Page 20 - November 2005 The Game

20 The Game, November 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Mike Dunslow "Woodbine’s Main Paddock Blacksmith"
By Pauline Block
It takes many years to gain a mastery level of competency in the areas of conformation assessment, gait assessment, and the application of supportive horse- shoes. Treating horses with abnormalities with corrective shoes requires taking skill to a much higher level.
A competent farrier
must possess skills
developed from above
average training and
extensive practical
experience in anatomy,
physiology, pathology,
conformation and
biomechanics of the horse.
In order to enjoy the
highest level of respect
within his horseshoeing
community. He must have command of the in-depth knowledge of the horse’s foot, business concerns, horse and people relationships, as well as metal forging technology.
"Keep in mind that being a farrier is unlike any other job. It is physically, mentally and emotionally hard. To have sustainable success, one must possess a strong work ethic and be a person of integrity. This should be considered an obligation and not just an option as his image will either make or destroy his career."
He will encounter very challenging problems and must be creative in his problem solving. Improper shoeing can ruin a horse.
In laymen terms, a "blacksmith", a.k.a "farrier" or as Woodbine may call it, a "plater", is much like an orthopedic doctor and pedicurist combined. The hoofs grow, much like a persons finger and toe nails, and therefore must be filed down and shod. Have you ever gone into a sports shop to purchase runners for a certain sport and the clerk asked you to walk for him to see how your feet move and what part touches the ground first. This is because there are many types of shoes for different feet. Well, a blacksmith will match up the shoulder of the horse with the pastern (area between the foot and ankle) and that will determine where to file the hoof and type of shoe. At the bottom of the hoof is a small triangle which is called the "frog" that must be kept clean and filed as this is the horses traction device and the area where the heart pumps the blood to.
Woodbine’s Paddock Blacksmith, Mike Dunslow, grew up with four brothers and was introduced to the horse industry by his second older brother around the age of eleven. If one brother got into something, then they all followed suit. It was like a rippling effect. They all played and
coached hockey, they all played lacrosse and then they all got into horses. Each brother has either hot walked, groomed and owned a horse over the years.
The horse racing industry requires someone with integrity and growing up in an emotionally stable environment is the
Farrier Mike Dunslow
best way to develop these traits. Mike was fortunate enough to have a good relationship with his brothers and even though there may have been the odd boxing match with some bruising, this would only help to develop endurance and being able to accept constructive criticism.
Mike worked as a trail ride leader at Circle C Ranch, a job for which he was so keen, that
his mother would often find him there rather than at school. He got his first job at Woodbine when he was thirteen, hotwalking for Kinghaven Farms and approximately two years later he graduated to grooming. Mike did a lot of travelling between Fort Erie and Woodbine looking after horses at both locations.
He groomed for close to 10 years before two of his good friends, Don Souter and Calvin Gyles taught him how to gallop. So for the next few years you would see Mike galloping horses in the morning before heading off to Seneca College where he was taking a Farrier Course. After graduation Mike continued galloping while apprenticing under Farrier, Pat Nemett.
Now after many years and many hoofs Mike is enjoying his job as Woodbine’s main paddock farrier because he loves working with the horses. He likes the different personalities of the horses and the diverse horse owners. His first comment was "NO FOOT, NO HORSE". It is a very responsible position to be in and he feels that all along the way, he has been very fortunate to have had the best top men- tors and trainers and is grateful for that. In his spare time, his current passion is Texas Hold Em Poker and he has just opened his second hockey pro shop at Tomken Arena.
When asked for a funny story which he could recall during his career....Mike laughed and said there were a bunch of girls who were impressed with his position and were giving him the google eye, so he started hamming it up and twirling his hammer, well as lady luck would have it he hit his head and started bleeding. Because he was crouching by the horses hoofs, he was able to cover up the injury by keeping his head bent. Today he still lives with the scar on his forehead which was not even done by a horse!
In appreciation for their sponsorship of the Family Fun area at Woodbine, Woodbine Entertainment Group presented a commissioned sculpture by artist Hugh Moorehead to System Equine Solutions on Canadian International Day, October 23.
WEG’s Director of Customer Service, Pamela Berger (middle) is flanked by Dwayne Job (left) and Kevin Job (right) Owners of System Equine Solutions along with System Equine’s Solutions’ VP of Operations, Karin Turnbull (far left) and Kevin’s wife Nancy Job (far right). The System Equine Solutions Family Fun Area at Woodbine was a great success in its
inaugural year. Operating on weekends throughout the summer months, the Family Fun Area provided families with an interactive look at the world of horseracing. Both children and adults had the opportunity to learn about racing and horses from guest speakers. You could ask questions, see and touch real horses as well as try on jockey’s silks and take a tour of the barn area at Woodbine.
Ounce of Prevention for Winter Storage
By Kelly MacKay
Opening up stored tack boxes in the spring to find your saddle cloths covered in mildew and leather equipment which is as hard as a rock can take the wind out of anyone's sails pretty fast. Improper storage can deteriorate the quality and integrity of many materials. Therefore time invested now, can save you money in replacement costs and give you peace of mind, knowing you could be preventing injury due to breakage of faulty equipment.
The first thing to consider is the type of container to use for storing your equipment. A waterproof plastic container will keep items dry and avoid mould and mildew damage.
Make sure the containers have a well sealed lid to keep critters from finding a place to live for the winter, and labeling each container makes finding certain items easier in the Spring.
When placing items in storage, everything from your blankets to bell boots should be cleared of dirt. Dirt causes friction which leads to wear. Free loose debris from items by shaking them, and then take a nylon brush to rub away any ingrained dirt. Finally, if items still have stubborn stains, wash with a mild soap and let air dry completely before storing. If items such as saddle pads cannot be washed, vacuuming out the excess hair can be another option.
You should avoid placing any leather, canvas, nylon or rubber materials directly near a heat source to speed up drying. Heat drying makes these materials contract and can cause premature cracks.
Wool blankets can be folded however blankets made of nylon, cotton, or synthetic fibre should be rolled as opposed to folded because folding leaves creases that can weaken the threads leading to holes that will need repairing. It wouldn't hurt to store your wool blankets and fabric saddle cloths with some cedar blocks or moth balls to deter moths and varmints from snacking on your equipment over the winter.
completely apart and examined for any stitching that may be rotted or fraying. Repair what can be done now and put a piece of tape on any breakage as a reminder for when it is to be used next.
A tooth brush is a good tool to use to clean around the small parts of buckles and bits. If rust is found on any metal part, clean it off with steel wool and apply Vaseline to prevent further corrosion. All leather should be well cleaned with saddle soap and air dried. Water removes the natural oils in leather so leather conditioner or oil applied when it is dry will keep it supple while in storage.
Dirt and sweat build up should be washed from nylon bridles. They can be taken apart put in a mesh bag and washed in a washing machine.
Don't forget to take stirrup leathers off saddles and inspect billets, keepers and stirrup irons for signs of wear.
Saddles should be stored properly to protect the tree from spreading. Placing them on a saddle rack is a good option. If they're to be stored in a box or waterproof container, rest them with the horn part down and the seat up.
Exercise riders also need to take a little time to thoroughly clean and polish their boots before being put away for the winter. If they are in need of repair, now is the time to take them to the cobbler while you’re not wearing them every day. You can speed up drying of boots by stuffing them with old newspapers, (Not the Game).
Medicines and liniments should be stored in their original container with labels clearly marked so the contents can be easily identified. It is advisable to store them away from other equipment and make sure the tops are well sealed to prevent spills.
Rakes and forks can easily rust and a quick hosing to clear away dirt and then wiping them dry may help extent their life.
Proper storage may seem like a lot of work however the extra minutes you take now will help prevent surprises and extra expense in the spring.
Bridles and saddles should be taken
Did You Know....
That 2 of the seven winners from the first Breeders’ Cup in 1984 are still alive. Both are now 25 years-old. Wild Again, who ran in the 1984
Classic is the sire of Cup winner Elmhurst who won in 1997. The other is Princess Rooney who was the winner of the
1984 Cup Distaff.