When Cicero, Ind., farrier Cody Bogard started shoeing a little over 10 years ago, his mentors told him not to worry about getting clients. He would have plenty of work in a couple of years if he did two things: show up on time and return phone calls.
When Rosevine, Texas, farrier Ralph Hampton meets someone for the first time, you can bet the topic will eventually turn to horses. Hampton admits that some of his colleagues don’t like, nor understand why he’s adamant about marketing his hoof-care practice.
At his core, Ralph Hampton is a farrier.
Not like Jack is in construction or Jill is an administrator. The Rosevine, Texas, shoer is a throwback to the days when a farrier fulfilled an important role in a small rural town.
“This is not something you do for a living,” he says. “This is something you do for life.”
Attracting clients can be difficult for any service-oriented business. Plying your trade in a relatively small niche market, such as equine hoof care, can make those challenges even greater — especially when you’re launching a new practice or starting over in a new area.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time around the world’s best farriers as they came to our home and were trained by my father, Dr. Doug Butler. I was able to work side-by-side with many of them as they became master craftsmen and learned the fundamentals of farriery. I also have worked and consulted with farriers from around the world.
There is a term in business that garners much attention and research by any company, big or small. As consumers, we are all subject to it and influenced by it when making our buying decisions.
The farrier often is the horse owner's go-to source for hoof-care questions, as well as other equine questions. Owners trust farriers, and many recognize that foot quality is related to other areas of health and well-being.
Last week, Jeff Ridley discussed the need to recognize red flags as a farrier. This week, Ridley adds that one area that farriers can really take a cue from veterinarians is recordkeeping.
Continuing a tradition started in 2001, each year SmartPak creates a top 10 horses' name list from among all the horses that receive their supplements each day. Custom packed to meet the needs of each individual horse, every daily dose is labeled with that horse's name not only making feeding mistakes virtually impossible, but also giving the Plymouth, Mass., company a unique insight into the most popular names among well-cared for horses.
American Farriers Journal is excited and honored to celebrate its 50th anniversary of publishing the hands-on magazine for hoof-care professionals. Learn more about our special edition, which comes out in December 2024.
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.