Too much gear or not enough. Badly organized equipment. Low roofs and leaky roofs. Underpowered engines or poor fuel economy. Bouncing trailers. Pick a potential shoeing rig problem, and many farriers out there have faced it down and can offer solutions.

Many of them did just that when we asked about the biggest mistakes they made with their shoeing rigs and how they overcame the problems.

Perhaps the most common trouble was a lack of organization, especially for farriers just getting started in the business.

Location, Location, Location

As Joe O’Leary of Richmond, Vt., put it, “The biggest mistake I made was not planning my rigs before putting them together; just putting everything in wherever it would fit. I ended up running around my truck for three things to do one operation. A real time waster.” He found answers by spending time working out of a friend’s well-organized rig and applying the lessons he learned to his own rig.

Greg Birett also struggled to organize an efficient layout, “so I didn’t waste time reaching, finding and forgetting what I needed for the job,” he says. “The best way to overcome this is by checking out the setups put together by experienced shoers who have worked out all the bugs and have a nice, effective system.

PROS AND CONS. Gull-wing doors can provide easy access to shoeing gear, just be sure to close them before driving away. And know where they will funnel rainwater on your rig.

“This can be done…