What kind of farrier business do you currently have and what kind of business do you want to have? Canonsburg, Pa., farrier Joshua Sanders discusses how to identify the answers to those questions, which will help you determine a business plan that will get you from Point A to Point B.

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Finding clients can be a challenge when starting or relocating their farrier business. Canonsburg, Pa., farrier Joshua Sanders discusses successful strategies for finding and evaluating prospective clients.

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Almost everything we do in the business of hoof care is based on anecdotal information passed to us by others, or concocted by ourselves after acquiring some working experience. No one until now has taken an interest in the primary reason that you’re in business, which is to make money and facilitate the lifestyle of YOUR choice! In this lecture, farrier-turned-financial-planner David Barron will focus on WHAT you want out of your business, HOW to plot a course for those objectives, and WHY the hoof-care industry has been a bed of misinformation on business for such a long time.

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What is “liability?” Why does everyone think that what I do is so precarious, and how can I protect my empire from suffering the consequences of a professional catastrophic event? In this lecture David Barron, a former CJF farrier, will examine how evaluation appraises the risks associated with hoof-care work, what would happen in the event of a liability claim arising and what financial products are available to build a moat around the castle you’re busy building.

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There are a lot of factors that affect pricing. But can some of the perceived causes of pricing limitation be more self-imposed? In this session, Weatherford, Texas, farrier Lee Olsen will share his real world experiences in how he used to reach his full income potential.

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Sometimes a single idea or tip can make it worthwhile to attend a conference. In this fast-paced presentation, these three farriers will share short, but effective, advice that you can take home and immediately build into your practice. Mark Aikens of Norwich, England; Daisy Bicking of Parkesburg, Pa.; and Steve Foxworth of Loveland, Colo., will each have 1-minute to share these 40 actionable ideas.

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Before he became the resident farrier at the University of California, Davis, Shane Westman had a multi-discipline practice based in Bow, Wash. After some dramatic life changes, he found himself in debt. In this presentation, he will share how he turned things around to once again have a financially successful business and life. Furthermore, he’ll differentiate between good and bad debt.

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Wear and tear on the farrier’s body can be grueling. Factors like diet, medical care and exercise will prolong your career. In this session, farrier Mitch Shelhamer and yoga instructor Suzi Shelhamer of Basin, Wyo., will talk about how yoga turned Mitch’s career around and share repeatable techniques to build in your own wellness program.

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The most common way that farriers gauge the profitability of their businesses is by determining what it costs to shoe each horse. The key to make this work is examining a complete picture. Kentucky farrier Pat Broadus and Indiana farrier Danvers Child will survey some of these often overlooked elements. They will also share some other factors you need to consider to make sure your practice is moving in the right direction financially.

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Farriers are aware that poor fitting horseshoes can cause discomfort and lameness in horses. Unfortunately, many do not realize that poor fitting saddles can cause lameness, gait faults, shoeing problems and even personality problems. Cornell University farrier Steve Kraus will show why it is vital to be able to recognize problems and how to best handle them. He’ll also explain how appropriate, skillful farriery needs to be in concert not only with saddlery, but other equine care issues.

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Before she became a farrier, Mary Bramley worked as an attorney. One area she sees her farrier colleagues confused about is how to classify their businesses. Whether a limited liability company other classification, what are the advantages and disadvantages? And when trouble comes, which one will protect you, your business and your assets? The Massachusetts farrier will give you the clear picture.

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Dr. Patricia Bona discusses evaluation of myofascial restrictions due to various issues. You'll learn to recognize the altered posture caused by “conditions” of plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff syndrome and tennis elbow in horses to help restore good posture from the feet up and the top down. Bona also will share her thoughts on how the whole horse team can collaborate on these matters.

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