Why do I need a farrier?
Horse's feet grow like a finger or toe nail. Interestingly, a horse walks on it's anatomically comparative finger or toe with the "nail" wrapped around the whole end of it. Like our nails, they grow. Since horses are domesticated and do domesticated things, they need regular care to stay happy and healthy. A farrier has specialized training, experience, and tools to take care of horse's hooves.
Does it hurt?
Me or the horse? It's not supposed to. Every farrier will occasionally cut a hoof to short, prick a horse with a horseshoe nail, or some other stupid thing to cause the horse some discomfort. Likewise, a horse can kick, bite, or jerk around, which hurts the farrier. They could complicate that danger while a nail is being driven, which, when ripped through a hand or leg, does hurt.
How often does my horse need a farrier?
That largely depends on daylight hours and use of the horse. In the winter when a horse is not used, a few can go 10 weeks or more. In the summer when the horse is in full campaign mode, it can be as quickly as 3 weeks. I often complain about the seasonal nature of my business. In the winter I don't work much at all in the Cincinnati area and in the summer, I can't keep up with 16 hour days. People are often suprised by that. Typically, a horse goes 6 or 7 weeks from Thanksgiving to April or May barefoot. Then it's riding time and shoes go on and the rotation quickens to 4-5 weeks, and again, sometimes 3 weeks. Those few 3 week horses and the many 4 week horses that are competing often have other consuming modifications like trailers, traction, pads, acrylic, bar shoes, or some other performance or therapeutic horseshoe or application which is not seen much in the dark dank of winter. If you put something helpful on, it would just come off in the goo or just not matter because horseshoes don't help horses in the mud.
Why does my horse need shoes?
Horseshoes are only necessary when a horse can't do it's job without them. Think about walking around barefoot. Sure you could do it, but do you want to? That depends on if you are lounging around the house or yard or working on the road. Often, if a horse is being used more than 3 times a week for an hour or more each time on varied terrain, then you might consider front shoes. If your horse is being asked to train and perform, often hind shoes are very helpful. Often, if the horse is foot sore, then shoes are needed.
What is hot fitting?
Hot fitting benefits the horse, the owner, and the farrier. It would seem to me the way God intends to have us do it.
It benefits the horse because when a hot shoe is fit to the freshly trimmed hoof, it seals the frayed horn tubules keeping the hoof moisture more stable. It also kills flora and fauna which could attach the vulnerable laminae (white line), and furthermore, the burned hoof is not good food for those things to re-establish. Another benefit is that when a farrier trims a hoof and makes a shoe, those two surfaces are not going to be perfectly matched. That difference causes vibrations, which over time, quickens the loosening of the shoe and distortion of the hoof wall. Hot fitting corrects that and a regularly hot fit hoof looks much healthier than a regularly cold shod one.
It benefits the owner because it increases the value of the care for your horse. A well shod horse can do more and with less problems like compromised hoof and thrown shoes.
It benefits the farrier in the same way as the owner, but also it is a farrier specific health benefit. Beating on cold shoes to shape them isn't good for the arms. Shaping them properly in the forge results in a far smoother event in shapeing the shoe for shoe and shoer.
Some horses are afraid of the smoke and noise at first. When properly introduced, most horses get over the fear quickly and never are concerned again. Others are intolerant and so they just don't get hot fit.
Why do you use hand-made shoes?
I use hand made shoes because I think they are the best. They allow for truely custom fit and balance. Other advanced features such as creasing and punching allows for specific needs of a horse to be addressed in terms of traction and nail placement as well as weight and mechanical balance. A skilled farrier with a bar of steel or aluminum is the best thing for a horse in need of shoes.