I have a written endorsement of my work from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. dated Wednesday, September 14, 2005:

Tom,

Nice seviceable work! i usually judge a shoeing job by how the horse handled it, ie how did he perform after, compared to before, my entire objective is results.

Tom, was it less than nice servicable work?



Jaye's appraisal of the photos ("Moose" which I posted on this board a year later) was more critical and informative.


Perhaps you were looking for more, sorry, I said what I believed based upon the pictures!



Therefore either he has a higher standard of certification or you are just being a nice guy . . . not wanting to hurt my feelings.


I don't think you wanted me to spare your feelings, you asked me to look at the pictures of a horse that you said you had just shod, based on what I saw,I said pretty much the same as I say to horseowners when they ask me to look at a horse that is going servicably sound for them but some trainer is ranking on their farrier. Question at this point to Jaye, what is your certification and with what group? Tom clearly intamated that you may have a higher standard of certification. I'm working on the BIG SACK BAG certification, but my crayolas melted. Course, I well may not know anything(my kids when they were teenagers informed me of that often) , and just ask them how nice I am.





Either way, I am honored to be in your company and share your passion for this profession.


I also am honored to associate with you and the others who ply and have plied this trade,farriers horseshoers and ironhangers(maybe a new assoc.?) alike, and to have these discussions.

I believe that encouraging green farriers to seek certification is good for the profession. Not because certification itself designates that the bearer is more qualified than one who has no certification, but because the certification process is educational. In order to achieve one must set goals. Certifications are MINIMUM goals defined by a group of peers.


Tom,where you and I probably part at this juncture is the marketing thing,as I see it I call a spade a spade, you deal in perceptions. Earlier when we were discussing the Guild requirement of full time, you stated words to the effect that part timers shod horses for beer money, to me a pretty broad statement, now I know that you drink beer, let me ask you ,do you pay for it with shoeing income,or are you a purest and have a partime job doing something else to pay for your beer, the point is to me , in your zeal to promote the Guild you said to the world and left the distinct impression that all part time horseshoers ,farriers, ironhangers only shoe for beer money, you know that's not true and I know it's not true,but I believe you ,maybe delibeate maybe not, left a perception ,only you can answer if it was intended to smear non full time farriers ,whatever they are.



I do not believe that certification represents maximum achievement. I do not believe that certification should be marketed as a maximum achievement. It should be something sought by a beginner as a means of evaluating ones progress. I also believe that any certification organization should be honored when a tenured professional stands for a certification test.



Considering your statements about marketing and "percieved value" I wonder if you feel that by getting the tenured professional to take your test he/she might become a marketing tool to enhance your latest endevor.



I have watched several tenured professionals stand for AFA certification. The results they produced were a tremendous inspiration. For me to have the priviledge of watching someone do the AFA practical without breaking a sweat and then sit down and drink a cup of coffee while the clock ran another 20 minutes . . . then to see that person get the highest score for the year on the CF practical . . . from my perspective as a rookie, it showed me how much more I had to learn and how much harder I had to work - and still have much further to go.