The March 2013 issue of American Farriers Journal features a story on a farrier who is trying to supplement the lost clients on his books by learning a new discipline.

If clients aren't abundant in an area, and moving isn't an option, what advice would you have for a farrier who is struggling to fill his or her book?

Do the best job you can on every horse, be conscientious and treat evey client like they have expensive horse. Be on time and be dependable and the work will come.
—Dave Peterson

The fastest way to gain clients and their trust is to always return call as soom as you can. Horse communities are small, people network, and being hard to get is news that travels quickly. Want more business? Answer your phone.
—Hank Heintzberger

It is a hard thing to do right. You need to go after new clients, but at the same time you don't need to make the other farriers mad at you, you will need their help. But the new clients will have to come from somewhere, and that will have to be from other farriers. So for you to get a new client, some other farrier will have to lose a client. See it will be hard. Your best bet is to join in the local farrier association, and try and get the farriers going good to help pass work to you, as they get cold calls or they up grade their client list with new and better clients. You can also go to local tack stores and get a list of local shows and call the contact number and ask if they need a farrier on the shows grounds that day, most will jump at this, and it's a great way to meet new clients, and you could make a little money tacking a few shoes on that could come off, talk to local 4H leaders about speaking at one of there meetings. Go back to the local tack stores and ask if you can set up on some Saturday and make people hoof picks out of old horse shoes if they buy $10.00 or more at that store. Good way to meet people without stepping on others toes. Just keep in mind you do have one thing that the farriers that have full books don't have, you have more extra time, use it not to seat by the phone, but use it to meet people that you could work for.
—Marcus J. Pierce

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