I am really very grateful to ShurShod Horseshoeing School and the BWFA for making my childhood dream finally become reality. Anything that I can do to help or support both organizations, l will gladly do.

I started working with horses in my teen years, taking tourists on moonlight rides in Tenerife. Along with the riding came the responsibility of looking after about 55 horses on a day to day basis. Feeding, Grooming, Training and of course Shoeing. After a few months of watching my boss shoeing the horses I decided that I was going to become a professional farrier. I was about 15 years old.

I convinced my boss to teach me the basics and I started reading, a lot.

Through reading books on horseshoeing from British publishers I came to the conclusion that I had to study in England, because in England they supposedly have the best schooling for farriers and so they must produce the best farriers!

I was 19 years old when I packed all my things up and headed back to England with a quest, to get that diploma.

I sat the farriery training service entrance examination and applied to Approved Training Farriers all over the U.K. for an apprenticeship. From about 60 letters I received 2 replies to say 'sorry, but no'. I was a little disappointed, but I didn't lose heart. I made contact with a very friendly local farrier who was unfortunately not an 'ATF'' but still he said I could ride with him, I couldn't officially touch the horses but I could observe and learn and he would also try to help me find somebody to take me on as an apprentice.

Life in England isn't inexpensive and with no sign of an apprenticeship in the near future, I took a 3 month contract to work in a foundry in Holland. I could save some money and keep applying for an apprenticeship in the meantime from Holland.

It is now 6 years later and I am still living in Holland and I am now married with a child and another one on the way.

I had given up the idea of ever becoming a certified farrier, a 4 year apprenticeship is just not realistic with a mortgage, and a family. That was until about 10 months ago. I heard that a lot of Dutch farriers go to the US for schooling, so I started surfing the internet and found SHURHOD HORSESHOEING SCHOOL in Missouri. The course times, length, price and more importantly the qualifications of the instructors made the choice easy. I booked time free from work, gave my wife and daughter a big kiss and headed off to Missouri.

I was picked up from the airport by Max Williams and Kelly Case's daughter Crystal. They made me feel really welcome took me back to the school where I met the other 5 students. That was another plus point from Shurshod, they take a maximum of 6 students for each course so you have real personal attention from Max and Kelly and there is never a big queue for the showers!

I found the course to even better than I had anticipated. At various times of the day Max would demonstrate how you do something and then we would do it. I found it to be a very effective way of teaching. The course went great and I had a lot of fun whilst learning and made some good friends.

I graduated Shurshod and I am now a certified journeyman 1 farrier. 13 years after I started, I am finally a professional farrier.

I now know that the British system dosen't work. They are making it so difficult for people like me who are very good candidates and who want to become farriers for the right reasons. To get the training and to succeed in becoming good farriers.

I am so grateful that the BWFA has a different policy on schooling and I hope for everybody that wants to become a farrier in the future, that the British system will not be adopted in the US.

Thankyou again,

Paul Clark