Jun 8, 2019
Today I am speaking with Dave Farley. Dave is a well known and
sought after farrier in the Sporthorse world. He is also well known
and respected in the farrier world as a generous educator. Many a
farrier and vet have ridden in the truck with Dave and his son Jay
for a day of mentorship. I met Dave over dinner in Wellington one
night and I was amazed at how much information he shared. He
imparted upon me decades of knowledge for the mere cost of a dinner
at Chilli’s.
Dave’s passion for the job started when he was just 7 years old
when he visited the local Blacksmith and Coal Mine Tool Maker shop
in 1961. By thirteen he was nailing on shoes. In the seventies, he
took over a Farrier Shop at the county fairgrounds in Coshocton,
Ohio where he worked on Standardbreds. On the recommendation of a
veterinarian named Dr. Gable, he then started working at Ohio State
University as the resident farrier. Then in the eighties, as the
standardbred industry started to dwindle he started working on
Hunter/Jumper and Dressage horses in Columbus, Ohio.
His quest for knowledge has never dwindled and he credits his first
two mentors Mr. Fritz Bookman and Mr. Frank McGinnis for instilling
in him this desire to learn and to pass it on.
Dave’s list of accomplishments is long, so here are just a few of many:
I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview Dave. He has a lot of well-earned wisdom we all could benefit from. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
So let's get to it….