At each year’s International Hoof-Care Summit, attendees are asked to fill out surveys to help American Farriers Journal staff learn more about farrier wants and needs.

This survey data also helps us learn essential information on how farriers operate their business. In this article, check out the facts and figures behind how Summit attendees ranked in several specific categories involved in equine footcare and health.

Thanks goes to six of the “IHCS Educational Partners,” — SmartPak, Life Data Labs, Vettec, Castle Plastics, Equine Digital Support System and Equine Lameness Prevention Organization — for their help in compiling this survey data.

Product, Advice, Recommendations

With farriers making hundreds of visits (often weekly or monthly) in a year’s time to horse barns, they see more good and bad management ideas, health concerns, nutritional mistakes, foot problems and product usage than any other equine professionals.

Because of what they see and learn during visits to other horse operations, farriers are continually asked for their ideas and recommendations on a wide variety of equine, farm and other products. This includes questions about what tractor to buy, what tack to use, what bits to use, what supplements to feed, what joint supplements to use and advice on dozens of other products.

Farrier Challenges, Nutritional Concerns for Owners

In the IHCS surveys, attendees were also asked to list the major challenges they face in their footcare work. While many concerns were voiced, here are the top worries they face.

The surveys also prompted farriers to share…