Paul Jr. says that in the late 1960s, horse ownership dropped to its lowest level and the number of farriers also declined. “We lost a lot of tradesmen, and we’ve had to rediscover a lot of this stuff in this country,” he said. “We would compete in international competitions, and the guys from this country would be laughed at back then. Now, we’ve improved and have some of the top journeymen farriers in the world. “I love that aspect of keeping the industry alive and am proud of the quality of farriers we’ve been able to train. “We’ve been real fortunate, and I believe this goes back to our small classes and personalized instruction. We actively try to get them connected in an apprenticeship with an established farrier once they leave,” Paul Jr. said. “Our school is just the first step. They come here, and we try to
make them a marketable apprentice, then place them with someone who will help them on their journey.” Paul Sr. still hangs around the school, offering advice and knowledge gained from 45 years shoeing horses. He and Paul Jr. are still side by side, because they love helping their younger protégés learn the trade. “My wife and I, we more or less adopt them you know. When they finish their class it’s like your kid leaving home,” Paul Sr. said. “It’s very gratifying. All my life I’ve loved horses and caring for them. We have animals that come here almost lame and after we work with them, they leave much more sound. That’s our purpose.” Harder, Price and the Dorrises all echo the fact that this isn’t a glamorous profession or for the faint of heart. It can be back-breaking work with very long hours. But those called to it and love of horses are the ones who will endure.
A huge pile of discarded horseshoes awaits recycling.
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Front Porch
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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • FALL 2016