Advice From A Rising Shoeing Star

Going from student to full-time business owner can be a challenge in any career, but especially so in farriery. New farrier school graduates often are expected to start their own footcare business and begin working on horses after just months of training. Successful farriers — once new graduates themselves — understand the unique challenges you’ll face and how to successfully overcome them.

Six years ago, American Farriers Journal established the Rising Shoeing Star award program. This program honors farriers for making outstanding career progress in their first 3 years out of farrier school. Along with industry suppliers, the program promotes the importance of education and encourages new farriers to succeed.

Sponsors of the 2014 program include Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center, GE Forge & Tool, Life Data Labs, Purcell Farrier Supply, R.J. Matthews Co., Vettec and American Farriers Journal.

This year’s program honored three up-and-coming farriers who graduated from horseshoeing schools in 2010 and have spent the past 3 years establishing their equine hoof-care careers.

The farriers honored were Diego Almeida of Divernon, Ill., Austin Fisher of Purcell, Okla., and Riley Kirkpatrick of Salem, Ore. Almeida took home the top honor at the 2014 International Hoof-Care Summit.

Almeida attended the Midwest Horseshoeing School in Divernon, Ill., where he returned to teach soon after graduation. His strong work ethic and drive to succeed helped him to obtain Certified Journeyman Farrier status within a year of graduation.

“Diego is the model of the ultimate farrier,” says Steve Sermersheim, the owner and director of the Midwest Horseshoeing School and the owner of Middlefork Forge, a multi-farrier practice in Collison, Ill. “His strong work ethic and love of farriery shines through in everything he does, whether he’s working with students, clients or veterinarians.”

Farriers are rarely able to teach so soon after graduation, but Almeida was a remarkable farrier and natural-born leader, explains Sermersheim.

“Diego’s drive to learn, natural ability and understanding of anatomy and physiology raised him to a level few can achieve so quickly. He is a true asset to the Midwest Horseshoeing School,” says Sermersheim.

Almeida shares some of the challenges he faced after graduation and how he dealt with them. He also provides insight into how he started and maintains his successful farriery career.

Q: What were the major obstacles you faced in getting started?

A:One of the things that concerned me the most when I was close to graduating from horseshoeing school was the fact that I didn’t feel quite ready to start shoeing horses on my own. The short period of time that students spend at school is not enough to teach a lifetime learning trade.

Luckily, I was taken into Steve Sermersheim’s apprenticeship program. It was a lifesaver for me and Steve was able to teach and solidify the foundation I needed to start my career.

Q: How did you spend
the first 6 months after graduation?

A: I was an apprentice for the first 2 years after graduation. During that period, I focused all my time and energy on learning as much as I could not only about farriery, but also all other aspects involved in a farrier business. I learned logistics, scheduling, client relations and, of course, good, solid horseshoeing.

Q: Looking back, what were the biggest mistakes you made?

A: One of the mistakes I made was not developing a business plan earlier in my apprenticeship. It takes time and a lot of research to understand the market in the area where you want to work.

It’s also a good idea to set some money aside, even if it’s just a little, so you can gradually start purchasing your basic tools. This way it’s possible to acquire high-quality equipment that will last a long time.

Q: What were the smartest moves you made in getting started?

A:The smartest move I made was getting an apprenticeship — no doubt about it! Students always have the choice to start their own business or find somebody to be their mentor.

It’s very hard in the beginning because there’s not a lot of money to be made as an apprentice, but this period should be viewed as an investment in your future. However, it’s very important to make sure the farrier you choose as your mentor is really willing to teach you the trade and not just have you work as their helper. Sweeping, pulling shoes and clinching nails are all part of the job, but if there’s no teaching or sharing of information it becomes pointless.

I was very fortunate to be part of a multi-farrier practice that promotes learning. A good mentor understands that the better their apprentices get, the better he or she gets and the more the business grows as the apprentices become assets for the company.

Q: What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received?

A: Keep your head down and your mouth shut. Doers earn their space and respect based on their performance. Work hard and spend less time talking and more time listening and learning from those with more experience. There is always something new to learn.

Q: What resources, other than schooling, did you find most helpful?

A: Certifications and contests. Obtaining certifications is essential to a farrier’s career. Farriers who are not certified are not bad farriers, but I believe that by not promoting certifications we are not helping our industry.

We constantly fight the stereotype that horseshoers are people who just slap shoes on horses. The more we promote certification and inform our clients and the horse industry about continuing education, the more we can raise the standards in our industry and the better off we all will be.

Horseshoeing contests are also important. It’s really not about the contest itself, but how much you can learn in the shop getting ready for one. A contest will really hone your skills and keep you on your toes.

The opportunity to learn from a lot of other people who are willing to share knowledge with you is priceless. Contests can be very humbling as well. When you think you are on top of the world, all it takes is one contest to show you how much you still have to learn.

Q: What do you wish you would’ve and/or wouldn’t have done while you were still in school that may have benefited you after graduation?

A: I wish I had learned more about products and tool maintenance. That would have kept me from ruining a lot of tools when I first started and saved me some money.

Q: What other suggestions do you have for graduates?

 A: Learn as much as you can while in school. It is a very short period of time to learn the trade. Seek an apprenticeship and get involved in certifications and contests.