David Walker Obituary
Monday, April 11, 2011
"He was always willing to help, the kind of guy you enjoyed being around, a true friend to the horsemen," is the way Armon Effinger put it when describing his longtime friend and blacksmith, David Walker.
Walker passed away at his home on February 7th of a massive heart attack at the age of 55. Walker was the husband of Kathy Capsuto-Walker and together they owned Escalade Stables in Shelbyville, Ky.
"David put a few shoes on for me at Harrodsburg some 19 years ago," added Effinger. "I told him I needed someone on a regular basis at the farm. He said he’d come a couple of times to help me out; that’s the kind of man he was. Those couple of times turned into 18 years. He was a guy who knew a lot, but was always willing to learn new techniques and products. Everything he did was about the health of the horse’s foot. He’d get on you if he didn’t think you were doing something right or putting enough effort into taking care of one.
"What I loved about David is that he was flexible. It wasn’t just his way or the highway. We would have discussions about issues and come to a conclusion we were both happy with. He was so dedicated to what he did and he viewed horses as individuals. He didn’t just have one formula that fit all. I’ve really missed him not being at my farm on Wednesdays. Those days just aren’t the same."
A blacksmith for some 25 years, Walker had long associations with such trainers as Effinger, Chris Reiser, Mike Barlow, Wendy Winstead, Kathy Boggs, and Joe T. Smith.
|