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1 week ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
After a day of shoeing, Henry Heymering huddled at his kitchen table in early 1975 putting together the first issue of American Farriers Journal. There was a resurgence in the horse population and farriers, yet there was a void in sharing knowledge. The Arcadia, Fla., farrier wanted to change that. Heymering filled 8 pages with a case involving a tunnel he found while trimming, product reviews, tire maintenance and a tool modification. AFJ collected 54 paid subscriptions in the first year.
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1 week ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
Mike Hayward, APF-I, demonstrates his patented magnetic broom. The San Jose, Calif., farrier modified a shop broom with a roller magnet to retrieve stray nails after shoeing a horse. “The roller magnet is on one side and the broom on the other so you can still sweep,” Hayward explains. “To remove the nails from the magnet, you just flip a switch that releases the magnetic face and the nails fall off.”Hayward’s magnetic broom was awarded a U.S. patent.
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1 week ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
The 2025 show season is moving forward under current regulations after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) is delaying implementation of the 2024 Horse Protection Act (HPA) Final Rule until Feb. 1, 2026. The final rule originally was scheduled to take effect March 21, 2025.
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2 weeks ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
| Posted in Business Practices, Clients, Disciplines & Breeds, Diseases, Lamenesses, Safety & Healthcare, Therapeutic Shoeing, Trimming The San Francisco Bay Area is among the true American equine hot spots. The diversity of breeds and disciplines ensures plenty of hoof-care work in an area with a considerable concentration of wealthy clients who make their living in the high-tech hub known for being the home of such giants as Intel, Cisco, Meta, Apple and Google.
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2 weeks ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
Lilian Martinez’s dream came true. “I’ve always loved horses and was lucky enough to own one when I was a child,” the Pernes-les-Bains, France, farrier told LaProvence in an article published June 6, 2014. “It was while watching the farrier that I had the spark.”The spark led to studying farriery for 5 years and a prestigious internship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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1 month ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) is delaying implementation of the 2024 Horse Protection Act (HPA) Final Rule until Feb. 1, 2026. “APHIS is requesting public comments on whether the Agency should further extend the length of this postponement and is also soliciting additional information to help inform a decision on the appropriate length of the postponement,” it states in an announcement published on its website March 20, 2025.
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1 month ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
| Posted in Business Practices, Equipment, Shoeing The U.S. is restoring tariffs on steel and aluminum imports while “dramatically” increasing its oversight to prevent circumvention. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Feb. 10, 2025, levying 25% tariffs on the metals from all countries. Imports from such countries as Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea previously were duty free. “It’s 25% without exceptions or exemptions,” he told Reuters.
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1 month ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
A California investors group is acquiring a storied American horseshoe company. GBT Group is the new owner of Baltimore, Md.-based Victory Racing Plate Co. and is changing its leadership and base of operations. “Victory began to outsource a portion of its production of aluminum and steel horseshoes to a factory in China in 2009,” according to a letter Victory sent to its partners.
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2 months ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member Gene Armstrong of Paso Robles, Calif., passed away Jan. 8, 2025. An outstanding farrier and active member of the American Farrier’s Association, Armstrong was the energetic farriery instructor at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. He was known for teaching his students to take care of the whole horse — from minds to hooves. “He was by far the most influential professor for me at Cal Poly,” Susan Watkins says.
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2 months ago | 
americanfarriers.com | Jeff Cota
Is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Horse Protection Act (HPA) final rule in jeopardyAlthough leading equine organizations such as the American Horse Council and the U.S. Equine Federation support the rule, they are requesting a 60-day postponement because the “agency is not ready to implement and/or enforce the revised regulation in a fair and consistent manner.” Others, however, seek a permanent dissolution.
