As a farrier, you're considered the hoof-care expert by your clients. That also means they look to you to teach them at least a little bit about hoof care. This makes sense in many ways.

Rookie farriers often find themselves suffering from a lack of confidence when it comes to dealing with horse owners.

The start of a new career path can be daunting. New horseshoeing school graduates understand this. Despite having the proper educational background, new farriers quickly learn that the education doesn't stop once they receive their certificate of completion.

What does it cost you to shoe a horse? The obvious answer includes the price of shoes and nails. Maybe some additional supplies are required, like adhesives or hoof pads. The truth is, many farriers fail to reflect on how the prices that they charge are actually determined.

Clients won't find you unless you take an active role in attracting them. There are ways you can grow your business and acquire customers in an ethical manner. Here are 10 that will help you establish your practice.

The art and craft of horseshoeing used to be passed on from master to apprentice, but today there are schools, books, DVDs and other opportunities and tools available for learning. However, apprenticeships still provide the best way to learn the trade.

Through your education, you acquire the fundamentals of farriery. You work a lifetime to hone your craft. And although you entered this profession for the good of the horse, there is a business side to this profession. One component of the business is dealing with the legal issues that may arise in your practice.

Immigration continues to be a hot- button topic for American political debate. Core to this issue has been the influx of workers from Latin America. Every industry with a physical labor element has been impacted by Spanish-speaking laborers joining the workforce. For the equine industry, that is most obvious among grooms. From high-priced Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky to boarding barns in California, the grooms at barns more often than not will originate from a Latin American country.