Driving to Work ...

My vet’s practice is 38 miles from my farm, each time he services our horses the call charge alone is $90. This is a smart charge on his part and well worth every penny; he helps keep my horses happy and healthy. The Doctor is a well-educated expert, his time valuable and the cost of fuel a pre-visit cash outlay to him. UPS and FedEx service my mail accounts, they take the pressure off me to get important packages delivered on time. I gladly pay UPS and FedEx a pick-up charge and a fuel surcharge to ensure my peace of mind regarding delivery.

My point is that I am used to paying call charges and fuel surcharges, I incorporate them into the cost of doing business and consider them part of the investment I make in my business. The rest of the world is accustomed to the same …

With the rising cost of fuel and the subsequent increase in the price of all of my farrier supplies, I started applying a call and fuel charge to all of my clients’ invoices. This covers my driving time, tolls and fuel. I arrive at the job happier and my customer’s know I’ll get there on time; they pay their bills with the add-ons and a thank you note. You can do the same …

The Drive Pricing website will help you with this. Start by adding your starting point. Then, enter your destination. Next, enter your ZIP, along with your rig’s miles per gallon and grade of fuel you use. You can select one-way or round-trip. I charge for a round-trip. When you click Go, you'll see how many miles you'll be traveling and the cost of fuel.

Here is the link: www.drivepricing.com

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American Farriers Team, Standardization Clinic, Membership & More ….

It has been a super busy summer and finding time to blog has been among the biggest challenges! Here is a quick catch-up from the past several weeks in the world of the AFA …

The American Farrier’s Team: The AFT fared well in the grueling 4-day marathon of furious forging at The World Champion Blacksmiths’ Competition held July 3-6, 2008 at the legendary Calgary Stampede. With every hammer blow and drop of sweat, each team member had their speed, skill and spirit tested and tried from top to bottom. The AFT managed to conquer the high altitude, hot tempers and demanding environment by earning honors throughout, among the highlights:

Jake Engler: Winner Rookie Award - 3rd Speed Forging - 3rd Two Man Team Shoe (with Gene Lieser) - 4th Forging Front Work Horse 1 - 6th Forging Front Draft Scotch Bottom - 8th overall!

Troy Price: 1st Two Man Team Shoe (with Jim Foy) - 2nd Forging Front Work Horse 2 - 4th Speed Forging - 6th Forging Front Work Horse 1 - 8th Two man Team Tongs (with Jim Foy) - 10th overall!

Jim Foy: 1st Two Man Team Shoe (with Troy Price) - 5th Forging Light Front Draft - 8th Two Man Team Tongs (with Troy Price) - 12th overall!

Gene Lieser: 3rd Two Man Team Shoe (with Jake Engler)
8th Shoe to Fit - 9th Forging Front Draft Scotch Bottom - 16th overall!

Together, the AFT placed 5th in Four-Man Team Draft Horse Shoeing. Jake, Jim, Troy & Gene’s next competition is the at the International Team Horseshoeing Championship in Stoneleigh, England August 21-24, 2008.

STANDARDIZATION CLINIC: Despite a raging toothache….I made it through the bi-annual Standardization Clinic for AFA Examiners. Over 15 CJFs’ flew into to Oklahoma from all over the US for a jam packed two days. Together, we scrutinized and reviewed every aspect of the AFA scoring system in an effort to gain continuity in test scores across the country. Here is a brief synopsis of our activities and the updates you will see as a result of this clinic:

Practical shoeing exam: Two horses were shod, each examiner filled out their own score sheet, we then compared and discussed the differences in what we saw and how we scored the work. As a result, a written statement will be produced giving clear instruction to candidates prior to taking this exam. Shoe Displays: A consensus on Shoe displays resulted in a clear decision that the emphasis will be on correct forging of modifications, rather than on the dimensions of shoes. Written Exam: After an active debate on verbiage, it was decided that a few questions will be changed on the written exams. Endorsements: The Certification Committee voted to create a “specialty forging” endorsement to be presented to the AFA BoD at the mid-year meeting in Chattanooga, TN. Pat Gallahan volunteered to take over and revive the “educators endorsement” for CJF‘s. Pat will oversee the development of the test and protocol to earn this special endorsement. New Examiners: Alice Johnson, Bob Medaris, Jason Harmeson, David Wright & Vince Vesley are now AFA Examiners. By now every AFA member should have a copy of the study guide, it was mailed with the Professional Farrier. If you need additional copies contact the AFA Office directly.

Membership & Mentoring: As of July 1st, the AFA opened its doors to serious students of farriery by offering a FREE Student Membership to individuals that have completed a 6-week+ farrier course. So far, the AFA has welcomed over 100 new members as a result of this program designed to help new farriers continue their education and gain access to all the AFA has to offer.

For our trade to thrive and association grow, it is critical that our experienced members rally around new student members to share their knowledge and resources. Collectively, the AFA represents many 100’s of years of farriery know-how; it is a priceless asset to the future of the farrier industry and the equine community. These new student members are the next generation of Olympic horseshoers, innovators in hoof care, leaders in equine welfare & safety, World Champion Competitors and all that we can contribute to educating them by sharing our own experiences in the forge and under hoof. Toward that end, I will be proposing a Mentoring Program which will assign each new student member an AFA mentor from their immediate area. This will require seasoned members to volunteer time and take new student members under their wing. To this day, my practice benefits from the lessons and guidance I received from elder members, whether it be words shared in a hallway at Convention, a correction on a Certification or a hand helping mine across the anvil; I can tell you, the wisdom of shared experience is priceless to a student’s future. The best thing the AFA has to offer is the expertise of its members and I feel a Mentoring Program is the best way to share it. That’s all for now!