One of the most intimidating things facing you at the beginning of your career is the realization of how little you actually know about hoof care. Mistakes will happen, but you must be wiling to learn from them.

Members of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame are some of the most highly regarded farriers in the world. Here they have identified some problems to avoid, so you don’t need the costly lesson later in life. 

Set A Standard For Yourself

I started shoeing horses before I actually knew enough to be shoeing horses. With the full-blown wisdom that comes with being 18, I hung out a shingle. Like many young cowboys, I learned a little from growing up on a ranch, and then I went to a shoeing school with such a low standard that I ended up thinking that I knew more than I did. 

There is a lot of damage that can be done to a horse through ignorance, and unfortunately, ignorance is rampant. Had I continued along the lines of my humble beginnings, I would probably not have enough business today to be making a living shoeing. If you learn to do a great job shoeing a horse, and then make that what you do every time you shoe a horse, the rest of the business will fall into place.

To correct this, I went to my first farrier event — a contest — and saw what someone with real skill and talent was capable of. Dean…