The therapeutic farrier returns to teach

As Jamie Secoura watched the surgical team remove a growth buried deep inside the horse's hoof, she knew this wasn't the kind of case most farriers would ever encounter in routine practice.

But here in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, surrounded by veterinarians sharing radiographs and planning therapeutic approaches together, she was seeing the future of equine care. 

That was nearly a decade ago, during Secoura's residency at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Now she's back as Chief of Farrier Services, trading her successful Maryland farrier business for the chance to shape how veterinarians and farriers work together.

"I always knew this was something I wanted to come back to," said Secoura, who returned to the veterinary college this fall. "When Travis asked me, there was no hesitation." 

Travis Burns, the newly appointed hospital administrator who also serves as an associate professor of practice, had mentored Secoura during her internship and residency from 2014 to 2016. Burns, recently inducted into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame, urged her to gain real-world experience first.

"You have to run your own business," he told her back then. "You can only get so far working for somebody else." 

That advice paid off. For nearly 10 years, Secoura built JS Farrier Service in Harwood, Maryland, into a thriving practice specializing in therapeutic work. Word of mouth from veterinary recommendations kept her busy, along with referrals from other farriers who sought both her direct services for complex cases and her guidance in collaborative problem-solving.

More than horseshoes and hot metal 

The path to this moment began in childhood, next to a boarding barn in Millersville, Maryland. At five, Secoura convinced her parents to let her start taking riding lessons.

But it was her own horse's problems that sparked her interest in farriery. The horse had navicular disease, a progressive degenerative condition affecting the navicular bone and surrounding structures that causes pain in the back half of the foot. The farrier treating her horse was Mike Poe, an AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier and Associate with the Worshipful Company of Farriers in Britain, who took time to educate the young owner about specialty shoeing techniques. 

"He was my first mentor and still one of my closest friends," Secoura said.

Under Poe's guidance, she attended the Kentucky Horseshoeing School for its nine-month program. While many people picture farriery as simply hammering metal and nailing it to hooves, the school's emphasis on anatomy and physiology revealed the true complexity of the work. 

"Understanding how, as farriers, we affect not only the feet but the limb and the rest of the body," Secoura explained. "Understanding what we're actually working on, not just shoeing the outside of the foot, but understanding how the structures work and move."

That foundation led to her specialization in therapeutic and corrective work—solving puzzles. "You could have 10 different horses with the same exact issue, but you need 10 different shoeing setups," she said. "Really just trying to figure out what works for that individual horse and their specific needs." 

The art of collaboration

At the veterinary college, Secoura gained exposure to cases and diagnostic tools unavailable in typical private practice. More importantly, she experienced what effective veterinarian-farrier collaboration looked like. 

Working with Burns and equine clinician Scott Pleasant, now professor emeritus of equine surgery and podiatry, showed her an outstanding model of professional partnership.

"They were arguably the ultimate vet-farrier team," she said. "No egos involved, just trying to better the horse and figure out what works for each case." 

This shaped how she approached relationships with veterinarians throughout her decade in private practice. The collaborative mindset she learned at the veterinary college set her apart.

Building the next generation 

Secoura now brings that collaborative philosophy back to train veterinary students who will carry those expectations into their careers. This coincides with expanded podiatry education at the veterinary college, including a dedicated rotation that didn't exist during her residency.

"It sets them up for success," she said of the enhanced curriculum that includes dedicated podiatry rotations. "The farrier and podiatry experience they get here prepares them to work collaboratively with farriers. As a farrier, it's fantastic. It's how it should be." 

Her goals extend beyond the classroom. Secoura aims to expand the service's caseload, recruit additional farrier interns, and increase outreach to local farriers and veterinarians. She envisions joint educational programs that strengthen professional relationships across the region, including short-term programs for practicing farriers who want specialized training but cannot commit to a full residency.

"I want to assure the farrier and veterinary community that nothing will change in terms of our commitment to supporting local practitioners," Secoura said. "Whether that's hosting clinics, giving talks to farrier groups, or simply being available as a resource—I'm here to help grow what Travis and Scott Pleasant built." 

Coming full circle

Secoura holds Certified Journeyman Farrier status—the highest certification available—plus a Therapeutic Endorsement, which recognizes specialized expertise in corrective and therapeutic shoeing techniques, and a Diploma in Farriery from the Worshipful Company of Farriers in the UK. 

Leaving her established practice wasn't easy. "I love all the horses I work on. I love all my clients. I consider so many of them my friends," she said. The decision created guilt about abandoning an area already short of farriers.

But the pull to give back was stronger. At the teaching hospital, she could work on the kind of complex cases that come through with a whole team of veterinarians weighing in. 

"Part of me felt like I have so much to give, and I think this is the place to give it," Secoura said.

Her research interests include studying the effects of frog and sole pressure, managing hoof wall cracks and defects, and examining the long-term effects of different shoe types on hoof morphology. These investigations will inform evidence-based approaches to therapeutic farriery. 

Outside the clinic, Secoura enjoys hiking around Blacksburg with her two dogs—a Dalmatian and a rescued Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix from the Radford Animal Shelter. She misses the Chesapeake Bay after years of living in Maryland, but appreciates the outdoor recreation opportunities the mountains provide.

The career arc from a curious 5-year-old rider to an experienced farrier and educator shows how passion serves purpose. By returning to where her specialized training began, Secoura completes a circle that promises to strengthen equine care across the region—one collaborative relationship at a time.