shortdog

Kevin-

Before you leave home, trace that blade out full size on paper. Make several tracings and you can play with different grinds, grips, and furniture while you're gone. It's a game I play at home to figure out what I like better before bringing it to life in metal. That, and it will keep you out of trouble between meetings. I always hated being away from home.

My 'smithing buddy, Steve and I look a good bit like Laurel and Hardy. He's around five eight and thin. I'm six one and... perhaps I should say husky.

We both look like smiths to me.

Hammerkid-

It's really great that you're getting into this. learn all you can where you can, and use common sense to sort it all out. You're going to meet horse owners who have read enough about trimming and shoeing to have an opinion on it. You have to be able to make them happy as well as doing right by the horse. That can be a job sometimes. I guess it's better to turn down a job than to do something you know is wrong. Maybe you can recommend them a farrier that could do a better job in that case. In that business, just like any other, you are only as good as the job you do
Good luck with it!

Kevin-

Just go with what feels right. Try starting off woth your gaurd. Go for a simple teardrop shape and let everything else flow from there. Keep looking at the blade shape and leat that guide the overall shape of things. Pick one of the woods you have on hand. Drill it and burn it onto the tang once you have the gaurd made. Again, going with what feels good to you, rasp and sand that baby to shape.
You can add a buttcap of the same material you made the gaurd out of and peen the end of the tang to hold it all together.
The main thing is doing what makes you happy. If you're proud of how it turns out, chances are that someone else will be, too.
Incidentally, I saw your first knife somewhere else. You're getting better. Keep it up!