Compassionate

Born in the heart of Upstate New York, I was incredibly fortunate to have grown up surrounded by the surreal beauty and wildlife of the Finger Lakes Region. Early on it was apparent that my love for animals and nature would take me far in life - my most distinct memories as a young child involve animals and helping them however I could. I was that painfully sensitive kid who would stop to help every snail off the pavement, save every worm from a puddle or try to guide an ant to safety and I am unashamed to say that I am still that same person today.

As I grew older, my family adopted pets and I began to thrive as I gained responsibility in caring for them. Coco - my pet rabbit - was the center of my world as a child. We would play in the yard, go for walks with a leash and harness, and share apples together. She has of course long since passed and I miss her every day, but my heart swells with joy at her memory every time I get the chance to stand with a horse and share a bite or two of an apple with them.

Today I am fortunate in that I get to be surrounded by animals every single day at work. Not only do I get to work with horses, but I’m also fortunate enough to visit with the cats, dogs and other animals at the stables I visit. The best of all however, is knowing a the end of the day that my work is essential to the well-being of the horses under my care, and being able to end every day knowing that I’ve fulfilled my duty in providing them with the best care I possibly can. To know that each and every horse in my charge is receiving the very best in hoof care has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.

Proficient

Every hour I’ve spent in this career has been dedicated to building this proficiency – for the horse’s sake. It’s a commitment that was passed down to me from my mentors before me and took root in the natural compassion I bring to my day-to-day life.

Consider the young horse - perhaps a yearling - who doesn’t yet understand everything we ask of them. Would it be kind to demand that it stand there still as a statue for a full 20 minutes as it’s hooves are trimmed? Not at all – they don’t have the mind, training or patience required to commit to such a difficult task. Now the older horse – perhaps an arthritic, retired lesson pony. Would it be reasonable to demand that this horse stands with its legs raised as high as it did when it was 5 years old for the full duration of a set of shoes? Probably not – it’s had a long career and deserves to stand comfortably. This is where proficiency plays a key role in my practice.

For me, proficiency looks like working with horses – rather than trying to force them into some ideal – so I'm able to provide them with the best possible care. Being able to work quickly and effectively around young horses gives them repeated good experiences, which we can then build on to develop the trust and patience they will need. Being able to work around injuries and discomfort with older horses allows me to get in and out from underneath them as quickly as possible while not compromising the quality of care they receive.

Proficiency is the key to providing the horses in my practice with the best care possible, as kindly as possible

Accomplished

Having a solid foundation of compassion and proficiency has led to great success in providing horses with the care they require. This in turn has been reflected throughout my life in the various accomplishments I’ve attained over the years.

After starting my own business at twenty years old, I began to pursue voluntary accreditation through the American Farrier’s Association. Two years after starting my business, I earned the accreditation of Certified Farrier in 2013 through the AFA's rigorous three-part exam process. Developed over the years by the best educators within the industry, the extensive AFA’s exams cover equine anatomy, as well as timed highly technical forging skills and a practical horse shoeing exam.

Four years later in 2017, I earned the highest certification offered by the American Farrier’s Association – Certified Journeyman Farrier. The CJF Exam tests the same skill sets to a higher degree, requiring participants to exam, trim, and fully shoe a horse with handmade horse shoes in under 2 hours, as well as build a specialty therapeutic shoe to a randomly selected hoof in under 35 minutes.

I have been a member of our local organization, the Western Farrier’s Association for over ten years, four of which I spent serving as the WNYFA’s Secretary, organizing and recording meetings, clinics and certifications, in addition to running the WNYFA’s printed and social media.

Additionally, I am an original founder to the WNYFA’s Forging Fridays – a once-a-month meetup where local farrier’s can gather together to share their skills in the forge – offering an opportunity to teach others what I’ve gained from my experiences as a Certified Journeyman Farrier as well as learn from the experiences of others. As a part of Forging Friday’s, I’ve hosted various forging competitions, in addition to competing and placing within numerous other forging competitions throughout the industry.

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Acknowledgements

There is no doubt that the accomplishments I’ve enjoyed as a farrier have been a result of my innate compassion and the dedication to proficiency I bring to my trade - I have worked many long, hard hours to get to where I am in my career. Even so, these accomplishments are not entirely my own – I have moved through the industry with tremendous privilege as a white, able-bodied person of relatively secure social-status. My privilege has led to innumerable opportunities that I’ve been able to take utilize and hone the skills I’ve needed to get where I am today. I owe every facet of the knowledge I have to the hard work and generosity of all the mentors, colleagues, clients, and horses that have graced my life. To each and every one of you - Thank you.

My only hope is that the success I enjoy as a farrier benefits the lives of every horse I touch, and that within the industry, I am able to pass along the treasures that were passed down to me.



Forever Grateful,

Matthew S. Rice
Certified Journeyman Farrier

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