The Art of the Shoe

Farriers Victor Hernandez and Eric Virgin share some insights on horse shoeing. Encore! benefits from their broad experience.

Victor: I met Chuck when I was working for Dick Winter and Ruth. I was a groom for ten years and that’s how I met Chuck. He was my mentor. Holman Ranch is where I got started with the Winters. I was grooming for them. Right after that they moved to couple of different places, but it was at Holman where I met Chuck Colb. I started as a stall cleaner. I‘ve been working with horses for 16 or 17 years. I grew up in Oaxaca, Mexico. I used to have a horse there. My dad had cows and horses, so I was around animals. When I came to the United States, that’s when I started working with horses. I was interested in learning about how to shoe horses because I would see Chuck every six weeks. I just started watching him and the way he would make the shoes. I asked him if I could work with him and he said, “Yeah, start pulling the shoes and finish the feet.” I was an apprentice for five years. Eric here is a farrier too. We both have worked with Chuck. He had a very good reputation. He was amazing. Chuck was about sixteen when he started shoeing horses. I think he got his training in Arizona.

I do a “hot” shoe and I also make my own shoes. All the shoes I’m using on the horses, they are handmade. I know the measurements for Encore! that’s why I make the shoes ahead. She doesn’t want to be here for very long, so I make the shoes ahead to speed it up. I make the shoes from scratch. I have bars on the truck. Not very many people make these shoes. There’s maybe one other guy around here.