Our second ever Unsung Heroes Special Feature was sent into us by Lorraine McElroy or Lorraine from TwoHorseReviews as you’ll better know her. This one is pretty special and a beautiful story to read!! We’re looking forward to recognising more people across the industry at all levels that have had a big impact on people, communities or disciplines from right across the equine industry. So lets kick this off for our second ever Unsung Heroes Special Feature.

Who is your equestrian Unsung Hero, and how did you meet them? Liam Murphy is an Irish master farrier. I met Liam for the first time when he came out to shoe my horse. We were both 20 years old. He was an apprentice to my farrier John back then. 

What do you think is the most significant lesson your Unsung Hero has taught you, and how has it impacted your life? That the horse’s hoof is one of the most important parts to look after in a horse. As the saying goes, No hoof, no horse. He has taught me that a good level and well shod foot is underrated. The importance of maintaining and caring for the hoof can have such a big difference on the horse’s performance and way of going. Throughout these years I would have had a few horses and Liam has educated me to be able to get the best from them by understanding the type of foot they have and how to care for it.  

Can you share a story about a time when your Unsung Hero went above and beyond to support you or your horse(s)? What did they do, and how did it affect you? There were a couple of times with different horses that without the proper care and knowledge the horse would not have gotten as far as they did in their riding career. One of the horses had bad confirmation behind and slightly twisted when he walked. Liam knew exactly what to do, how to give him more support and help his action. If he did not accommodate and help, the horse would have ended up with bad ailments causing lameness and eventually retiring. He went on for years with the proper care and attention needed for him resulting in a more comfortable life with me.

What qualities do you admire most about your Unsung Hero, and how have they influenced your personal and professional growth? Liam has a passion for shoeing and most importantly loves solving any problems that may arise within the hoof. He has a very imaginative and creative mind which allows him to help the horse have a better life in his riding or nonriding career. Liam has shared so much knowledge with me through these years and with that it has helped me become more aware of the importance of any ailments that may arise and how to avoid them for my own riding. I am also able to share a bit of advice to friends if needed. 

What’s the most important advice your Unsung Hero has given you, and how have you applied it in your life and riding career? A well balanced foot is invaluable and maintenance is key. Keep it as simple as possible. I’ve taken on board all the knowledge Liam has shared with me throughout our years together. We constantly bounce ideas off each other’s heads to see what works and what doesn’t. This has helped me with my own horses, as well as teaching other people. A farrier may be able to fix a problem with a horse’s foot, but it is up to the owner to maintain and carry on after care until the next visit.

How has your Unsung Hero supported you in pursuing your equestrian goals, and what impact has it had on your journey? Liam has always been there for me mentally and physically. As a married couple we support each other and it’s such a bonus to have a partner that is a professional farrier, has great horsemanship and who also can ride. We talk about the horse’s conformation and how this can affect its biomechanics and see if there is anything we can do to support the foot in anyway. Some horse confirmation can not be helped but if we can help support the hoof in any way possible to help the horses way of going, it will be done.

How has your Unsung Hero helped you build confidence in yourself and your riding abilities? As a couple, if I am faced with any difficulty throughout my riding career we will always talk about it head on and try to come up with some solutions to help resolve it. Words of encouragement and support always help. We do this for each other in any hard times that may arise.

What impact has your Unsung Hero had on your relationships with horses, and how has it changed your perspective on horsemanship? With both of us being in the industry so long we have taken tips and tricks from each other in all aspects. I have taken on Liam’s ways of approaching and handling different types of horses that he has handled throughout his career and it has come in very handy with my work with them. I’m a firm believer that you can learn something new from every single person you meet in the equine industry. I feel it’s also very important to have an open mind when it comes to horses. 

What do you think is the most important attribute for an equestrian Unsung Hero or coach to possess, and how does your Unsung Hero embody it? I think one of the most important attributes for a farrier to have is to help and accommodate people from whatever situation they are in at the time of service. Working with horses is not black and white and thinking outside the box really helps when it comes to this game. When it comes to shoeing horses, I feel a farrier should have a good way and understanding of horses in order to get the best result possible. After all, farriers don’t just look at the foot, they look at the whole horse, his conformation, way of going, temperament and size. All of these things result in the type of shoe the horse needs.  

How has your Unsung Hero’s support and guidance impacted your personal and professional growth outside of the equestrian world? That everyone is different. People do what they can with the tools they have at that time in their life. We all have should try to have compassion for that..

Can you talk about a time when your Unsung Hero helped you develop your horsemanship skills beyond just riding, such as in horse care and management? I am very Lucky to have Liam by my side as a husband, a father to my children and a farrier. I get the best of all worlds there. We share tips between each other daily as we share stories across the dinner table or over tea. Communication is what brings people together and through this we learn a lot from each other about horses day to day through events that have happened. There was this one horse I had in for training and he did not like the way I was going to pick up his hind leg. I told Liam about this and he showed me a different way to approach the horse and hold his leg. Some horses are fussy in the “normal way” you pick out feet, so I adapted a style to make him more comfortable with the help of Liam and it worked.

What do you think is the most important way that equestrian Unsung Heroes can help people achieve balance between their riding goals and other aspects of their lives? I think it’s important to listen to someone with  experience in a certain field of expertise. They are there for a reason. Most of the time it’s for the love of the sport and or care for the animal. They don’t have to be famous or singing from the rooftops about their work. Some are just happy to do their work, make horses more comfortable, go about their business and come home to their families. 

What would you like to say to your Unsung Hero if they were reading this interview right now? Ok, here is the corny part 🙂 …. Thank you for being there for me through the good and hard times. Your knowledge and way of thinking outside the box is outstanding and anyone who has you as a farrier is lucky to have their horse in such good care. Love Lorraine.