When I was getting started in the farrier business as a teenager, I struggled with efficiency while shoeing horses, along with the myriad of other issues that plague a young, green farrier. I remember asking my Dad, whom I grew up working with, “How can I get faster?” I still remember his reply clear as can be like it was yesterday, “Ask me that question again after 10 years.”
While his answer didn’t help directly, the wisdom behind it did. I’m not young anymore, and while I’m not old, I can get around a horse more quickly now than I could 30 years ago.
There’s tough logic with improving efficiency. On one hand, I tell new farriers to slow down and focus on the job you need to do. But as skills improve, we need to find a way to maximize our time and there comes a time when we need to hustle and get through our workload. The old adage “time is money” comes into play, especially when a farrier starts to get overwhelmed with more than they can handle.
Farrier Takeaways
- Organizing your rig or trailer so you can easily find the supplies and equipment you need will save you time and money.
- Take care of the tools that you use. Keeping them clean and sharp will improve efficiency and minimize injury.
- Time spent on your phone will eat up your day quicker than you realize. You will be able to shoe another horse with the time that you would use scrolling through social media.
Here are some tips to hopefully help maximize your efficiency and allow you to get through a horse a little faster.
1.
Truck and trailer positioning. The fewer steps you take to and from the horse, the better. These steps add up over the years and you can’t get them back. Park as close as possible to your work area, but not so close as to be a hazard. You’ll be surprised how much time this will save you if you pay attention to it. Also, think about the set-up of your truck and trailer to minimize steps around it.
2.
Organization. It’s difficult for a disorganized person to be efficient. It takes time to rummage through the bed of a pickup looking for the set of size 00 horseshoes you knew were in there yesterday. Everything needs to have its place and be in its place to the best of your ability. You don’t need a $90,000 truck and body or a $20,000 trailer. Simple organization is affordable and can fit within anyone’s budget.
3.
Tool quality. Often a young farrier has a budget or has to use hand-me-downs to get started. However, if you have the option, buy the best tools you can and care for them as if they were surgical instruments. Cheap tools get cheap results. These tools will make a living for you, so do your best to take care of them. Keep them clean, keep them out of the dirt. Avoid too many tools in your box. Cutting down those extra pounds you carry around day in and day out will help. Use what’s necessary, but also be prepared for what you’re working on. Keep your knives sharp, and don’t waste time pushing a dull rasp.
4.
Minimize trips to the anvil. This will happen with time. As you train your hand-eye coordination, you’ll become more efficient shaping shoes, but always keep a mental picture of the foot in your head and make every hammer blow count. Practice shaping as accurately as possible with the least amount of hammer blows required. It helps to measure feet and measure shoes at the anvil to acquire your eye or to even double-check it on tough to fit horses.
A well-organized rig or trailer will keep you from rummaging around for a shoe or tool, saving you time and money.
5.Stop to think, but trust your gut. Take time to think things through on a challenging situation, but also trust your gut. When all else fails, think back to basics. Your trim sets up the whole process. Don’t cut corners, that will only hurt you in the long run.
6.
Know your inventory. Invest in quality shoes and invest in a variety. It takes a hefty investment to keep your truck well-stocked but having a variety of shoes makes the process faster and easier. Often, you’ll find that one brand of shoes is a half size different than another and can offer a great fit. Sometimes even a hind shaped to a front or vice versa can make for a great fit. Know where these shoes are so you can find them in the dark.
7.
Think ahead. You know that when you’re done nailing up that you’ll need to finish. When you make the trip to the horse after shaping your last shoes, bring your hoof stand with you. If shaping hot, start the forge on a cold day and let it pre-heat. Start your next pair of shoes in the fire while you’re trimming feet. Make a habit of reaching for the next tool in your box in a smooth, fluid motion. There’s no hurry, but it’ll help things flow and your horses will stand better.
Always keep a mental picture of the foot in your head …
8.Foot prep. Anything you can do to soften hard feet makes your trim so much easier and precise. Invest in a propane torch and use it on summertime hard feet. Dress flares each time you shoe, keep clients on a schedule and you’ll rarely need to dress flares again. After your trim, sight your feet, double-check with a gauge to acquire your eye and move on. I’ve watched lots of people over the years stare down a foot like a high-noon gun fight and keep whittling on it till it’s sore or starts bleeding. Again, trust your gut and move on.
9.
Stay off your phone. How many of us get caught up on the phone in the middle of a horse? I’m guilty of it quite often. It’s OK to do when nobody is around and you’re coasting through the day, but when you step back and add all that time up, you’ll be surprised how much time Facebook or Instagram ate up — enough time to shoe another horse.
10.
Be safe. Wear glasses at the grinder or anvil. It’s difficult to make up time when you’re digging debris out of your eyes. Cuts, dings and burns happen. Patch them up and keep going. Don’t accept horses that will make things unsafe. It’s OK to say no and move on to the next one. Again, we have a short enough life expectancy as it is.
11.
Buy a broom. Not only does it show extra professionalism cleaning up after yourself, it’ll make your life much easier not fighting through your own mess as you work.
12.
Pace Yourself. You don’t need to bury yourself under horses all day every day. Take some time to eat and stay hydrated. It’ll help you throughout the day.
Do the best job you can. The efficiency I personally strive for is sometimes thought of as me being in a hurry. Horse owners don’t want to be hanging onto the lead rope any longer than they have to.
Work yourself into a day or two off. It’s easy to get buried in horses when you’re starting out. I’ve known many new farriers who’ve gotten overwhelmed and burnt out quickly because they didn’t manage their time wisely. When they got tired and sore, they got hurt. Be efficient but find a pace that’s comfortable. Just implementing a few things that are mentioned above will easily gain you 5 to 10 minutes per horse. Think about how quickly that time adds up throughout the course of a day/month/year or even your career.
This isn’t a race. There aren’t special prizes to those who get done the fastest. Take the time you need to visit with your clients to leave them as happy as possible and be kind to the horses. Without them, we’d all be doing something else we probably didn’t like to do.
