It’s been said that horseshoeing is a necessary evil, but the same can be said about farrier accounting. The thought of sitting down to do my bookwork is about as appealing to me as working on an old broodmare in a muddy lot. If you find it an equally distasteful subject, it is essential to make keeping your books as easy and efficient as possible. 

Just as horseshoers have different styles and needs in their operations, I find that what works for me doesn’t necessarily mean that other farriers also will find my techniques useful. Accounting can be as simple or as complex as a person wants. If you want it complex, modern technology can deliver options that are more varied and cheaper than ever before. 

The Essentials

Before you figure out how to keep your records, you need to understand what you need to document. Essentially, this is what you need to keep track:

1. Client information. This includes your clients’ names, addresses and phone numbers. Be sure to get home, cellular and work numbers from clients that have them. Depending on how tech-savvy you are, get their e-mail address, too. This can help you later, should you need to simultaneously contact multiple clients on issues like achieving certification, if you change your phone number or wishing them a happy holiday season.
2. Horse information. Here you’ll list the horses’ name, their owners, when the horses were last worked on and what they will need next time. Be detailed…