My Farrier

Do you know what a farrier is?  The word, farrier comes from the Latin, ferrum, meaning ‘iron horseshoe’.  Linda Friedman has been a farrier for more than twenty years and her specialty is trimming and shoeing horses’ hooves.  Linda was at my stables recently fitting Rinze with his winter shoes and if you ever thought that it was as simple as slapping on four horseshoes, you couldn’t be more wrong.  It’s actually quite a complicated process because each shoe is custom fitted onto each hoof.  And because horses are so large and strong, there’s also a good deal of physical risk involved.  Linda explained that she spent five years as an apprentice before starting out on her own.  Fitting horseshoes properly requires vast knowledge of horse anatomy and Linda continues to educate herself by regularly attending clinics and symposiums.  As with humans, bad fitting shoes can cause all kinds of physical problems.  Linda is proud of her work and really loves her job because she just loves being around horses.

This is my farrier, Linda Friedman (posing next to Rinze)

Linda works out of the back of her truck, which contains tools, her forge, or high-heat oven, and welding supplies

The shoes are heated red-hot in the forge

She pounds them on an anvil to draw two clips, which help keep the shoes in place

Linda makes sure the clipped shoe is exactly level

Here’s Linda holding a hoof between her legs.  This requires great finesse and caution.  The old shoe has been removed and the hoof is being leveled with a rasp.

The new shoe is hot fitted to check for levelness and to help shape the hoof for the shoe clips

Linda then begins welding borium onto the bottom, creating a winter shoe

Hammering on the new shoe fitted with a sno-ball pad, which prevents snow and ice buildup

Linda is clinching or folding the nails down to secure the shoe

One hoof done – three to go!

Comments

[deezie]

That is so amazing I had no idea there was so much involved, wow!
what a beautiful horse also
deezie

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories of my childhood when I watched and helped my Dad's cousin care for his horse. I was fascinated then and still am by the process of hoof care and the horses themselves even though I don't have a horse of my own.
Kathy

[Kelly]

I truly learn something new every day by reading this blog!

[Leona Milbury]

Martha, thank you for sharing so much of your life and Alexis' as well.I enjoy reading your post every day and this one is so interesting,who knew there was this much involved in changing horse shoes and what a beautiful horse it is and your stables look spotless which I'm sure they are.
Merry Christmas to you and your Family

[jodi]

what a great blog!!!!!!! awesome pictures!!!!!!!!

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

It was interesting to see the steps involved in shoeing a horse.
How did Linda pick this profession
as a farrier? Maybe, you can do a segment on the show. Rinze is a beautiful horse.
Best,
Pauline Mucciaccio
PS
How do you pick the names for your
animals?

[Laurie Ivanchuk{Ukraine}]

You bet thats alot of work my brother in Canada is a farrier and he loves it, but like you said it take a special person to do that kinda back breaking work. Lovely looking horse you have Martha. :)

[Ginger]

She must be so talented to do this without hurting or upseting the horse! I guess the horse knows she is there to help. Neat!

[Trish]

I wondered where you got new shoes to fit every 4 to 6 weeks I think you said it was that the hooves grow. Linda has quite a job there with 5 horses; if she shoed one horse a week that pretty much fills up the month and then time to start over again. She has every reason to be proud of her work and I'm sure the horses love her. It's great that she can work out of her van. BTW, I really like your interesting blogs! Trish

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, How lucky your horses are to have such an adept farrier as Linda. Thank you for taking a subject like shoeing horses and turning it into a facinating blog. Rinze's new shoe and hoof look absolutely beautiful. Happy Holidays to all. Jan

[Joan Fluor Mason, OH]

Hi Martha, I love horses, too. When I was 12 years old, I asked my Dad if I could put a horse in the backyard and he said who is going to feed the horse?

Unfortunately, I did not get one...

Love your blogs, look forward to them each day, thanks so much and I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[Rob in Chicago]

Martha!

You're the perfect blogger. Of course you're doing this as wonderfully as you do so many things. I've been a fan for years and just started reading the blog this week. I don't know what I was waiting for! Its wonderful. I feel like its a daily version of "A Letter From Martha" from the back of the LIVING magazine. Keep up the wonderful work, and thank you for sharing.

[Cathy Flowers]

Thank you for this blog. I have two horses and every 7 weeks, Moses Gonzalez and one of his brothers come and fit Classy II and Rain Dance with new shoes. Classy and Rain saw the pics of Rinze's home and want to come live at your barn . . .

Happy hoidays,

Cathy

[Finbar]

Rinze is beautiful. Thank you for sharing these photos and giving us all some education about horses.

[Margie]

Martha!

Where are this lady's gloves?

[Linda Gail]

Martha; Thank You for such great blogs. I read every day and I enjoy them so much. Every now and then I read one that takes me back to a wonderful place in my life and this one did it for me again. Each time I read about your horses, I remember my own beautiful QH from La. Doll was a gentle but fast as lightning barrel racer and I miss her still after so many years. You are so lucky to have 5 gentle giants and they are lucky to have a beautiful place to live. Love Linda Gail

[Christina]

This is an amazing photo story. Thanks for sharing!

[Claudine]

Your horses are just beautiful! What a great job she has working with horses all the time. I am sure she is the best!

Claudine

[Rhonda]

Great Post Martha!

Linda is the first woman farrier I've seen! That's awesome!

Love your barn!

I just had endurance shoes put on my horse, they have rubber treads on the bottom!

Thanks for showing how important a good farrier is! A bad one can really put your horse out of commission!

Thanks,
Rhonda
A Proud Member of Martha's Circle!

[Jenny]

Hi Martha,

Linda does a terrific job by the look of it. Our horses Rio and Cocoa send Christmas greetings to Rinze and his friends! Could we have a segment soon on your stables, and how you have used the space?
Warmest regards, Jen and horses from Australia.

[Fran Jurga, Hoofcare and Lameness Journal]

Thank you, Martha Stewart, for this wonderful post, and for your recognition of the important role that farriers play in the health and safety of horses, especially during the winter! I know that it has been icy in upstate New York this week, and you are in good hands! Linda is trying to prevent your horses from slipping with the dollops of hard-facing on the shoe surface.

There is a recipe for good hoofcare and horse health, and it begins with a caring, experienced professional looking out for your safety and the horse's. You are very fortunate to have an experienced horsewoman who is also a farrier.

Thank you for choosing your horse's professional care wisely and for recognizing the role Linda plays (and for giving us a glimpse into your new barn).

Fran Jurga, Publisher
"Hoofcare and Lameness: The Journal of Equine Foot Science"
and also "The Hoof Blog"
www.hoofcare.com
Gloucester, Massachusetts

[Rebecca C.]

We have a good friend, who happens to house-sit and dog-sit for us when we go to England on holidays, who is a farrier as well. She works for a local Vet now, but has three horses of her own. She is one amazing woman.

[Susan]

Martha,
Thank you for acknowledging the extremly dangerous and difficult work our ferriers perform each and every day for our precious horses. I have a Hanoverian and have just recently imported a Friesian (oh my gosh) is there anything more beautiful?! I dearly love my ferrier and shower him with goodies all the time as I know my horses and I would be lost without him!

[Diane]

I'd like to see more about your Friesians. I first saw a Friesian when you showed them on the opening of your show. Then you changed the opening and I was very disappointed. I fell in love with the awesome black beauties and had to get one. My Friesian will be two in February. My Friesian dream is to retire from teaching and breed these magnificent creatures. I have my stallion and I am always looking for his mate. Diane in FL

[Anne]

How about more pictures of your beautiful stables!