This is the hoof pick I've had for 35+ years. When I boarded my Poco horse in Golden Gate Park, the guy that put his shoes on (farrier/blacksmith) would be a regular there for a lot of owners. He did hot shoeing and had a little furnace-like in his truck. He would heat them, test them for fit, whack on them on an anvil for a subtle change, try again. Any time, even now, that I smell coal burning, I would think, "shoer is here.." . He was quite a flamboyant sight. He had a long queue of hair, and a mustache that he waxed and twirled so it stood out from his face like the cartoon bad guy. Hammering, heating, dunking in water to cool, the tourists were there catching it all on film. So, any time he had a pause in doing the horses, he would make these hoof picks out of old horseshoes, half of one, and give them to his clients. It was considered a mark of approval to have one of Steve's picks. The usual ones are made in china, now, and are lacking a point that you need to clean dirt, stones, whatever from the sole of their feet. The form of these are a big improvement and god forbid you lose yours, and have to ask Steve for another. He also made custom fence gates, for big bucks, and probably there are still some in San Francisco even now.
I miss the social part of boarding, talking folks and horses, laughing at bad jokes, riding together. Of course it is a Lot Cheaper to keep your beasts at home, but a lot more work too. But the past is past...
I will get C to drive me down to the barn so I can find the things I want to keep, but none as special as this pick.
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