The face of business management is changing with the birth of new technology over the last decade. Although many farriers still use old-fashioned pen and paper for billing and scheduling clients, a growing number are turning to apps and software to help their business run more smoothly.

According to the 2018 American Farriers Journal Farrier Business Practices Survey, 60% use a computer for scheduling and invoicing hoof-care clients — a 22% increase from 2016. The increasing popularity of cloud services allows easier access to records from any device, on the go or at home. Farriers can make appointments and send invoices all from their smartphone or tablet on site.

With today’s technology and numerous operating systems (OS), farriers and equine enthusiasts alike have been coming up with solutions to the everyday problems horse professionals face. Here’s a look at some of the top software tools farriers are using.

iForgeAhead

Cost: 30-day free trial, $20/month thereafter; the remote app is $24/year

OS: Apple, Android, PC

iForgeAhead is a remote app that allows farriers to use it even when they are out of service range. The latest version features the ability to organize clients, horses, scheduling and financial information. With cloud storage, farriers can keep unlimited notes and contacts for…