The benefits of an economic boom may take a while to trickle down, but the effects of a slow down seem to wash down right away.

For farriers, economic problems began months before the mortgage bubble burst, as skyrocketing prices for fuel and materials took their toll.

Recently, shoers are getting a break on fuel prices, but that isn’t necessarily good news. Economists say that falling fuel prices are in response to a decrease in demand that’s tied to a cooling economy — and a cooling economy isn’t a good thing when your job involves working with what is, more often than not, an expensive pet.

You And The Economy

Horse owners aren’t having an easy time either. Beside being hit by higher fuel costs, drought conditions in some parts of the country have led to higher hay and feed costs.

Newspapers and television stations around the country have reported some owners are giving up their horses because they can no longer afford to keep them.

There have been reports of horses being abandoned on government land and turned in at animal shelters. A Montana paper reported that horse sanctuaries in that state are full, while the number of horses offered for sale at auctions is up dramatically. A New Jersey paper reported that trainers in that state’s harness racing industry are cutting back on the number of horses in their stables.

You And The Economy

Farriers know all too well what that means. Some of your clients may have…