When faced with a dangerous diagnosis recovery depends on cohesive collaboration between owner, vet, and farrier.
Everyone wants the same outcome, yet communication often implodes—leading to conflict and poor results. Why?
Despite sharing a common goal, communication often falls apart due to a mix of psychological, social, and structural factors.
In this talk by Ben Benson you will learn to identify primary reasons breakdown happens and how to avoid falling victim to these pitfalls.
This talk will give you actionable tools to navigate challenges with ease when friction arises, ensuring a cohesive approach to your patient’s outcome.
Questions we will explore:
You will gain practical strategies for:
The son of a farrier, Ben began his apprenticeship in 1999 under Haydn Price DipWCF and D.P. Smith AWCF. During this time, he represented both the Apprentice and Senior Welsh Farrier teams and won two individual National Championships.
After qualifying in 2003, Ben’s passion for working with performance horses deepened. He became increasingly interested in how farriery could influence gait, soundness, and range of movement. This interest led him to specialise in both remedial and performance shoeing—areas for which he has since become well known.
Today, Ben runs a successful farriery business based in North Oxfordshire. He employs both qualified farriers and apprentices and serves a wide client base, from leisure horses to 5* and Olympic-level competitors. His team works closely with veterinary practices and other equestrian professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for each horse.
In 2016, Ben earned his Associate qualification with the Worshipful Company of Farriers (AWCF). A year later, in 2017, he was named the 77th Master Farrier in the UK by the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
Ben was a lead farrier at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He went on to serve as Head Farrier at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and most recently attended Paris 2024 as team farrier for the Swedish eventing team.
His professional portfolio also includes farriery support for the British Equestrian Federation’s talent pathway squad, as well as involvement in the Asian Games, European Championships, Nations Cup teams, and the World Equestrian Games.
Ben is passionate about education and regularly delivers training to farriers and other equestrian professionals—including vets, physios, coaches, and saddle fitters—both in the UK and internationally. His work has taken him as far as Brazil, Zimbabwe, Sweden, and Japan. He also presents for professional associations such as BEVA, ACPAT, NAVP, and the BHS, as well as Riding Clubs and various discipline-specific member bodies.
Most recently, Ben completed his term as President of the Executive Committee for the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association.
