Follow Ireland Immigration and Life in Ireland: As urban elites develop a fondness for equestrian sports, high-end equestrian clubs are being established one after another. With the arrival of foreign thoroughbred horses, farriers have arrived as well. 27-year-old Irish man Arthur Judge works at an equestrian club in Chongqing; his profession is that of a farrier, which involves trimming hooves and shoeing horses.
Do not underestimate this "horse cobbler"; he holds a master's degree in farriery. There are only 144 people in the world with this qualification, and Arthur is the only one working in China. No two horse hooves are the same.
In March of this year, following a recommendation from an Irish fellow countryman, Arthur came to Chongqing.
A stable at the equestrian club serves as Arthur's workshop, where nails, rasps, grinding tools, and hammers are displayed in an orderly fashion, resembling both an iron foundry and an oversized nail salon.
"A horse's hoof is like a human fingernail; it grows. If it is uneven and not shod, it will affect the horse's movement, let alone its ability to run." Arthur's job is to first grind down the overgrown parts of the horse's hoof, then craft a suitable "shoe" based on the shape of the hoof, and finally secure the horseshoe with 3-centimeter-long iron nails.
Arthur says the most challenging part is forging a horseshoe of the correct size, using fire to soften the metal, and then crafting a horseshoe with the appropriate hardness and shape. "This relies on superb technique and extensive experience."
"It requires not just physical strength, but also experience and patience, which is why so few people worldwide obtain a master's degree in this field." Arthur notes that, just like human fingerprints, no two horse hooves are identical. "I started shoeing horses at 12, and it has been 15 years; I can no longer count how many pairs of shoes I have made."
Occupational Risks: Frequently Kicked by Horses
It just so happened that a horse needed to be shod, and Arthur demonstrated the entire process to the reporter.
He lifted the leg of the horse that needed its horseshoe changed, held the hoof between his legs, took out a nail, removed the old horseshoe, and then trimmed the hoof, "just like trimming nails or getting a manicure." Aside from a rasp, he relies entirely on his eyes to check for levelness.
He then positioned the pre-prepared new horseshoe, nailed it on, and performed final adjustments.
Although Arthur is 1.9 meters tall, he appears "small" in comparison to the European thoroughbred horses. Is there any danger in being in contact with these large animals every day? "Of course there is!" Arthur says that horses, like people, have different personalities depending on the breed. Arthur admits that being kicked by horses happens from time to time, "but I am lucky; none of the injuries have been serious."
Farriery Requires a Professional Degree
Arthur was born on a farm and has a special affection for horses.
He grew up on horseback, but he had no intention of becoming a rider; instead, he preferred the work of "manicuring and shoeing" them.
At the age of 12, he began shoeing horses at a local stable. In 2009, at the age of 23, Arthur earned his farriery degree, and in 2010, he was awarded a master's degree in farriery from the Irish Farriery School.
Arthur explains that many European countries have professional farriery schools. "If someone wants to become a farrier, they must undergo training in this field starting from their early teens, which includes many theoretical courses. After graduating from university, one must work as a farrier for four years before being eligible to pursue master's-level studies."
Thriving Business: A Frequent Flyer
He often has to be a "frequent flyer" because he is the only master-qualified farrier in China, and many equestrian clubs in other regions cannot help but invite him over to "make shoes."
A horse generally needs its shoes changed every 4 to 5 weeks. Each month, he tries to arrange his schedule to complete all his work at the Chongqing equestrian club within 12 days, and spends the rest of his time flying between Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and South Korea.