As a farrier, you probably like being your own boss and knowing that you are providing essential footcare to the horses of your clients.

Like many equine veterinarians and farriers, Jay Merriam says his work was his only hobby for many years.

When asked whether clients object when footcare prices are raised, 62% of recently surveyed farriers said it isn’t a concern.

Whether we might end up sometime in 2008 with an economic slowdown or an actual recession, either would have interesting implications for the horse industry.