MIKE THE BLACKSMITH: 90s

Descriptive video transcript

SUPER: MIKE DUNSLOW
BLACKSMITH/FARRIER

MIKE: My name is Mike Dunslow, I’m a blacksmith by trade.

SUPER: OLG PRESENTS BEYOND THE TRACK.

MIKE: We’re responsible to make sure the horse’s feet are taken care of, properly shod, and ready to compete for the afternoon and during the morning start training.

MIKE: The horse will come to us, it’s his due date to be shod. We will watch the horse walk up to us and you get to know them to, you know what they compete at, and what their little hitches are and then we go ahead and take off their old shoe. We tear away all the dead foot that they’ve grown, their foot grows just like a human’s nail and then we trim them down so that all their confirmation and their pastures and everything lines back up – what we call a plum line.

MIKE: Just like you going into a store and buying a pair of shoes. You’re not buying the proper size or you’re buying a shoe that really doesn’t mold to your foot and their making you walk uneven, that’s the same scenario of the horse. It’s so important to get the horses comfortable and as straight to its confirmation as we can. I’ve work on a lot a lot of good horses and you know you’ve had something to do with it, you’ve actually worked with the animal. Same with the groom, the hot walkers, the riders – it’s a thrill. We all have our little peak of something and when they go over there and do well and win. It’s exciting, it is, for all of us. Anybody that’s involved with them.

SUPER: YOU’RE COMMITTED TO HORSES.
WE’RE COMMITTED TO YOU.

LOGO: OLG