One of the many attractive qualities of being a farrier is working outside with animals on a daily basis. While this is an enviable part of our profession, being outdoors with animals does expose us to potential job-related health risks. Farriers are subjected to a high volume of insects, bacteria and problems associated with each. The day-to-day interaction with horses can be a breeding ground for health-related issues if proper hygiene is not adhered to.
Unlike many other jobs, moving a farrier practice to a new area is not a cut-and-dry process. In the corporate white-collar world, moving to a new location may not be an easy choice, but the process is easily coordinated. Whether these workers take a new job or are transferred, many companies will cover moving expenses. Perhaps more importantly, the new job and its salary are awaiting the worker in the new town.
Owning your business has a lot of benefits. Along with these benefits come several costs incurred as a part of daily operations. One of the largest and most necessary is the daily upkeep and maintenance of our vehicle. Fortunately, we can offset these costs by deducting daily driving and fuel costs from our taxes.
About half of 1%. According to the Department of Defense, that’s approximately the number of Americans who served in the military over the previous decade. However, anecdotally, it appears to me that the percentage is much higher among farriers.
Like any tool, tongs take a fair share of abuse from repeated daily use. From red-hot forge to quench bucket, your tongs are asked to withstand a lot of stress. One simple way to decrease the stress on your tongs is how you store them while at the anvil. Read more from farrier Drew Morales on this simple, efficient method for storing your tongs at the anvil.
Because horseshoeing puts a farrier's body in positions that can cause minor, or possibly major, back pain, it's important to exercise those muscles to help relieve that pressure.
The popularity of loop knives in the United States has increased in recent years. Versatile and durable, the loop knife is a go-to tool for many farriers today. I'm one of the many practitioners who has switched.
Many farriers have often told me they plan to save little to nothing for retirement. The sad thing is that while we all wish we could shoe forever, one day we will all have to hang up our aprons for good. When retirement comes, don't be left scraping by on a meager social security check. Besides, in a decade or two the money pot may all be gone anyway!
Greg Martin, CJF, of Boerne, Texas, takes the unique approach of marketing his hoof-care practice with a Christmas parade float in Boerne and Comfort, Texas. The award-winning float boasts a variety of surprising features.
Life Data Labs Inc. is a dedicated product manufacturer committed to producing premium quality animal nutrition and health products through continuous product improvement and new product development. First-class ingredients, fresh products, consistent high quality and scientifically proven effectiveness are the principal features of Life Data Labs animal health products. And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years.
Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.