My Journey to Center of Balance Horseshoeing
On the plane ride home from horseshoeing school back in 1988, I unknowingly started myself on the journey to Ross Smith Center of Balance Horseshoeing. I set a goal to become the best farrier I could be and do everything I could to help horses. I didn't know at the time where this journey would lead me. Over the next several years I gathered as much knowledge and experience as I could. I never avoided a challenge even when I didn't know what to do. I just used my head and figured it out. I wasn't afraid to make mistakes, (and I made a lot of them) but I learned from them. I have always been very critical of myself and am always looking for a better way. I think outside the box. I have always challenged the norm, pushed the limits, did what "they" say is wrong just to see if it is really wrong, and a lot of the time, I found "they" are wrong. I go against tradition. I'm old school and a bit traditional, but too much tradition can be a bad thing. We need to change as the demands on our horses change.
It took me several years to realize I had a God-given talent to shoe horses. When I finally realized that and accepted it, I decided to dedicate my life to helping horses. I shod as many horses as I was able and learned as much as I could. I built a reputation for helping horses with problems, it was all good till age started catching up with me and I couldn't shoe as many horses as I used to or wanted to. Since I needed to slow down my own shoeing business, I continued in fulfilling my goal of helping as many horses as possible by training a few younger guys to be very good farriers.
I invented the COBIT, so that I could do a better job of helping horses. I never intended to sell the COBIT as it was for my own use. I balked at the idea for several years. They said I could sell them and get rich. I'm a simple guy and I have never wanted to be rich. Horses are my life. I have been happy being able to help horses, but I could see I was slowing down. I wasn't going to be able to help as many horses as I used to. That's when my customers convinced me that if I showed the rest of the world the COBIT and how to use it, then teach others my way of shoeing, I could help more horses than I ever have before. So, that is why I agreed to show the rest of the world what the COBIT and Center of Balancing Horseshoeing can do to help horses. After 40 years of shoeing and continuing on my journey, I am still trying to "Help as Many Horses As I Can."