Use Voicemail To Establish Your Hours

Like other farriers, Mike Bagley was getting client calls from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week. Understandably, it is hard to keep your cool when it seems like clients don’t respect your private time. Now the Canton, Ohio, farrier leaves it to his voicemail to help. The voicemail greeting states his hours of contact and informs the caller that he does not work on Sundays. “By limiting the times I take calls I’m adding a human element to myself,” he says. “It tells them in a subtle way that I am human too and need my time away from work like anyone else does.”

It isn’t an original idea — Bagley borrowed it from the medical profession. “You’ll receive the same information when you call a doctor’s office during off hours,” he adds.

Physicians provide an emergency number, and likewise Bagley understands that some issues have to be handled regardless of hours. If a longtime client calls on a Sunday night, there’s a good reason and he’ll answer.

Mix Vinegar And Copper Sulfate To Treat Thrush

When early stages of thrush appear when picking up a foot, farriers all have their go-to treatment. Bethlehem, Pa., farrier Sonny Pistilli prefers a homemade solution for thrush that he has found effective. He brings 2 quarts of distilled white vinegar to a boil, and then adds 8 ounces of copper sulfate pellets. Once the pellets completely dissolve and the mixture cools, he pours some…