Bob Marshall, the well-known farrier instructor and educator from Mission City, British Columbia, Canada, is involved in scores — sometimes hundreds — of clinics each year. He says it takes planning, know-how and cooperation to put on a good one.

“People who put these on often don’t get enough credit for how much work they put into it,” he said during a November, 2002, clinic he conducted for farriers in Minnesota. “But think about this one. You have to have a big enough place to hold work stations. There has to be enough parking. You have to arrange for propane and for someone to get it when it’s needed.”

Those putting on clinics also need to know if a clinician needs audio-visual equipment, power, a microphone, etc. What about live horses for shoeing demonstrations? Preferably animals that won’t consider maiming a farrier thier life’s ambition.

When you add in a few little things like making sure lodging is available for clinicians as well as attendees, meals, snacks and entertainment, it quickly becomes clear that Marshall knows what he’s talking about.

If you have a tip you’d like to share on how to put on a successful clinic, write it up and sent it to the address shown on page 3. We’ll include ideas like these as a regular part of this column.

Teaming Up Makes Sense

Jim Poor, American Farrier’s Association (AFA) Certified Journeyman Farrier from Midland, Texas, offered this advice as an aside during a demonstration he was giving…