Meet My Farrier!!

This is Jake.  He is the guy that now shoes my horses...

He has been doing this job since he was 17.  And Jake turns.......

68 this year!

He tells me frequently..."Nikki, I was a BAD man when I was younger..."

I say Jake, you scare the hell outta me know.  I am so glad that I didn't know you when you were at your "peak badness".  Then we both laugh...  But really, I wouldn't want to oppose him in a bar fight even now!  (0:

My animals LOVE this man.  Seven "talks" to him when he first arrives and he lets her kiss his face while he tells her how beautiful she is...  He tells Abbi, she is just as beautiful and smarter than the average dog...  He tells Kage he is a grand old man...

He sweet talks the horses, too.  Tari loves everyone, but Horse Girl and Remi don't.  Horse Girl is fine for a trim, but shoeing is another thing.  We have owned this crazy paint mare since 2004, and kept her shod on the fronts consistanly until last year.  Every year she acted like the shoes/nailing on of the shoes were going to eat her from the hoof up...  I have only used 2 other farriers, because I like consistency and to be a good customer of course... Each one was kind and easy on her and she still looked like death was near.  But when "Uncle Jake" put her shoes on this spring, she actually dropped her head and licked and chewed...  I have NO idea why...  He claims it's because he's one with nature and the spirits.  OK.  I'll cash that check if she is good for him on the next visit...  (0:

He adores Remi and can't believe she came outta the kill pen.  Says he'd take a pasture of horses like her.  She is shy around men...but again licks and chews each time Jake sets down a foot.

Jake's not all sugar to the animals though....he does taunt the Hee-Haws.  They are little poops when it comes to being trimmed though...  When he goes to trim them, he does the Jaws them song as he goes toward them.  It makes me laugh every time.  Patron is the worst, he acts like...well an ass.  We have owned this donkey (and Jack Jack also!) since 2005.  We have been trimming his feet since 2005.  He has been bad the whole time.  I'm sure no Hee-Haw trainer I guess...  Jack Jack usually fairly good, but has been known to throw himself on the ground a time or two.
Jake laughs at their antics and tells me he has seen worse...  I'm going to believe him, because...well he has been doing this job for over 40 years!!  (0:

P.S.  The horse in this video being shod is Jake's wife's horse.  As well as the sorrel that is running loose along the fence while Jake leads Raider.  The lady riding the horse at the end of the video is Jake's wife Debbie.  The black Arabian shown loose isn't theirs.