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Working together; Farrier Teamwork

A strategy for farriers’, veterinarians and horse owners.

When I was 18, I joined the Australian Army. One of the first things you learn in the army is that the organisation is a team! Soldiers are trained to work together, after all no one can win a war alone. The other thing you quickly learn in the army is that everything has acronyms. The purpose of an acronym is so you can retrieve information quickly. This method of teaching enables soldiers to retain and retrieve relevant information. I’m sure you can imagine how important this is for soldiers! Throughout my farriery career I have had the opportunity to teach both farriers, trimmers and vet students the importance of farrier teamwork..

Luckily, although I didn’t realise it at the time, the army taught me the teaching framework that I still use today.

When I teach people about efficiency in a farriery business, or any business for that matter, I use the acronym T.E.A.M.

So, what does T.E.A.M. stand for?

•         T: Time
•         E: Efficiency
•         A: Attitude
•         M: Money

Sounds simple enough, right? So how do we as farriers’, vets or owners use the T.E.A.M. Theory?

Quite simply, we can’t achieve the best possible outcome for all stake holders, including the horse, if we don’t work as a TEAM! So, I will break it down and explain how we can put T.E.A.M. into practice.

T is for Time

In life, time is the most important thing we have! We never know how much time we have left, so we need to use it wisely. This means making time to spend with family and enjoying life away from the job. After all, we should work to live, not live to work!

This is particularly important for farriers and Vets. We service our client’s horses so they can pursue their sport or hobby. Unfortunately, clients sometimes think that means we are on call 24/7. So, we need to use our time efficiently.

Farriers and Veterinarians:

* Plan your visits ahead and turn up on time. Don’t keep other professionals waiting if you are working together on a client’s horse. This is common courtesy and is disrespectful when working with others. If you want to be treated with respect, show some in return.    

* Allocate sufficient time to do the job required, so you avoid running late for your next appointment. If you are running late, it is important that you call the client or vet/ farrier to keep them informed.

If it takes you 45 minutes to shoe a horse, allow 1 hour. This allows you to complete the job properly and not rush. Rushed work results in mistakes, and mistakes cost you money if you have to go back and fix them.

Clients/Horse owner:

* Have your horse ready before the farrier or vet arrives. The horse should be caught, feet cleaned out and standing calmly. This will put the farrier or vet in a good frame of mind from the get-go. Professionals won’t be able to do their best work under bad conditions. For example, if you have to chase the horse around to catch it and it's upset, hot and agitated, it won’t be settled while the vet or farrier is shoeing or treating it. If you create a good, safe environment and your horse is well behaved for your farrier or vet, you will enable them to perform at their best! On the other hand, if the horse is untrained and the environment is unsafe, the service provider has the right to refuse to service your horse. 

E is for Efficiency

Efficiency in your practice can be achieved in many ways. One of these ways is how you go about trimming or shoeing the horse. To be efficient and to produce high quality work, you should have a shoeing or trimming plan or sequence. My shoeing plan involves trimming in pairs, either fronts or backs first. The reason I shoe or trim in pairs and teach my students to do the same is simple, accurate trimming or shoeing of a horse involves visualisation. This is how we want the feet to look when we are finished. Things to consider include hoof pastern alignment and mediolateral balance as well as its overall function. It is easier to correctly balance a horse and achieve more consistent results when we trim or shoe in pairs.

Another benefit of trimming and shoeing in pairs, is when it comes to working with young or inexperienced horses. It allows you to be able to shoe a pair of fronts and leave the hind feet for another day. The client can then continue working or riding the horse once you leave.

If you shoe one front and one hind hoof, the horse will be unbalanced. Shoeing in pairs is a well established practice that was employed by the military, to ensure horses could be used quickly if required.

New clients or horses: 

When I am attending new clients or horses, I usually allow an extra half hour to complete the job. Before I arrive, I have already asked a number of questions to make the visit more efficient.  Knowing things such as the horses age, discipline, any existing issues, approximate shoe size (so I can ensure I have the correct shoes in stock), any relevant history such as Veterinary diagnostics, who was shoeing the horse previously or why I am being employed to shoe that horse are all vital pieces of information, required to complete the job efficiently.

Existing Clients or horses:

This scenario is much easier as you will have an idea of the shoe size, discipline, any additional requirements, as you have already worked on the horse.

In my practice I keep records and photos of the horses I work on. This also includes pathologies, x-rays and any other relevant history of the horse as a reference. By keeping these records, I can make or modify any shoes required prior to attending the horse, again saving time at the job, in turn making my service more efficient.

There are many ways of record keeping. I use EQUINET. This is a program you can adopt that will keep records as well as bookings, inventory, invoicing and client notifications.

Having the right equipment and skills:

Having the right equipment and skills to perform the task is essential to being efficient. Being able to modify or change shoes to enhance the horse’s soundness or performance is a skill all farriers should have. As professionals, we should all be conscious of learning new techniques and trying new products as well as focusing on personal development and up-skilling.

Bookings:

Efficiency can also encompass your booking protocol. By booking horses in the same area on a regular basis, you can save on fuel, reduce travel time and allow you to make better use of your time in your day!

Inventory/ Equipment:

Ensuring that you have the correct equipment required to complete your job is another important part of being efficient. This includes making sure your truck is set up properly, that you have enough shoes for the workday, the right style of horseshoe, the right nails, right type of rasp, etc. It also includes good communication with the client, ensuring they inform you of any existing or new problems the horse is facing that might require specialised equipment you don’t normally carry. The client may even make you aware that the horse is going to a competition and stud holes will need to be drilled into the shoe prior to getting to the job.

Clients:

It is important to inform your farrier or vet of any changes prior to their visit. This includes things such as shoeing requirements, upcoming competitions, lameness and so on, to ensure they have what is required for their visit. This will again, save time, money and result in the best possible outcome for all concerned.

A is for Attitude

Attitude can encompass a few aspects.

Horses Attitude:

Horses with poor attitudes or are undisciplined will quickly result in the farrier or vet having a poor attitude and may result in the horse not getting serviced.

Safe Environment: 

A good, safe working area and clean well-behaved horse will inevitably make your farrier or vet happier and result in the best possible outcome.

Farriers/Vets:

* Regular appointments, text messages to notify clients of appointment times. Keeping open communication helps eliminate any confusion or frustrations.

* Answering the phone or text messages (run your business like a professional if you want to be treated like one). If you don’t answer your phone, you won’t have any clients!

* Perform your tasks to the best of your ability.

Personal Development:

* Always be approachable and continue to develop your skills via clinics, further education, higher qualifications or farrier competitions.

* Communicate with veterinarians and other farriers, be approachable and help others to upskill.

The fastest way to make a client unhappy is to arrive late, not turn up, not calling them back or failing to communicate. Maintaining regular contact with your clients is essential.

Remember three things in life that don’t cost you anything are Honesty, Punctuality and Good Manners.  

M is for Money

 Most young farriers see the importance of money before they realise what is required to make it. Perhaps this is a sign of the times.  But the point is, if you get all the other aspects in T.E.A.M. right, you will inevitably make money and have a successful practice with happy clients.

•         Be on Time 
•         Be Efficient
•         Have the right Attitude
•         You will make Money

From a client’s perspective, if you follow the T.E.A.M concept, they will benefit by getting the best job from you, value for money and a happy sound horse. This is vital to having a good, long-lasting relationship with your clients.

Professionally, you will benefit from having a good working relationship with veterinarians’ and fellow farriers. You will continue to learn, and your business will grow as a result.

At the end of the day, the horses are the ones who will be the beneficiaries. After all, that’s why we do what we do, to benefit the horses!

Hope you enjoyed this blog all the best

Dean Lewis AWCF