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American Farriers Journal

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Ninth Edition (2017)

A Career Guide For The New Farrier
This special publication is published once per year by American Farriers Journal. The career guide delivers advice from farriers on how to establish and operate a successful equine footcare practice.
  • Table of Contents

    Table of Contents

    Gain A Foothold In The Business Of Hoof Care

    By Jeff Cota posted on August 14, 2017
    Equine hoof care is a close-knit industry. When a group of farriers get together, the conversation generally focuses on sharing knowledge about the foot — lamenesses, shoes, tools, etc. The passion to improve footcare results in a stronger, more knowledgeable trade. While the practical aspect of farriery grows, there’s another that doesn’t get enough attention — farriery is a business.
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    A farrier works on a shoe with an anvil.

    6 Critical Areas to Learn Before Leaving School

    By Jack Roth posted on August 14, 2017 | Posted in Education
    I have taught horseshoeing for 40 years to more students than anybody else ever has. Most of my graduates went on to shoe horses professionally and made a living for themselves and their families. There are a number of ideas and philosophies about what’s important when learning about horseshoeing. The following are my ideas of what you should learn at shoeing school.
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    How to Hire and Fire Clients

    August 14, 2017
    Building relationships with clients and knowing when to let them go may sound as easy as saying hello and goodbye, but there are a few things farriers should keep in mind when developing and ending client relationships that can make everything go a little more smoothly.
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    Know What It Costs You To Trim And Shoe

    By Frank Lessiter posted on August 14, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients
    While a new farrier’s top priority is the care of hooves, you’ve got to be equally concerned with earning a living and dealing with the numerous business aspects of the profession. This means knowing what it really costs you to trim and shoe horses.

    The obvious answer includes the price of shoes, nails, pads, adhesives and other items. But there is much more to it than just those costs. In fact, many farriers fail to fully understand how the prices they charge should be determined.


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    Using Technology To Help Manage Your Practice

    August 14, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Products
    A farrier practice is a business — that is no surprise. As professionals, practitioners have a responsibility to maintain accurate records, schedule properly, bill and receive payment promptly and track performance. At the same time, farriers also should keep records on clients and the type of work conducted on their horses, including photographs of the feet or radiographs shared by veterinarians.
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    Tool Shopping Advice From Veteran Farriers

    By Jeff Cota posted on August 14, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Products
    What’s a better way to celebrate the dawn of your farrier career than tool shopping?

    There’s no doubt that the temptation runs high to grab the top-of-the-line pair of nippers that are polished so brightly that a pair of sunglasses should come standard with them. While the feel and performance of a high-quality tool often are worth the price, many young farriers have a steep financial mountain to climb when starting out.


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    Does A Client Owe You Money? Here’s How To Collect

    By Esco Buff posted on August 14, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients
    Clients who fail to pay for hoof-care services are a problem that every farrier experiences at some point in his or her career.

    There are a variety of cases and reasons as to why clients don’t pay their farriers. By understanding the United States government’s definitions of non-payments and reviewing the basics for collecting, you can be better prepared for making sure more of the money you earn gets to your pocket.


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    Overcome Biases About You Through Your Business Plan

    By Rachael Kane posted on August 14, 2017 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients
    There is no argument that farriery is a male dominated industry. Being female is part of my experience as a farrier. To give you a bit of context, in Australia we have trimming schools filled with female recruits. In our farrier schools, of which there are only six, we have a total of four female apprentices over the entire 4 years of study for the country. So in Australia, as a female farrier, I’m rare.
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    Quick and Easy Exercises That Will Prolong Your Career

    By Shon Callahan posted on August 14, 2017
    There are few professions tougher mentally or physically than being a professional farrier. I believe the only job remotely close would be that of a professional athlete. The daily repetitive nature of the job and an awkward working posture definitely take their toll on the farrier’s and athlete’s body.
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    Advice From A Rising Shoeing Star

    By Linda Braus posted on August 14, 2017 | Posted in Education
    Finishing farrier school means a significant jump — from student to full-time professional and, most often, small business owner. Farriers with a few years of experience achieving the success they worked hard for know the challenges this brings and their accompanying struggles well — and how to deal with them.
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    Digital Edition

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Videos

Remembering Red Renchin with Mark Ellis: Part 3

Remembering Red Renchin with Mark Ellis: Part 3

In this episode, Mark Ellis, a Wisconsin farrier who learned the ropes with Renchin, recalls Red’s relationships with area veterinarians, his legacy and the second career as American Farriers Journal’s technical editor.

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Life Data Labs

Life Data Labs Inc

Life Data Labs Inc. is a dedicated product manufacturer committed to producing premium quality animal nutrition and health products through continuous product improvement and new product development. First-class ingredients, fresh products, consistent high quality and scientifically proven effectiveness are the principal features of Life Data Labs animal health products. And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years.
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Kawell USA

Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
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SmartPak

From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.
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