Farrier Jack Schwarz shoes a horse at training stables owned by Ron Stevens. Mr. Schwarz is part of a large community in Aiken that benefits from a vibrant horse industry. RON COCKERILLE/STAFF

Horses pull their weight economically

Web posted March 17, 2000

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By Margaret N. O'Shea
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN -- Nothing much is certain about horses, which is why people bet on them at the tracks.

But one certainty around Aiken, where 1,000 or so horses live and train, is that they generate plenty of jobs, including a few that aren't likely to occur to even the most imaginative child who says, ``When I grow up, I want to be ...''

There are exercise riders, jockeys, trainers, handlers, stable personnel, veterinarians, masseurs, farriers and -- this is straight from the horse's mouth -- even equine dentists. Then there are people who blend and sell feed, supply feed tubs and water troughs, sell and repair riding equipment, build fences, transport horses, deliver wood shavings and haul off manure.

Artists, photographers and writers who focus on horses are part of the unique mix as well.

Because at least 750 of the horses owned, ridden and bred in Aiken are not part of the seasonal racing scene, some of those jobs last year-round.

There are no firm figures on what all that means to Aiken's economy, although the city accounts for a substantial share of the estimated $365 million that the horse industry generates statewide, according to Clemson University equine specialists.

Triple Crown Section  Race for the crown  Steeplechase event grows  Horses help economy  Trials test young horses  Facilities draw trainers  Gelderlanders to compete  Harness racing fever  Harness racing began as a 'church activity'   MAPS  Aiken Trials  Steeplechase  Harness Race

And horse-related money multiplied throughout the economy accounts for about 18 percent of the gross state product, according to the South Carolina Agriculture Department's Horsemen's Council.

Trainer Ron Stevens, whose stables operate year-round, says there are extras that probably don't get counted, too.

``Take just one aspect -- say, buying feed from a feed store,'' Mr. Stevens says. ``Somebody bought the property and built the store. That's good for the real estate market and construction business. The feed is probably imported, and some trucker brings it down. Then there's housing and groceries and other consumable goods for the store personnel.''

Throw in housing and groceries for horse workers who live here full- or part-time, or motels and restaurants for others who visit because horses are here, and it's easy to see why an appreciative city government throws a catered bash every year at Rye Patch.

Monetta farrier Jack Schwarz has built two businesses on horses. One involves keeping them shod and trued. The other involves manufacturing mobile blacksmith shops like his own to ship around the world.

That's because horseshoes no longer are beaten out at an anvil and forged in a fiery furnace. They can be ordered made in different sizes out of lightweight aluminum for race horses and steel for others. The traditional coal-fired furnace in the middle of a barn has been replaced by a microwave-oven size forge powered by propane gas. And the hours of filing that used to be required to finish a horseshoe and bevel the edges can be done now with a power grinder and sander.

What hasn't changed, Mr. Schwarz said, is that horses need a farrier's services every six to eight weeks for the health of their feet and legs. The old shoe has to be removed and the hoof trimmed to align it properly with the horse's leg and ankle.

Without that kind of maintenance, a horse can develop tenderness or stumbling problems that are dangerous to both the animal and its rider.

``I stay busy year-round,'' Mr. Schwarz said, ``whereas 20 years ago, I'd shut down for the summer.''

That's partly because stables like Mr. Stevens' don't close. During thoroughbred training season, he keeps young horses preparing to race. In other months, he fills the stalls with older horses. Mr. Schwarz drops by once a month.

``This is really a serious business,'' the farrier said. ``These are expensive animals, and the sooner we get them ready, the sooner they get to the track and start making money.''

He also works on pleasure horses, which abound in Aiken.

Locally, Banks Mill Feed Co. turns out about 200,000 pounds of feed a year for large stables and retailers. It's blended by computer in 30 or so recipes that are customized for different types of horses, depending on what they do and how many calories they burn doing it.

Saddles, bridles and other tack are available in Aiken.

So are the folks who repair them.

Mr. Stevens recently spoke to the Aiken Chamber of Commerce about the horse industry and its benefit to the city and county. People not directly connected with it are often amazed at its scope, he said.

Some benefit without even knowing it, such as hunters who use Bill Harper's farm near Couchton for dove shoots.

Mr. Harper grows coastal bermuda, wheat, milo, millet and corn for the birds. It's fertilized with what horses produce in abundance.

Reach Margaret N. O'Shea at (803) 279-6895.