Jordan Levisky AKA "Texas"

My third blog for this year is also a Canadian female farrier. I think this is Heartland Horseshoeing School’s Year of the Woman, as we have more females than males. That is a first in my 26-year career of running a farrier school. The student for this blog is Jordan Levisky, aka – Texas. I always notice the color of a person’s eyes when I first meet them. It is a feature that I end up associating with people who have intense colors in their eyes. Jordan happens to have one brown eye and one green. It is such a cool and unique feature, but one that our beloved Australian Shepherd, Texas, also has. If I ever have to get a glass eye, I think I will get it made in a different color.

Texas and Texas

Suns out – guns out.

Texas is from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Her horse history is being very active in Pony Club. She attained a C2 riding and B Stable Management through Pony Club. I don’t personally know a lot about Pony Club, but from what I have seen out of Jordan, I have been really impressed with her level of horsemanship and knowledge. Her mom is also an equine masseuse. Texas started with horses at summer camp. That led to lessons and more camps, and finally led to horse ownership for both Texas and her mom.

Texas is only 20, but she has spent the last six years working in retail shoe sales. She also rode with local farriers and had some trimming experience before coming to Heartland Horseshoeing School. There is no doubt that shoes are going to be a part of her life, only she has decided to trade in working with people shoes for horseshoes. She also graduated from college with a degree in business management and entrepreneurship. That sort of academic background will certainly help becoming a self-employed farrier. However, I think Texas already possesses the attributes that will make her great. Drive, determination, and that grit which isn’t taught, but is a part of some people.

A few years ago we had a young lady from Canada that we called Pocahontas. Her real name was Jaime Francis, and Texas reminds me a lot of her. Both were so lean that they could have changed their clothes in privacy behind a hammer handle, but both of them had an extreme drive and determination that more than made up for their slight build. In the beginning, there was a lot of pain and hard work while they forced their bodies to build the muscles required to forge at the level we demand at Heartland Horseshoeing School. Texas’s hands at the end of week one looked like they had been drug behind a horse down a dirt road. She put some Triactin (Try-acting like a man) on it, and never backed off. It was incredible to see how she pushed past the pain, and I know that this young lady will be able to accomplish anything that she sets her mind to.

This is Jordan’s hand on day 4.

Throughout my teaching career in this great farrier trade, I have been able to see all sorts of students and personalities come through. One of the biggest blessings of being in the Heartland is that we tend to attract the most incredible students that are already great people and high achievers in whatever else they have done before. All of them have gifts that allow them to excel in one part of the course. The ones that really impress me the most are the ones like Texas who are able to change their weaknesses into their strengths. It takes a lot of personal fortitude to come as far and as fast in the forge as Texas has, and I can’t wait to see what another 10 weeks will show.   I really wish she was in the Journeyman Farrier Course, but I also have no doubt that Jordan was made to be a farrier, and will be extremely successful. If you are lucky enough to get her to shoe for you, she will help your horses be successful as well.

Horses seem to like Texas

Heading towards a hot fit.

   

Early days, watching and learning.

Texas getting a hand-on feel of anatomy

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