Roland’s nags and nails: ‘I don’t care what I look like’
It’s got to the point where I don’t care what I look like. I’ll wear anything to stay cool (or perhaps it would be better to wear nothing!) Our summer weather has reduced me to donning a bandana and carrying a towel on my tool box. As of today I am wearing shorts.
If that does not work, then I will have to consider the muscle top option, something I swore I would never do! It doesn’t help that the horses are so hot and working on them is like doing a full workout whilst leaning against a radiator.
Fitting shoes is still my main challenge and priority as I continue to try to see the different shape that each hoof has. I’ve found my trimming work has deteriorated as a consequence of being preoccupied with the fitting side.
Trying to knit all the elements together is actually quite hard. Placing the last piece in the jigsaw, which is effectively what I have to do to be able to shoe a standard horse well, seems a long way off.
And of course frustration leads to lack of confidence, which leads to self-doubt and so on. It’s a hard cycle to break and Kris, my training farrier, and I are working hard on trying to reverse the spiral. It doesn’t help that I can’t see what I’m doing for the sweat in my eyes!
No more excuses! Bring me another hot horse to work on…
Until next week
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Roland
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Roland owned a computer software business until he realised he didn't want to be stuck behind a desk for the rest of his working life. So in 2011 he started the four-year apprenticeship to become a farrier on the borders of Somerset, Devon and Dorset. He became fully qualified in 2014.