15 February 2009
Please, call me Edward
Fifteen years ago if you would have told me Myron McClain would talk to me as a friend, I would have accused you of ingesting some sort of illegal substance, but he does now and I appreciate it.
For those of you who used to read my thoughtless posts on the bulletin board site, you occasionally saw me try (though poorly) to crush Gary Miller when he would say he never needed to meet anybody and therefore my main reason for attending the AFA convention, meeting other farriers, was a frivolous reason.
Years ago at the AFA convention in Portland, my friend Dan Subaitus literally ran to catch Edward Martin in a corridor of the Red Lion Inn to visit with him. I should have gone with, because unknown to me at the time it would be the last opportunity I would have to meet the man. Anyway, Dan came back with a big smile, told us all how Edward had remembered him from the shoeing shop at Disney World where Dan had done his apprenticeship and how Edward had said "please, call me Edward" when Dan had Addressed him as Mr. Martin. It was something Dan and I would talk about even 2 years ago when I last visited him.
Everyone I know who knew Edward, never referred to him as "Mr. Martin." Don Gustafson has always said "Edward" as have Jean Meneley and Pat Gallahan, Fran Jurga's headline on the hoof care blog was "We've lost Edward" so I am certain that they got the same "please, call me Edward." To me at least that shows graciousness that usually seen only in senior members of my trade.
Like I said, I never met Edward, I never heard him lecture or saw one of his demonstrations, I did once get to hear him lead a group of tone deaf farriers in the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" once which I sure will rattle the rafters in Chattanooga at this years AFA convention and as well it should. I am sure that his friends will come together and celebrate his life and the life of Allen Smith who passed away at the end of last year.
People touch us even though we don't realize it, the little pieces that they leave with people we know or have yet to meet carry memories of stories or advice that they share with their friends. What Edward left with me through his friends, was be nice to everyone, you never know when you might shoe a horse for them.
For those of you who used to read my thoughtless posts on the bulletin board site, you occasionally saw me try (though poorly) to crush Gary Miller when he would say he never needed to meet anybody and therefore my main reason for attending the AFA convention, meeting other farriers, was a frivolous reason.
Years ago at the AFA convention in Portland, my friend Dan Subaitus literally ran to catch Edward Martin in a corridor of the Red Lion Inn to visit with him. I should have gone with, because unknown to me at the time it would be the last opportunity I would have to meet the man. Anyway, Dan came back with a big smile, told us all how Edward had remembered him from the shoeing shop at Disney World where Dan had done his apprenticeship and how Edward had said "please, call me Edward" when Dan had Addressed him as Mr. Martin. It was something Dan and I would talk about even 2 years ago when I last visited him.
Everyone I know who knew Edward, never referred to him as "Mr. Martin." Don Gustafson has always said "Edward" as have Jean Meneley and Pat Gallahan, Fran Jurga's headline on the hoof care blog was "We've lost Edward" so I am certain that they got the same "please, call me Edward." To me at least that shows graciousness that usually seen only in senior members of my trade.
Like I said, I never met Edward, I never heard him lecture or saw one of his demonstrations, I did once get to hear him lead a group of tone deaf farriers in the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" once which I sure will rattle the rafters in Chattanooga at this years AFA convention and as well it should. I am sure that his friends will come together and celebrate his life and the life of Allen Smith who passed away at the end of last year.
People touch us even though we don't realize it, the little pieces that they leave with people we know or have yet to meet carry memories of stories or advice that they share with their friends. What Edward left with me through his friends, was be nice to everyone, you never know when you might shoe a horse for them.
Labels: Dan Subaitus, Edward Martin, Fran Jurga, Myron McClain
08 February 2009
Ya gotta start somewhere
I started this blog because I needed an outlet. What happened was I was posting on a popular farrier bulletin board and I just got tired of arguing endlessly about different things so I decided that I would serve a self imposed ban on posting on that site and I am actually happier. Horseshoeing is a funny business, it's a small community no matter where you go, your own route, the type of horses you shoe, even bumping around on the Internet you eventually become part of a community where people get to know you and develop a perception of who you are. So this is who I am
I have been shoeing horses all of my adult life, longer than half of it now. I started shoeing because I thought it would make dad happy, something I learned later that I could have done anything and he would have been just as glad. Who knew? There have been several huge influences in my life outside of the gimmes, mom, dad, my maternal grandparents, my step mom, and people your going to need to know if your going to be interested in this blog I s'pose. You gotta know the Big guys, big Roy, not so little Roy, Big Les, Big John, Fat John, You gotta know the big iron guys, Monte, Kelly, Gordon, and David. The old guys who will probably resent the fact that I call them old, Andy, Bruce, George, Sam. The platers, Dad, David, Keith, Bernie, Robert, Todd, Perry, Bob, Donnie and Boltcutter . The Hunter guys, Chuck, Chuck, Bob, Bob, Jeff, Merle, Kevin and the World Famous Jack. The country guys Michale, Bert, and Dave. The city guys, Sammy, Kevin, Duke, and Jerry. There are quite a few more that I am sure that I will get to in future posts. I'll tell you about everyone I know because I think they deserve the "props".
Keep in mind that I am a full time farrier, part time dad, I'm a husband with a honey do list that ends somewhere around the turn of the century, so this blog is my hobby, so there might be a post a week sometimes, but I will try to post at least once a month. So till then thanks for looking.
Well welcome. Check back, every once in a while who knows.
I have been shoeing horses all of my adult life, longer than half of it now. I started shoeing because I thought it would make dad happy, something I learned later that I could have done anything and he would have been just as glad. Who knew? There have been several huge influences in my life outside of the gimmes, mom, dad, my maternal grandparents, my step mom, and people your going to need to know if your going to be interested in this blog I s'pose. You gotta know the Big guys, big Roy, not so little Roy, Big Les, Big John, Fat John, You gotta know the big iron guys, Monte, Kelly, Gordon, and David. The old guys who will probably resent the fact that I call them old, Andy, Bruce, George, Sam. The platers, Dad, David, Keith, Bernie, Robert, Todd, Perry, Bob, Donnie and Boltcutter . The Hunter guys, Chuck, Chuck, Bob, Bob, Jeff, Merle, Kevin and the World Famous Jack. The country guys Michale, Bert, and Dave. The city guys, Sammy, Kevin, Duke, and Jerry. There are quite a few more that I am sure that I will get to in future posts. I'll tell you about everyone I know because I think they deserve the "props".
Keep in mind that I am a full time farrier, part time dad, I'm a husband with a honey do list that ends somewhere around the turn of the century, so this blog is my hobby, so there might be a post a week sometimes, but I will try to post at least once a month. So till then thanks for looking.
Well welcome. Check back, every once in a while who knows.
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