My old boss said to always use a rasp before the finish file on a shoe

I worked under a farrier named Carl for about three years back in Ohio. He was set in his ways and told me, 'You skip the rasp, you'll have a rough job every time.' I followed that for years, thinking it was the only way. Then I started working with a guy from Kentucky who showed me his method. He used a sharp finish file right after the clinch block, skipping the rasp step. I tried it on a draft horse last fall, and the shoe fit was cleaner and faster. Carl's advice worked for his style, but it wasn't the only right way. It made me think about how we can get stuck doing things one way. What's a piece of old advice you've changed your mind on?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathan_foster602mo agoTop Commenter

Honestly it's just horseshoes man, not brain surgery. If the horse walks fine and the shoe stays on, who cares about the extra step. People get way too deep about minor stuff.

margaret_bennett32mo ago

Totally get it, but bad shoes can mess up a horse long term.

hugo_ellis1mo agoMost Upvoted

I mean is it really gonna cause that many problems though