Roland’s nags and nail: ‘hoping for some nice cold weather’
This week, Roland is happy to see the return of the chilly weather, and is anticipating his forthcoming training review
-
-
Roland’s nags and nail: ‘agony aunt, confidant and life coach!’
Roland finds out this week that part of his job requires him to be an agony aunt, and this he finds not quite so easy!
-
Roland’s nags and nail: ‘understanding the complete art of shoeing’
Our apprentice farrier is mastering the art of hot shoeing and is realising it is not an easy skill to master
-
Roland's nags and nail: 'a never-ending journey'
Roland faces some tough mock exams in preparation for his finals next year and is pleasantly surprised by his results
-
Roland's nags and nail: paying by time spent, rather than for a set of shoes
Our apprentice farrier considers a radical new idea in terms of how to charge a client for shoeing their horse
-
Roland's nags and nail: reflecting on my previous life
Apprentice farrier reflects on his previous life as a corporate businessman
-
Roland’s nags and nails: ‘I’ll pass on cake’
Our apprentice farrier muses on the effect the weather has on hooves and explains why he declines tea and cake at certain stables
-
Roland's nags and nails: 'I don't care what I look like'
Our farrier's apprentice is on the verge of resorting to a muscle top as the summer weather takes its toll
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: 'being an apprentice is a painful journey'
As if shoeing horses in this heat wasn't enough, our apprentice farrier managed to knock a nail into his knee
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: back after a gruelling few weeks at college
Our apprentice farrier may have finished another college block, but there's no let up with plenty of challenging homework and more showing in the scorching weather
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: serious eye candy
Roland is back at college for block five and has noticed that his contemporaries are now looking chiseled, wiry, rugged and weatherbeaten
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: only 18 months until I'm my own boss
Our apprentice farrier is starting to think about how he will market his business and gain valuable clients when he is working for himself
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: a good opportunity to modernise the apprenticeship system
Roland Thompson reflects on the apprenticeship system and whether the NVQ module is really necessary
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: the art of making bar shoes
Apprentice farrier Roland Thompson has been practising making bar shoes ahead of Devon County Show later this week
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: concentrating on the competitions
Moulting horses and flies are marking the start of Roland's summer, while he also has a number of competitions to prepare for
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: a run on stud holes
Roland is thinking of ways to make putting in studs easier, and is disappointed with the score that OFSTED gave to the Farrier Training Agency
-
Roland's nags 'n' nails: lacking co-ordination
Roland is struggling to develop the skill of 'ringing off' protruding horseshoe nails and fears he is impressing no-one along the way
-
Roland’s nags and nails: injuries and weight loss
Roland has been in the wars this week, but is loving being able to eat exactly what he wants
-
Roland's nags and nails: mock exams and Baltic weather conditions
Roland is slightly concerned that his profession is coinciding with a mini ice age, but found the mock exams he has done recently very beneficial
-
Roland's nags and nails: 'I'm not the only one finding it tough'
Catching up with fellow students at the Shire Horse Show provides a welcome boost to Roland's confidence
