May 19, 2001 marked the official Grand Opening of the FNRC in northwest Georgia.
And what a grand day it was!! It was fun for all that included wagon and pony rides for
kids and adults alike, food, games, and singing, free horsemanship clinics on safe
riding, proper saddling, teaching your horse to ground tie and stand while mounting &
lunging There were tips on purchasing a sound and child safe horse and the importance
and safe way for horse owners to handle their own horses’ feet and tolerate noises such
as shooting balloons in the air from horseback in a clinic by Ralph Casey, the Director.
These pre show events led up to the Live Audience taping
of Horseshoe’n Time, our weekly TV. show seen on Dish
Network. Inside the 80’x150’ center are grandstands allowing
visitors to watch overhead monitors of the actual shoeing
being performed with no obstructions and no looking over
someone’s shoulder. It was an enthusiastic crowd and eager
to ask plenty of questions throughout the shoeing process,
which is just what we like!The purpose and goal for the
research center is to provide education to the public from the
research and developments documented here on a daily
basis. Whether the research is on what style of shoe to use,
what product or what works best for what horse or activity, to
simply identifying the problem. Problems usually include
unbalanced trimming and shoeing causing the entire horse to
be out of balance and only a trained eye and experience from
farriers can spot this.
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Here is a scene from Horseshoe ‘n Time, filmed in 2002 live from the FNRC and seen nationwide.
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Our work starts with education on preventing problems such as founder, white line
disease, low heels and so many more. The work here is overseen by Master Farriers
from across the U.S. on a rotating basis along with farriers working on their Farrier
Science Degrees and students. All in all, this is the only facility in the U.S. offering this
type of hoof care and shoeing educational structure and is proudly owned by caring
horse owners and farriers.
The Equine BioCryo unit used on “Oakie” owned by Wally and Barbara Droust of Blairsville, Georgia
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Often times horses need more than just shoes to help them.
We also work with a MagnaCare Equine Therapy Unit and
the new Equine BioCryo unit from BioCompression Systems
as seen here. This is designed to effectively relieve
swelling utilizing cold therapy and with a massaging
effect it helps to progressively move fluid from the hoof area.
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To honor and show appreciation to farriers everywhere,
the Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association chose to
introduce the 2001 inductees into the Farriers Hall of Fame
also located at the FNRC on this Grand Opening Day. Seen
here are just a few of our Hall of Famer’s, past and present
from left to right:
1999 Scott Ledbetter of Marietta, Georgia
2001 Larry Patter of Marengo, Illinois
2001 Marcus Pierce of Indian Trail, North Carolina
2001 John Burt of Texarkana, Arkansas
1992 Bucky Hatfield of Cookeville, Tennessee
1992 Ralph Casey of LaFayette, Georgia
1999 Tony Philips of Gainesville, Georgia
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Farriers’ National Research Center and School, Inc
14013 East Hwy 136 • LaFayette, GA 30728
FNRC office (706) 397-8909
Websites: www.horseshoentime.tv/fnrc.html
Email: FNRCinfo@aol.com
Watch Horseshoe’n Time on Dish Network Channel 9411
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