The following is reproduced from an interview with Mike Williams in The Farriers Trading Post, December 2001.
Cecil Swan is a charming, enigmatic pillar of our profession. I first saw Cecil during my apprenticeship. I was sitting on a fence with my foot on his footstand, and he needed it quick - and took it. I remember being scared...!
Age and birthplace...?
If you had asked me yesterday, 52. Now 53. Born 7th November, Johannesburg, South Africa.
What does the "T" stand for?
"T-Square", or Tony.
What brought you to the UK?
To join the Fleet Air Arm to learn to fly helicopters. Sadly the closest I got was to fly models.
Why farriery?
When flying helicopters didn't work out there was a series of different jobs - Van Driver, Banqueting Porter at the Cavendish Hotel, even working at a slaughterhouse as a gut man - but obviously there was no job satisfaction. Then a friend of my mother suggested I become a farrier. At the time, despite having grown up with horses in Africa, and having ridden competitively, I didn't know what the word meant! Then began the long haul to find a farrier who would be prepared to take on a mature apprentice. I went down every avenue, the Army, the Canadian Mounties... until, fortunately, I approached David Gulley and went on to qualify as a farrier in 1977.
Who are your farriery influences?
Firstly, David Gulley. He was the man who was prepared to give me a chance in life and to whom I am eternally grateful. I have huge admiration for the life and work of Edward Martin, also for his fellow Scot David Wilson and many others north of the border. From the United States, Burney Chapman, Doug Butler and more recently, Gene Ovinek. All those farriers with whom I have competed have made a great impression on me - there's so much talent out there. But even the humble Indian farrier working in the back streets of Bombay has had an influence on me.
Horses that have influenced you...?
The ones that have outsmarted me and the ones to whom I have been unwittingly unkind. For example, a horse may be giving you a hard time, you chastise it, then when you then pick up the other foot you discover that there's a big stone trapped there! These are the horses that have taught me a lesson and I continue to learn from them.
The Swan Forge is a great success. Tell us how it came about?
I am always looking to improve the tools used in our workplace. The idea was conceived after my first visit to America. At the time the American gas forges were more efficient than the only model available to us in the UK and I decided to design an alternative. I was determined to make a forge that was well insulated, safe and economical to run. Previously, a bottle of gas had lasted for 40-50 sets of shoes. The new design Swan Forge allowed 236 sets to be heated on the same bottle of gas. The first SWAN PORTAFORGE was produced in 1985 and the main selling point was that the savings made on gas in the first year of ownership paid for the forge!
What was the greatest or proudest moment of your career?
When horses started to feel relaxed when I was working on them. Seeing my apprentices becoming successful in business and competitions. Being accepted by fellow blacksmiths and farriers during my travels.
You made no mention of being President of the Association...?
Being elected onto the executive committee and ultimately becoming President and having the full support of the Association, Worshipful Company of Farriers and The Registration Council was a great privilege and high point of my career. The President represents the committee and the membership's wishes and I valued that opportunity and gained great experience from working with a good team.
If you were able to predict the future what changes would you see for the modern farrier?
The fixed forge or workshop will take a downturn, mobile forges and workshops will be the norm. The modern farrier will need to be skilled in the use of all materials including modern synthetics, composites and glues. There will be more problems with cases of litigation and increasingly more legislation.
What advice would you offer to the newly qualified farrier?
Provide a good service and a professional attitude to your client and their horse. Morals... Never do things that you believe are bad for the horse just because it is what the owner wants. Pursue and attain Continued Professional Development, attend clinics and workshops. Read as much as you can, but be discerning, there is a lot of contradictory information out there. Your work is with the horse for six to eight weeks, so shoe the horse well. Look after your body, it's the best instrument you will ever own.
You always seem to be at the cutting edge. How do you achieve this?
I have made it my business to work with as many farriers and blacksmiths as possible and have learnt something from all of them, even if it is only how lucky I am. Uri Hofi, an Israeli blacksmith has been a particular inspiration to me, through his hammer techniques he has showed me how to move metal. I have tried to keep an open and enquiring mind and to try new products when the opportunity arises. I am now very fortunate to have Richard Ellis in our team. He has given me confidence to try out different techniques and now has me clipping with a square faced cross pein hammer. I enjoy shoemaking more with my new skill and my bob punch is now rusty! Finally, I have tried not to get bogged down by tradition.
Do you have a motto you could share with us?
"If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got" These words of wisdom were passed on to me by John Ford, who had heard them from Mark Caldwell's father. Also I have a Chinese proverb:
If you know the point of balance, you can settle the details.
If you can settle the details, you can stop running around.
If you can stop running around, your mind will become calm.
If your mind becomes calm, you can think in front of a tiger.
If you can think in front of a tiger, you will surely succeed.
A funny story you could share with us...?
I was shoeing in Texas and was complimenting a farrier on the length and width for expansion he was giving the horse he was shoeing and I asked him if he ever lost any shoes this way? His response was that he never lost any shoes this way. When he went away to trim some other horses I spoke to the owner and in praising him told her how lucky she was to have such a good farrier who never lost a shoe. Her reply was "I have to hold the horse at all times. If I let it go for five minutes, it'll have no shoes on at all!"
Finally, any regrets?
Yes, not wearing earplugs right from the start. I suffer from tinnitus and as I mentioned earlier, farriers should look after their bodies!