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8/8/2019 A Look Inside AFJ's 2010 Career Guide
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-look-inside-afjs-2010-career-guide 1/9
Getting Started In
Hoof Care A Career Guide For Te New Farrier
Second Edition
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8/8/2019 A Look Inside AFJ's 2010 Career Guide
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14 www.americanfarriers.com American Farriers Journal Getting Started In Hoof Care 3
Launching Your New Career 4
How o Find Clients 6Develop your practice with these tips for attracting newclients. By Jeremy McGovern
Create And Follow Your
Roadmap For Success 12A business plan should tell you where you’ve been, whereyou are and where you are going. By Bob Smith
A ale O wo Days, ButDiferent Responsibilities 18Two days riding with a Wisconsin shoer give a glimpseof how apprenticing is different from being on yourown. By Jeremy McGovern
Te Importance O Horsemanship 22
Your understanding and ability to work with a horseis the key to a long career. By Dean Moshier
On-Te-Job Saety 26Prepare yourself to avoid the daily hazards thataccompany farriery. By Pat Tearney
Te ABC’s O Getting Your FarrierCareer Of On Te Right Foot 28Consider these points to determine if you are presentinga professional image to your clients. By Doug Butler
Maintain ProessionalismWith Your Peers 34Treat your fellow horseshoers with the same level ofrespect you expect in return. By Jeremy McGovern
Your Hoo-Care EducationNever Stops 40Your farrier education isn’t complete. It should continuethrough attending clinics, joining organizations and othermethods. By Toby Raymond and Jeremy McGovern
Get Te Most Out O
Your ools 44Here are 20 tips from top shoers on how to improveyour efficiency and extend the lives of your tools.
Selecting Te RightRig For You 47Here are some factors to consider in selecting one ofthe largest expenses you’ll have as a start-up.By Lisa Kemp
Insurance: Protecting Yoursel And Your Assets 50Whether it is your health, shoeing rig or business, youneed to safeguard yourself to make sure your career isunaffected from unexpected threats. By Pat Tearney
Keep Torough BusinessRecords 54Good records don’t only include tracking dollars andcents —they also mean you need to collect informationon your clients and their horses. By Red Renchin
Putting Your Money o Work:Saving Te Smart Way 58Don’t live paycheck to paycheck. Through savings andprudent investments, you can prepare for unforeseenemergencies and your retirement. By Esco Buff
Find Balance In Your Lie 61Farriery is a demanding profession, but a personal life isnecessary for maintaining your passion for shoeing.By Jeremy McGovern
Ad Index 62
able O Contents
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4 Getting Started In Hoof Care American Farriers Journal www.americanfarriers.com
Editor/PublisherFrank Lessiter - [email protected]
Managing EditorPat Tearney - [email protected]
Associate EditorJeremy McGovern - [email protected]
Technical EditorRed Renchin - [email protected]
Advertising ManagerAlice Musser - [email protected]
Vice President - SalesTodd Rank - [email protected]
Production ManagerAmy Johnson - [email protected]
Art DirectorChristopher Nielsen - [email protected]
Senior Graphic Designer - Equine DivisionChuck Braasch - [email protected]
Editorial Interns
Angela Podewils • Jesse KoehlerDirector of CorporateAudience Development
Patrick Sharpe - [email protected]
E-Media DirectorPaul Markgraff - [email protected]
Manager of Data and Customer ServiceBree Greenawalt - [email protected]
Circulation ManagerSue Ramstack - [email protected]
Data Management AssociateDonna Schwierske - [email protected]
Administrative AssistantsAaron White - [email protected]
Sheila Gostisha - [email protected]
President
Mike Lessiter - [email protected] President, Business
Pam Lessiter - [email protected]
Accounting ManagerJim Perszyk - [email protected]
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDMike DeLeonardo, CJF Bob Smith, CF
Randy Luikart, CJF Steve Stanley
Richard Mansmann, VMD, PhD Tracy Turner, DVM, MS, Dip. ACVS
Stephen O’Grady, DVM, MRCVS Tom Wolfe, CJF
The techniques, viewpoints, information and ideasexpressed in American Farriers Journal articles do notnecessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of the advi-sory board members or our magazine staff. Not everymagazine article is reviewed by the members and not all
AFJ Editorial Advisory Board members review each of
these articles.
American Farriers JournalP.O. Box 624
Brookfield, WI 53008-0624225 Regency Court, Suite 100
Brookfield, WI 53045
Telephone: (262) 782-4480Fax: (262) 782-1252
E-mail: [email protected] site: www.americanfarriers.com
Getting Started In
Hoof CareLaunchingYour NewCareer
© 2010 by Lessiter Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher.
American Farriers Journal (ISSN 0274-6565) is published eight times a year (January/ February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November andDecember) for $47.95 per year by Lessiter Publications, Inc., 225 Regency Ct.,Ste. 100, Brookfield, WI 53045. Editorial, Advertising and Business Offices:
American Farriers Journal , P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624.Periodicals postage paid at Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: American Farriers Journal , 225 Regency Ct.,Ste. 100, Brookfield, WI 53045. Telephone: (262) 782-4480. Fax: (262) 782-1252.
E-mail Address: [email protected]. Web site: www.americanfarriers.com.
bout 2 years ago, American
Farriers Journal began
interviewing shoeing school
students and recent graduates, asking
them about their thoughts on the new
career they were undertaking.
The students usually voiced
concern or optimism about the life-
time of education it requires to be a
top shoer. The graduates expressedrelief, accompanied by ambition,
about the upcoming transition.
Regardless of the novice shoer’s
level of enthusiasm or fear, many
common questions about the
unknown road ahead always arose:
How can a farrier with no clients find
enough clients to sustain a practice?
Who should you turn to for advice
when you are in a jam? How do you
keep track of the money coming in —
and the money going out?
We took these questions andcreated the first American Farriers
Journal Career Guide. In this, our
second edition, we provide further
insight on several of these questions
and outline the traits required to excel
as a farrier.
Don’t read this guide expecting to
find all of the answers to your career
questions. Instead, use the advice
from these pages to think about and
determine how to best develop asuccessful practice.
While everyone’s experience is
unique, there will be some common
road blocks all farriers face. Throughthe stories and quick tips in these
pages, you’ll be better prepared to
come up with a solution.
This guide will illustrate why
being a successful farrier requires
focusing beyond the mechanics
and application of the shoeing. You
simply can’t focus on achievement
in a single area. You’ll realize that all
of the aspects of being a successful
farrier are interrelated.
Sure, you may be able you getclients, but what how do to keep
them? Or you may have the good
sense to save for the future, but want
to know what should go into the busi-
ness plan that will be your blueprint
for retirement.
When you recognize this
complexity, you’ll understand why
no single issue can answer all of yourquestions. But after you read this
and see why a successful farrier is
a complete farrier, you will take theright step toward a promising career.
Here’s to your success,
Jeremy McGovern
Associate Editor
A
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7 Maintain YourProessionalismWith Your Peers
A farrier who treats other shoerswith respect is one who takesthe career seriously.
Never speak poorly of another shoer’s work.
Taking on clients who fired afarrier is not wrong if done so inan ethical manner.
You will be fired by clientsthroughout your career —don’t take it personally.
By Jeremy McGovern, Associate Editor
Seasoned shoers who have been
in the industry for more than
30 years will remember how
communication among farriers has
changed since they entered the profes-
sion. Decades ago, farriers wouldn’t
readily share information with one
another. During those times, another
shoer would likely quit working if
another shoer showed up at the barn,
rather than give away any beneficial
insight to observers.Today, this reluctance has largely
disappeared. Through clinics, local
associations, general camaraderie and
other venues, shoers are more likely
to share knowledge for the good of the
industry and the horses.
This evolution in communication
is sustained by the professionalism of
today’s farrier. You as a professional
horseshoer have a responsibility to act
accordingly with your contemporaries.
Work ogetherFor A Common Cause
Jason Maki of Bryan, Texas, says
you need to always treat other farriers
as if they have something to teach you.
He advises you to surround yourself
with farriers who know more thanyou about shoeing and the conduct of
a professional. If you focus on self-
improvement and acknowledge how
much you have yet to learn, then your
relations with other shoers will grow.
“If you treat yourself and your
career with respect, then it is second
nature that you will treat other shoers
with respect,” says Maki.
He finds the biggest mistake young
shoeing school grads make is skippingan apprenticeship. By working with
top farriers, you get to know clients and
build a network of mentors. If you estab-
lish professional and personal relation-
ships with other shoers, then you will be
less likely to downplay someone. “In the
long run, you will develop a professional
demeanor,” he says.
Jim Jimenez of El Segundo, Calif.,
calls upon the Golden Rule and says
you should treat other shoers the way
you’d like to be treated. A veteranracetrack shoer, he says that spirit
is necessary to keep the horses of
that discipline going. For example,
if a client’s horse springs a shoe and
ips For Working With VeterinariansFor many arriers the veterinarian-arrier relationship is asign o success. Most new arriers proudly relive that rstveterinarian recommendation as a rite o passage.In almost every state, the veterinarian medical practiceacts are pretty specic. I a vet is involved, he or she is incharge. I you are given a “shoeing prescription,” your op-tions are to ollow it or not shoe the horse.
To maintain a good working relationship with a veteri-narian, you must be proactive and prepared to make therelationship work. In the end, it’s really up to you.
Realize You Have Te Same Goal.➥ The arrier and thevet are both attempting to do the same thing: make a
living in the horse world.
We are not adversaries.Never Question Or➥
Argue With Te Vet InFront O Anyone. I you
disagree with the veterinarian’s nding then make anappointment to speak with him or her. Be preparedto state your case with specic inormation. Alwaysreturn the vet’s phone calls or e-mails immediately.
Acknowledge Any Reerrals Tat Te Vet Makes.➥ Send a card thanking the veterinarian or his or hercondence in your business.You See Te Horse More Frequently Tan Te Vet.➥ Farriers see the horse every 6 to 8 weeks. The veteri-narian may only see the horse once every 2 or 3 years.Don’t hold the veterinarian’s eet to the re i he orshe makes a decision based upon a very poor historyrom the owner.Keep Te Vet In Te Loop.➥ You will be able to modiyhis or her shoeing recommendations as things changewith the horse. Send a short letter on your businessstationery stating the name o the horse, its owner,address and any other inormation required to iden-
tiy that animal. In as ew words as possible,explain the changes you have made and why.The vet may not see this horse or anotheryear and this will keep him or her inormed oits progress. — Bob Smith, owner o the Pacifc Coast Horse-
shoeing School in Plymouth, Cali.
Bob Smith, right, and veterinarian Mi-chael Russell, left, focus their efforts ona common goal: the betterment of thehorses they work with.
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Jimenez isn’t present, another shoer
will fix the problem. He would do thesame if situations were traded.
“Working with animals like this,
there is going to be a time when you
are on the wrong side of a kick,” says
Jimenez. “It is going to cost you a
couple of days, so you would have to
depend on other people to take care of
your horses. Ultimately you will return
the favor. For the most part, we are an
honest industry.”
Helpfulness isn’t the only courtesy
to show another shoer. It also includesnot speaking poorly of another’s work
with others. Refuse to evaluate your
competition’s work. When customers
ask you to evaluate another farrier’s
work, tell them that you don’t evaluate
competitors’ work.
Jimenez says you should refrain
from speaking about another shoer’s
work because you don’t know what
that other shoer was facing. Reflecting
on his own work, Jimenez recalls
When working with clients, keep the
focus of the discussion on their horsesand your relationship with them. Avoidgossip concerning other shoers.
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36 Getting Started In Hoof Care American Farriers Journal www.americanarriers.com
The horse trainer is responsible or training and condition-ing the horse, the equipment used, stabling environment,eeding and turnout. Thetrainer can also act as anagent and interact withothers who work with thehorse.
Working with trainersrequires a proessionalarrier with communica-tion skills. The trainer seesand works with the horse, and sometimes the horse owner,on a daily basis. The arrier sees the horse every 6 to 8weeks.
alk o Te rainer.➥ Make the eort to check in withthe trainer in your barns and ask i there is anything thatyou need to be aware o or the shoeing or trimmingo the horses you are scheduled to work on that day. Besure to stop by at the end o the day with any inorma-tion about any horse under the trainer’s care.Listen o Te rainer.➥ Let the trainer air any con-cerns or issues he or she may have about the horsesyou are going to be working on without interrupting
or becoming deensive or argumentative. Both o youshould be working in the best interest o the horse.Be Proactive.➥ Discuss shoeing changes and recom-mendations with the trainer beore there is a prob-lem. Include the trainer in the decision-making, as he
or she deals with the owner over the long term.Deliver Acknowledgement.➥ Make sure to acknowl-edge the accomplishments o the horse while it isunder the trainer.Conficts Will Arise.➥ In spite o your best eorts, con-ficts between arriers and trainers are common andvery quickly boil down to a power struggle, unortu-nately with the horse owner caught in the middle. It isup to us, the arriers, to make this relationship work.I everything ails then it is best to leave the accountbeore your reputation takes a hit. Don’t try to win anargument or ght with them.
Leave Proessionally.➥ When you have had enoughyou must remain composed and proessional. Do notbad mouth the trainer to the owner. — Bob Smith, owner o the Pacifc Coast Horseshoeing
School in Plymouth, Cali.
A good farrier will rely on the trainer togive a detailed history about move-
ment or lameness issues that can helpin deciding how to set up the foot and
type of shoeing.
ips For Working With rainers
occasions he would even question his
thinking on the approach he previously
took with a horse.
Longtime shoer Martin Kenny of
Carthage, N.C., advises shoers to avoid
the trap of criticizing other farriers,
especially with clients. If the client iscritical of another farrier, Kenny findsthat he or she eventually will turn on
you as well.
His work often addresses issues
that other farriers were unsuccessful in
treating, so Kenny sometimes hears the
negative comments. He tells the owner
not to look backward and instead steers
the conversation to a positive.
Brian Hull of Grand Valley,
Ontario, believes you should never
speak poorly of other shoers unless
you are prepared to meet them face-to-face and tell him or her what you don’t
like about their shoeing.
“You may feel differently abouttheir shoeing after they explain to you
why they shoe in such a way,” he says.
“Remember, no horses’ hooves are
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exactly the same and no farrier shoes
exactly the same as another farrier.”In his experience, Hull finds that
the type of farrier who criticizes his
work is doing so as a tactic for going
after his clients. More often than not,
these farriers are young and never
apprenticed with an experienced shoer
to learn proper conduct. They typically
undercut others on prices.
If he knows the other shoer, Hull
will directly ask why he or she is going
after his clients or unjustifiably criti-
cizing his work.“They deny that they would do such
a thing,” says Hull. “I will explain to
them that when word gets around to
other farriers, the other farriers will tell
their clients all about you.“When you get on the bad side of a
lot of established farriers, chances are
you won’t get many good horses or
barns to shoe at.”
While poaching clients is a short-
term gain, in the end it can result in
career suicide. Hull finds that these
farriers will either change their attitude
or move out of the area.
“They are not well-regarded in the
shoeing community,” he says. “They
are not asked to many farrier get-togethers, don’t mix well with other
shoers and have attitude problems.”
Not all criticism is an attempt to
sabotage your practice. Well-intended
critiques of your work delivered
directly to you by a respected farrier
can be valuable. Kenny says that even
though there are exceptions, most
farriers are willing to help and are not
out to steal clients.
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“Remember that when veteran
farriers make comments to you about
your work, it is not to belittle you, but
to lift you up,” says Kenny. “We’ve all
been where you are today.”
aking On Others’ ClientsUnless a potential client is a new
horse owner with a recent acquisition,
a hired farrier will replace another. If you exercise ethical business practices,
don’t be ashamed when you are hired
to replace a fellow shoer.
Kenny says farriers must always
look to improve clientele. Remember,shoeing is a business.
“If one attempts to secure another
farrier’s client in ethical manners, such
as advertisements, personal contact or
online, that is part of running a busi-
ness and fair game,” explains Kenny.
“However, if one says, ‘Hey, your
present farrier is messing up your
horses’ and behaves unethically, then
that crosses the line.”
The North Carolina shoer reminds
readers that farriers don’t own clients,but instead are
employed by
clients to provide
a service. Kenny
advocates seeking
new clients.
“The goal of
any successfulbusiness is to
draw work to
yourself — and
most of thetime, that means
drawing it from
someone else!”
When a client
inquires about
hiring him to
replace another
farrier, Hull first
asks himself if heknows the farrier.
He thinks about
the type of personand shoer the
other farrier is.
Hull will politely
refuse the busi-
ness if it is an
associate, telling
the potential client that he is not taking
on new customers. If the client offers
unsolicited information concerning the
other shoer, Hull won’t join in.
“If they tell me what problem they
were having with their farrier, I may
mention they should talk to the farrier,
explain what the problem is and leaveit at that,” says Hull.
Where you are at in your career will
determine your approach for taking
on new clients. Jimenez says he is at a
point in his career where he is looking
to shoe fewer horses, so he is less
likely to take on a client looking for a
replacement. He is one of the top-paid
shoers in his area, so if he would take
on a client, pricing won’t be a reason
the client switched.
“I’ll ask what the issue they havewith the shoer,” says Jimenez. “If it
is someone I respect, I tell them that I
can’t do better, but I can do differently.If it is someone who is lacking the
skills or doesn’t show up on time, I’ll
talk to the other shoer about it.”
He adds that if you will take on the
horse, make sure the client has paid the
other shoer in full.
You’re FiredDon’t overreact when you are fired.
A client may let you go based on fickle
or unreasonable reasons. However,
don’t assume every time you are fired
that it was unjustified. Evaluate yourperformance. What could you have
done differently to satisfy that owner?
Or what makes that farrier more
appealing to the client?
Jason Maki believes that although it
may vary to degrees, farriers who take
the profession seriously operate by a
code of ethics. Like Hull and Jimenez,
he would contact a shoer he knows
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if that farrier’s client inquired about
Maki’s service. When it is someone hedoesn’t know, Maki embraces the free
market nature of the industry.
“Every client I gained, someone
else lost,” says Maki. “And every client
I lost, someone gained.”
He warns against baring animosity
against another shoer who replaces
you. There are a million reasons why
you lose clients. If you work on your
farrier skills, your practice will have
stability rather than the fickle clients
who routinely fire farriers.Kenny has overheard veteran shoers
complaining that a new shoer is under-
cutting them on prices and the younger
shoer needs to raise his or her prices.
He tells the new farriers — as wellas the veterans — that this is wrong
thinking on a couple levels.
“Number one, it is illegal to set
prices and that is what they are doing
with statements like that,” says Kenny.
“Number two, the veteran is saying
that his years of experience are not
worth anything .”
He believes that this veteran shoer
thinks his or her clients do not value
him or her enough to keep him or
her strictly because a lower price is
available. If that is true, then it is the
veteran’s responsibility to improve his
or her worth, rather than relying on
steady work simply based on price.
Kenny says when you start, youshould charge less than other local
shoers. Having the highest price out of
the box, will limit your exposure.
“Would you try a new guy if he
charged the same as a veteran?” asks
Kenny. “Why would you take that step
backward, with no incentive? Price
yourself out of a beginning and you
will struggle to get started.”