In managing my shoeing business, I use the Forge Ahead v3.3 software program because it’s fast, easy, flexible and gives me the essential business management information that I need.

For 15 of the 17 years I’ve been shoeing, I’ve enjoyed the extra time and fewer headaches that come with letting a computer handle the recordkeeping, invoicing, statements and scheduling of horses for shoeing. 

So when the Y2K talk about computer concerns was going around some 18 months ago, I started looking for a replacement for my 12-year-old software program. 

Time To Act

Looking at adapting both off-the-shelf programs and software programs written specifically for the farrier, I made myself aware of viable solutions to any business problem that might arise in the future.

Soon after, the software program I was using started losing information. Much of the time that I once enjoyed with my wife and family was now spent in front of the computer screen trying to correct and keep my old program going. 

To solve this problem, I purchased Forge Ahead, which was developed by Backroads Data in Baldwin City, Kan. Transferring the customer and horse information that had been active in the last 6 months gave me the opportunity to standardize the data and become familiar with the new program.

As a teaching farrier, I am aware of the varying styles of shoeing practices and I’ve found this program not only very adequate for my needs, but flexible enough to be used in almost any type of…