When Good Men Die...

Farah's first shoes~

This morning when my phone rang & I saw it was my friend Linda, I was glad - as Linda always brightens my day & it had been a tough week.  This day - her news stunned me silent & saddened me beyond words...  The man who has kept my horses on the trail, sound & happy for many, many years now, was gone...

Art was a Farrier that could ALWAYS be counted on.  First - it was the evening call the day before your appointment to remind you.  He was ALWAYS on time, or Early!  Then - there was his incredible craftsmanship.   When I met him, he'd come highly recommended both by Linda & another friend.  I was ready to take Khari to Bryce for the multi-day, she had yet to even do a 50-mile ride.  I was so worried - trying a new Farrier just before the trip!  I shouldn't have worried, even with a first time shoeing on a strange horse, his work was so exemplary we made it through some of the most incredible trails in the country.  Over two-weeks of travel & days of trail, with all four shoes & no lameness issues.   When Jim Bryant, DVM did Khari's pre-purchase exam & complimented Art's work - I told him & thought he'd bust his buttons!  :-)  When I brought Farah home, she'd always been barefoot, has a big stride & feet that needed some shaping & work.  Art was our man!

If a shoe came off, I'd place a call from the trail & by the next day - even if it was a Sunday, I'd have a shoe back on!  Lately, since she's been moving in a much more collected frame, we were getting some forging issues & again, Art was right out - fixed the problem & always meant it when he said to; "Call with any problems".  I can't say how much I learned from this man - to watch the wear on all four feet, check to see how even it was, also from diagonal to diagonal.  Hind shoes worn more than the front was a Good Thing!  Never radical, always with the best interest of the horse above that of the rider!

He loved his hunting trips, had a young horse that he'd raised & groomed every evening.   He was so happy when we put in our electronic gate opener & I gave him the combination!  That resulted in him scaring the sHit out of me one day when I was up in the barn & he walked up behind me!  :-)  Always a professional, a gentleman & a cowboy...  he will be Greatly missed by all who knew & loved him...

Happy Trails Art, may they be long & beautiful~