Benjamin Terry LeDuke

Benjamin Terry LeDuke passed away peacefully and in the arms of his loving wife at his home in Vincent, Alabama on December 17, 2019. He was 77 years old. His father, Hilmon LeDuke and his mother, Miriam McGuire LeDuke, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Rachel Copper LeDuke.

Terry made horses and farming his lifelong career. Before doing so, however, he spent 10 years in the Jefferson County, AL trade school system educating young men to be welders and diesel mechanics. After he stopped teaching in the trade schools, he continued to mentor and teach other young men and women to learn crafts such as horseshoeing and welding that would change their lives. Many a Father’s Day each year he received phone calls from several of the young men that he mentored years ago who thought of him as a second father.

He learned the craft of horseshoeing from his Grandfather. He became well known as a farrier who could correct many problems and his services were sought out consistently among horse owners, veterinarians and trainers throughout the country. He served as the Farrier in residence at Coosa Valley Equine Center in Pell City for more than 30 years, and was lead farrier at the Appaloosa National and World championship shows – when he wasn’t judging these shows – for more than 30 years. He was a carded judge and inspector for the Appaloosa Horse Club for 45 years.

He trained, showed or shod many prominent Quarter Horses for their owners. He was even more prominent in the Appaloosa industry. He bred the last daughter of the late AD Robinson’s AQHA stallion Cardinal Galvez, an appaloosa mare who would produce some of the most successful Appaloosa show horses in the industry. Two of those included Dress Code, who won a Reserve National Championship in Non Pro Trail and many World and National top ten finishes in classes from Trail to Hunter Hack and Pleasure Driving, and Country Boy Eddie, who won unanimous World Championships in Senior and Non pro Trail and Reserve National Championship in Novice Youth Showmanship. Terry won the Appaloosa National Championship in Cutting in Syracuse New York on Spider Rio Day and he also showed the stallion CK’s High Roller to an Appaloosa World Championship in Most Colorful at Halter. Aside from the many show champions he trained and served, he had a love for draft horses and mules, and worked teams on his farm, in the woods and in parades all across Alabama. He was never without a faithful canine companion - Blue Boy, Scamper, Jake, Tootles, Hannahhound, and Big Al by his side or in his truck, and with many others keeping watch over the farm.

Though his career with show horses is remarkable, his lifelong passion was the challenge of lameness cases and crafting specialty shoes as prescribed by the veterinarians at Coosa Valley Equine Center. He always said, “aside from injuries, the majority of lameness issues could be avoided by trimming a level and properly balanced hoof. It all goes back to good basics”. He crafted many specialty horseshoes including tendon rest shoes, hospital plates and quarter crack patches. The number of horses, from world champions to trail horses that he helped with his shoeing abilities is vast.

The family will receive friends at a visitation on Friday December 27th from 1 to 3 pm at Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the American Stroke Association (stroke.org), Appaloosa Foundation Crisis Fund (www.appaloosa.com), the American Quarter Horse Foundation (aqha.com) or other charity of your choice.