Farriers school

[Spots]

I have decided to attend a Farrier school, with the goal of starting my own horseshoeing and blacksmithing business. I have done some research, and my post-9/11 GI bill will be covering most of the expense. I'll be left with a full tool kit($1400) a $500 application fee, and $500 left of my tution. The GI bill will pay $17,500 for out of state pvt school, and the 36 week course at the Kentucky Horseshoeing school is $18k even. The BHA will cover my room in the 8 man bunkhouse, that is $1800 for the entire 36 week course. I'm just asking to get opinions on if this school is the best option, or is there another well accredited school in this general area? Having never ran my own business, what suggestions would you have to someone starting out in something like this? Also if your a farrier, what I can expect as far as yearly income, how large of a customer base is normal, etc. Thanks guys

Link to the school

http://www.kentuckyhorseshoeingschool.com/

[gjohnsoniv]

Well farriers are needed and I can't see how you could go wrong with being at a Kentucky school. I can talk to a friend of mine who is a farrier for a living if you would like and maybe someone else on here is one as well.

[Murgatroy]

I can see it being pretty big up here in Kentucky.

I can also see it being a really useful skill to have. Not just the ability to make horse shoes, or to shoe a horse, but the ability to craft items out of raw metal.

I am king of envious.

As for making you rich, I don't know, but from what I know of you, I think it will make you happy.

[dats82]

Anything to do with horses suffers during recessions. One of the first expenses to cut is luxury spending. Horses are almost exclusively a luxury item. I used to work in the horse business and was on tract to be a large animal vet until I fully came to this realization. Farriers certainly have the potential to do well, but it is hard, hot work that is not always stable. I do not remember exactly what our farrier charged, but I remember thinking that it was not enough that I would be willing to do the job. I think it was about $50 a horse, but that has been a few years. Just think about that, $50 for one horse that by the time you drive to where ever the farm is, set your stuff up, and get the horse done, you have probably burned about 2 hrs. That's 25/hr, but you have to remember the cost of gas and the maintance on your truck.

I hope I do not sound like a Debby Downer, but I just want to make sure you understand that it is a physically demanding job that is probably never going to make you rich. It could be an enjoyably profession, and you could do really well if you could get in with some large barns or if you had a majority of clients that could come to you. However, I do not think that is the norm. Most farriers I have known, did not do it full time, and they usually had a shift work job to keep a steady income.

Either way, if you continue with it, best of luck.

[Glenn]

I had a friend years ago that was a farrier. He got into corrective shoeing and was making pretty good money.

[bvarnell]

Anything to do with horses suffers during recessions. One of the first expenses to cut is luxury spending. Horses are almost exclusively a luxury item.

About 2 yrs. ago, the state of Georgia had anywhere from 50 to 200 horses at any given time that they were boarding, feeding and eventually auctioning off. Most of them had been abandoned and/or starved by owners who could no longer afford them. They had 2 -4 auctions a year to keep the herd down to a manageable number. The cost for the state to manage this ran into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

My friend at Ga. dept. of agriculture who was involved in this has since retired, so I don't know what the current status is.

I imagine Tn. D of A does something similar. You might call them to get their numbers.

This is sort of a rambling way of saying that dats82 is right about horses being one of the first expenses cut when times get tough.

I'm fairly certain that these horses were not taken care of before the state got them. If they didn't have money for feed, they probably didn't spend money for a farrier either.

That being said, good luck if you decide to go through with the school.

Edited August 30, 2012 by bvarnell

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

My farrier.. who is very busy most of the time.. still does not make enough money to liove off of it 100% each month.

Also.. you really need to love horses .. its not just how you trim or shoe a horse.. you really need to have a feel for the foot and how a foot works.. Then comes the different breeds and shoes.. My Tennessee Walking horse gets trimmed and shod a bit different that a . lets say.. a Quarter horse or a dressage horse.

I know you will learn all of that..

And then you have the added worry that if you do not trim a horse a certain way .. the horse comes up lame or whatnot.. you get blamed.. really fast... The liability issues can be expensive..And you need good insurance.. because you will get kicked.. its not IF.. its wenn...it will happen..

I have a very good farrier who has been doing this for ages.. So there are no issues but it takes a long time to find a good one that knows what you want and how they should be trimmed or shod.

It takes years to get a good clientel base worked out.. you will find most call you once.. and they wont like you.. you wont get called back.. and it spreads like wildfire.. in smaller communities.. horsepeople know each other.. and they gossip.. i..lol..

If you decide to also do the hot shoeeing on horses.. you needa pretty good setup.. and they are not cheap at all.. so thats a added expense....

A lot of horse in Kentucky are racers or show horses... they get hot shod or get special shoes....and that takes years to master also..

I would really look into a apprenticeship before you decide to do this..

Its hard and dangerous work.. if your back isnt ( and your heart ) isnt in it.. I would say , find a different career.

If you took all of this into consideration.. go forward.. and I hope that is something you will love and enjoy ..

Good luck:)