How TikTok turned horseshoeing into a viral career path

In between AI slop and viral dance trends, blacksmithing is quietly drawing audiences of millions on TikTok.

One of the platform’s most popular farriers, Samuel Wolfenden, has gained over a million followers on Instagram and 700,000 followers on TikTok since he posted his first video two years ago. “I woke up the next day and had millions of millions of views; I had one hundred thousand followers,” Wolfenden told the New York Times in a recent interview.  

His oddly satisfying videos of hammering shoes on horse hooves have garnered Wolfenden a devoted following. “Lucky horse,” one user commented beneath one of his videos. The attention has since landed Wolfenden sponsorship deals, modeling gigs, and a publicist, according to the Times. 

Wolfenden’s not the only one cashing in on the demand. Farrier Sam Dracott’s top three pinned videos on TikTok have a combined view count of over 630 million. “It’s so satisfying to watch,” one user commented beneath one of his videos. Dracott, who has four million followers on YouTube and TikTok, now employs an entourage, which includes a videographer, a social media manager, and a publicist. Due to his online presence, his income has doubled. 

TikTok leans into trades

As well as pulling in millions of views, TikTok creators in the trades are also influencing career choices. This month, Skilled Careers Coalition (SCC) and SkillsUSA announced a partnership with TikTok to tap into the momentum, enlisting creators to produce exclusive content on trade careers like carpentry, construction, and HVAC contracting. 

This comes as 42% of Gen Z college grads now work in or are pursuing a blue-collar or skilled trade job, including 37% of those with a bachelor’s degree, according to a survey published this month by Resume Builder. The main motivators: flexibility and a preference for hands-on work over desk jobs. 

When it comes to horseshoeing, having no prior experience with horses is simply a minor detail for eager students, lead instructor at the Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School in Plymouth, Calif., Amanda Smith, told the Times. 

“It makes me wonder: How did you think of this? Because you never put a halter on a horse, and now you are thinking of putting shoes on their feet?” Smith said. “I will have to admit, every time they come, my first thought is: ‘Did you see one of those videos?’”