There is no sole road map or product that can grow a farrier practice. Experiences differ on markets, disciplines and personal goals. No matter what stage you are at in your career, if you want your business to advance, it requires firm commitment.

You Have to Improve Yourself

When it comes to improving a farrier practice, Versailles, Ky., shoer Steve Stanley says it simply means improving your work. He believes you’ll never advance your work without expanding your education. This requires being active in your pursuit of higher learning. Despite your level of expertise, Stanley says to get out there and connect with other shoers.

“You need to create opportunities to learn from other farriers,” he explains. “You should go to events like the International Hoof-Care Summit or you can find local guys who shoe in your discipline. I still look for it myself.”

In addition to education, you need to constantly evaluate your work if you hope to move your practice to a higher level. “Check your own work — your trimming and shoeing methods,” say Stanley.

He finds many farriers hurt their practices by making “silly mistakes,” stemming from a lack of studying the craft. “I’m seeing a lot of uneducated work, like causing sole pressure, bad trims or using the wrong shoe size,” Stanley says. “A lot of guys are throwing on shoes, without trying to understand what they are doing.”

If you operate a multi-farrier business or use apprentices, he says you can’t grow your practice…