From the category archives:

Customer Service

Farrier Competency for Horse Owners by Doug Butler

June 15, 2010 0 comments

I’m often asked how I would define farrier competency. “What should a competent farrier look like?” “How will I know one when I see one?” In the British Isles, they would call such a person “a qualified farrier.”
The way a person starts out is generally the way he or she ends up. Attitude is nearly [...]

Read full article →

Farrier Competency for Farriers by Doug Butler

June 8, 2010 0 comments

Farrier work is a craft skill. It takes many years to master any craft. Farrier school is only the beginning. You must study and practice to become competent. You must train your eyes, your brain, and your motor nerves and muscles to do this precision work. You must obtain the knowledge and develop the skills [...]

Read full article →

Foal Hoof Care

June 3, 2010 0 comments

Assess the foal’s limbs soon after birth. Most mild limb deformities can be helped by stall rest that limits exercise. Many problems are due to lack of cartilage and bone maturity and will improve with time if the affected areas are not stressed. If there is more than a 5- degree deviation in the limb, [...]

Read full article →

The “Shoeless Experiment” Cripples Horses by Doug Butler

March 26, 2010 11 comments

More than one hundred years ago farriers were confronted with the same problems as farriers are facing today. The “shoeless experiment” was then proposed as a one size fits all solution by “the barefoot people.” (See page 2 of William Hunting’s, The Art of Horseshoeing, published by W. R. Jenkins in New York, in 1898).
It [...]

Read full article →

Horse Owner and Farrier Expectations

February 5, 2010 0 comments

What should horse owners expect from their farrier?
You, the horse owner, have a right to expect a well-trained and experienced professional to care for your valuable horse(s). Unfortunately, some farriers short-change their education by not acquiring a firm foundation of basic knowledge about their craft. Even those who make the sacrifice to attend a school [...]

Read full article →

FAQ #13 Why does a horse get nail-quicked?

January 22, 2010 0 comments

Hoof wall thicknesses vary. There is a very small margin for error. The farrier must pay close attention to selecting and driving each nail.  Not all nails are manufactured perfectly, and misshapen nails might not drive straight.
However, nail quicking isn’t the only kind of quicking that can affect a horse – he can also be [...]

Read full article →

Trustworthy Farriers Horse Owners Can Depend Upon

January 15, 2010 2 comments

Farriers perform a valuable service for people who care about their horses. It’s important to be trustworthy and do the job right.
Let me share a true story. A stone mason was laying very large stones for the walls of a large church building. One of the stones had a crack on the [...]

Read full article →

7 Farrier Tips to Increase Value in Customer Relationships

December 30, 2009 2 comments

Here are seven guidelines and important questions to consider in establishing and maintaining good farrier-client relationships.
1.  Be on time for your shoeing appointments.  It is easier to build a good long-term relationship when the first impression is favorable.  If you wish to be successful, you must advertise success.  Are you making a good impression?
2.  Build [...]

Read full article →