As farriers, we often think of ourselves as isolationists. Many of us travel alone to our offices — horse barns. Once we are at the barns, we may have very little interaction with the owners, trainers, riders or grooms.

Truth of the matter, we may view ourselves in this respect, but we still remain part of an overall equine team on varied levels. Successful farriers demonstrate leadership qualities in their practices. In his book Common Sense Leadership, Equine Edition, Garth Johns explains 11 firm principles of leadership that are helpful to anyone in the equine industry. This book can benefit any farrier, at any level, in improving their practice.

Critical Points

I’ll admit that my first thought regarding a leadership book is that it would be better suited for upper-level managers who have many individuals working under them. Not exactly the farrier profile, right? However, I quickly realized that Johns’ system does work for the everyday farrier. This system, when followed, would translate into more professionalism, greater respect and higher income.

According to Johns, there are 11 principles critical for this success:

1. Act like a professional at all times.
2. Enjoy what you do with your life.
3. Be nice to everyone you meet. It’s really not that difficult.
4. Always respect time.
5. Be a team player.
6. Communicate regularly and effectively with everyone you meet.
7. Know your customers, whomever they may be.
8. Always act with integrity. It will help you sleep at night.
9. Scan the horizon and be prepared for whatever may come…