Thursday, January 23, 2014

Silent Anvil: Charley Orlando, the Teaching Farrier

Charley Orlando in an Aran Islands style sweater that he knit himself. He knit sweaters like these for 50 years.
We live in a world where people have hyphenated descriptions attached to them. In music, there are singer-songwriters. In our world we have farrier-veterinarians, artist-blacksmiths, and barefoot-farriers.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Last Tango in Calgary: Stampede Will Host Its Final World Championship in 2014

Reigning World Champion David Varini (right) during a television interview minutes after finding out he had won as he stood on the Calgary Stampede's rodeo stage in front of 20,000 people. Speech bubbles represent what they might have been talking about if the interview had been this week.

Will the last farrier competitor to leave Calgary please make sure the coal fires are out?

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

St Nicholas Abbey Euthanized After Surgery for Severe Colic Today; Laminitis "Was Resolving"

St Nicholas Abbey won the Coronation Cup three times. He also won the Breeders Cup Turf. He was ridden by his trainer's teenage son, and his story is made for Hollywood. Joseph O'Brien was growing quickly, though, and his boots were never quite tall enough. He and the colt made an unforgettable team.

The news from Ireland this morning is tragic. The long-suffering but hard-fighting champion Thoroughbred colt St Nicholas Abbey has been euthanized following colic surgery.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Sunday, January 05, 2014

Royal Recognition: British Farrier Thomas Burch Honored with MBE by Queen




Glimpses into the life of a farrier who might be found on the streets of London or in the rainforests of Central America or helping a horse in Capetown in South Africa: Royal honors have been announced for British farrier Tom Burch for his service to the welfare of horses in the United Kingdom and overseas.