel.

12/03/2022

I recently got called to shoe a horse who’d gotten his leg caught in a fence and appeared to have damage to his extensor processor tendon.

I made up a toe extension shoe with 3 deg wedge at the toe.

Unfortunately, the horse had compromised the blood supply to the hoof and the attaching tissue was in late stages of necrosis and hoof capsule came off.

Sadly, the horse had to be euthanized.

17/02/2022

Support the Tamworth Junior Riding & Pony Club by buying some tickets for their raffle - many great prizes available!

Nic Edwards from HOT SHOD FORGE has donated a farrier service for our raffle. Thanks so much for your generosity. Loads of prizes up for grabs this weekend!!

25/12/2021

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful day with your family, friends and horses. See you all in the new year.

13/12/2021

😆

12/12/2021

I will be taking time off for a Christmas/ New Year break - specifically from 24th December to 3rd January.

My books are filling very quickly though, so for all your farrier needs get in quickly so you don’t miss out beforehand….

And the usual rush will continue after the break, so feel free to book now for after my return to work so I can fit you in then too.

Plan for your horse’s needs! It’s crucial at this time of year!!

🎄

01/12/2021

Jerry is a horse that I went and looked at on Sunday. When he was younger he caught himself in a plough disc!

I cut the acute avulsion away on Monday with the horse under sedation and nerve blocked.

He is now shod in front with heart bars and leather pads.

25/11/2021

Pony done today with a broken back HPA, crushed heels and a laminar wedge.

Will take a bit to fix this one up but a good start.

22/11/2021

😅

17/11/2021

“A farrier’s margin of error.

24 nails per horse (more if 8 nails per shoe) on a full set of shoes. 12 nails per foot on a half set if shoes.

On a regular week we get at least 360 chances to make a mistake. Could be more depending on your work load.

Multiply that by 52 weeks per year and that equals 18,720 chances per year to make a mistake. Mistake, in this case, meaning a hot nail or a quick.

This is a moderate estimate because sometimes we do many more horses per week and nail on many more shoes.

This doesn't even take into account the amount of trims we do each week; we are expected to take off the exact right amount of hoof for individual feet per horse to keep the horse sound and their feet in good condition.

On top of that, we are often required to read radiographs, X-rays and diagnose lameness if possible, train your unruly horse to stand for the farrier because "Isn't that what you guys do?”

My point:

The next time you criticize a farrier's work or dismiss him or her for a perceived mistake, ask yourself “Could I meet the requirements my farrier has to meet day in and day out?” I doubt it.

Could you perform at the level of perfection you expect your farrier to perform on your 1200 pound horse, if you were required to perform that well on your daily desk job.

Is your trainer held to the same level of perfection that you hold your farrier to? Probably not. You see them 4 or 5 times a week, they charge you $1,500 a month for training and they are not about to blame you or themselves for any problems your horse is having other than the farrier.

Lastly, a large checkbook and one horse does not make you a ‘Horseman’ or an ‘equine expert’.
........

To answer your questions, no I've not been fired lately, but we all get the s**t storm sooner or later. I don't know if this is educational so it may get removed.

I've been in this business 26 years, 16 as a farrier and 26 as a trainer, mostly youngsters. I was a riding instructor for 10 years during these years, so I have done quite a bit in the equine industry. Lots of ‘learning licks’. And a ton to learn still.”

~ Lance Mcintyre ~

31/10/2021

The grey ones are the worst, but it doesn’t matter what colour they are when it goes in the mouth! 😬

30/10/2021

One of my jobs last week, shod with alloy heart bars and leather pads.

30/10/2021

Are you getting tired of your horses not performing at their best because their toes are too long?

Are you finding your horses tripping over their own feet?

Do your horses have an unsightly dish in the front of their feet?

If you answered yes to any of the above..

Give me a call. I can help get your horses back on their A game!

25/10/2021

This is something all horse owners should know.