Here's a post I never thought I would write.
Michael Wildenstein FWCF (Hons), resident farrier at Cornell University's Large Animal Hospital, confirmed to me yesterday that he has submitted his resignation to the prestigious university's administration.
Wildenstein has been with Cornell for more than 15 years, during which time he has built the farrier course into a world-famous center for both new farriers and experienced vets and farriers who come to Cornell for week or month long residencies in farriery.
In addition to teaching farriery, Wildenstein serves at the resident farrier for lameness cases, surgery cases, and referral shoeing patients from all over the Northeast. He also teaches veterinary students about farriery and the hoof and represents Cornell by lecturing and demonstrating at conferences around the world.
"The phone is ringing, the word got out very quickly," said Wildenstein, who has reportedly received more than one job offer already this week. He plans to leave Cornell at the end of the current semester, and said that his current class of farrier students is a great group.
He did not rule out returning to Cornell in the future, although perhaps with some amendment of his current three-jobs-in-one position.
One of only a handful of farriers worldwide holding the distinction of Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers with Honors, Wildenstein formerly lived in Europe and shod horses there.
Photo of Mike and Petey courtesy of Lexy Roberts.