Men Still Dominate the Farrier Trade
Among farriers participating in the latest American Farriers Journal business practices survey, 84% of full-time farriers were male, while 72% of part-time farriers were men.
— 2018 American Farriers Journal Farrier Benchmark Study
Pros and Cons of Following Standardized Trimming Guidelines
Farriers listed four major challenges and concerns they have when it comes to the use of standardized trimming guidelines:
1. The fact that every horse is different.
2. There are too many standards and not all of them are accurate.
3. Following the standards too closely could lead to missing some important concerns with the hoof.
4. Difficulty in remembering to apply all of the concepts to the entire hoof and the whole horse.
— Survey of attendees at 2019 International Hoof-Care Summit
Friday's Farrier Facts & Figures is brought to you by Markel Insurance. 
Markel Corporation (NYSE – MKL) is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, and investment operations around the world. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia and founded in 1930, Markel reports its ongoing underwriting operations in three segments, and products originate from four insurance divisions and one reinsurance division. Markel Ventures, a subsidiary that makes strategic investments in companies outside of the insurance marketplace, is another important component of our business.
In each of our businesses, we seek to deliver innovative products and responsive customer service so that we can be a market leader. Our time horizon is long-term, our underwriting approach is disciplined, and our focus is on continuously improving the quality of the customer experience. Our financial goals are to earn consistent underwriting and operating profits and to combine those profits with superior investment returns to build shareholder value.
