Few farriers buy a new truck as often as Gene Cook. That’s because the Franksville, Wis., shoer likes to purchase a new pickup every year.

“By trading when my truck has only 20,000 to 30,000 miles on it, I only pay a few thousand dollars for a new truck,” he says. “I’ve also found that trading my truck every year is actually cheaper than leasing a truck.”

Besides doing a large amount of shoeing, Cook holds down a full-time job at a nearby Delphi Automatic Systems manufacturing plant. 

“I usually put about 20,000 miles on my truck each year and most of them are on muddy back country roads with lots of stops,” he says. “Once you get 20,000 miles on a truck, it seems like you need new tires and often start having mechanical problems.

1,000 POUNDS OF SHOES. A wide assortment of various shoe styles and sizes are carried in racks on one side. A refrigerator makes it easy to enjoy a cool drink or snack on a hot summer day.

“With my shoeing schedule, I don’t like leaving the truck for several days at a dealership for repairs. I don’t like costly downtime and this is a reason I trade pickup trucks every year.”

CLEAN YET ACCESSIBLE. An…