I do but with your method you're always having to have a shoe or 2 in your box. For me the ruler is already there for measuring width. Just how I see it. Either way you have a system that works for you. Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk 2
Josh, I can pretty well tell what size a hoof is by looking at it. I use the shoe to gauge whether I'm off a quarter of an inch one way or another. I also know what length of steel to use to make a size 1, for example. I find it quite simple. But whatever works for everyone. Regards
A couple from today - just to prove that I don't shoe every horse up to my elbows in crap (and that I don't always get my clenches in line...)
It takes me probably 2 hours if i hand toss shoes. But my forge skill is lacking. I use prefabbed shoes, preshape my draft clients shoes. If you can knock out shoes quickly then i suppose it's good then. But it's it time consuming?
If I have a slow day I have started doings handmades just to practice. I don't do them on every horse. If you don't practice you will never get faster.
And what ya going to do when you get to a horse and don't have what is required? I was finishing up a set of lateral support hinds one day when another farrier came over and made a remark about the time I was taking to make the shoes. My reply to him was anyone can hang iron, but what we are suppose to do is shoe the horse for what the horse needs, and this horse needed these shoes. He never said a word, just turned around and left. I don't think you can buy every thing. And if you carry all that stuff in your rig, you got too much money riding around.
If your any way handy around the anvil it should take you approx 15 mins for a standard pair of shoes some people are quicker than others but in around that
15 minutes would be lovely, takes me that long to get clips. I can make some shoes but it takes me a while. If I'm making them I'm usually making something for support, or a trailer. How much extra do you charge of your making them?