“I get to associate with cowboys every day. Even though I’m not working cows, I still get to be a part of it. I’m important to their everyday life-—I can keep them going, keep their horses sound, and help them do their job. That kind of makes me feel special.”
Brittani Johnsonof Seymour, Texas, shoes ranch and rope horses within a two-hour radius of her home. She grew up running barrels and—believe it or not—riding bucking horses, but had trouble finding someone to shoe her own horses. She decided to go to school to learn how and it ended up becoming a career. When she can, she gets out from under the horses and on top of them to help area ranches with their cow work.
Horseshoes
I use Kerckhaerts. They’re thick and they have a wide branch. Ranch horses need all the support they can get. I find it’s a good quality shoe. They don’t wear out quick and I can get a couple of resets out of them. They typically work for a wide variety of horses.
kerckhaert.com
Hoof pick
That’s built by Ron Tollison, who builds bits and spurs. He made and mounted that for me. I don’t have a whole lot of special, handmade stuff. It’s sitting on a St. Croix stall jack.
Hand Tools
I use them so much my tools get worn out quick. A lot of my hand tools are by GE Farrier Tools. They make really good stuff and they’ve been around forever.
well-shod.com
Hammer, Anvil, and Forge
NC Horseshoe Tools and Supplies.
nctoolco.com
Apron
I’m pretty long to be a horseshoer. Most aprons hit me at the top of the knees. But Battle Creek Outfitters lets you customize the apron as much as you want to. I got mine with pink stitching just because I thought that’d be neat. You can hardly tell it’s pink anymore I’ve had it for so long.
battlecreekoutfitters.com
Shirt
Ariat’s Lexi Snap Shirt.
ariat.com
Jeans
I wear a 38-inch inseam and the Ultimate Riding Jeans by Wrangler are the only ones I can find that are that long. They’ve got stretch to them, so when I’m working they move with me. They have a no-gap waistband so I never get “horseshoer’s crack.”
wrangler.com
Buckle
It was made by Jade Winkle, he’s out of Lubbock.
Shoes
Those are called Trail Guides, and they last so long. They’ve got a full, thick rubber sole on the bottom of them. Leather soles wear out quick walking around concrete barns all day every day.
shoeshow.com
Earrings
I don’t know where the heck I got those. I have so many pairs of earrings that I buy at trade shows.