Daniel Ney, 25, of Wingham Welding Works has reinvented the farrier stand and produced what he has named the Safety Hoof Stand.

The steel construction, designed for farriers and horse owners, is used for the trimming or shoeing of horse hooves.

The father of two received a call from South Maroota farrier Darren Robertson who saw the need for the traditional farrier stand – which is used to cradle horses’ hooves – to be redesigned so they didn’t pose a danger to horses’ legs.

The main problem with the current products on the market is they create a risk to the animal when knocked over. The legs or base can extend about 30 centimetres above the ground and pose a danger if the horse falls.

“The problem is the safety factor,” Mr Ney explained. “Above the hoof it’s hair, skin, tendons and bone. If the stand severs just one tendon, the horse has to be shot.”

Horses are expensive beasts and they can be unpredictable, so Mr Robertson identified the need for a safer option.

After Mr Robertson’s call, Mr Ney got to work designing a collapsible stand. The beauty of this idea is that if a horse kicks over the stand, as they are prone to doing, there are no protrusions that could pierce the skin and damage a tendon.

Mr Ney spent three days designing a prototype which folds down flat. The top hoof cradle also has rubber edging for added protection and the collapsible design makes it easier to store.

The stand has flexible, curved steel legs which ‘bite’ into the ground for more stability.

After three days, Mr Ney had a prototype he was happy with and sent it down to Mr Robertson.

This was a lightning fast turn around for Wingham Welding Works. It usually takes Mr Ney two months to complete the process from design to manufacture – the Safety Hoof Stand took less than a week.

Mr Robertson was impressed with the product and he sent it off to The New Inventors.

He received an email back from the producers within an hour interested in finding out more about the invention and how it works.

“I knew it was something special but I didn’t think it would go crazy,” Mr Ney said. “I just thought it would be a good addition to my product range.”

The ABC flew Mr Ney to South Maroota, near Wisemans Ferry, to film a segment on Mr Robertson’s property then, three days later, he filmed the show in the studio in Sydney.

Mr Ney described the filming process as “very different” to his usual working environment.

“I’m no movie star; I’m not used to being on camera. It kind of reminded me of high school drama,” Mr Ney laughed.

He is an avid viewer of The New Inventors, one of the ABC’s highest-rating shows hosted by comic James O’Loughlin, pulling over one million viewers each time it airs.

“I like to see how people come about discovering a new invention,” Mr Ney said of the show. “Every invention comes from a problem.”

Wingham Welding Works was established in March of 2008, specialising in motorbike stands and other steel products.

The episode is due to air early next year.