David Nicholls, who lives in Worthing, is a “globally recognised ambassador” of the farrier industry, which specialises in hoof care for horses, donkeys and mules.
Mr Nicholls became involved in farriery at the age of eight and went on to complete a four year apprenticeship.
The 72-year-old is now considered a “world leader” in the field, having driven the improvement of standard of farriery locally, and is sought after to give lectures all over the UK, Europe and the USA.
David is an experienced farrier (Image: David Nicholls) Mr Nicholls said he found out about his British Empire Medal two weeks ago and he was “shocked and humbled”.
He said: “It has been an honour to work with such a magnificent animal.
“The best part is small things like sometimes you get things right and the horse has been through a lot.
“They tell you through body language.
“It’s always a surprise when anything like this happens.
“You just carry on with your normal day, you don’t realise you’re thought about by others.
“It just seems a normal day for me and the surprise is that people appreciate the effort you put in.
“I don’t do it for praise, I do it for the horses.”
You can find the full list of those honoured from Sussex here
Mr Nicholls said the honour was a surprise (Image: David Nicholls) Mr Nicholls said he will receive the honour at a local ceremony.
In 1996, he became director of the Equine Lameness Prevention Organisation (ELPO). He spearheaded the formation of the UK branch of the ELPO and throughout the growth and development of the charity, he has been instrumental in helping to create an educational curriculum that is easy to understand, is consistent and repeatable.
He has helped countless farriers worldwide to help thousands of horses because he freely shares his knowledge of the latest in hoof sciences.
He was a lead examiner and instructor and he lectures on an array of topics in the UK and throughout the world.
Mr Nicholls now runs a vet and farrier referral centre in Slinfold, near Horsham.
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