There's an old adage in the horse racing world that states "No foot, no horse." What it means is just that, or more broadly that a horse without healthy or functional feet will not be a worthwhile performer.

That saying also neatly sums up the importance of one group of people to the equine industry, the farriers whose job it is to ensure that horses are properly shod and otherwise well cared for at that all-important point of contact with the ground.

Marshall Stead has been a farrier in the Waikato district for the past 20 years. He's well respected in his profession and his cheery manner leaves no doubt that he enjoys what he is doing despite its physical demands.

The strength required to be a farrier is one of two prerequisites of the job; the other is a liking for horses. "To be effective in this line of work, you must be able to get on with horses and learn to tolerate them," he explains. "At times they can be quite difficult."

Marshall served his three-year farrier's apprenticeship in the day that the trade came under the umbrella of the blacksmiths', engineers' and wheelwrights' apprenticeship programme. Apprentice farriers now have their own training scheme under the auspices of the Equine ITO and the NZMFA and is now regional representative on the national executive.

"As with any established trade, there is a need to maintain a flow-through of young people," he says. "There is plenty of work available to tradesmen and it is in the interests of everybody that there is a good supply of farriers."

Marshall's life as a farrier is busy and interesting. From his Te Rapa base, he travels about the Waikato seeing to the needs of his clientele. About 70% of his work is in the thoroughbred industry at studs with foals sometimes only a few weeks old, through to yearlings, broodmares and stallions and at racing stables.

Farriery is an exciting business, especially in the pre-sale preparation of valuable yearling thoroughbreds and in the plating of horses contesting important races. Such situations can put you under pressure, when people skills are just important as an ability to deal with the individual horses. The upside is the satisfaction to be gained when a yearling fetches a large price or a racehorse get a big win.

And there are the less publicized instances when Marshall's farrier skills are a big factor in correcting a problem or a lameness that has the potential to lessen a horse's value or even threaten its future.

"I certainly enjoy my life as a farrier," says Marshall. "The outdoor work is a plus in my book and the variety of people and horses I deal with makes it all very interesting."

From an economic point of view, the trade also has its rewards. "Sure, you've got to work for it, but it provides a good living. As an established tradesman, I have a solid client base which means my working week consists mainly of repeat business. That in itself provides plenty of satisfaction along with all the other facets of the job."