Meet Jose

Jose’s journey with horses began on his family’s ranch, where his father—also a farrier—ran a recovery facility for hunter-jumpers. From the age of 12, Jose was immersed in daily care, cleaning stalls, tending to horses, and developing a deep respect for their well-being. 

Throughout school, Jose balanced time at the ranch with night shifts at San Luis Rey Equine Hospital, deepening his hands-on experience. After graduating, he apprenticed under three respected farriers: his father Francisco Ortizarro, Josh Powell, and Suzanne Holstein. Each mentor helped shape his philosophy of shoeing the whole horse, not just solving short-term problems. Jose prioritizes soundness, movement, and long-term health.

In 2015, Jose’s approach evolved further after working with equine bodyworker Tom Acevedo, who helped him see farriery as a form of bodywork. Since then, Jose has integrated bodywork principles into his practice, using a holistic understanding of biomechanics, posture, and compensation patterns to guide his work.

Today, Jose brings two decades of experience, intuitive skill, and a deep commitment to every horse he works with—supporting both performance and partnership from the hoof up.