Phot, there always be a need for farriers, whether it's for the race track, the military, sheriff's posses, arenas, show teams, horse clubs, whatever. If you really want to be one, get the schooling and have at it.

My father, as well as farming with them, logged (lumberjacked) with draft horses in a small gyppo operation. He much preferred the horses to tractors, because the horses were active participants in the job.

We never had ponies, never had 'child-sized' horses. I remember one mare that wasn't as tall as most of them; we called her 'Shorty'. Most of our riding horses were around 15 hands, but some of our draft horses stood more than 18 hands tall.

Back to the subject...

Incidentally, if you're going to have your foot stepped on by a horse, have a BIG horse do it- it doesn't hurt as much. The big hoof displaces the weight= fewer psi. The little hoof cuts.