About Us

Farriers of the west

The Wyoming School of Horseshoeing

Dean of Institution

 Dan Thiel

Dan Thiel is the Dean of Wyoming School of Horseshoeing. Dan is the founder of The Wyoming School of Horseshoeing. He has been a farrier for over 27 years. Dan apprenticed under Mel Z in 1995. Since then, he has been a successful ranch owner and maintains his own horses. His extensive experience allows him to lead this school and its students to success in the farrier business. 

AFA Certified Instructor

Lonnie Falk

Lonnie leads his classroom with patience and first-hand knowledge that goes above and beyond. Lonnie is able to work with students that enter our school with zero knowledge of horses, to students that have advance skillsets, and he strives for every student to meet individual goals to allow them to be independently successful.He has knowledge of management through the ownership of his privately owned farrier business. Lonnie Falk has been an instructor with the Wyoming School of Horseshoeing since 2019. Lonnie has successfully graduated 98% of his students in all accumulated years. Lonnie has proven to be successful in direct instruction to include basic safety, basics of equine foot care to advance treatment and even medical applications and his knowledge of equine anatomy and physiology, conformation, behavior, identification and safe use of farrier tools and equipment. Lonnie leads his classroom with safety, book studies and extensive hands on training which builds the foundation of a successful farrier. Lonnie’s instruction will also include trimming of feet to encourage natural movement, measurement, and selection of the proper shoes, hot shoeing, cold shoeing, forging and shaping shoes to fit and attaching them with nails, providing solutions for lame animals and preventing further injury and correcting misshapen feet. Lonnie strives to continuously create a positive classroom environment the replicates environmental factors of working in the farrier field and focuses on the learning and educational growth of the students. Lonnie has dedicated himself to his family and students to create a long-lasting legacy for future farriers.

 15 years’ experience

 Ranch hand experience 20+ years

 AFA CERTIFIED

 Successfully built a 500 clientele separate from his own farrier practice.

Lonnie's Statement:
"For the past several years, I have focused solely on my progression on teaching techniques that pushed me to discover the most influential and effective forms of teaching that leave lasting results. In addition to being an instructor, being a Farrier is in my blood, and whenever I encounter a new field or area that interests me, I explore it to its roots."

Instructor

Kevin Hatridge

Kevin’s horseshoeing career began in 1987 at a Rocky Mountain Farriers Association contest at the Adams County Fair. It was there that he was introduced to the group of men and women that would collectively and individually mentor him throughout a very successful career. With their teaching and guidance, he was able to pass his American Farriers Association (AFA) Certified Journeyman exam in 1990, just three short years from when he first begun. 

Three years later in 1993, Kevin’s passion and success in competition with his friends and mentors earned him the annual high point title of RMFA Challenge Cup Champion. 

In 1994, he became the local association’s AFA Certification Chairman and for several years thereafter served as an AFA approved tester. 

In 1996, He began his career as a clinician at the AFA Conventions, then subsequently to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and in 2004, offered his services to the Kansas State University Veterinary College as an instructor for the Farrier Short Course. 

In 1998, After winning the previous years division II live shoeing contest, was asked to return to judge the division I classes at the Four Corners Contest. 

In 2010, Kevin was elected President of the RMFA and in his term, with the help of his contest committee, rebranded the Four Corners Contest to become the biggest and most popular contest in Colorado known today as the Colorado Classic. He also organized several successful “Hammer Inns” for continuing education for many farriers that still enjoy successful practices today. 

He shares his passion for ‘shoeing with countless apprentices, including his son Jon, who he worked side by side for over 15 years. 

Kevin currently resides in Thornton, CO with his lovely wife Leslie and his lovable dog Jax. 

He joins us now at the Wyoming School of Horseshoeing to share his passion for the farrier industry and his love for horses. 

Building farriers and making legacies of the west