Attention Montana horsepeople!! (Bozeman, Red Lodge: home, living, cost of living)

[Najran]

I am a farrier,and I am also a skier.I was told the Red Lodge area would be a great place for me to work and be able to enjoy great skiing.So,Is Red Lodge a place with a good horse population for a farrier to relocate and be able to have enough work?? Thanks.

[A Neighbor]

I would say it would be a great spot with a little smaller cost of living compared with Bozeman (would also fit your bill for an area with horses and skiing). I know of quite a few ranchers in the area, or should I say retired ranchers who still have horses. Red Lodge is the home of the Home of Champions rodeo each year and where ski joring was created.

[Najran]

Thanks neighbor!

[ElkHunter]

One thing I would be aware of is "Old Farts." These "Old Fart's" are working on their ranches's and their taking care of their horses. They don't want to. But they need to and halve to. It's what they've always done their lives. They've done the best that they've done that they could have. So don't go busting in there with the thought that your god's gift to horsemen. hahaha You know that. Wander in there with the thought that you can help and you want to help and those folks will welcome you. Those old cowbowboys have been dooning for themselveses for years and are proud of what they do. Right or wrong, they do it. So be careful of what you do.

Don't get me wrong, you know what I'm talking about.

I always took care of my mounts. Was proud of what I did. But to have a good farrier come in was a God Send. My old Daddy in law was a real help. He knew when a horse was walking funny. He'd say, "That ole paint is toeing in" and he'd put shoe's on that corrected that. He was an old one.

Up in the hills, you did what you had to do. I've shoed what I had to shoe. Maybe wasn't exactly right, but they had good shoe's.

Put some arrow G's on them and they'll hold.