Steve Teichman spent his first profession caring for horses’ hooves at equestrian occasions across the globe. Some world class riders, horse homeowners and trainers described him as an artist due to the best way he stored their horses sound earlier than, throughout and after Olympic and different competitions.
At present, Teichman has gone again to his pre-farrier roots when, throughout his teenage years, he was a budding artist and had hoped to review for an artwork diploma and pursue a portray profession.
“It took somewhat longer to get right here than I anticipated,” Teichman mentioned, whereas surrounded by his current creations at his Kennett Sq., Pennsylvania, studio. He spends a part of day by day creating watercolor work and distinctive jewellery from silver, copper, valuable and semi-precious stones.
The now-retired farrier turned critical pastime artist explains he nonetheless depends on his arms and abilities he discovered in his first profession and really nonetheless makes use of a number of the instruments that he relied on engaged on horses’ toes in making jewellery, however his portray is a direct connection to his work as an adolescent. Teichman by no means fully gave up his artwork, discovering time to attract and sketch every time he might all through his greater than four-decades-long farrier profession.
The journey from farrier to artist is an attention-grabbing one and never one which Teichman truly deliberate.
“My dad actually needed me to get a level from a four-year school,” Teichman mentioned, “and no matter what I used to be going to do in life, it was going to be after I obtained a bachelor’s diploma which I did at Jap Faculty (now College) in my hometown of St. Davids (Pennsylvania).”
Steve Teichman at his Chester County, Pa., studio.
Considered one of 9 youngsters, as an adolescent Teichman utilized for a place — inspired by his father — as an intern on the Warrington’s Farrier faculty run by Eddie Warrington, a revered Delaware farrier for standardbred horses. It was step one in what grew to become an extended and distinguished profession.
“I discovered the old-school farrier enterprise of the mid-Twentieth century that summer season,” Teichman mentioned, “and though I most likely would quite have been portray, at simply 15 years previous, I instantly had a talent that grew to become a part-time job and a supply of earnings, giving me a level of independence, proper by way of school.”
Though not a horseman himself, Teichman grew up on Philadelphia’s Major Line the place many giant properties and estates had small stables and barns the place household horses had been housed. “Horses want sneakers modified and their hoofs trimmed frequently and the massive farrier companies round us needed no a part of this work,” Teichman mentioned, “however for me it was the right after-school and weekend job and for an adolescent it paid effectively.”
From school, Teichman took his horse expertise to the College of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Heart in Chester County, one of many nation’s premier amenities in veterinary training. He interned with New Bolton farrier R.J. Charles. With a four-year diploma and a significant in biology, Teichman was allowed to enroll within the giant animal programs taken by third-year vet college students whereas at New Bolton which gave him an in-depth understanding of the physiology of horses he was engaged on.
And, mentioned Teichman, “I used to be within the midst of horse nation the place I volunteered to do farrier work at Chester Nation equestrian occasions to hone my abilities each whereas at New Bolton and post-internship after I arrange my first farrier enterprise.”
Together with his work at many main equestrian occasions, Teichman quickly gained a status as what was known as a priceless drawback solver.
“Pre-2000, throughout what was then a grueling cross nation portion of the triathlon Eventing competitors (cross nation, dressage and leaping), horses had been allowed a 10-minute relaxation between occasions and lots of would come off the lengthy cross nation course with a necessity for rapid and fast consideration or they might be pulled from the competitors by a veterinarian.” Teichman mentioned.
Teichman had a knack for rapidly having the ability to assess the difficulty and to make changes to hooves with cushioning pads and different strategies that addressed the vet’s considerations and allowed the horse to be cleared to proceed onto dressage and leaping occasions.
Teichman smiled when he mentioned it was removed from creative however he grew to become extraordinarily priceless and in demand to homeowners and riders and constructed a status that led to the decision from america Equestrian Federation (now Equestrian Crew) within the fall of 1996. “I grew to become one of many professionals charged with retaining (equine) world-class Olympic athletes sound and prepared for competitors. It’s an enormous accountability and worrying. I spent 26 years working with USET horses and riders at a number of Olympic and world championship occasions across the globe.”
Within the fall of 2019, well being compelled Teichman to maneuver into retirement and he has been ready to focus on his creative pursuits. Combining his love of artwork together with his farrier and forging abilities, he started to create jewellery for household and associates that has led right into a small pastime enterprise with a lot of his work having an equine connection.
Teichman walked away from the farrier enterprise, bought his tools and work trailer and hasn’t seemed again. Nevertheless, he says, “I do discover myself visiting with many equestrian homeowners, trainers and riders after I ship jewellery to them at competitions in and round Chester County.”
Teichman’s artwork takes two distinct kinds: watercolor portray and jewellery made out of silver, copper and stone within the type of cuffs, bracelets and necklaces.
His watercolors focus totally on landscapes achieved from sketches on journeys all through the world in addition to what he calls the weird facial expressions of donkeys.
“The donkey is a hybrid mammal cross between two species — the horse and home donkey — and there are some 40 million donkeys worldwide used primarily as draught and pack animals,” Teichman mentioned.
Teichman famous donkeys have uncommon expressions. “I’ve seen them all around the world and sketched them a whole bunch of occasions. I do each impressionistic and practical watercolor donkey portray.”
Teichman’s jewellery consists of silver bracelets, some achieved particularly for equestrians which are stamped with stars representing the four- and five- star equestrian competitions wherein they compete. Teichman nonetheless is well-known within the equestrian circles and lots of riders attain out to him by way of social media to vogue four- or five-star bracelets that signify the extent of competitors they participate in. Teichman truly will get to make use of a few of his small farrier instruments within the stamping course of.
The farrier-now-artist additionally does silver cuffs in all sizes with intricate, authentic designs he engraves by hand, generally taking as many as 20 hours.
Teichman additionally could incorporate turquoise in his jewellery to offer the cuffs a distinctly western aptitude. Cuff jewellery dates again greater than 7,000 years to the Egyptians, Mayans and Incas.
This previous spring Teichman’s studio was a part of the Chester County studio tour the place he welcomed many associates from his equestrian days and new artwork followers, who bought watercolor prints and items of knickknack.
Teichman, 63, is effectively into his second profession, having moved seamlessly from utilizing his arms to work on horses’ toes and hooves to utilizing them to create distinctive items of knickknack and watercolors. He’s not bent over 45 levels with a horse’s hoof between his legs.
“The view is lots higher.” Teichman mentioned, “I get pleasure from what I do and am very comfy in my new profession.”
