About us
Our first website, Forge & Farrier, was launched in August 2007 to provide an up to date information resource for farriers and farriery apprentices. We felt that industry information flow was slow and not readily available and wanted to provide a comprehensive and easily accessible solution - the result was an online 'magazine'.
Since the launch the website has gone from strength to strength and feedback has been tremendous. New data is added on a weekly (mostly daily!) basis and we continue to forge new relationships and communication channels with prominent figures and organisations across both the farrier and equine industries. Subscribers to our Mailing List include farriers, apprentices, vets, equine dentists, osteopaths and nutritionists and horse owners both professional and non-professional from all over the world.
The concept of Farriers Pages seemed to be natural progression from Forge & Farrier. Catering specifically for the needs of the horse owner, Farriers Pages, provides a user-friendly database of farriers which can be searched using a number of criteria. The website is intended to de-mystify by providing an explanation of the training and qualifications involved, the different governing bodies and their roles in addition to being informative in terms of farriery developments and hoofcare articles.
Who are we?
Nigel Brown
Nigel completed his apprenticeship with Wayne Upton AFCL in 1997 and returned home to Monmouthshire to set up his own business shortly after. Nigel’s business has grown successfully and his client list now includes both professional and non-professional owners in a vast range of disciplines including eventing, showjumping, dressage, polocrosse and showing. Nigel is farrier for P D Evans, a group-race winning trainer and Weston’s Cider working shire horses, ‘Nobby’ and ‘Senator’.
Nigel successfully completed the Associate examination of the Worshipful Company of Farriers in 2004 demonstrating a commitment to gaining further knowledge and expertise. In recent years the business has been further endorsed by the referral of remedial and therapeutic cases from local equine vets.
Participating in farriery competitions across the UK and abroad ensures that Nigel’s shoeing and shoemaking skills are being constantly assessed and improved and an active attendee of many conferences and clinics ensures his knowledge base is up to date.
Claire Brown
Claire graduated from Warwickshire College in 2002 with an Equine Business degree which included an Industrial Placement year as a Nutritional Advisor at Dodson & Horrell Ltd. This placement year formed the inspiration of her final year thesis, a study into Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome, and a literature review on the predisposing factors of laminitis.
Claire began work at Weatherbys Group Ltd in the Stud Book (International) Department, whilst completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Equine Science, prior to being promoted to Client Systems Coordinator. Systems worked on include the Jockey Club Information Base, a comprehensive secure online data resource for Jockey Club Officials, and the Racing Admin system, an online Racing Calendar and entry system for racehorse trainer, owners and jockeys. Claire left Weatherbys prior to her marriage to Nigel and move to Abergavenny, South Wales.
The day to day running of Forge & Farrier and Farriers Pages is managed by Claire. Claire also freelances for a farriery supply business further ensuring her knowledge of the industry is broad, rounded and up to date. As a horse owner since she was eight years old, Claire fully understands the needs of the horse owner too!
