Last month in Lexington KY, I had the honor of presiding over my first meeting of the newly restructured AFA Board of Directors. It was a very productive weekend with open and earnest communications strengthening relations between the BoD and elected officials. Prior to this face-to-face gathering I have worked hard to foster a dialogue with the BoD by inviting all to audit the Executive Committee’s teleconference meetings which handle the day-to-day business of the AFA along with any other pertinent and time sensitive matters. As many as 9 BoD members have been on the line during a single call allowing the EC input from the BoD on each and every decision facing the AFA. This is a new and improved level of cooperation among leadership for the AFA, it is this good will that weaves the tapestry of strong foundation for our organization.
In that spirit, the BoD was able to dissect, question and approve the 08-09 budget in less than 4 hours! At the same time the BoD elected John Blombach to fill the Office of Treasurer which was left vacant when Rick Burten resigned in March. John had served as the AFA treasurer for past 3 years and was instrumental in the successful development of the 08-09 budget.
Several By-law changes were passed, the most celebrated being that the Secretary of the AFA no longer must be a member of the BoD. I have appointed Thom Gabel to fill this position during my tenure as President as has done an excellent job for the past year keeping all AFA minutes and agendas in order. Thom also serves as our Member Benefits Chair.
Membership numbers continue to hold steady and were an item of revenue very closely scrutinized in the budget. As an association we must be very aware of what we offer our members and continue to make their investment in the AFA worthwhile. For many of members, including myself, the biggest AFA benefit of AFA membership has always been the education and mentoring opportunities. Not surprisingly, it is one of the least expensive to offer. In the trying economic times that we are facing we should look to strengthen the AFA by designing educational opportunities from one member to another. I would encourage the chapters and all members to pro-actively get involved in sharing our most important asset; the knowledge of our members.
It is incumbent upon us as an association to be the best skilled craftsman we can be, to not just know what we do…but why we do it and be able to articulate it with a clear, concise and unified voice. This will create the next generation of real farriers, …not just installers of keg shoes.
Okay, back to the voice of the Board! When I queried the BoD for their own take on specific AFA matters and they shared their thoughts and feedback with candor -- not all flattering! -- and some very constructive suggestions. Some of the suggestions have already been put into action. Others will take time and, frankly, commitment from those of us who have the power to create positive change. The desire to continue this direct dialogue is what led to the idea for me to write my own blog. Now when it comes to blogs, Web 2.0 strategies and social networking, I confess that I am a neophyte. I can barely keep up when discussing these issues with my millennial generation kids. But the correspondence I have received since taking office -- which came from all over the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Europe -- reinforced my belief that technology and the Internet specifically can change the farrier industry and improve the lives of farriers in ways we never dreamed. So every week or so, I'll be filling you in on my personal farrier experiences and seeking your feedback on AFA issues that consume much of my time.
Tomorrow I fly to Oklahoma for three days of tester updates. Next week, I'll fill you in on some of the subjects we discussed and seek your opinion on the issues that impact you in some way or another.
Stay tuned for more and I look forward to hearing from you.
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18 comments:
Why do you start out with your very first blog entry insulting the 75% or more of the AFA's membership that are not CJF's or do not use anything but keg shoes in their practice by using the pejorative phrase of "This will create the next generation of real farriers, …not just installers of keg shoes"
Why is the AFA website down? What idiot decided to turn it off while the new site is being developed and why are they smart enough to do both?
Andrew, congratulations! In your very first post you somehow managed to ignorantly represent yourself as an elitist. It is people like you who spend his/her time shmoozing each other, traveling around the country patting each other on the back, and critisizing those who actually shoe horses full time, that keep "real" farriers like me from joining the AFA. I have been a professional farrier for 19 years. I could pass your Master-Farrier exam blindfolded, but you'll never get dues from me, because I would only be represented by those who are really busting their ass to make a decent living under a horse. I will not be told how to shoe horses by a politician like you.
Why don't you go back to your barn, turn a shoe, put it on a chain, wear it around your neck, and then stare at yourself in the mirror for a couple of more hours. This will keep you from insulting people like me who are actually out getting the job done.
Andrew, good job reaching out to the farrier here.
Pro, how do you feel insulted being a non CJF? He says we as an association need to strive to be the best skilled craftsmen we can be.. that is the point of the CJF.. isn't that your goal in life, in your career? To be the best skilled craftsman you can be? The CJF is the highest level the AFA has, it is far more entailed than any other association offers here in the US and is the only certification honored by Europe. So if you are not yet CJF, isn't that a goal you have?
Mr. Eames, He is the President of the AFA. He has came into the association which was almost toppled over and riddled with scandals... he is trying to tie up strings and pull the association together. I applaud his efforts and support him.
Everyone claims they can pass the test with ease. Those are the types that are too stubborn to accept that their way is not the only way. The AFA guidlines are not put there to tell you how to shoe the horse in your everyday work. It is a set of guidelines to measure your ability to call a fit, put your money where your mouth is and put the steel where you called it. If you can cut stock and make a shoe to fit a horse with a 1/8 in. length and width then you can fit the horse longer and fuller just as easy. If you can't fit the steel where you intend to then it would scare me to see one bs'ing clientele by fitting a foot then telling the client or vet afterwards that you meant to do that...rolling the dice and fitting prescription to the shoe rather than shoeing to the prescription. The AFA exam insures your ability to do what you intend to do. BY the way it isn't Master farrier, that is a different association.. it is Certified Journeyman Farrier. Not intending to insult you but have you ever taken the exam? Know what it entails?
The AFA is about educating farriers and helping each other become better. This is what Andrew is trying to get back on track.
Well done AFA,
Don't get put off by initial poor comment, it tough to start something, trust me we have scars.
in the UK, at ukhsu.com [horses mouth] for several years now. The first really positive results are now rolling in.
PNB.
Slohndd,
I only use handmades on 1 or 2 horses a year and then only because they don't make the shoe I need. The insult is to all of those guys that don't feel the need to make handmades for their practice to provide quality hoof care.
The insult is in the assumption or intimation that only a CJF is capable of being a "real" farrier and that everyone else doesn't measure up. That would include you, you know.
No being a CJF isn't one of my primary goals. Being a good farrier, with a commitment to ongoing education and advancement in my knowledge is. When the CJF exam also tests the morals and ethics of the candidate then it might be worth taking. Making handmades fast doesn’t make me money because my clients won’t pay for the time or material to do it.
I forgot to ask the peerless leader why the hell Rick Burten resigned as Treasure? Based on what I see on other boards it is looking a lot like the AFA is still riddled with scandal and bad management. It also looks a lot like he didn’t want to answer anyone’s questions on that matter because he took the fifth all the way.
pro,
Hand made shoes represent a very poor business model.
The cost of the steel, fuel and upkeep of the forge probably treble the cost of the materials you are nailing on. Add to this the hour it takes to forge, nail up shoes and clip them. About an hour a set wasted, your have effectively reduced your income by 50%, as it takes the same time to fit readymades, making the work time two hours instead of one.
Its great to keep the tradition alive but as sure as hell you would be able to earn more or spend more time with the wife and kids by using ready made horse shoes!!
PNB.
I have a question for AFA members. Would x-raying each hoof before triming produce a better result like those with laminiitic feet and navicular syndrome.
If it would produce a better result shouldn't it be done before triming and what would stop a farrier from performing x-ray's before triming.
Joe, X-Rays would be good.. I can't afford a machine and I don't have a client who would call a vet every 6 weeks and pay trip call plus x-ray for a measly $40 trim. Plus this is the AZ desert and the only horses that don't have shoes are the ones who generally can't afford to pay for shoes.
Pro, I understand where you are coming from but it is to each his own. I strive for the CJF. I don't think Andrew is belittling me at all as a 'not yet CJF'...
PNB, I don't have a single keg shoe in my truck. I might not be one of the guys whose idea is to get under as many horses as they can.. get in and get out, who cares about the work done as long as the paycheck is there.... I take pride.. I make every shoe that goes on a foot because I can put steel where I want it when I forge from barsotck... I may not have the best business model.. but in my own ethics, I am proud of every foot I put on the floor.
Slohndd,
Sir, I respect your rights to run your business in the way it suits you.
I can make shoes from bar, but not as consistently as MNC, so I choose not to, if I did my family would be rather thin.
Farriery has enabled me to raise a family and just pay a mortgage. Sadly there was very little butter and jam on the bread for a lot of the time!! Its a bit better today.
Are you saying that the quality of my work is not as good as yours?? because thats as it seems, its a pretty sweeping assumption to make!!
Anyway keep clogging away in the US, you will have to work twice as hard as others to make the same living however!!
Enjoy your life,
PNB.
Hey guys/gals. Some great comments, why not sign your name to it? Looks cowardly to me.
I use keg shoes and they are shaped to fit properly to meet the horses needs.
Phil Armitage
Real Farrier : )
Andrew, can you make the font larger? Hard for us old guys to read the small font.
Andy
Hope you have skin as thick as leather. I don't think you're going to make everyone happy with comments, but i don't see them taking office or time from their daily tasks to educate and promote better horseshoers or AFS's membership.
Good Luck.
-John Crider
Ironman Horseshoeing
From reading the blog, I don't thing Andrew was saying anything against using keg shoes, rather the point he was trying to make is properly preparing the keg shoe to meet the horse's needs.
With that said, I wonder why a different blog is started now when we haven't heard much from Andrew on the AFA site when it was up?
Andrew, why was the current AFA site taken down until the new one was online? Communication is a good thing. When the AFA site is up, will you transfer this blog to the AFA site and use it as such?
Mikel,
We had the same thing in the UK, our national association took down it's discussion board when a few matters of dissatisfaction were drawn to the public view. Sadly the board has gone forever.
PNB.
Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging, Andrew. The comments part of blogging is not always the fun part.
Good Luck!
Fran Jurga
The Hoof Blog
Hoofcare and Lameness Journal
http://www.hoofcare.blogspot.com
PNB,
I wouldn't comment or infer that anyone's work is substandard nor would I claim mine is superior. What I truly believe is that I am such a better farrier today than I was 6 months ago.. MY quality is superior to the quality of my work in the past.. due to the AFA, Horseshoes.com, other farriers, contests and clinics. Kegs are nice because you have cut time in production and the job goes so quick.. Kegs do limit what you can do.. that doesn't mean you are not doing quality work. Unfortunately the more time you spend on a horse the less money you make that day... Right now I have more time than life and I love working in the fire.
By the way Phil, I am EDeSocio, or Eric from Horseshoes... Just to let you know buddy!
Keg shoes today are of superior quality compared to the keg shoes of years ago. I've been shoeing for 15 years and have yet to find a hoof that a keg shoe would not benfit. I carry many types in steel, aluminum, heavy or light. There may be a day when the hand making of shoes is beside the spinning wheel exhibit. Things change, Doctors don't bleed people anymore either. What doesn't work for the times is discarded and the new takes over, doesn't matter if we like it or not. I'm sure years ago people argued over coal or propane forges, and the tradition of it all. What the customer wants and is willing to pay for is what rules the day. Maybe it's not the farrier using the keg shoe that doesn't know how to make a shoe from bar stock maybe it's the guy that uses bar stock that doesn't understand how to use the keg shoe to it's full extent. HA!
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