Has a horse stayed sound or overcome a lameness because its farrier was a wizard in managing his or her practice? Never once.

Proper hoof care does and always will depend on that farrier’s knowledge as it relates to anatomy, biomechanics, pathologies and so on. Then, to achieve the footcare goal, the farrier must take that knowledge and properly apply it through trimming and perhaps shoeing to address that particular horse’s needs on that particular day.

So being a skillful farrier doesn’t rely on business management. However, a successful farrier practice does.

Featuring The Annual Directory

An annual tradition each November, our Farrier Supplies And Services issue focuses on the business side of farriery.

This issue is driven by the directory, making it a year-round reference guide for footcare practitioners. You’ll find vital material ranging from contact and location information for footcare manufacturers and suppliers to the most current shoeing rules for breeds and disciplines.

The content is geared toward business ideas, trends and management. To reflect changing times, several of these articles emphasize technology’s role in operating a farrier practice.

Some Things Stay The Same

John Caple, a Madison Avenue advertising guru of the mid-20th century, is credited with saying, “Times change, people don’t.” For me, this is similar to how technology, for better or worse, influences business operations.

Take client communication as an example. Successful farriers would credit their ability to listen and share information as a contributing factor to keeping clients happy.

But face-to-face, in-depth conversations aren’t…