farrier in training

hey there!

next month i will be attending a horseshoeing school that works with UC Davis, and i'm starting to get really nervous!

i've worked with horses and animals all my life, but i have NO experience shoeing or trimming hooves aside from sanding the ridges of miniature show horses for the training center i work for. (now don't jump to conclusions! the center i work for is incredibly humane... i know that there is a lot of shady business out there in the show world, especially with miniatures, but the man i work for is wonderful to all his and his clients' horses.)

i was wondering if any of you out there were farriers by trade or by hobby, and if so have any words of wisdom that i can keep in mind over the next few months while i'm in school and trying to get my little business together. i would greatly appreciate any little tidbit of supportive wisdom, as i am beginning to feel pretty out of my comfort zone (and class hasn't even STARTED yet...)

thanks!

ah geez... i should have put this in section that says something about "vocational training..."

sorry!

hey after completeing the schooling you should come to Puerto Rico. population of 4 million people about 400,000 horses and only two farriers on the entire island. plenty of work and the horses really need it. i see lame horses every week from poor shoeing jobs when people try to do it themselves.

oh man... that's terrible! are there really only a couple farriers on the whole island??