Mac Head - Farriery Past, Present and the Future
The Farrier Project · Mark Trussler and Jay Tovey
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Show Notes
Journey through farriery's evolution with Mac Head, Fellow and past master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
In this extensive conversation, Mac shares his remarkable career spanning from a 1963 apprenticeship with his blacksmith father through to founding MNC Horseshoes. He offers candid insights on how farriery transformed from a "joke" and "dead trade" in the 1960s to today's profession, explores the challenges of pricing and volume work, and discusses the critical lack of competent horsemanship in modern equestrian culture.
The discussion covers manufacturing horseshoes and nails, the transition from handmade to factory shoes, the importance of pitch and fit, training apprentices versus postgraduates, and working relationships between farriers and veterinarians. Mac also shares fascinating historical perspectives on shoe styles from Fitzwygram to Chapman's heart bar, the barefoot movement and "Dr. Green," and why every farrier should always jog horses up after shoeing.
A must-listen for farriers at any career stage seeking wisdom from someone who's witnessed and shaped the industry's transformation over six decades.