Q: I know that sometimes accidents happen when working with horses and that unexpected expenses occur through nobody’s direct fault. However, wouldn’t it be a courteous gesture for a customer to share some financial responsibility if shoeing tools are accidentally destroyed by their horses?

Do I add this extra expense to the bill, ask them politely to chip-in for replacing expensive items or just “take my licks?” 

—Travis Smith, smithpt2@dcwi.com

A: Occasionally while you’re working, a horse will blow up and you’ve got to quickly get out of harm’s way, leaving your toolbox to take the brunt of the horse’s action. When this happens, you should just gather up your tools, set them a little farther away and go back to work.

If you’re working on a horse and one of the client’s other horses starts chewing on your rig’s hood or windshield wipers, maybe you need to park outside the lot or have the owner catch the loose horses and tie them in a safe spot away from your truck.

In this business, you have to protect yourself, your tools and your truck. Learn to work safely and smart. In 24 years of shoeing I’ve had horses kick, bite, scratch, rub and even flip over my truck! I almost hate to buy a new truck or equipment, because I know what kind of damage horses can do. Be sure to protect your equipment first. 

—Gary, FtFrkGary@aol.com

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