Horseshoeing for Horse Owners, Military and GIs and Career Changers
We teach horseshoeing to horse owners, transitioning military and GIs, career changers and farriers who want to broaden their skills and better their business. We’re located near Chadron, Nebraska in the north west corner of the state, near Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana.
Our purpose is to raise the standard of practice and promote the welfare of horses—feet first! We produce qualified and motivated practitioners who are confident and competent and are committed to forge a firm foundation for both horse and handler.
What distinguishes Butler Professional Farrier and Horseshoeing School from others?
Our Instruction
Butler’s farrier school provides a great start in the farrier career along with advanced programs for continuous learning and professional development. A combination of trimming and shoeing cover all aspects of the farrier business and horse anatomy. While many horseshoeing schools offer shorter courses, our experience has shown that six weeks is the minimum amount of time for the serious student to become confident and competent in the basics of the farrier craft. Our in-depth, one-on-one instruction and dedicated practice time helps our students learn it right the first time!
Also, we have been approved as one of the few professional farrier and horseshoeing schools certified to teach transitioning military, veterans and GIs.
Our Instructors
Butler Professional Farrier School has expert instructors who use a sequential learning system designed by Doug Butler that teaches the how and WHY of each step of horse foot care, offers customized one-on-one instruction, and provides complete training and extensive practice time to master all seven fundamental farrier skills. The Butler Team is committed to teaching serious students to become confident and competent farriers. Listen to individual interviews where you can get to know each of our instructors from these Farrier Focus Podcasts.
Jacob Butler
CJF, AWCF
Jacob has been shoeing over 20 years. He taught at Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico, for 4 years. Jake has a special interest in the anatomy of the horse’s leg and has taught as a volunteer at the AFA convention Anatomy Lab for the last 10 years. He is the co-author of The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3) and co-author of Essential Principles of Horseshoeing. He loves all aspects of the Craft and especially enjoys seeing farrier students succeed.
Farrier Focus Podcast interview with Jacob Butler.
Pete Butler
CJF
Pete has been shoeing for over 14 years. He has studied and practices the methods of the masters of horse behavior modification. He helps students feel comfortable around horses and develop their horse skills. Pete has a special interest in blacksmithing. Pete created and illustrated original step-by step processes for the forging section introduced in the Essential Principles of Horseshoeing book. He continues to create classroom videos to explain complex procedures in an easy-to-understand manner.
Farrier Focus Podcast interview with Pete Butler.
Doug Butler
PhD, FWCF, CJF
Doug is an internationally known farrier, educator and author with over 50 years of practical farrier experience. Over the years, Doug has trained hundreds of top farriers and farrier educators. He has written the most widely used horseshoeing textbooks, including The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3). He has shod world champions of almost every breed. He is pleased his sons, Jake and Pete, have a similar dedication to education and superior horse foot care treatment and are carrying on the legacy of excellence in farrier education.
Farrier Focus Podcast interview with Dr. Doug Butler
Our Location
You get an “embedded” learning experience. Whether you’re investing in a new career, business building skills, or horsecare knowledge, you deserve comprehensive instruction without distractions. Also, we’re easy to reach! We’re just 30 minutes from Chadron, Nebraska, which has a municipal airport and two daily flights to Denver, Colorado. Denver International Airport is 280 miles away and Rapid City Airport is 160 miles away.
Our Facilities
You’ll learn and reside in facilities that are among the best in the world, Build in 2002, you’ll have clean, modern and comfortable on-campus accommodations just steps away from your classroom. Everything is under one roof, with classroom, individual learning stations, large arena for observing movement, and office. There are men and women dormitories.
Top 10 Reasons to Choose Butler Professional Horseshoeing School
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Read What Our Graduates Have to Say...
“I really like the way the daily schedule is done – good ratio of class time, hands-on. It’s really inspired me to work at it and become proficient. I’m going to apprentice for 2-3 years to get a good foundation. I liked the dorm and had everything I needed. I would definitely recommend this school. It’s a good learning environment – it’s a great place to learn. It teaches you everything you need to know for fundamental knowledge. There was a lot more hands-on stuff than I thought there would be. Skills I learned – forging was a big one, modifications of shoes, basic corrective stuff that I learned while I was here.
” — Andrew DeVisser, CANADA
“The instruction was very good – there was always someone to help with questions I had. Before coming here I had thought about going to another school until we found out Dr. Butler has a school. He teaches a lot; he explains a lot – he knows what he’s talking about. He tells you why you have to have a shoe on that way and doesn’t just tell you to do it. You learn the ‘why’ and get some of his experience in with it. After I go home, if I come across a case I need help with, I can call up – that’s helpful enough.
” — Weston Earls, CA
From the Chadron Record
(March 2015) Butler Professional Farrier School moved to its Table Road, Crawford address in 2006. With almost a decade of operating in the area under its belt, and tradition that stretches far longer, the father and sons trio of Doug, Jake and Pete Butler are still at it.
Read The Article
Essential Principles of Horseshoeing
Discover a new interactive way to learn the principles of horseshoeing and humane horse foot care! Essential Principles of Horseshoeing is the latest book now also available in audio format from Doug Butler Enterprises that uses detailed graphs, charts and QR codes that take readers to video demonstrations, just as though you were sitting in the classroom!
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