Little known trade that's not horsing around

By Christian Price, NEWS9.com INsite Team

PURCELL, Okla. -- Oklahoma is home to the world's largest horseshoeing school. 

People from around the world travel to attend. Many people don't realize this trade is still in existence.  Not only is horseshoeing thriving, you can make a good living at it.

School owner and Director Jack Roth, who is also a retired veterinarian, encourages people to learn horseshoeing.

"I paid for my education. I paid for my surgical tools and my books and everything," Roth said. "I also supported my wife and three children, all through veterinarian school easily, working part time shodding horses."

The amount one charges to shoe a horse depends on the regieons rates. Roth points out that there are initial expenses, but at the end of the work day it all balances out.

"You have to buy horse shoes and nails, but when you get done, you're probably making $50 dollars an hour the whole day," Roth said.

Some students come to the school seeking a retirement job.

"We've had several customers that bought their equipment, set up a shop in a trailer, pulled it behind a motor home, and then went around the country touring with their wife as a retirement," Roth said. "Wherever they'd stop, they'd pull into riding stables or somewhere and shoe horses enough to keep their trip going."

According to Roth, anyone can do this profession. Women make up 15% of his classes.

Young and old, all students who attend the horse shoeing school have one goal.

"The dream of every single student in the shop is to change his or her life, and they do," Roth said.