This is an interesting conversation with Mike Norris. Mike is a farrier with over 30 years of experience, having started his career in Colorado at the Colorado School of Trades in 1993 while I was still running that school. His specialty is the long-footed horse, and we get to talk about shoeing in that world. He is colorful character, to put it mildly, and hides nothing as he tells stories of a wild ride through life. Mike hides nothing as he talks about losing his son, scrapes with the law, and dealing with truck-defacing peacocks. This conversation took over two hours, but it felt like 20 minutes. Listening to it will be the same, so I hope you enjoy it.

Bud and Hannah met when they attended Heartland Horseshoeing School, where they return every year to play a part in the lives of the incoming new students. I sat them down to discuss their paths to becoming farriers, challenges faced, and their future aspirations. Hannah details her transition from a medical secretary in Alaska to becoming a farrier, while Bud shares his experience working on a dairy farm and as an arborist before deciding to pursue farriery. They emphasize the importance of hard work, passion, and good client communication. We talk about their business, injury experiences, and the importance of horsemanship and practical skills in their profession. They also touch on their goals of expanding their practice to include more farriers and reflect on the various aspects of farriery, including shoeing techniques and the industry's future.

Renowned farrier Jace Ellis shares decades of experiences from his life and career. He attended horseshoeing school in 1984 and has been shoeing horses ever since. Farriery has allowed Jace to do anything he has ever wanted to do in this life.

Jace recounts various aspects of his career including his first marriage, his son following in his footsteps, and the challenges of maintaining both personal relationships and business standards over the decades. His insights delve into the technical and business sides of being a farrier, alongside memorable stories of dealing with bad horses and complex shoeing techniques. Besides farriery, Jace has a rich life filled with cowboy activities, competitive coyote hunting, and an affinity for camp cooking. He also shares pearls of wisdom and reveals personal interests, emphasizing the importance of doing what you love, regardless of the challenges.