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Horses will always give you more than you will give them.
Emmanuel Defossez
“ success. Possibly because I was a groom and rider before, I have a better insight and maybe even an edge that other farriers don’ t have. I know the horse, and have experienced first hand what it takes to keep Grand Prix horses in good form, especially the important role the farrier plays in their success.
What must a farrier know and understand when shoeing a top performance horse?
A farrier must have knowledge of the horse’ s anatomy and physiology, pathology, and the mechanics of the horse. I feel it is of great importance to be educated about, not just the anatomy of the hoof, but also the horse as a whole; if a farrier doesn’ t understand how a horse’ s physiology works, we can jeopardize the horse’ s health and maybe even cause future lameness that could’ ve been prevented. Secondly, it is important to stay updated about new products and techniques; one day you might come across a horse that can benefit from a different pad, or shoe, or technique. Often I encounter farriers stuck in one way of shoeing who don’ t see the benefit of trying something new. Personally, I prefer a lighter, aluminum type of shoeing on showjumpers. I’ ve had a lot of success with a company called ACR. It’ s a French company, run by Antoine Corona, that offers a wide variety of different shoes. I’ ve had a lot of positive results with my horses using the lighter method.
What are your plans for your career going forward?
My future plans align with my past achievements. I’ ve been lucky enough to work with top trainers and riders like Henk Nooren, Eric Navet, Antonis Petris, Leslie Burr-Howard, Alice Debany-Clero( trainer for the Dubai Equestrian Center), and many more. I really appreciate the kind of horsemen they are; their excellence is proven by their long-standing careers in the sport. They always strive to be at the top, which in turn encourages me to be there right alongside them doing my best to get them there.
In 2002, we opened up a forge alongside Dr. Philippe Benoit’ s clinic in France. Having the forge there allowed us to invite clients to the clinic so Dr. Benoit and I could treat them together, whether through injections, handmade shoes, or both. This is an idea I’ d like to encourage here in the United States because, even if I’ m not the horse’ s farrier, the vet and I can still treat the horse and send it along with instructions for their primary farrier. Using a forge and making custom shoes by hand has become a bit of a lost art that I’ d like to bring back. I’ d like to promote this craftsmanship through building a network of veterinarians and farriers who share my same passion for knowledge and improvement to benefit the horse.
What is the greatest lesson horses have taught you in life?
Horses teach us many lessons, but the one that impacted me the most is humility. Horses will always give you more than you will give them. The horse is so strong in body and mind, this purity of strength has grounded me to maintain my humility and respect for the animal. Being not only a farrier, but a groom and rider, I’ ve always felt a responsibility to put the horse first.― This attitude has matured me quickly.
Para los nuevos en el deporte, el showjumping puede parecer que depende completamente de la combinación del caballo y el jinete para lograr la victoria, pero el número de personas involucradas en cada competencia va más allá de estos dos actores.
Al igual que los equipos de pits en las carreras de autos de Fórmula 1, existe un equipo de apoyo completo para garantizar la salud y la condición física de estos caballos de alto rendimiento: grooms, veterinarios y herreros( y también propietarios y gerentes) coordinan sus conocimientos y habilidades para preparar de mejor manera la combinación de caballo y jinete para la pista. Debido a que Equestre Americas
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