Apprentices

Roland’s nags and nails: crushed by college report

This week apprentice farrier Roland Thompson tells us about his college report and a trip to a farriery clinic

Roland’s nags and nails: exam success

Apprentice farrier, Roland, this week got the news that he's passed his exams and can proceed in to the third year of his scheme

Roland's nags and nails: sounding like a steam train

Apprentice farrier Roland is struggling to keep his grunting in check while struggling with some heavy horses

Roland's nags and nails: staying awake for 7 days and 7 nights

Our apprentice farrier is impressed by the dedication that one client shows to her horse after an emergency operation

Roland's nags and nails: back to work after exams galore

Apprentice farrier Roland Thompson has completed his latest college block complete with additional scars and injuries

Roland’s nags and nails: an old dog learning new tricks

This week Roland talks about the challenges he's faced during his retraining to become a farrier

Roland's nags and nails: it shouldn't happen to a farrier

While working hard at college, Roland considers the potential publication of a James Herriot-style book

Roland's nags and nails: going back to college

Roland has been working hard preparing his coursework before returning to college for the end of his second year of training

Roland's nags and nails: the trimming penny has dropped

Apprentice farrier Roland is pleased with the progress he is made with trimming the hoof, but is back at the start when it comes to fitting shoes

Young riders: no horse? no problem!

You're serious about a competitive riding career - but you don't own a horse. So how can you go about improving your performance and getting noticed?

Roland's nags and nails: lost shoes a plenty

Farrier's apprentice Roland Thompson reflects on the effect the constantly changing weather is having on horses' feet

Roland's nags and nails: preparing for my end of year exams

Roland is looking ahead to his end of year exams and wonders whether a teaching post might suit in the future

Roland's nags and nails: how I look at horses has changed forever

Farrier's apprentice Roland Thompson reflects on how his training has changed the way he appraises a horse

Roland's nags and nails: hooked on the Olympics

New technology has enabled Roland to keep abreast of the equestrian events while working and on the move, as well as simplifying the admin side of the business

Roland's nags and nails: a horny-handed son of toil

Roland Thompson reflects on some of the physical changes that have taken place since he swapped his office job for some good old-fashioned hard work

Roland's nags and nails: water, water everywhere . . .

Roland has spent much of the week reinstated the forge after it was overwhelmed by flood water

Roland's nags and nails: 'how hard can it be'?!

Apprentice farrier Roland Thompson reflects on the enormity of retraining to become a farrier

Roland's nags and nails: kept awake by a rogue rabbit

A wild rabbit camping out in your bedroom is one of the more unusual reasons for a customer to be late for their shoeing appointment

Roland's nags and nails: what's with the weather?

While rain doesn't stop play for farriers, many of Roland's clients are feeling the effects on the ongoing disappointing 'summer' weather

Roland's nags and nails: three down, five to go

Roland returns from college full of new knowledge and reflects on the fact he spends more time with his training farrier than his wife