He comes from a long line of farriers and blacksmiths, his father, grandfather and great grandfather were all farriers and blacksmiths.

He started working for his father in 1967. During this time Tom attended Hereford School of Farriery for several months each year. Instructor Wally Inwood would come and visit Tom at his father's forge in Clophill, Bedfordshire. During this period he attained the RSS qualification (Registered Shoeing Smith with the Worshipful Company of Farriers).

In 1969 Tom worked for a short period with Mac Head FWCF before starting his own farriery practice, which continues today. In the intervening years he has gained the AFCL (Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers) and now holds FWCF qualification (Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers).

Tom has served on the Farriery Craft & Executive Committees of NAFBAE.

Today he provides a remedial farriery service to many of the veterinary practices in his area.

Tom's interest in laminitis has developed through daily contact with equines with this condition and puzzling over all the differing points of view expressed by all those around him.

The results of his research into hoof growth led to him forming the dorsal wall lifting theory of equine laminitis.