The mindset with which you approach your journey into the world of hoof care can often be the difference between fulfillment or frustration with your chosen career.

Adoption of a successful mindset provides beginning farriers with the courage to try new things, learn from experiences and approach their chosen trade without being controlled by fear of the unknown. Let’s look at these ideas and how they can help you develop a successful, fulfilling career in hoof care.

Good/Bad, Right/Wrong and Boxes

One of the first concepts we encourage our students at Equine Lameness Prevention Organization (ELPO) is to adopt how they evaluate the concepts of good vs. bad and right vs. wrong when it relates to hoof care. The majority of hoof-care practitioners have the best intentions with each animal they work on. However, despite our best efforts, sometimes we inadvertently cause pain and discomfort. This can be done through experimentation with new concepts, or simply misjudging the foot.

Does this make the farrier good or bad? Not necessarily. They made a choice, or series of choices, that simply didn’t work out how they expected. The same can be said for brands…