Just posting to seek some advice from others in starting out. Here is my situation....
I attented the shoeing course in Olds AB which ended in Dec. It is a 2 part program with a practicum aka work term during the summer. I had chosen to come back home (ontario) for the summer and work with 3 different farriers in the area, all of whom are talented however none could have me full time. I worked with a Woman farrier who is more of a cold shoer however we really get along well as friends and i began working with her before i went to school. the other 2 guys are very skilled farriers who use only handmades. One was just starting out and doesn't need an apprentice and the other is busy but has a full time apprentice. Within reasonable driving range there arn't any others.
I have continued working with the Woman farrier since ive been back however i dont want to loose my forging skills. I have been practising and hope to continue to attend compititions and get my AFA cert. I worry about practising hot shoe shaping. Not to mention nailing skills as i havn't nailed shoes since school. I have been building up my own clients since the summer. mostly trims and a few horses to shoe once the weather warms up so i am hesitent to flat out move away.
Any Advice?

sounds like your at the crossroads of every farriers life lol.
i'll tell you what i did when i first started out. i did about the same thing you are doing now. i got my own clients and i kept going with a senior farrier. i would go with him the days i wasnt trimming my own. he didnt pay me i was just their for the learning. I also had 10 of my own horses to practice on. i know a few farriers in my area that started out. they went out and got a couple of lame horses. just to practice on. forging to me is like ridding a bike once you get good at it you never forget. just keep practicing you will be a pro before you know it. just keep building your clients and the exsperance will come with it. you can fallow farriers your whole life your going to do things the way your comfortable with.



amon smith

highbank farms wrote:
I find it is more like weight lifting. Take 6 months off and you lose a year of training.

Regards

NatStar Did they not show you the skinny on building shoes at Olds?If not,Bob Marshall's DVD's are very good at explaining and showing,and they would be good to get then,go buy a bunch of bar stock,use it all up,get some more do it again.Painters get good at what they do by useing up miles of canvas and lots of paint ,confidence evolves,then your style,then talent which is the END result.Keep riding with whoever you can,you can learn something from everyone,even if it's not how to do something.Finally,somewhere around you is some dude horses or riding stable horses.Go see if you can get under a bunch.Those people tend to not want to pay very much and alot of them judge a shoeing job by how long the shoes stay on.Shoeing dude strings is a good way for a beginner to aquire the numbers needed to move on. Do your best work you can on them so it becomes a habit. Keep a clock nearby and set reasonable goals time wise.Good luck .

I have learned good forging basic for sure. i have been in 5 compitions and just this past weekend moved on to division 2. unfortunitely the farrier ive been working with is a cold shoer. As far a competing goes moving on was bitter sweet because i really need some helplearning more complicated shoes and the live shoeing for the next contest in june. Definitely taking advantage of my moms pasture potatoes to practice on, now they have a job haha. Basicly looking for more advanced help i suppose

not as many large bunches of working horses around here as out west lots of pasture pets with no shoes (foundered ponies)or fancy show horses. I know will start with the ones who want cheap judge the job on the how long the shoes stay on which bring me to wonder about the issue of undercutting in price? does anyone have thoughts on charging different clients differnt prices?

NatStarr wrote:
For what it's worth, I have some thoughts. I work over a fairly wide geographical area. My accounts and how I came by them differ quite a bit as well. I have different prices in different places.