Seriously, I saw a video where a farrier explained it's like being a mix of a carpenter and a podiatrist for a 1200 pound animal. You have to shape each hot shoe by hand to fit that exact hoof's angles, not just nail on a standard size. That's the part that looks simple but takes years to get right.

Oh man, @michaelcooper is right about that being a common struggle. I've seen guys argue for ten minutes over the right name for a simple wrench. Getting the terms straight like matthew878 did is a huge help, so you're all talking about the same machine.

That's a seriously mature starter culture. Do you notice a big difference in flavor or rise time compared to a younger one? I'm curious if it gets more reliable or just more sour over that many years.