Farrier Sara Veenstra brings happiness, one hoof at a time
By Lorie Black
BELWOOD – The art of the farrier is documented as far back as 300 B.C.
A forger and welder, shoemaker and toolmaker are among the roles required of a good farrier.
An understanding of equine psychology and anatomy, and an ability to diagnose ailments related to an equine’s foot are required to be a good farrier.
Essentially, a farrier must be a combination of all of these things, plus a veterinarian, to an extent, and a horse whisperer.
While there is some historical documentation of females performing the tasks of a farrier in history, it wasn’t until 1979 that the first female farrier, Ada Gates Patton, was licensed to shoe racehorses in North America.
In an industry that was dominated by males, the female farrier is no longer an anomaly in the equine world.
Sara Veenstra of Fergus has been a farrier for 13 years. Her business, Warrior Horseshoeing, takes her across Wellington County.
Choosing the profession seemed a natural progression for Sara, despite that at the time, female farriers were rare.
At 12, she got a pony named Sunny and fell in love with him.
She began learning about the art of being a farrier so that she could help take care of Sunny.
Veenstra also learned about body language and how to pace working with Sunny.
“I learned not to ask too much too quickly,” she said.
Between the ages of eight and 14, Veenstra said she wanted to be a vet-
erinarian.
“But I realized there was going to be a lot of university and a lot of heartbreak,” Sara said.
“I still see heartbreak with horses struggling with their health and their feet, but I can help them.”
Veenstra completed a high school co-op with a farrier, attended Heartland Horseshoeing School in Missouri afterwards to study her trade, and interned with a farrier in Chicago.
“I wanted to be around horses and travel, not be in an office,” she said.
works with equines from miniature and draft horses to some very high-profile hunter and dressage horses and is highly regarded in the profession.
Veenstra was referred to Lisa and James Young of Maple Ridge Farm in
Veenstra
Belwood by Brian Mullins, a farrier well known and respected in North America.
Mullins and Veenstra have known each other for several years, and while Mullins regards Veenstra and her work
Artistry of the farrier – Sara Veenstra files the hoof of Breezee, a 31-year-old thoroughbred at Maple Farm in Hillsburgh.
Photo by Lorie Black
By Robin George WELLINGTON COUNTY –
Understanding how horses are
feeling can go a long way to improve equine welfare, increase safety for horses and the people around them, and foster stronger
relationships between horses and people.
Equine Guelph instructor Zoë Thorbergson, who teaches a
course about equine behaviour, told the Advertiser the key to understanding how a horse is feeling is to look at its eyes, ears, tail and body overall.
A horse in a positive mood will appear relaxed, with “ears in a neutral position or forward, nice soft eyes” and muscles and body language that doesn’t seem tense, she said.
They will likely hold their head in a neutral position –not too high or low, and their tail will look relaxed and gently swish back and forth as they walk.
A horse that looks this way is likely feeling calm and enjoying their surroundings, Thorbergson said.
Stress
But if their ears are pinned backwards, eyes wide open, nostrils flared, or tail swishing significantly, the horse is showing signs of a more negative mood, she said.
A horse showing these signs is likely concerned about something they can see, hear or feel.
Horses’ heads and tails are good barometers for stress,
Thorbergson said – the higher a horse is holding their head or tail, the higher the horse’s level of concern.
“Ears are a really good indicator of how the horse is,” Thorbergson said.
A horse may flick their ears backwards and forwards or angle their ears backwards to listen to something behind them – this is not a sign of stress.
But “if ears are pinned hard against the head, that indicates they are not happy with the situation” – likely because either a person or another horse is “too close in their space and they are not happy.
“If you are unfamiliar, then step away from a horse that has their ears pinned,” she said, because the horse is “telling you in no uncertain terms, ‘this is not acceptable.’”
And if you don’t heed the horse’s warning, they “will likely try to bite or strike with front hoof.”
A stressed horse may also prick their ears far forward while holding their head high and eyes wide open, “because they
are trying to get a really good view of what they are looking at,” Thorbergson said, which indicates they are “highly concerned” about what they see.
A stressed horse may also snort, “really, really loudly,” she added.
More subtle signs of stress include tension in muscles and wrinkles around the horse’s eyes, muzzle and nose,” Thorbergson said.
This can be a sign the horse is uncomfortable or unsure about what is happening.
Arousal Horses’ body language also offers clues about their state of arousal, or how alert, awake and attentive they are feeling.
A horse in a very low state of arousal may be standing with one hind leg cocked, resting on the tip of their hoof, or may be laying down on the ground, Thorbergson said.
During a low arousal state the horse may drift off to sleep – whether they are standing or laying down.
A horse with a high state
Photos by Lorie Black
Farrier enjoys ‘building relationships’ with horses
highly, Veenstra looks up to Mullins.
“He’s a really good person. He’s always researching developments and has really in-depth knowledge about anatomy,” Veenstra said.
Young is grateful for Mullins’ recommendation of Veenstra.
“Her work speaks for itself. You can tell right away if a farrier doesn’t understand your horse and what it needs,” Young said.
“Sara has been phenomenal. Our coaches rave about our horses’ feet.”
“And it’s not easy, because it’s not only about their feet, it’s about their conformation and the way they move,” Young said.
“It’s not as simple as just trimming them. It’s a science, but it’s an art form too.”
Young said in the past, the farm had farriers she wasn’t comfortable leaving alone with the horses.
“It can be very stressful for the horses. Sometimes it’s the farrier’s energy, or the horses.”
Veenstra has been shoeing at Maple Farm for seven years now.
“She’s so good with them, Sara doesn’t need me to be here. The horses are so calm and relaxed with her. And that is worth its weight in gold,” Young said.
Veenstra enjoys working on her own. Her gentle but clear approach creates a kind of energy; trust seems to flow
between her and the animal she is working with, creating a bubble of calm.
“I like building relationships with them and to get to understand their quirks. Like this, one,” Veenstra said of the horse, Breezee, she was working with when the Advertiser met with her.
“She’s a bit older and has some arthritis.
“She used to pull her leg away when she was particularly stiff, but now she asks for a break,” Veenstra said.
Veenstra hot shoes her horses. The method allows for a much more precise fit between shoe and foot and creates a seal to protect the foot from drying out or getting too much moisture.
Veenstra said hot shoeing and burning the foot makes it much easier to see pressure points that need attention.
“It means a lot to me that I can uncover what’s happening when a horse is really struggling with their feet. They’re sore. They’re having trouble walking. You can tell they’re in pain.
“I can do certain things with their shoes and be able to make them sound again. Sound and happy.
“That’s my favourite part of the job. Helping a horse that’s having a hard time.”
Veenstra said there is a sense of community that her profession brings.
With visits every five or six weeks throughout the year, Veenstra said, “Just in the 13 years I’ve been doing this, I’ve
seen kids grow up. I’m part of my clients’ life in just a little way.”
For Young, Veenstra is part of the farm family.
“We’re very lucky to have Sara. Sara can never move away,” Young said with a smile.
Veenstra shares her knowledge and experience through teaching with The Ontario Farrier’s Association clinics.
“I know it’s important to pass on information,” Veenstra said.
She noted female farriers are more common than they were
For Veenstra, being a farrier is a way for her to work independently and with the animals she has always loved.
But there is a strong farrier community. Veenstra has taken part in several World Horseshoeing Classic competitions held in Kentucky with contestants from as far away as the United Kingdom.
“We’d work in a team of four, and each day, one of us would trim a foot and make a shoe. It was a really wellknown contest, a nice contest,” Veenstra said.
- Lisa Young “ “
in the past, and many women are now aware of and choosing the profession.
“Initially, in general more men worked with horses. But now a lot of women do,” she said.
The last clinic she taught had close to a 50/50 split of male and female students.
It’s not as simple as just them.trimming It’s a science, but it’s an art form too.
But most of the time, it is a career that a farrier spends in the company of the animals they care for.
Veenstra hopes that high school students who want to work with horses become more aware of the trade.
For more information about the trade, visit ontariofarrier.ca.
Hot shoes – After 13 years in the business, Sara Veenstra has mastered the art of being a farrier. Pictured here at Maple Ridge Farm in Belwood, Veenstra cares for six horses every five to six weeks and brings all the tools of her trade with her to every appointment, including her forge and anvil.
Photos by Lorie Black
Erin Fall Fair Horse Heritage Awards celebrate rich history
By Lorie Black
ERIN
– The Erin Agricultural Society (EAS) and Erin Fall Fair will celebrate a milestone anniversary next year.
“(The fair) will be 175. That’s older than Canada, and older than our town,” said EAS Horse Heritage Committee chair Bridget Ryan.
“Horses were so integral to rural lifestyle, first for transportation and plowing and then later for recreation and entertainment,” she said.
“Now they are a bridge between rural and urban.”
Erin is one of the premiere “horse country” areas in North America, attracting top riders and horses to various equine competitions.
But for many in the community, it is and has been a way of life.
In 2010, EAS set up its first equine tent at the Erin Fall Fair.
“There was such interest, we thought, ‘why not capture that, capture some of these stories?’” Ryan said.
The Horse Heritage Committee was formed, and in 2018 the first Erin Fall Fair Heritage Awards were presented.
“The stories were so touching and so important, we ended up giving four awards instead of one,” said Ryan.
In subsequent years, there has been one recipient each year. And it is still a difficult task to choose.
“It’s not really a contest. It’s not comparing apples to apples,” Ryan said.
The nine-member committee looks at different factors and at which parts of the industry have been awarded.
“It’s not ‘are they the best in this category?’”, Ryan said.
“It creates another depth to the fair, and another interesting part to the spirit.”
The award is a celebration of the diversity of Erin’s horse heritage, Ryan said.
“The stories are rapidly changing as lifestyles change.”
Ryan added it is important to capture the stories to understand the important role the horse has played in the
community.
The stories brought forward are from people “all with the love of horses. It’s the connector you know,” she said.
“The horse is the connector, it’s a big part of our his-
- Bridget Ryan
tory.”
As Erin becomes more urbanized, Ryan said horses are the common denominator and “a really identifiable icon.” Award categories
nity contribution and mentorship of youth and others
– breed development
– equine industry leadership
– significant lifetime achievement (person or horse)
Submissions
Tell the committee about the nominee; why and how they contributed to Erin’s horse heritage.
Consider noting special awards, accomplishments and stories. Submissions should be limited to one page, should include a photo if possible, and can be hand-written or typed.
The nominee must have lived within the Town of Erin or have participated in significant horse activity within the community of Erin.
Monday, July 29 is the deadline for entry
Submissions can be made via email or mail or can be dropped off at the Erin Fall Fair office, 190 Main St., Erin. equineerin@gmail.com
Horse Heritage Awards, 184 Main St., Box 906 Erin, ON, N0B 1T0
A century on – The first Erin Fall Fair was in 1850, and 100 years later, Russell Duncan of Dundalk readied for the ‘Pony Race’ in this 1950 photo. Submitted photo
Horses’ body language
of arousal may hold their head and tail high and open their eyes wide, Thorbergson said.
High arousal can be a positive or negative feeling – a horse galloping around a field in a high state of arousal may be trying to run away from something that frightened them, she said, or they may be playfully galloping around with another horse.
Play
Horseplay can get pretty rough at times, Thorbergson noted, so “it can be quite concerning to see them play.
“They will rear up and strike each other with hooves and will bite each other very hard,” she said.
Thorbergson compared horses’ play to “teenagers having a fun game of football and tackling each other.”
It can be difficult at times to tell the difference between playful fighting and real aggression, she noted.
“That comes with observing horses for a period of time to see whether they are friendly towards each other in other situations.”
If they eat together peacefully and rest together peacefully, that’s a good sign that when things look rough, the horses are playing, not fighting, she said.
If one horse lies down while the other keeps watch, or “they can eat together without chasing each other or biting each other, then they are most likely what we would call friends,” Thorbergson said.
An interaction is likely not friendly, however, if the horses keep their ears pinned right back and one horse is constantly chasing the other, rather than taking turns chasing one another, she noted.
“If only one is chasing with ears flat and mouth open, while the other horse just keeps run-
ning, that’s most likely fairly aggressive behaviour.”
Pain
Horse’s body language can also indicate pain.
“Horses are very stoic,” Thorbergson said. “Because they are a prey animal, they don’t want to advertise they are in pain to their predators. So they try to hide it at all costs.”
That makes it important for horse owners to be aware of changes from their horse that might indicate pain.
“Any change in behaviour is the biggest key,” Thorbergson said, which “can be very subtle or it can be an instant change.”
Sometimes pain can present as wrinkles around the horse’s eyes, nostrils and ears, Thorbergson said.
A horse experiencing pain may not want to move much and may avoid looking directly at people, and pinned ears or a pinned tail can be a sign of pain.
“Bucking at the back end could be an indicator of pain as well,” Thorbergson added.
Heat
A horse’s body language can indicate that they are struggling with hot weather.
“Horses are really susceptible to heat stress,” Thorbergson said.
An overheating horse is likely to breath heavily and rapidly, and will hopefully be sweating profusely, she said, though “some can stop sweating, which can be highly dangerous.”
A horse that’s too hot might “look quite miserable,” holding its head low and ears off to the side, she said.
“Eyes will look really dull, eyelids may be half closed [and] nostrils really flared.”
If pain or heat stress is expected, Thorbergson recommends having the horse seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Firefighters – Equine Guelph hosted a large animal emergency rescue workshop for firefighters on Canada Day weekend in Guelph. Participants practiced a downed-horse scenario using a 600-pound mannequin named “Rusti” (trailer was provided by System Equine) and also learned how to evacuate horses during a barn fire. Photos by Susan Raymond
Ram Rodeo Tour brings thrilling show to
Rodeo – The Ram Rodeo Tour performed in Erin on July 20 and 21, its latest stop among 17 locations across southern Ontario this season. TOP LEFT: The world famous Canadian Cowgirls made an appearance at the rodeo. TOP RIGHT: Deirdre Smullen showed off her pole bending skills. ABOVE LEFT: McKenzie Vollans performs off-kilter trick riding. ABOVE RIGHT: One rider took a tumble falling off the bull’s back.
Photos by Tristan Clark