Hello All, I just thought it would be polite if I said a formal 'Hello' to you as I come from southern climbs.(Hampshire) My son is at college in your area and I used to live near by as a child. Anyway, I hope you are keeping dry in this lovely weather- suitable for ducks but I'm not one, well as far as I know I'm not.

Welcome Gladys, it's great to have you with us! What college does you son attend? I was a Mid-Warwickshire student myself, I think they are now known as Warwickshire College though.

Hello Will, He has gone between Leamington and moreton Morrell. He'll be back at Moreton after the summer to finish his pre-Farriery course. He has wanted to be a farrier since he was 14, he's now 18.

I'd say Morton Morrell is the best place to learn it too. I've been round there a few times, it's quite an amazing place for a college. Sounds like your son has a good ambition, wish I'd done something as unique as that.

Yes, so do I. I didn't realise it takes a further 4years 2 months in Apprenticed training after this. There's much more to it than I thought but there again if Red Rum or one of the other greats had had a 'bad' shoe stuck on, they wouldn't have got to where they did! Happy feet makes a happier horse. It is a beautiful setting for sure- shame about the fire at The Manor House though.

Yeah that was a shame, I don't know if much was lost, I hope not. Four years more apprenticeship afterwards? That's a hell of a long time, still I'm willing to bet it will be more than worth it in the end, there can't be many people doing it these days.

It was raised to the ground and is going to cost ?£3m to fix. This is what my son told me on his last trip home a few weeks ago. It may even be more.
You say not many people are doing Farriery; you'd be suprised at the anount of applicants. Of course the lengthy training weeds people out along the way, so the really committed ones get through. That's the theory anyway. Historically you were a farrier because your Dad and his dad were such and you learnt from them. The Farrier Training service through the Worshipful Company Of farriers have both set about standardising the training to make it professional. This puts paid to poor practice etc.Sorry I'm going on, don't mean to. I've become rather passionate about it lately.

Hello again, I thought I'd let you all know that we have a lovely Hotel here(not me and Mr whatisname(?)? We have great friends with pubs etc, so if anyone is planning a trip to the south, please give the place a go. Hayling Island, 10 miles from Portsmouth along the A27 towards Chichester which is only 20 minutes away as is Southampton the other way. There is a very active Forum for Hayling and would be worth a visit. (The Hayling Forum) Peeps on it would welcome you with open arms and will chat happily and tell you what you might need to know for any visit.