Sisterhood Spotlight

What is your earliest or fondest memory of horses?

I was tremendously lucky to be introduced to horses at a very young age. The first picture of me on a horse was at the age of three. My parents, not horse people by any means, must have seen the connection and really supported every opportunity to get me closer to this animal. One of my earliest memories was the first time I cantered at age seven. The pony’s name was Lulu, and I fell off pretty much right away! I was lucky enough to fall into a sand bank in a small indoor ring and so it never hurt. I distinctly remember thinking it was the most amazing feeling and jumped up, couldn’t wait to get back on, and cantered again – I stayed on this time and vividly recall how fast and amazing it felt. I was pretty much hooked from that day forward.  I clearly couldn't have realized it at the time, but that’s what horses teach you every day – you get on, you may fall off, and then you get back on. Horses are absolutely the most humbling creatures. They are strong and powerful and equally more fragile than you can ever imagine.  Working with them has taught me so much. I am tremendously fond of so many of the horses I see and work with every day. In many ways, I am still just a horse-crazy kid!

What does a farrier do, and please tell us about your experience as a woman working as a farrier?

There is a saying in the horse world, “No foot, no horse,” and it’s true. Their feet are the foundation of their massive size and it’s critical to understand how that foot functions and interacts with both the rest of their anatomy and the world beneath them. Farriers are trained to understand and manage all aspects of hoof care for horses. This can range from simply trimming feet and/or applying shoes all the way to working closely with veterinarians to manage complicated therapeutic cases or encourage proper development with foals. Historically, farriery has been a male-dominated profession, but it’s nice to see that starting to change. I was lucky to have an incredible mentor that never viewed my being a woman as any impediment to being a farrier; - in fact, he strongly encouraged and supported women in the field. I have certainly met up with individuals that are less than supportive of women in the industry, but they have never deterred me from this occupation, and I would encourage anyone else to ignore them as well. Being a farrier can certainly be demanding of your time, but as a woman, and a mother, this profession has allowed me the opportunity to run my own business and prioritize my family.

Horseshoeing is a very old craft. What new technologies, if any, are influencing your work?

The introduction of new technologies both within veterinary medicine and the farrier industry function together and constantly influence my work. For instance, it used to be that we mainly had to rely on x-rays to help diagnose and understand what was happening inside the hoof capsule, but today a horse in this area can easily have an MRI and more recently a PET scan which allows the vets to hand farriers an exceptional amount of information regarding what is wrong with that animal. This information is an absolute game-changer when it comes to how we can then create a shoeing package to address the exact issue with each foot. New products and farrier-specific research papers are also changing the way things are done and offering us so many more options for horses with complicated feet. New composite shoes and adhesives techniques are showing incredible promise and I am always excited to incorporate these into my practice.

Can you speak to the “Forging Ahead Internship Program”?

Paul Goodness, the lead farrier of Forging Ahead and my mentor, was always committed to helping share knowledge and promote better practices within the farrier industry. The Forging Ahead Internship Program was designed based on this idea and offered an opportunity that did not exist anywhere else both then, and now. We worked with farrier schools and other farriers around the world to identify talented and committed individuals to spend a year working alongside the busy group practice that was Forging Ahead. The group worked out of two ship-in locations (meaning people bring the horses to our shops) and on the road travelling to client farms as well. With multiple farriers working full-time, the number of horses an intern would see each week was rather impressive. It was an amazing and dynamic environment which included high level performance horses, difficult therapeutic cases, and wonderfully adorable back yard ponies. I remember farriers from the surrounding area would often stop in just to shadow the group for a day and many would say they would see more variety of hoof issues in one day than they would normally see in one year! The program helped launch the successful careers of many farriers, several of which I still stay in contact and consult with to this day.

What advice do you have for Women+girls (W+g) considering entering the farrier industry, and where might they go for training?

The first thing I will say is don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do this job. Women make great farriers! You can do it! When most people think of farriers, they picture a larger- than-life man with huge muscles standing over a horse, but in reality, the horse is always going to be stronger than even the strongest person. It’s very true that being a farrier is a physically demanding profession, so you need to focus on staying fit, but it relies upon your ability to work with the horse, not overpower them. It also means you need to be smart and work with the owners, trainers, and vets to make sure the horse is safe to work with as well. The horse industry is an incredible world with endless possibilities. Women have already proven themselves to be exceptional riders, trainers, veterinarians, and more should try this profession as well.  

Proper training in this field can certainly be challenging to find, and there is no set path on how you can get to where you want to be. This can be both frustrating and equally exciting, as it allows a person to really create their own experience. It’s one of the few professions that does not require a set pattern of academic studies and therefore can allow a committed individual to succeed without the same educational costs of most other professions. That said, there are farrier schools throughout the country, but most are meant to teach the basics and then strongly encourage you to find an apprenticeship after completion. People quickly realize a 16-week course, even an intensive one, is not enough to prepare you for all the things this job may throw at you. Apprenticeships are key to learning the craft well. Finding these apprenticeships can be challenging, but they certainly exist. My best advice is to create relationships with the local veterinarians and trainers in your area. From there, work toward meeting the farriers they use and recommend. I also advise seeking out organizations and associations dedicated to this field.

Two prominent and well-established organizations include the American Farriers Association (AFA) and the International Association of Professional Farriers (IAPF), both of which offer useful memberships which can further connect you to great resources, clinics, and conferences.  I also strongly recommend business classes or reading books on running a small business.  Most farriers will eventually work for themselves. Understanding business basics will ensure that you can run that endeavor successfully.

About Amy Sidwar-Seaver

Amy Sidwar-Seaver graduated from George Mason University in 1999 with a B.A. in English and a concentration in cultural studies. She received her master in business administration (MBA) in 2022 from Longwood University. She briefly worked as a farrier's assistant in 1999, and then as a program analyst for Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in support of the U.S. Coast Guard, until she chose to begin a full-time apprenticeship and career in farriery with Paul Goodness in 2004. Soon after, she achieved certifications in Equine Sports Massage Therapy (2004) and Canine Massage Therapy (2005). In 2007, Sidwar-Seaver helped create and manage the Forging Ahead Internship Program, which was the first of its kind in the farrier industry and launched the careers of many now-accomplished farriers. Sidwar-Seaver, who takes special interest in sport horses, laminitis cases, and foal development, completed the American Association of Professional Farriers (APF-I) certification in 2019, and maintains membership with the American Farriers Association. When not working, she enjoys riding her own horses, spending time with family and friends, and acquiring new skills. She completed the Accredited Professional exam for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 2010, making her the only LEED AP farrier she knows.