Emmanuel Defossez
clients was probably one of my greatest challenges. My clients were spread all throughout Europe on the international circuit, and a lot of times the horses only spend a couple of days at home, often just Monday-Tuesday. I had to ensure these horses were done on time and ready to perform before they went off to their next show. But sometimes horses wouldn’ t come home for weeks on end, and I’ d have to organize my schedule to be in Holland at the beginning of the week, Belgium midweek, and France at the end of the week; then Spain or the US the next week. I have worked hard at always making sure my clients are happy, but the constant traveling also took a toll on my family life. Managing the business and setting aside time for my family brought its own challenges.
What do you most like / dislike about your profession?
I have to say, what I like most is the diversity; every horse is different, each one has a different conformation and pathology. I can use their conformation and pathology to make them better, make them more comfortable, and the horses perform better when they are more comfortable. It is challenging, but it is what I like most about being a farrier.
I also like when I am able to have a line of communication with the veterinarian and the whole team in the stable: the grooms, the riders, the trainers, the managers, etc. to discuss with the whole team how the horse feels or if anything that they have noticed has changed. This communication creates a better network of insight and atmosphere around the horse. I really value working with top veterinarians and bouncing ideas off of each other about the different lamenesses we see; whether the lameness is in the foot or in a tendon, we can figure out a shoeing method to fix and improve it. In the past and in the present, I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Philippe Benoit: two years at his clinic in France, Clinique des Bréviaires, taking x-rays and learning how to read them, and currently with Pomponio Ranch( Eric Navet & Karl Cook), Ali Nilforushan, and Meadows Oak Ranch in California.
As much as I like good communication within a team, I dislike bad communication even more. When the team doesn’ t
communicate, we aren’ t prioritizing the horse and their wellbeing to keep them healthy and ready to perform. Everyone on the team works with and around the horse, and if we fail to keep our professionalism and that open line of communication, we ultimately fail the horse.
What is a common misconception people have about what you do?
I would suppose the most common misconception is that my job can be simplified: take shoe off; trim foot; put new shoe on; next horse please. There is so much more that goes into being a farrier, but our importance is often lost when people simplify the job. So frequently, the horse’ s individual conformation or the way the horse moves( e. g. how the horse tracks under saddle) isn’ t taken into account and respected. I can use all of this information to do my job proficiently. People don’ t often talk about the value and importance of having a good farrier. Jean-Louis( my mentor) told me the farrier is always left in the dark— in the shadows. I hold true to the saying:“ No foot, no horse.”
What is your daily routine with the horses? What do you consider essential for achieving the best results with the horses?
Typically I start early, depending on which stable, after the horses have had breakfast. This is how I can respect the horse and their routine. While the horses are eating, I like to touch base with the team to find out how all the horses are doing, their results from the last show; all of this is important to me. I like to have a chance to talk to the vet before I start in case they have anything to bring to my attention. Sometimes the vet and I like to jog the horses before, with flexions, in case I see an alteration in their track; then we can discuss each case. I take a look over each horse before I start: pick up all the feet to look over my last shoeing, and if I feel the horse might have some soreness, I make it a point to tell the vet or the manager. As I mentioned earlier, it is essential to keep communicating amongst the team. Everyone plays an important role in every
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