Roland’s nags and nails: does this blog have a future?
Writing a blog every week does take some discipline. I tend to sit down every Sunday evening and think through the week gone by. Sometimes I find it very difficult to think of anything to write about — and, other times I find it hard to summon the energy to write the blog at all.
This week has been a mixture of trying to learn how to fit shoes, beginning the college set assignment on the “farriery considerations of a young horse” and practicing my shoe making.
I’ve also been de-robed twice. How horses know how to take my chaps off I’ll never know. However, there are certain horses out there that recognise a Velcro strap when they see one and since my chaps are held up with Velcro at the back, they are a prime target. There’s no discouraging these Velcro lovers either. No sooner am I reacquainted with my chaps then ‘rip’…off they come again. It’s a case of just managing to do the work in a state of semi undress!
But back to the future of my blog. I’ve been blogging on the highs and lows of my life as an apprentice farrier for nearly two years now. Wow! I never would have imagined that it would have gone on for so long. If I were to continue blogging throughout the rest of my apprenticeship, then I’ve got another two years of weekly submissions, or about 100 more blogs still to write. That’s food for thought!
I’m worried that the blog is becoming a bit tired. Perhaps I’ll consult with Horse & Hound and see what they think. I have no idea what level of interest there is in my scribblings? If I knew there was some interest, then it would be a good incentive to carry on. Perhaps you could let me know?
Until next week,
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.