Jay Lankford Farrier Scholarship

Jay Lankford Farrier Scholarship Essay Cade Hamilton I would like to attend farrier school to learn and dive deeper into equine anatomy, physiology, pathology, and to learn the craftsmanship required to shoe horses safely and proficiently. Although my experience as an apprentice with Dee Joyce has made me confident underneath a horse, I believe shoeing school is necessary to be able to learn and make mistakes without destroying someone’s business. Attending farrier school in combination with my independent studies will make me a much more valuable apprentice. The material I will learn in farrier school will also help me to communicate better with veterinarians, which is an extremely important aspect of being a farrier and maintaining/regaining the soundness of a horse. I also plan to become a member of the American Farriers Association, and farrier school will help me to better prepare for the first level of certification, Certified Farrier. I would also like to become a Journeyman Farrier later in my career. Farrier school would also allow me to network by meeting many farriers and veterinarians who are already established in the industry. Farrier school could also potentially open up teaching opportunities for me at the same school or others. The reason I mention teaching opportunities is because of Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience. To summarize this idea, you remember 10% of what you read, and you remember 100% of what you teach. I am extremely excited to reach the point in my career in which I can teach an apprentice or at a horseshoeing school. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to go to school for the horse. At the end of the day, all that matters is the health, soundness, and comfort of the horses I work on daily. I have wanted to learn the farrier profession since the first time I saw a farrier work on a horse in late 2024. The accuracy and speed at which he worked fascinated me. Dr. Doug Butler says accuracy plus speed equals skill, and I see this to be true in my mentor. After seeing the farrier do roughly 8 shoeing cycles, Dee Joyce asked me to be his apprentice. There is no better way to describe the situation—I leaped at the opportunity to work alongside him and his son, Jesse. My experience with horses includes daily care of lesson horses and boarders, over 4 months of a horseshoeing apprenticeship, and countless trips to the veterinarian. At Barn 150 in Oak Ridge, I assist with daily feeding and maintenance on 8 or more head at a time. I also work with the trainer at barn 150, who happens to be my significant other, on horses who need special care for different conditions causing lameness. During my farrier apprenticeship, I have learned more about horses than I ever thought I would. I have learned the importance of shoe fit, shoe selection, nail placement, and more. I have learned advanced techniques such as casting the hoof, using special pads for corrective or therapeutic shoeing, and using specific shoes such as natural balances to speed up the breakover of the hoof. Although this is not directly working with horses, I also enjoy reading textbooks such as Gregory’s Textbook of Farriery and Principles of Horseshoeing P3. I have been passionate about many things in my life, but none of them come close to my love of the horse's hoof and the farrier profession. I am ready to devote my life to this trade, and I can hardly wait to work as a team with veterinarians to give horses the best shoeing possible.

My name is Natalie Lake, I am a 20 years old student at community college, and work at our local feed store. I am enrolling at the East Coast Farrier School starting in August 2026. I have been working with and riding horses since before I can remember. I was taught early on the importance of proper farrier care and the role farrier work plays in a horse’s soundness, performance, and overall health. My parents are lifelong horse people, part of a long line of generations who have shared the passion for horses. I grew up in Ohio where they managed and trained at a large Arabian horse farm for 18 years. I know the hard work and passion for all things equine. The first horses I recall are Arabians and the Arabian crosses. They can excel in many disciplines. I have ridden and shown Saddleseat, Hunt seat, and eventing. I joined the local United States Pony Club when I was 5 years old. I learned all aspects of eventing and thoroughly enjoyed it. When I was thirteen with guidance from my parents, I started and trained my horse Gracie. She was a four year old Thoroughbred Friesian cross. We went on to compete in show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Recently I have started roping and am currently training and learning with a young quarter horse gelding in hopes to compete in breakaway roping. I have a great passion for riding and competing on horses. My lifelong experience with horses has helped prepare me to take this next step in learning the farrier trade. I have held the work in high esteem for all of my life. I am good with horses with an innate sense. I am strong, hard working, and always eager to learn. I am so excited and have confidence that I can do the work and learn to be a skilled professional. My family is grateful to be able to do what they love, and I hope to build that same future for myself. I am confident I can become a great asset to the trade. Lori Mcbride has been my family’s farrier for over fifteen years. I have had the opportunity to watch her work since I was a little girl. Growing up beside her daughter Glynis, I have watched her grow a passion for the trade. This has further inspired my own interest in farriery. After my family moved from Ohio to North Carolina when I was twelve, Lori agreed to continue to be our farrier flying in to do our horses. Lori has set a great example of a skilled dependable farrier. About two years ago I realized that my area was in need of a dedicated farrier and that could be me. Having seen first hand the impact Lori and her daughter have had on our horses inspired me to pursue this path, with the goal of helping horses and their owners. Lori has started to teach me the fundamentals of farriery, even allowing me to help where I can. Thanks to Lori, I have been learning as much as I can before I start at East Coast Horseshoeing school. Lori has shown me that farriery is a lifelong learning process, one that requires constant growth, dedication and always being committed to learning and improving. I want to thank you for reading my essay and for the consideration of this amazing scholarship in honor of Jay Lankford. I have been saving to attend the school and if I were awarded such a scholarship, I would be incredibly grateful.

Ever since I can remember, horses have been a big part of my life. My journey with them began at just five years old, when I started riding and taking lessons. From those early days, I loved being around horses and discovering all the different ways to work with them. As I got older, that passion only grew. When I was thirteen, I took on an exciting challenge—the Mustang Makeover. I spent one hundred days training a wild mustang, and it was amazing to see how much progress we made together. That project really taught me patience, responsibility, and how much you can accomplish when you bond with a horse. By the time I was fifteen, I was ready to go even deeper and took a course on safely and efficiently starting horses under saddle. That is when I got my own horse, and from the very beginning, I trained him myself, starting on the ground and working our way up to riding. These days, we enjoy roping cattle together and going to ranch shows. I am still actively learning new things; for example, I am taking lessons on advanced maneuvers like flying lead changes and sliding stops. Whenever my friends need a hand with their own horses, whether it is training or just exercise, I am always happy to help out. My interest in becoming a Farrier really started to take shape a couple of years ago, when I was sixteen and working at a camp's horse program. During my interview, someone suggested I might enjoy the Farrier industry, and that sparked my curiosity. I initially planned to pursue a career in horse training, but being a Farrier shifted my focus and interest. Soon after that interview, I asked if I could shadow their Farrier. I was able to have the opportunity to gain experience directly from him. He patiently showed me how to pull shoes, and soon I was helping more. During this time, I was also able to learn a bit about forge and was able to work with a friend of mine who has a forge. I quickly discovered that I liked both the physical work and the time spent with the horses. Over time working with the Farrier, I progressed from pulling shoes to learning to finish work, and eventually, under supervision, trimming and shoeing horses myself. I am eager to formalize my training and have a strong foundation for a successful career as a Farrier.