If you’ve just finished hoof-care school, no one needs to tell you about the financial commitment you’ve made to your education. You paid for your school, housing, food and more. Unless you have an apprenticeship lined-up or know several people who need farriers, it’s going to take a while to develop a business and steady income.

Money will be tight for a while, but there is a basic set of tools you will need, whether you will be shoeing full- or part-time. The quality of your tools will largely depend on what you can afford.

The Essential Tools

I didn’t start with the top line of tools when I went out on my own. And through my career, I’ve met more than one farrier who could drive a nail with a rock. It isn’t the tool — what’s more important is whose hands the tools are in.

Don’t get me wrong, for feel and performance, the high-quality tools are worth the price they demand. They will last a long time, which repays your investment.

Largely, it depends on what level of work you are doing — not the quality of your work, but how many and the type of horses you are working with. If you are starting out on your own and working part-time, it doesn’t make sense to invest in the best equipment. Your goal is to find reliable, professional tools that will hold up to day-to-day wear and tear.

There is a wide middle range for tools that are trustworthy. I’ve always told my students that if you wear out a set of tools, that means you are working and you most likely will be able to afford to buy any brand you want. Some tools wear out faster than others, but you can always upgrade as you go along. Take a look at what other farriers at your barns are using and ask them what they like or dislike about their equipment.

All of the tools you worked with in class are necessary. Look at the chart on this page. This includes all of the tools you’ll need, priced at that middle range. Also included is a selection of supplies you might need to start out with.

With a little creativity, you can make you own tools. Mark Ambrecht of St. Clairsville, Ohio, adapted a plastic bucket and PVC tubes for holding his tools. Be careful not to waste your time and money by making something in which a manufactured version is more cost-effective and sturdy in the end.

Part of the trick is realizing what and how much you need in the way of supplies. Use the experiences of your fellow shoers to eliminate the guesswork. When you return home, locate and join a local organization, so you’ll have a list of members throughout your region. Contact any members nearby and ask them what shoes are most popular in this area. Supplies are needed, but you don’t have to stock everything. After getting to know your area, its clients and what you are working with, it becomes easier for inventory.

In the summer months, when I buy supplies, I try to double up on the popular sizes. In the winter, they come in handy. A pile of shoes, nails and supplies in the corner is like a savings account.

Get More Mileage From Your Equipment

Farrier tools are a big investment, so it is important that you take the extra steps to ensure that your tools perform at their best and last as long as possible — especially when money is tight in your career’s early years.

The best way to extend the lives of your tools is to use them for what they are designed for. Using a hoof pick and wire brush to clean dirt and rocks from a hoof prior to trimming will save wear and tear on your hoof knife, nippers and rasps.

Store your tools properly in your shoeing box or rig to prevent them from banging together — causing unnecessary chips and nick.

I feel a little maintenance goes a long way to getting your money’s worth and preserving your tools. I will also take a run at rebuilding or fixing just about any tool, with the exception of nippers.

I have not had much luck sharpening, adjusting or rebuilding them. The couple I successfully refurbished were probably the result of dumb luck. I have never had consistent results. There are also businesses out there that will refinish your tools for you.

Your crease nail pullers, clincher, clinch cutter and other tools can be dressed up with files and grinders, as most are made of good steel. If for some reason you heat something up to adjust it, just air cool and apply no water. The longer your tools do a quality job, the more money stays in your pocket.

Once again, talk to guys in your local association, in discussion groups online or read what they write in the American Farriers Journal. You can always find great advice on getting the most from in your tools — find out what works for you.

There are some ways to cut corners with some DIY equipment. For example, a sturdy tree stump could serve as an anvil stand. Be creative, but not dangerous. Make sure your investment in a homemade tool doesn’t exceed what you would pay a supplier for.

When they are absolutely worn out, make something else out of your tools. Give them new life; for example, clinchers make great tongs, nippers make good hoof testers, etc.

Take advice from expert craftsmen like Dan Bradley of Lucerne, Miss., who say proper care, common sense and a systematic approach can extend the working life of many farrier tools.

Las Vegas, Nev., farrier Mike Dawson mentioned some of the tools he’s modified in the March 2006 issue of AFJ. He has taken ordinary needle-nose pliers and ground down one side of the pliers by about 1/4 inch. These fit perfectly into the crease of a shoe.

“These are simple little modification that make my everyday work easier,” says Dawson. “Over the years, you pick up little tricks that help save time and effort.”

Note that Dawson used a tool that you might have at the bottom of your home tool box.

Use the Internet to chat with other farriers on message boards, like the Farrier Forum at www.americanfarriers.com. Your fellow shoers can lend you the advice on rehabbing or making your own equipment.

Your Buying Options

If one is nearby, it may be best for you to drive to the local supplier. More often, people are using the Internet to buy from manufacturers and suppliers. 

Don’t forget, supplies and tools aren’t light stuff — if shipping costs are involved, it may be cheaper to buy from a local supplier at the brick and mortar store.

Be a critical shopper online. Most suppliers have their prices listed online. When it is time to buy, bring up the suppliers you will normally use and click on everything on your shopping list. You’ll see your entire purchase there, down to the shipping cost. After you do this with all of the suppliers, you’ll find the best prices.

Whether you buy online or directly at the supplier, don’t discount buying in bulk with others. You will have friends who shoe who also buy the same supplies as you. If you buy in a large quantity as a group, most suppliers will offer a discount. Or maybe you can team up with other farriers and split the cost.

In February 2009, I was on a panel at the International Hoof-Care Summit about how to handle tough economic times as a shoer. Fellow International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame member Red Renchin delivered an interesting idea for thriftiness that might help young shoers.

He says to find local farriers with 20 years or more experience on the job. Ask them what they might have lying around in the shop. You don’t need the latest and greatest shoes for backyard horses. It is a great way to get shoes for next to nothing.?

Danny Ward is a member of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame and owns and operates the Danny Ward Horseshoeing School in Martinsville, Va.