Noticing a shortage of hoof trimming services in the area, 28-year-old Scotlynn Hay quit her job at the mine and started trimming hooves across the Rainy River District, Dryden and Kenora.
Hay’s love for horses began when she was 6-years-old in Thunder Bay when she learned what a healthy horse’s foot looks like. Although she went to school for electrical engineering, Hay considers horses to be her true calling in life. Furthermore, Hay wouldn’t be where she is today without mentorship. A registered hoof trimmer with the Manitoba Hoof Geeks, Hay suggested horses get hoof trimming on a regular basis for better overall horse health.
“I was raised in Thunder Bay, but I was originally born in Fort Frances,” said Hay.
“We never had to worry about not having a farrier in Thunder Bay. But, when I moved out [to the Fort Frances] area, it’s a desperate need. It’s very hard to find someone to trim your horses… we just lack it in our area, like a lot of things.”
Hay had an opportunity to learn about hoof trimming from her farrier before he left Northwestern Ontario to the province of Alberta. So, Hay slowly started growing her own clientele.
“My farrier, [Dylan Neergard,] moved out to Alberta,” said Hay.
“He started taking me around with him so that I could learn how to trim my own horses. As I met his clientele, I got to know a bunch of people in the area who were interested in having me do it for them as well. So, I slowly started adding clients, and I worked alongside him before he moved out to Alberta.”
Since gathering clients one after another, Hay looks back on two years of hoof trimming service to the community.
“It was two years last week that I’ve been doing it publicly for other people,” said Hay.
“I’ve been riding horses since I was six years old, and always had a passion for it. I’ve always had an idea of what a healthy foot should look like.”
Although she had the background helping her to better understand hoof care, Hay went to school for electrical engineering before leaving her job to pursue hoof trimming.
“I took Electrical Engineering Technology in school, and I went to Central Pipelines right out of college for three years,” said Hay.
“I went to the mine for three years doing a communication technician job. So, I was there three years, and then I quit, and now I do this full time.”
For Hay, the animals she works with have become a significant part of her life.
“Horses in general are my calling,” said Hay.
“I also buy horses. So, I’ll buy a young horse that has totally been untrained or unhandled, and then I train it. Then I will sell it after having it for, you know, a set amount of time depending on the horse. Training my horses and then selling them, I would say that’s my number one passion. But, horses in general are a passion. I just am so, like, in love with learning whatever I can about them.”
More than anything, Hay’s interest focuses on quarter horses.
“I’m pretty stuck on the quarter horses,” said Hay. “I’ve definitely owned other horses, but quarter horses are my thing.”
While Hay’s ultimate goal is to train horses for a living, she has “grown to love” hoof trimming.
“Eventually, I want to start training horses for other people, but, right now, I just train my own and sell them,” said Hay.
“The hoof trimming is just a thing that I’ve grown to love.”
Moreover, this love was fostered by Hay’s mentor, Della Criderman.
“I’ve had very good mentors over the years,” said Hays.
“I was pretty much raised by Della Cryderman and Cryderman Quarter Horses in Thunder Bay. So, I owe a lot of my knowledge of riding and everything to them. I’ve been riding with her since I was ten, and I’m 28 now. I’ve been with Della for a long time.”
But, it was the mentorship of Dylan Neergard that gave Hay her foundational knowledge of hoof trimming.
“Dylan Neergard [was another mentor.] He was from Thunder Bay, but he came to our area because there was such a shortage. He came to our area and, you know, maintained all our horses for us,” said Hay.
“I was mentored by Dylan for the farrier business, but I went away to a clinic with the Hoof Geeks in Manitoba. I’m actually on their website now as a registered trimmer.”
Hay said she thinks it is important to keep horses on a regular hoof trimming schedule.
“I think a big thing is keeping them on a schedule and maintaining them,” said Hay.
“No hoof, no horse. So, they need their feet trimmed on a regular basis to make sure that they’re the healthiest they can possibly be, because everything starts at the feet.”
“Each horse is different, but, when a hoof gets too long, it causes a lot of mechanical issues. It’s like if you’re wearing a shoe that’s too big all the time,” she continued.
“It becomes a lot of mechanical problems with the horses internally and in their entire body. So, a proper trim is the start to everything.”
