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Articles by Jeremy McGovern

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Shoeing for a Living

Farrier’s Success Comes Through Diversity

By not focusing on particular disciplines, Arizona farrier Chad Lunderville has been able to grow his footcare practice over the past 20 years
By Jeremy McGovern posted on January 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices, Forging, Shoeing
During the 10 years of his childhood living on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Chad Lunderville had a clearer path for working with cows than horses. Tired of the brutal winters that hampered the dairy operation, his family moved back to Arizona, where horses gained the younger Lunderville’s attention.
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The Black, White and Gray of Ethics

By Jeremy McGovern posted on January 4, 2016 | Posted in Business Practices
There are situations that are so clearly split between right and wrong that there is no question as to what the ethical decision should be. A classic example is finding a lost wallet containing identification and money. The ethical person returns it to the owner; the unethical person does not.
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Jeremy McGovern
From The Desk Of AFJ

Always Time To Give Thanks

By Jeremy McGovern posted on December 4, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices
We’re a little more than a week past the United States’ version of Thanksgiving. Despite football and post Turkey retail, it remains a day to reflect on how fortunate we are while others of different circumstances are not. Farriers seldom need reminder that the holiday provides specifically about the trade.
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Nothing Goes to Waste in This Farrier’s Shop

For this instructor, the most important lesson in his shop is to think outside the box when at the forge
By Jeremy McGovern posted on November 30, 2015 | Posted in Forging
Growing up in a family that bred Quarter Horses, there was no doubt that Sonny Pistilli was going to make a career in the equine industry. It was through the need to tack on a shoe that he became a farrier. In 1965, his farrier couldn't make it out to put a shoe back on a prized show horse. The judge disqualified the horse for only wearing three shoes. He began riding with his mentor, the legendary Seamus Brady, to learn the basics in case he found himself in a pinch again. After 5 months, he was hooked on the trade.
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Quick Tips for Improving Your Bottom Line

British farrier David Nicholls shares his thoughts on making the business side of farriery more pleasant
By Jeremy McGovern posted on November 30, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices

David Nicholls clearly understands the need for farriers to operate their businesses as businesses. The West Sussex, England, farrier has keen insight not only from being a practitioner for more than 45 years, but from his overall business experience. He’s worked outside of farriery in varied capacities and within farriery, he’s worked in both single- and multi-farrier practices. But for him, there is one reason why he was qualified to lecture other farriers on the subject of business at the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit.


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Shoeing for a Living

Footcare by Committee

A gathering of farriers in western Pennsylvania provides opportunity to discuss each other’s approach to hoof care
By Jeremy McGovern posted on November 30, 2015
What’s a typical day for a farrier? Well, define “typical.” How often does one set out to trim and shoe horses without a curve ball coming out of nowhere that disrupts that day’s plans? Is that no longer a normal day?
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Jeremy McGovern

Do You See What I See

By Jeremy McGovern posted on November 30, 2015
I’m not an artist, but I know a few painters — and not the house variety. When looking at a work of art, I can appreciate the ability that goes into creating a piece, but artists have a deeper appreciation of it. They have the different knowledge of what goes into a work and have a deeper understanding of the skills necessary to create it. They see what I don’t. It is a perception developed from sight and experience.
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Jeremy McGovern
From The Desk Of AFJ

Times They (Still) Are A Changin’

By Jeremy McGovern posted on November 6, 2015 | Posted in Education
Farriery is an art and science steeped in tradition. Within that tradition is a commitment to honoring the basics. Yet, there is always a constant evolution within the system. New products come and go. New theories and research emerge that reshape our thinking about the horse. Some things will never change, but many others do.
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Considerations for Launching a Multi-Farrier Practice

Veteran Florida farrier James Gilchrist provides lessons he learned from building a multi-farrier practice
By Jeremy McGovern posted on October 30, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices, Clients, Education
The way James Gilchrist views it, we’re members of various teams throughout our lives. Your family is a team. If you worship as a member of a church, the congregation is another team. Because of this viewpoint, it is no surprise that the veteran shoer from Wellington, Fla., says the team is the basis of success within a multi-farrier practice.
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Farrier Education: Heartland Horseshoeing School

Farrier Education: Heartland Horseshoeing School

Farriery requires knowledge and skills to provide proper equine hoof care. In this series, sponsored by VICTORY, American Farriers Journal visits Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. In this edition, Chris Gregory discussed his journey to becoming an educator, his focus in teaching farrier students and the state of farrier education.

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Life Data Labs Inc

Life Data Labs Inc. is a dedicated product manufacturer committed to producing premium quality animal nutrition and health products through continuous product improvement and new product development. First-class ingredients, fresh products, consistent high quality and scientifically proven effectiveness are the principal features of Life Data Labs animal health products. And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years.
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Kawell USA

Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
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SmartPak

From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.
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