Prospective Farrier - Plans and Thoughts

[GregTrem]

Morning all, nice to meet everyone!

I've been lurking a day or so and reading reading reading, figured I'd make my first post a combination of introduction and brain picking.

I'm making the move and becoming a farrier, and am putting my plan together for how to do it. Figured I'd go over what I was thinking, see what your thoughts were.

I'm 33, have a family and live in central NY, currently working at Cornell. Having done my homework, it's clear to me that I live pretty darn close to one of the better regarded farrier programs (on the other side of campus.) I've looked at Kentucky and Heartland, and decided that it won't work around my wife's career to move my family there for their 40 week programs, and as much as I'd love to go, I think I'd move back and find myself divorced if I left her to solo parent for quite that long.

I'm working on getting in touch with Mike Wildenstein at Cornell, (shop's been closed when I stopped by) but I plan to apply for next September's 16 week program. In the mean time, here's my personal prep plan:

- Reading Butler's P3 edition as many times as I can get through it.
- Picking up the required tools for the 16 week program and getting as comfortable with them as I can
- Upping the time I'm spending at the 2 stables I ride and work at to the max possible, working with as many horses as I can and focusing more on ground work and shadowing the trainers
- Trying to find one of our local farriers to follow whenever I can

Things I'm pondering and unsure of:
- Should I pick up a farrier's anvil and start practicing the techniques shown in some of the series like Butler's Iron and Forgework? Will it help, or do I run the risk of cementing bad habits without a mentor there to slap me upside the head?
- Are there other companion books to the Butler P3 I should add to my reading list?


Lay some thoughts on me folks. . . and thanks for your time and all the reading material on the site.

[Gilreath Horseshoeing]

I would also recommend the book, Hickman's Farriery.

I would recommend buying quality tools. If you don't you will want to upgrade very quickly.

IMO

[Bradley-1stChoice]

Originally Posted by GregTrem

Morning all, nice to meet everyone!

I've been lurking a day or so . . . Lay some thoughts on me folks. . . and thanks for your time and all the reading material on the site.

Welcome Greg
You are choosing an awesome trade to be come a part of.
In no other trade is there the propensity to share info.
In most trades knowledge translates to keeping a job . . .
. . . ie: if you know more that the other you don't get the lay off first.
Or at least that is the perception, and the way some old tradesmen think.

Second, as a new training Farrier,
the first toughest thing you will have to endure is being under a horse
which in the beginning seems like for ever.
(Leg burn)

If you wish to do some preparation to ease the leg burn,
stand like a Farrier, feet apart toes pointed in ward (extremely)
squat with you knees together.
Place a soup can between your knees and hold it there . . .
. . . now squat lower . . .
. . . after holding that position for 5 minutes if you can . . .

. . . Start squatting up and down, some . . .
. . . at least till you legs start to burn.

If you do this you will out last your student piers and be able to focus on learning, instead of how much it hurts.

The longer the school the better,
but even better,
is the amount of ability to focus on the lesson at hand.

Less leg burn = more focus.

Third: When learning to make shoes,
remind yourself that it doesn't need to be made in one hammer blow.
Focus on hammer control over speed,
and I recommend using a 1.5 lb rounding hammer and move up at a latter date if desired.
When you do move to a larger hammer don't start wailing it around
like it was the smaller hammer, you could blow out your elbow.

Take lots of notes, even while standing at the instructors anvil, during demonstrations.
I have many times even today, checked back over my notes to remember a point or two.

I might think of more later, but this should help some for now. IMO

Lastish . . . . . . . Totaly enjoy yourself in this choice you've made.

[mustang farrier service]

you have a cool name and you should capitalize on that. become a high end barefooter and patent the Tremtrim. you are working at cornell so you could recieve some discounts possibly.33 is a great age for farriers.ive been 33 for ten years now.good luck. p.s.-esco buff lives in webster new york,if thats anywhere near you,look him up.-gary

[GregTrem]

*laugh* well thanks all!

Richard, I will DEFINITELY be there for the conference. I didn't know that was coming up, what luck! Wasn't in my budget, but you don't build a business without investment. . . . not sure yet whether I can do both days. . . but then again, it's not much more than I used to spend on textbooks for one semester of college. Do you have a feel for when people will start to show up at the shop on Friday? It's too late to apply for the January program, so now I need to decide whether I feel I'll be ready by summer, or waiting till fall.

Gilreath: Hickman's . . . thank you, I knew there was another book that was well regarded. Do you have some suggestions of tool brands to steer towards or away from? Are the NC tools cheaper because they're craftsman instead of snapon, or because they're Harbor Freight?

Bradley: That sounds suspiciously like good advice, AND new kid hazing wrapped up in one fun package. I might just try your exercise. . . but I can just imagine my wife's delight in gaining photographic evidence. :-D Thanks for the tip on a 1.5 rounding, I'd have gone straight to a 2 pound. Butler makes a big note about handle shaping and dressing. . . do you find you need to modify your tools a lot?

Mustang: Heh. TremTrim. I like it. I also like 33. I plan on staying 33 as long as possible.


One other question, I kinda hesitate to ask, BUT. One of the links from the horseshoeing site on schools is to FarHills Forge, who offer a home study course. Naturally, any farrier's education for $250 makes me pray that nobody actually finishes that on their own and then hangs a shingle. I cringe for the horses. BUT. . . anyone have any experience with it, and would it be a worthwhile study aid?

Cheers! I'm already enjoying this new direction, and the people seem finer n froghair as an old friend used to say.

[Cyber Farrier]

First thing every new farrier should do is join the Co-Op. Hmmm... For that matter, the not-so-new ones would benefit as well...

(A shameless plug, I know....)

Baron Tayler

[GregTrem]

Hey, if you weren't a shameless plugger, you'd be in a bad business situation right?

I'll look it up, but Richard just pointed me to $350 less in my bank account. Mmmm, conference fees! Too bad it's not a business expense. Yet.

[Cyber Farrier]

Originally Posted by GregTrem

... Mmmm, conference fees! Too bad it's not a business expense. Yet.

Sure it's a business expense.

Baron Tayler

[Gary_Miller]

Originally Posted by GregTrem

I'll look it up, but Richard just pointed me to $350 less in my bank account. Mmmm, conference fees! Too bad it's not a business expense. Yet.

It sure is its called start up Costs. You don't have to be making money to be writing of the costs of starting a buisness. I suggest you go to the IRS small buisness website you will find lots of information on getting started and what you can and can't do tax wise.

[Gilreath Horseshoeing]

[quote=GregTrem]

Gilreath: Hickman's . . . thank you, I knew there was another book that was well regarded. Do you have some suggestions of tool brands to steer towards or away from?

GE are really good tools that are worth the money. I think a lot of the Nordic "Viking" 14" nippers. I kindof save the GE's and use the Vikings all the time and they just keep working. Hammers will be whatever suits you. I went throught three or four driving hammers till I found one that suited me. Tools are a personal preference, here is suggestions:

Rounding Hammer: Jim Poor (Flatland Forge)
Driving Hammer: Horsehead or Jim Poor
Cross Pein: Bloom Forge
Clinch cutter: GE (any will probably do the same)
Anvil: Emerson (this is my preference, you will have your own)
Nippers: Nordic Viking 14" track nipper and GE
Crease Nail Puller: GE (any will probably give the same performance)
Forge: NC Whisper Momma(but any forge will work),
I would look at Forgemaster
Pulloffs: Old pair of Cloverleaf nippers, any will work.
I would stay away from orange handled ones.
Rasp: Heller Legend (you will find which one you like.)
I might stay away from Diamond in this category.
Tongs: Jim Keith (any would probably do)

These are suggestions. It boils down to personal preference and you will develop your own preference later. All of these are good tools, IMO.

[GregTrem]

Ah, excellent. Thanks for the advice on tools Gil. I'm working out my purchase schedule to make sure I have everything I need for the class by the time I'm in the class, and have had time to get to know each one.

Anyone have any thoughts about that FarHills home study course I mentioned?

Richard, I'll be doing both days of the Conference, so I'm certain I'll see you there. When you arrive, will you be congregating around the farrier shop?

[handmade pride]

Mr Trem, I would suggest you stay away from any home study that would take away from your tool money or study book money like Butlers P3 book. I would suggest you get that book and just start on page one. Also I think I read you said you were working with horses somewhere? If so try to get in there with some well known good horses and just pick out feet and try to hold the horses legs like you would if you were shoeing them. Right now the biggest thing you can do for yourself is to try to get a good back and upper legs on yourself. If you can comfortably stay under a horse for 10 to 15 minutes or better you will be way ahead of the game. Dont be afraid to spend money on good quaility tools you wont be sorry. Another thing I could say is from your pic you look like you may be doing some kind of carpentry so I assume you might be used to swingging a hammer. If so just remember your driving hammer is used on feet not wood so you may find out you like a much much lighter hammer than you are used to. My first hammer was a 12 Oz. now I wish I would have went with about an 8 Oz. As far as tools go GE are the best trimming and shoeing tools I have seen. Flatland forge makes great forging tools as well as Jim Keith tools. Nc Tools are fine for starting out and they make some sweet little forges. Good luck and good choice.

[Bradley-1stChoice]

Greg
What's that your building in your avatar ???

[DavidinGA]

One thing I found out this weekend, don't use a diamond rasp. My neighbor has heard me talk about the cost of tools so he found this diamond rasp on sale and bought it for me cause it was like 12 bucks. Anyway, he gave it to me and I tried it out this weekend. It looked brand new but it wouldn't cut hot butter. The file side did ok for finishing my clenches but that was about all it was good for. Now I have some other diamond tools and they are about middle of the road, good enough to use but I'm not going to compare them to the GEs.

David

[tbloomer]

Greg,

There should be a local Small Business Administration office in your area.

http://sba.org/

They will help you develop your business plan and marketing plan. It won't cost you a dime, but they will give you some serious "business homework assignments" to do. It will save you from making a lot of mistakes and reinventing the wheel.