The Legacy of Fathers

I realize that this Sunday is Mother's Day, but this photo of my son and grandson came across my feed t his morning, so I thought I'd share it. After 10+ years working as a farrier and earning a great reputation here in western Virginia, my son earned his certification from the American Farrier Association in 2017. This is no small feat. Think of it as a master's degree in his field. He is now studying and training for what one might think of as a Ph.D in farrier skills - Journeyman. This certification is extremely difficult to obtain as it involves not only experience and knowledge of the trade, but rigorous testing for the practical skills of being a farrier as well. Once this level of expertise is proven, it even qualifies the farrier to teach at the college level where such courses are still offered. This is a recent photo of my son fashioning some custom shoes; along with my grandson - his aspiring apprentice.