A livestock brand is a mark unique to the owner, allowing the animal to be instantly recognizable as property. A business brand serves a similar purpose — it lets potential customers quickly assess who and what you’re all about and whether your services or products are a good fit for their needs.
However, a well-built brand is more than a logo and a website.
Branding: Necessary Or Nonsense?
Mark Aikens, DipWCF, is a farrier specializing in hot shoeing for pleasure and competition horses in Norwich, England. He views a brand as something that defines your position in the marketplace as well as in the minds of prospective clients, and a necessity in the modern world.
“Today’s farrier has customers who may well be from a professional or corporate background themselves and thus have certain expectations of a horseshoeing professional and their business. Or they simply relate better to a farrier who has quantified their identity through a branding process,” says Aikens.
He adds that while a professional brand might not be necessary for someone only interested in earning a living from shoeing horses, it would be advisable for those farriers wishing to make it a lifelong career.
“The business world has evolved to become extremely competitive, especially in these times of austerity, so it’s necessary for those farriers who strive for success to better represent themselves through a branded identity.”
They’re Sizing You Up
Even if you haven’t consciously developed your brand, you’ll have one by default, according to Dean Moshier, CJF, of The Balanced Hoof and Horse, Inc., in Delaware, Ohio.
“Your name will be associated with a brand whether positive or negative, because it’s based on what people remember about you,” he says. “How many times have we heard a horse owner say, ‘That farrier hit my horse!’ That’s the kind of thing that makes a lasting impression to the client; they’ll remember if you showed up on time or late, or if you hit their horse, and they’ll tell others.”
A brand is also a measure of how you compare to other farriers, especially those doing similar work. Humans naturally want to judge, categorize and assign meaning to what they encounter in the world; it’s just how our brains are wired.
Taylor Keenan, APF, of Taylor Keenan Farrier, Inc., in Clinton Corners, N.Y., says that a first-rate brand actually helps distinguish you from the herd.
“Farriery is an industry-specific trade with few professional tradesmen worldwide, comparatively speaking,” he says. “How can you separate your business from others in the industry and in your geographic area? By taking time to explain what you do and how you’re unique. Customers will be able to respond and believe in you because you believe in your business.”
Defining The Terms
The American Marketing Association dictionary says that a brand is a “name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers,” and reports the definition’s source as the Marketing Accountability Standards Board.
However, popular author and marketing guru Seth Godin says that today, these tangible aspects of a brand often take a back seat to more esoteric qualities. He writes in his blog (called Seth Godin’s Blog) that “just as it takes more than a hat to be a cowboy,” today a brand encompasses much more than it did in the past.
Godin defines a brand as “...the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
Getting A Grip On Branding

Many farriers use a Facebook page to market their business. On your page, you can share case studies, provide your contact information, communicate with clients and network with other hoof-care professionals.
Just as there are many different factors that shape a business brand, there is also a multitude of ways to identify brand attributes and later interpret them into marketing tools such as business cards or logos. While it can be challenging for an individual to list all their brand characteristics on their own, some have a pretty fair grasp on the matter.
“I would say my own brand is that of a professional farrier and business person. It is one that is constantly striving to enhance the standard of services that I’m able to provide to my clients, and more importantly, their horses, through independent learning, formal education and mentoring,” says Aikens. “I work to improve not only my own academic education but also my practical skills.”
Moshier says he’s also aware of his “street rep.” “I’m known for getting along with difficult horses and having good horsemanship skills. I treat every horse with respect and in a calm and gentle manner. I’m also extremely punctual. And, I’m known for my mechanical skills, for knowing how a foot functions and how we can accommodate any hoof to work in the best way it can.”
To assess your own brand traits, create a list of things you already know about yourself and your business. Then ask others who know you in a variety of settings what they notice about you. Including a half-dozen or so viewpoints can start to give you a well-rounded and thorough image of how your existing brand is perceived. That can lead to ‘aha’ moments that either strengthen your brand or facilitate change in a different direction.
Building A Brand From The Ground Up
Whether you’re just starting out on your branding journey, or you’re re-tooling or fine-tuning after some time in business, a lot of your process will be the same. Aikens points out there are many factors influencing a farrier’s branding choices.
“Education, diversity, lifestyle, mentoring and peer influences, family background, expectations and geographic location are all part of branding decisions,” he says. “Branding is a very personal choice. It is influenced by a person’s previous life experiences, how they see themselves right now as well as how they would like to see themselves evolve.”
Moshier says that one of the best things he’s heard about career development came from Dave Farley at the International Hoof-Care Summit a few years back.
“Dave got me thinking differently during his lecture. He asked ‘First, if you could shoe any type of horse what would it be?’ And second, ‘If you could shoe for any type of owner, what personality or characteristics would that owner have?’”
Teaching Branding
From the Kentucky Horseshoeing School, Executive Director Joseph Police answers an emphatic yes. “Brand awareness is taught in our business module,” he says. “The challenge today is for the farrier to become a business person who understands the importance of proper attire, punctuality and business acumen. Not only must a student understand business practices so he/she can succeed, but they also need to know what bad habits they should stay clear of in order to not make clients cringe.”
Out in California, the founder of Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School seconds the need to prepare students for real-world business success, and adds that new farriers should realize that they’re selling a relationship in addition to their services.
“When people call a farrier they automatically assume you can trim or shoe a horse,” advises Bob Smith. “Our clients cannot intelligently evaluate our expertise because they don’t possess that training. But, they have experience with other professionals and judge farriers according to that yardstick. Clients can tell if the communication and relationship are good, and if appointments are kept and phone calls are returned. That’s a part of building a business brand that’s within direct control of each farrier.”
Police says that in the farrier industry, professionalism equals success. Post-grad and entry-level farriers are competing with established shoers, skilled pros who have already built their reputation and client base. If you haven’t learned how first impressions and ongoing behaviors can turn into opportunities or losses, your new business just might be losing out.
Analyze This
When you’re developing your brand, Moshier says it’s important to engage in some soul-searching and self-criticism. “Identify your own strengths, so you can make the most of them, and your weaknesses, so you can compensate for them.”
It’s also essential to accurately appraise the environment.
“Know what the local economy is, and what types of breeds and disciplines are in a particular area. Here in central Ohio, if my dream was to shoe Saddlebreds, I’m in the wrong area,” says Moshier. “Likewise, Jennifer and I were in New York and struggling to make it as trainers because people in that area just didn’t have the money to send a horse to training for 60 or 90 days. When we moved into this economy and made some branding changes our business went boom.”
How Others Did It
Keenan says his brand evolved over the decade he’s been a professional farrier. “I had no thought of a logo my first 5 years in practice because I was still developing new ideas. Then, the next 3 years I had an interest, but there wasn’t enough clarity in what I wanted to define as me and the type of business I wanted to build,” he reports.
That changed several years ago. “I became challenged to refine my ideal client, my service parameters and even my continuing education; I believe all of that is reflected in my overall brand and my new logo. I still have some refining to do, but it represents me well enough to go ‘live’ and has been well-received on my Facebook page and through a portion of my client base.”
Aikens reports his branding focus started early on. “I was keen to consciously create my own branding during my formative years as a farrier apprentice,” he recalls. “I was fortunate that during those years I was mentored by some world class farriers and was able to see firsthand not only their achievements but the respect they earned from their clients who were also at the pinnacle of their specific equine discipline.”
Over time, Aikens says his professional experiences have only enhanced his reputation and options. “Career choices may be influenced by a certain degree of luck, but ultimately this is dependent upon the job you do, the person you are and how you relate to those around you,” he says.
Branding, Revisited
Branding is also something that should be revisited periodically, especially if there are changes in the
business, the individuals involved or the marketplace. “Moshier Manicures” was the first business name that Dean Moshier came up with.
“After I decided on the name, the logo became an image of a mare sitting like she’s at a nail salon getting her hooves done and wearing a pearl necklace. What did that say about the business? That it was about ‘pretty’ or appearance,” he says.
“That’s when we came up with The Balanced Hoof and Horse, Inc.; it encompasses everything we talk about.” Their new logo is a Quarter Horse balanced on a handmade bar horseshoe; the bar implies therapeutic shoeing, and the handmade shoe reflects precise attention to the work. As for their tagline (A New Level of Excellence), it was also developed with their brand traits in mind. “We’re trying to convey to the client that you’re going to get more than you expect, whether you’re my client or Jenn’s.”
Putting The Brand Into Practice
Once your brand is defined, it becomes a measuring stick for decision-making. “Since defining myself, I’ve found it’s easier to draw lines in the sand which I will not cross, for example, when there’s an owner dictating how their horse should be trimmed or shod,” says Moshier. “When you’re called in as the professional, you should be directing what happens at that appointment. The problem is that younger farriers or those who haven’t clarified their brand can lack the confidence of their convictions and can get sucked into doing what the client wants instead of what they know is right.”
“These standards will determine the clients you deal with, the horses you work on, the environment you work in and even the other professional equine practitioners you cooperate with. All of this also determines your income!” he says. Aikens’ own policies are spelled out in a 36-point ‘terms and conditions’ document he provides to every client.
When you have expectations of your clients and a policy about what you will and won’t do, how does that show up in real life? “It could mean that your clients don’t expect you to perform in unsafe conditions, such as working on an unhandled youngster on muddy, uneven ground or expect you to go to the paddock to catch the horse you’re meant to be shoeing, and then not pay you until the next appointment,” says Aikens.
As for how a brand’s qualities translate into marketing tools, Keenan reports he had specific qualities in mind for his recently designed logo.
“My own brand and representation of my practice and trade is KISS, or Keep It Simple (and) Smart. It’s sophisticated without being complicated; it’s both clean and precise, that’s how I run my business.”
The Bottom Line On Branding
A brand is a promise to your customers, your colleagues and to yourself of what your business will provide each and every time.
Outlining how you want your business to run day-to-day can help define your brand, and once your brand is clarified, it will actually help you deliver on those promises.