Farrier First: An Interview with Farrier Kris Fogwell

Kris Fogwell, Fogwell Horses Farrier Service

Farrier First: An Interview with Farrier Kris Fogwell

by Gina McKnight
Archived from the April 2019 Issue of Florida Equine Athlete
No duplication without permission

A new horse owner quickly learns the importance of a quality farrier. A seasoned horse owner knows that having a professional relationship with your farrier is paramount. I have had several farriers in and out of my barn, all exceptional. Having the opportunity to talk with different farriers about their life with horses and work as a farrier is always intriguing.

This month, I would like to introduce you to Kris Fogwell, a farrier from Bethel, Ohio. Kris, a lifetime horseman, attended the Kentucky Horseshoeing School. He holds an Associate Degree in Applied Science with a minor in Backcountry Horsemanship from Hocking College, Ohio. Kris has trained horses and mules and has been a wrangler in Montana and Utah.

Welcome, Kris!

GM: When was your first encounter with a horse?

KF: My first encounter with horses was actually a mule which was my Dad’s. When I was young we had a garden and heated the house with wood. I don't think that we owned a tractor until I was about seven or eight years old and he used the mule for hauling wood, working the garden, and any other type of farm work that needed to be done. That was the first thing I ever fell off of which was when I was three or four.  When I was eight I saved up all my birthday money, and I'm sure with a lot of help from my parents, I bought my first horse. Horses have always been a big part of my life.

GM: You attended a farrier school in Kentucky and Ohio. Why did you become a farrier?   

KF: After high school, I went to Hocking College and majored in the Backcountry Horsemanship program. With that degree, I worked in Glacier National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, a dude ranch in south-central Montana, and I started green horses for people in southwest Ohio. I took a few years off when I lived in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a while, I missed being around horses and working with my hands. I knew that I wanted to work with horses, wanted to be my own boss, and not be at the same barn day in and day out. Being a farrier seemed like a perfect fit for me. While I was at Hocking they didn't offer the farrier program until right before I was about to graduate, although I did take a basic farrier class. I decided to go to the Kentucky Horseshoeing School down in Richmond, Kentucky, which was a little bit closer to home. Mitch Taylor, Nick Hess, and Kurt Adkins were the instructors at the time and it's amazing how much knowledge they have. I am so grateful for all the help that they passed on to me.

GM: It sounds like you have been in contact with good mentors and teachers. In your experience, what makes a great farrier?

KF: I think being able to communicate and to read horses are the two best things to have in a farriers toolbox. Farriers are normally only at a barn once every six weeks or so. We aren't always able to see how a horse performs at their event so we have to understand what the person who spends time with the horse is telling us. We also have to be able to read the horse and let the owners know what we are seeing, how we are going to fix it and what they can do to help. Oftentimes when you see the horse day in and day out you don't see the small changes and the things that I'm looking at are different from the normal horse owner.

GM: As a horse owner, I never know if I should make conversation with my farrier while he is at work and I am holding my horse, or if I should be quiet. What do farriers expect from their clients?

KF: I enjoy having conversations while I'm working. I like having a personal connection with my clients. I love teaching, so when people ask questions about hoof and horse care I do my best to answer the questions. I get excited to hear when people are going on their first overnight camping trip with their horses. I try to show them to pull a shoe in case they are far away from a farrier and the shoe needs to come off. I have even had a few people ask if they can drive a nail. I like spending the extra time to help my customers learn and if they have kids, encourage them to continue to spend time with horses.

GM: Besides being a farrier, you also work leather. What type of leather do you work with and what do you create?

KF: There is a leather store about an hour away from my house and I try to get the higher quality veg-tan cowhide. With everything I make, I try to make things that will last. Having spent so much time out west I like to make Western-style items. I have been making a lot of Western-style spur straps, knife sheaths, and tapaderos. I just started making breast collars, bronc halters, and bridles again. I talk to my customers to get ideas from them and make things or repair things for them. I just had my first online sale on my Fogwell Horses Facebook page a while ago. I'm planning on having another one later this summer as well as promoting my leather products on my Fogwell Horses Farrier Service page. I will be having a drawing for a $25 visa gift card like I did on my last sale.

GM: Describe a day in your life; your horses and barn...

KF: My days varies from season to season and day to day. During the summer I usually get up around 4:00 am, go to the gym and work out to help stay in shape for work, then start shoeing horses between 7:00 am and 8:00 am. I like to get an early start so I can hopefully be finished around 3:00 pm to beat the heat. I like to get to the house after that and work on my leather orders and other projects that I have going on.

GM: What does horsemanship mean to you?

KF: Horsemanship to me means having the ability to deal with a wide range of horses both on the ground and horseback. Treating the animal with respect and having them respond to you in a positive manner.

Connect with Kris…

www.fogwellhorses.com

Gina McKnight is a freelance writer from Ohio USA. www.gmcknight.com/