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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-03-18, Page 42Page 26 - Farm Progress '98 AKESHORE Steel & Supply V "Serving the Farm Community" •Welding Repairs •Custom Fabricating •Huronia Welding Depot with Customer Owned Tanks •Portable Welding Out -of -Shop •8 ft. Press. Brake 396-3300 located at Conc. 9 & Hwy 21 5 miles north of Kincardine or 2 miles south of Tiverton Doug Clark, a professorial farrier — a physical- ly grueling profession. (Kew photo) Welcome to our 6th Annual Customer Appreciation & Information Day March 24th/98 in conjuction with Cook's (Div. of P&H) and Brussels Agromart (Terra Group) 74, s•• HARD! Sprayer Clinic 3:30 - 5:00 Save 15% off, Genuine HARDI parts -What's New & Upcoming -Gary's Helpful Service Tips Supper Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Information Meeting: 6:30 - 8:00 - Topics •Bt. Com with Gene Stacking •Marketing of Non -Genetic Altered Soybeans Feature Speaker: Humourist Eleanor Wood, "The lighter side of Agriculture" Reps Available - seed, chemical and equipment - PARTS FAI March 23rd to the 28th = • and spin you own discou ' .._- at our Parts Fair. Spin . rw 3.20% off your parts * ! .purchase •-w• ~, �McGAVIN FARM EQUIPMENT WALTON 887-6365 or 527-0245 'Prostituting' his body for a buck by Rick Keit ray, hearing ath- letes expressing awareness for the needs of their bodies is not unusual, but Doug Clark is. not an athlete in the true sense of the word. Clark shoes horses for a living. He is a professional farrier. Hunched over in an unnatural position, cradling a horse's lower leg on his thigh while trim- ming its hoof, he is the first to admit the profes- sion is physically grueling. "Basically what you're are doing is prostituting your body for a buck." Although some people still associate the job of shoeing horses with a blacksmith's work, Clark, gr»»»»•»»»»>� A Richard Lobb Auctions as • Antique Appraisals • Etc. V V A A A • Farm • Household • Real Estate Over 25 years' experience 519-482-7898 C}inton FARM & MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE Specializing in: • Farm & Municipal Drainage • Clay & Plastic Tile Installations ' • Backhoe & Dozer Service • Septic System Installations For Quality. Experience. & Service call: Wayne Cook (519) 236-7390 (WARNER R.R. 2 NOZurich, Ont. L 1 M 1 T E I 30, who studied in the United States to learn his trade, said that is no longer the case. Today, he said, black- smiths, while using similar tools and procedures, do most of their work making ornamental ironworks while farriers work almost exclusively with horses. In 1994, Clarke spent 12 weeks in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, studying at a centre that he said attracts students from all over the world. In addition to his diploma from Oklahoma, Clark is a grad- uate of Ridgetown Agricultural College. He said he could have taken a horseshoeing course at a community college in Ontario but opted to go to the U.S. because of the school's reputation for hands-on training with a variety of horses, includ- ing mustangs from near -by ranches. The course was every- thing he hoped for, but admitted in the early going he had doubts about his decision to pursue a career as a farrier. • "In the first month or so, the tools didn't seem to feel right in my hands and I had to work with a few 'rank' horses. 1 can remember thinking: 'I have a lot of money invest- ed. I hope this is going to work out."' Despite his early appre- hension, Clark graduated on Nov. 11, 1994. He said the course, including tools he pur- chased while attending classes. cost $10,000. Clark carries all the tools of his trade on a plat- form, which, when pulled extends out the back of his pickup truck. Use of the platform, which is mounted on rollers. allows him easy access to a welder, drill • see 'Farrier', page 27