Learning
to work quickly and efficiently is an important
skill for several reasons.
- Balancing on three legs is tiring for the
animals. How long can you comfortably
balance with one leg off the ground before you
begin to fidget?
- Working on an anxious horse, which has not
been properly prepared for the process,
increases the chance of injury for the farrier.
A horse that feels trapped or threatened is
more likely to kick. The clanging of metal
hammers on metal, the hissing of steam can be
terrifying to horses unaccustomed to the
shoeing process. Gaining the horse’s trust
and teaching owners how to prepare their
animals are part of the farrier’s
responsibility.
|
|
- The work is physically demanding, especially
on a farrier’s back and thighs, which carry
the work.
Like an athlete who prepares for a sport,
stretching exercises are keys to a long
career. While working, maintaining a proper
stance will also protect the back. Even so, it
is rare that a farrier is able to work past
his fifties.
- Working quickly increases the number of
animals a farrier can handle. A beginner may
take and hour to complete a trim but as skill
level improves, time can be reduced to about
15 minutes. Because farrier only charges for
work they do on the horse, farm and stable
visits are organized geographically wherever
possible to cut traveling time.
|
|
Farriery is not a nine-to-five job and the farrier’s
schedule must fit that of the client. That means
arriving early enough so the client can assist before
leaving for work, or working into the early evening,
after the client’s workday is over.
A farrier is a skilled metalworker. Generic
horseshoes (called factory shoes) must still be modified
or shaped to conform to the hoof it is intended to fit.
But the greatest skill is demonstrated in the creation
of handmade shoes. Just as an artist signs a painting,
there is a craftsman’s pride revealed in some
signature or trademark left for all time in the metal.
Farriers can identify the maker by the workmanship
evident in the shoes.
It’s a lucrative career with a growing demand for
farrier services paralleling the growing number of
horses. Whether the horse is ‘barefoot’ (without
shoes) or must wear custom corrective shoes, the farrier
usually visits about every 6 weeks; more often if the
horse is shown competitively, driven or raced. Trims are
around $25 while shoeing costs range from $150-$300,
with corrective shoes. Treatment for foot ailments
accounts for the upper end. Horses should be trimmed
every 4-6 weeks depending on usage and an organized
farrier can trim 1000 horses a year. A client list may
include 300 to 350 names. You do the math.
The farrier is a one-man band. At the end of the day,
there is still more work to do. Returning calls,
scheduling appointments, making custom shoes, and
quoting on jobs add at least one hour to the day. Part
salesman, part psychologist, diagnostician, designer,
metal worker – as Stewart says, "You’re
it!" But then, that’s why it is both
professionally and personally rewarding.
