Dave Farley, a well-known farrier, pointed to five (5) factors needed
in working conditions and how they affect
the outcome. He explains to his customers -and I
agree with his assessment- that if any of the conditions
are less than desirable, it will compromise the farrier's
ability to provide optimum hoof care.
The five necessary conditions for optimal hoof care
are:
- Well
behaved horse * (see note below)
- Clean
work area
- Dry
work area (truck should be able to pull
into area with roof.
- Flat
work area
- Well
lit work area
If any
of the above requirements are lacking, the final
outcome may not be 100%. However,
the first requirement, a well-behaved horse is the
most important criteria. It is a tough, risky job
to work on a good horse, but the "dangers
to a farrier's physical and financial well being
are magnified greatly by an unruly horse".
(From: Dave Farley, The
Natural Angle)
 *
Note: For large horses, such as draft horses, stocks are indispensable
for the safety of the farrier and should be available if needed.
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