by Doug Butler, PhD, CJF, FWCF
To view this article online, click here.
Focus on Preparing for the Future
There is an old saying, “You can’t get the jobs of tomorrow
without the skills of today.” And while we may not be able to
accurately predict the future, we can predict what has always
been true: those who have disciplined and prepared themselves
will be better off than those who have not.
Life in America has become more unpredictable and volatile
in recent months. Fuel prices continue to go up. Jobs are
being cut. Severe weather patterns are disrupting many parts
of the country. There is much uncertainty about where the
economy is headed.
How will these developments affect the horse industry and
the farrier, in particular? The answer is anyone’s guess. At
least so far, it appears these conditions have had the
greatest effect on people who really couldn’t afford horses in
the first place. Many people get into the horse business just
to fulfill the dream of owning a horse -- but they didn’t
consider the ongoing cost of maintaining the animal.
In recent months, we have received many donations of
unwanted horses at Butler Professional Farrier School. While
this makes it possible for us to maintain a diverse horse herd
for student instruction and helps ensure every student will
see all types of foot and limb deformities and have the
opportunity to work on them, it certainly speaks to the fact
that many people simply cannot afford or are choosing to not
keep their horses.
The good news is that the cost of horses has gone down;
however, the bad news is that the cost of “horse keeping” has
gone up. Horse keeping has always been an expensive hobby, but
in today’s unpredictable and volatile economy, even those who
have the discretionary income to own and show rodeo and race
horses (and have been the least affected by a lagging economy)
report that they, too, are cutting back.
How might these changes impact your business and what can
you do about it? Here are several tips on how to survive the
tough times – by preparing for the future.
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Be aware of the trends in the industry and do your best
to continue to learn and improve your knowledge base. Take
online classes, purchase quality training videos and DVDs,
and sign up for continuing education opportunities. This
will increase your chances of doing better than those who
have not taken these steps.
Knowledge is like horse manure. It must be applied to do
any good. When manure is piled in one place it doesn’t do
anybody any good and kills the grass under it. When it is
spread around it does a lot of good and causes the grass to
grow more vigorously. Knowledge is like that in your business
and life. You have to apply and share it for it to do any
good.
As you develop your skills and sources of intrinsic or
personal security, you will insulate yourselves, insofar as
possible, from the economic fears spread by the media. You
need to focus on the things that will make you successful at
work and at home.
For the past eight years we have been providing practical
programs and networking opportunities through our annual
Farrier Focus® Conference. Join us this year for our meeting
September 19 and 20, 2008, in Crawford, Nebraska.
This year’s Farrier Focus® Conference will feature
instruction and practice on aging horses by their teeth,
comparison of horse training methods, recognizing conformation
defects, options for patching quarter cracks, shoeing safety
guidelines, and building your own sources of intrinsic
security.
The Conference will be held at our school near Crawford, in
western Nebraska. This meeting will serve as a reunion for
past students as well as conference attendees. Check our web
site for more details coming soon. www.farrierfocus.com.
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How much does it cost to purchase and maintain a horse?
Horse Foot Care: A Horse Owners Guide to Humane Foot
Care by Doug Butler includes a comprehensive list that
will help evaluate the initial costs as well as the monthly
investment to own and maintain a horse. Learn more ...
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