PROVENANCE: Museum Exhibit from the private collection of the late Doug Bradbury's Estate, formally exhibited in the Bradbury's Private "UK Horseshoeing Museum" at Clay Cross

#Doug Bradbury FWCF (1937 - 2020) is a lifelong resident of Clay Cross in England and from his modest heritage, Bradbury became internationally known as a "Master Farrier." The great-grandfather set up his farriery and forge in Clay Cross and later opened a private museum dedicated to the farriery craft, known as the "UK Horseshoeing Museum" Doug Bradbury was headed for a career underground in the Parkhouse Colliery in his home village of Clay Cross. “It was either down the pit or in the army,” Doug learned to shoe underground in a coal mine. Doug is known worldwide and has travelled to many countries to help teach farriers and or to shoe horses on assignment. In 2002 Doug retired at age 65 to dedicate more time to the museum. The museum attracted Horse People from far and wide. The Museum has many interesting collections relating to military farriery in both World Wars and covers all the special equipment needed for horses working the mines, streets, and tasks that required special traction, such as ice and snow or maneuvering through deep mud in bogs. Bradbury was granted the title of Member of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his services to the farriery profession by Queen Elizabeth II, who announced  "Doug Bradbury is far from inactive; he has transformed the old forge offices into a carefully-curated museum of farrier history, known as the UK Horseshoeing Museum, and offers colourful and interesting “The Life of a Farrier” lectures to groups across the British Isles." In 2018, Doug was awarded an MBE for his services to the farrier profession presented to him in May 2018 by HRH Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace.