The transition from a horseshoeing school student to a full-time farrier can be rough, even for those who graduate at the top of their class. New graduates and those just starting their farrier business understand the challenges you’ll face, regardless of education and skill.

If you subscribe to our magazine, you soon should receive the July/August issue in the mail, followed in a couple of months with the September/October edition. In between the two, we will publish a report for new farriers - Getting Started in Hoof Care.

In 2012, we surveyed horse owners on the most common reasons they've fired farriers. The leading answer was that the farrier didn't return phone calls. This was no surprise — I've heard this complaint before. While the answer isn't a shock, I am amazed it still persists.