Of the different techniques farriers bring to trimming and shoeing horses, probably one of the least talked about, yet vital resource, would be the concept of grip and purchase, according to Dr. Simon Curtis, a Newmarket, England-based farrier and International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame member.

Dave Farley, a farrier based in Wellington, Fla., started a practice decades ago to improve farrier-client communication and understanding. In the 1980s, he began sending his clients a yearly newsletter in early January. The contents of this newsletter could include product usage changes, tips for properly cleaning hoofs or life/business updates, but uniquely, the newsletter also included the price changes Farley was going to enact for the coming year for his services.

Sometimes the smallest change makes the biggest difference in your own business. That’s what Steve Wiberg, a Hayward, Calif.,-based farrier discovered when he made the switch from leather impact horseshoe pads to plastic pads.