Horse feathers (thank you "MASH") and the real stuff

I met a Farrier today. He lives in Bradenton, FL, and has a mobile forge. He serves the many horses in this area.

He volunteered at Res. House and I was his “trainer”.
It’s been a long time since I heard the word “Farrier”, and our encounter brought back many memories.

There was a Forge and a Blacksmith (Smithy) near to the school, Eastville Junior Mixed School, which I attended between 1953 and 1955. Even then we knew that the Farrier’s art was fast disappearing.

But we still saw the occasional horse and cart on Devon Road. Every now and then a Mounted Policeman might pass by.

Our neighbour Mr. Hurkett (across the street) had a keen ear for horses’ hoofs.

Whenever he heard such he would rush outside with a shovel and wheel cart. He would hope for “hors d’oeuvres” (horse droppings) with which he would fertilise his backyard crop of rhubarb.

Back then (1949 – 1955) we thought that he was crazy. Now I know that he was wise.

Farriers, backyard crops, and horse manure are good.

You heard this from me first!

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