News & Events

Podcasts, Books and a new Website

Podcasts, Books and a new Website

I thought that I would catch you up on what has been happening in the Heartland.

First off, we have another new grandbaby.  Cameron and Jacquelyn welcomed Brynlee Lu Whetten into the world about ten days ago.  She is perfect.  The other grandbabies continue to grow and constantly amaze Kelly and me. 

We are working with a fantastic group of youngsters this year, and what a cultural place it has been...

Read more
The Art of Perspective

The Art of Perspective

Kelly and I recently drove the dodge to New Mexico to pick up the ’69 Gladiator Jeep that I had learned to drive in as a boy. The “Green Machine”. My dad was the second owner from 1975, and my folks gifted the truck to me. I have never been a huge “car guy”, but there is something special about the first truck you ever drove.
Read more
Welcome to the Heartland

Welcome to the Heartland

Thank you for your interest in Heartland Horseshoeing School.  This is one of the smaller schools as well as one of the most difficult.  Not everyone graduates.  Our classes are designed for those persons who wish to be the absolute best at whatever they do.  Farriery is a difficult skill to learn.  Those who are diligent and willing will be successful; those who aren’t, usually do not succeed.  If you bring willingness, desire and dedication, we will provide top-notch, proven education that will propel you to the top of this industry.
Read more
Our Textbook is now an Audiobook!

Our Textbook is now an Audiobook!

We have decided, (with the help of the amazing Mr. Brian Mullins), to offer Gregory’s Textbook of Farriery in an audio format.  When we started on this venture, there was a lot about the audiobook industry that we did not know about.  There is a reason that audiobooks are so expensive, and we were in too deep to turn around when we learned this.  As such, we have this book available with three options.  You can buy the hardcopy of the textbook with the audio book for $220 total.  $140 for just the audiobook.
Read more
The Great Farrier

The Great Farrier

The Great Farrier. I have written on this subject before, but it certainly deserves another visit. After spending the last weekend at the contest in El Reno with the super folks from the Oklahoma Farrier’s Association, I thought this was a great time to put some of these thoughts back into print.
Read more
Post-Pandemic Professions

Post-Pandemic Professions

Who could have ever seen how the world was turned upside down by COVID? Lots of lessons to be learned, and if you are a businessman, you should take notes and make plans. Scratch that, if you are a human, you should take notes and make plans. Like: when it comes to toilet paper, buy more or use less.
Read more
Preparing for Horseshoeing School, The Mindset

Preparing for Horseshoeing School, The Mindset

Getting ready to learn farriery can be a daunting task. Your mind wonders: What will the school be like? How will I get along with fellow students? What will they be like? Will it be hard? Will the instructors be nice? What can I do now to make my time there easier and more productive? Finally – Oh my, is it really time for school to start?
Read more
A Dab of Flight School and the Slow Rasper

A Dab of Flight School and the Slow Rasper

As some of you may know, I am learning to fly.  Cody started this hobby, and he earned his pilot license very quickly and easily.  Faster reflexes and a younger mind.  If you are around southwest Missouri, you should learn to fly in Lamar, Missouri.
Read more
Clinic & Contest with Joe Nygren in the Heartland

Clinic & Contest with Joe Nygren in the Heartland

There is a lot about to be happening at Heartland Horseshoeing School in October. On the 4th and 5th, we are going to have a clinic and little contest with Heartland graduate, Joe Nygren.
Read more
Italian Farrier Congress

Italian Farrier Congress

I am at the end of another trip. As I sit here in the Bologna international airport, I cannot help but reflect on the blessing this life has been. I spent the last couple of days surrounded by farriers that were intent on becoming better at their craft. The sheer number of languages was incredible. Of course Italian and English, but I got to practice my Spanish a ton, heard Polish, Finnish, Dutch, Swiss, German, Portuguese, Czech, and even a little Hebrew for good measure. There were some I couldn’t identify as well, but fun to listen to. It is quite something to see how we all can come together to get the point across when it comes to shoeing, but you can also easily see how the Tower of Babel separated us into the many people groups we now have.
Read more
Travels - Sweden, Part 2

Travels - Sweden, Part 2

At this moment I am sitting on a train, wagon 3, seat 80, as we head north out of Stockholm to Mora. We left our home exactly 26 hours ago, and there is only about 3 left until we finally get to Par Brask’s place in Mora.
Read more
Travels - Sweden, Paris, & 29th Anniversary

Travels - Sweden, Paris, & 29th Anniversary

Who says romance dies in old age? Sure, we can finish each other’s sentences and know what the other is thinking without words after being married and working together for 29 years. All these years in the trenches with me doesn’t mean that Kelly does not deserve a trip to Paris after all this time. So, with that in mind, I set about planning our trip.
Read more
Cody Gregory Makes Farrier Tools

Cody Gregory Makes Farrier Tools

For most of his youth, Cody was the one that would sharpen the hoof knives for his mom and I. He had a knack from a young age, and I didn’t. I thought it was a special gift, and something I did not have. Come to find out, you can learn how to if you really want to or really have to. I finally did learn how to sharpen my knife pretty good. It is quite something to have your own kid serve as an inspiration for yourself, and I am lucky to have a couple of kids that do just that.
Read more
Making Farrier Blacksmiths in the Heartland

Making Farrier Blacksmiths in the Heartland

This winter flew by. Partly because Kelly and I had spent quite a bit of time on the road to warmer regions, it seemed like summer just ended and then our season at Heartland Horseshoeing School had started again. We had done a remodel of the boys section of the bunkhouse over the winter and it was ready for inhabitants.
Read more
Knife Making Clinic

Knife Making Clinic

A few years ago a show came out on the History Channel called Forged In Fire. It is a show where knife makers compete against each other for an eventual prize of $10,000.00. One of the contestants on the very first show was a knife maker that lives a couple hours away from Heartland Horseshoeing School named Billy Helton. I had the pleasure of meeting Billy at a Boy Scout rendezvous in Joplin where I was demonstrating shoeing and he was demonstrating knife making. To say we hit it off would be an understatement. We both have very similar values and a love of Jesus, and it was easy to form a friendship over our similar interests involving hot iron.
Read more
Travels - Anderson, South Carolina

Travels - Anderson, South Carolina

Doing clinics is a lot of fun, and they all have their unique feel to them. One of the biggest blessings in my career is that so many of the clinics that I get to do are being done with and for people who we consider good and close friends. There could be no better definition of Shearer Wludyka and Sheila Langford.
Read more
Travels - Minco, Oklahoma

Travels - Minco, Oklahoma

We have done a lot of whole horse dissections in the Heartland. They are amazing learning opportunities, and I learn again every time we do one. There is more to know about equine anatomy than I will ever learn, but adding a little bit to it whenever I can is a great thing.
Read more
Travels - Cincinnati, Ohio

Travels - Cincinnati, Ohio

When I got back from Lee’s it was time to wash clothes and repack them for the trip to Cincinnati. I have been to the Summit every year, and was lucky enough to be a speaker again this year.
Read more