Andrew Fisher - Farrier

There’s a lot to be said for being engaged in an occupation that provides you with more than enough work.

That’s the scenario facing Cambridge farrier Andrew Fisher since he completed his apprenticeship and decided to strike out on his own in a region that is recognised as having the highest concentration of horses in New Zealand.

Andrew’s busy daily round includes all types of horses - “except trotters and polo ponies” - as he puts it. He estimates that half of his work takes place on studs seeing to the needs of everything from foals to stallions, another third comprises racing stables and the remainder is spent with sport-horses, hacks and ponies.

“There’s no shortage of work, that’s for sure,” he says. “In fact if there’s a downside to my job it’s having to turn down work, especially when it’s someone that you would really like to say yes to.”

That last comment pinpoints a problem facing the equine industry in finding enough skilled craftspeople to satisfy the needs of a burgeoning population.

“It’s all a matter of finding the right people,” says Andrew. “To become a farrier you first of all need to like horses and not mind hard work. Then once you’ve done your time you have to have a business head. I’ve seen guys who are basically good at what they do but they fall down through not being organised.

“The same goes for a lot of professions I guess – that lack of business skills can let you down.”

Andrew is fortunate in that when he decided to become a farrier he had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve. The fact that he was 24 when he signed on with Cambridge farrier Wayne Wilson was a definite help.

Pony club and the eventing and show circuit had provided a good grounding and when he joined the work-force it was as a stud groom. He showed real aptitude in that role, gaining an NZTBA Wellington branch scholarship to spend a season at the English National Stud.

Blacksmithing and farriery had always interested him, and it was during his time in England that he encountered the Newmarket-based Curtis brothers, who operated a business employing 20 farriers.

“They were the best and really brought home to me the importance of their trade,” recalls Andrew. “When I got home I thought more and more about it and when the opportunity came to sign up with Wayne I took it.

“The way I saw it, gaining my ticket and going into business as a farrier was going to be my best way of realising my dream of one day owning my own piece of land.”

When he had completed his apprenticeship Andrew continued an association by contracting himself to his former boss for the next two years, but he is now fully independent.

On top of the demands of his job, he is also vice-president of the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Farriers’ Association, seeing this as a proactive way to encourage others into the trade.

“The bottom line is that we need to increase our numbers to service the industry properly. I know that it’s a good way of life and the training systems and rewards are there, so I’m all for encouraging others to take it up.”