wise words sheherezadetbmare :yes:
This!
My farrier is $35 for just at trim and $90 for front shoes (with a trim on all four, I some what assume that goes with out saying.)
$40.00 for a trim. I don’t know about shoes, because only one horse at our barn (of 35 horses) wears shoes!
The farrier does at least 5-6 horses on each trip.
I’m in Connecticut
My old farrier (journeyman) charged $30.00 trim $80.00 trim and shoe the fronts. He trimmed 7 ponies in a little over an hour. And did a good job. $210.00 for little over an hour is good wages here in Mo, even with his expenses. My new farrier (journeyman) charges $25.00 to trim. $50.00 trim with fronts shod. lives 10 min away and takes a little longer because he’s older and retired. does a good job. Both very good about appointments. Several others around here $25. to $30. trim. Don’t call you back, don’t show up when scheduled. (in summer when they’ve got all they want around the corner) They’re not worth a dime. I would pay more just to have a good one with good work ethics. That means sooo much.
[QUOTE=scheherazadetbmare;5015515]
I don’t think you can put a price on a good farrier.
If yours is good, then the price is right. If there are cheaper and better and more reliable farriers around, then go shopping.
I pay a lot but I have horses with hoof issues, special shoes, etc. I compare horse shoes to designer shoes or ariat boots.
so let’s see, I’ve in my entire lifetime never had just a “trim” so 4 shoes all around now, with everything, $250. And if one has 2 hooves “cast” it is $50extra.[/QUOTE]
This…I don’t skimp on farrier care…no hoof/no horse.
I still feel my farrier charges below what he should considering how much time he spends on each horse.
I pay
First Horse…rehab
with padding, shoes all the way around…150.00
Second horse…
Normal shoeing…115.00 plus 15.00 for two pads, plus 35.00 for titanium
Third horse
115.00 normal shoeing plus 35.00 for titanium
My farrier charges $45 for a trim and $100 for 2 front steel and back trim. I think I paid $110 when I had her in aluminum earlier this year.
He’s very good and works with FEI level horses. He also works well with the vet for any lameness issues. He comes to the barn every Wednesday afternoon and is also usually available to come on short notice when there is a problem.
Northwest Washington state
Trim - $50
4 shoes - reset - $110
4 Shoes - eventer - $125
4 Shoes - natural balance - $130
Our farrier is one of the most respected (and expensive) around. BUT, he’s been invaluable in advising me on two trial horses that later failed their PPE (he pointed out their underlying issues before the vet did) and he’s rehabbing the feet of the gelding I eventually did buy (very L O N G toes, stretched white line, flares and soft feet).
We use NB shoes because Travis (new gelding) needs the support and shorter breakover while we bring his toes/heels back and Whiskey (husband’s horse) has significant arthritis in his right stifle and the NB shoes (hot set with extra length on back) keep him sound enough for trail riding. Hopefully Travis can swap to eventers in 6 months or so.
I wouldn’t trade my farrier for anyone. In fact, I bribe him to like us with homegrown chicken and homemade jams…
that’s a very reasonable price, given the extra 2 front feet. 
sorry, couldn’t resist. here in Saratoga, i pay 35 for a trim, 85 for fronts, and i think it’s 125 for steel, all the way around.
well, it depends. is the guy who charges 25 for a trim in nj, or vt,
or montana, or…? and is he doing 1 horse in the barn, or 20 in the same barn? there are variables that really do come into play. and, to play devil’s advocate, my farrier charges 35 for a trim (and is one of the better farriers i have EVER worked with, in 20+ years of ownership), but there is a guy locally that charges 55 for a trim, mandatory 5 week schedule, whether your horse needs it or not, has made more than 1 horse sore, claims he can ‘cure’ navicular (his words) and can tell, just by looking, if a horse has rotated or not. higher price does NOT equal better service!
.
I do pay a little less because he’s almost like family and he only live a few miles from him so he can reschedule me easily if he needs to, or just do a few at a time.
That is why I never work for family or next door neighbors…:lol:
Quite honestly, I don’t put much faith in farriers that have a bunch of letters after their name.
Thanks. Patty Stiller CNBBT, CNBF, CLS
[QUOTE=marta;5015508]
shoes range tremendously but i don’t know anyone who charges less than $150 for fronts only. and at a risk of sounding like a snob, i don’t know if i’d want to use the services of someone who does charge less…:no:[/QUOTE]
I guess I should tell my boyfriend to raise his prices. Considering he shoes FEI dressage horses and he is the farrier vets recommend in this area of NJ for laminitis cases & corrective shoeing.
Sorry, but you did come off a bit snobbish. He makes a living with what he charges and his clients would pay whatever he asked but he has a conscience and isn’t out to rip anyone off.
No offense intended, Patty. I just haven’t had much luck with so-called “educated” farriers, but a lot of success with those who have never set foot in farrier school- especially the old guys.
My kid wasn’t so good at first (at first I only let him do broodmares with good feet), but he got a little experience and a little help from some of the old time farriers and trainers so he’s gotten good enough that my vet recommends him to people. He doesn’t do casting or anything like that- he knows enough not to even try. He also won’t do show shoes unless the trainer is telling him just how he wants the feet/shoes. He just hasn’t worked with the gaited horse farriers enough to know what a horse needs to improve performance. BTW, I never asked for any discount. I just ask what the total is (of course I complain first just for fun) and pay it. But he also knows he can stop in anytime if he needs something welded, or something minor fixed on his truck and it doesn’t cost him a dime.
Patty:
I totally agree with this - if the foot isn’t trimmed correctly how the heck will the shoe fit right?
That said - for the past 10yrs+ I have paid $30 per horse for my shoer to trim all 4.
I think I recall him starting at $25 & do not recall how long ago he raised the price.
It’s been so long since any of mine were shod I honestly cannot recall what if cost for 4 keg shoes.
Maybe my price is a courtesy to a longtime customer?
My horses are always in stalls & clean (feet picked and any mud or loose dirt brushed off) when he arrives and I have mats in my well-lit aisle so he can work comfortably out of the weather.
I used to keep soda in the fridge in warm weather and a thermos of coffee in cold but never got any takers.
tarynls
this is a service industry. folks are in it for profit. i can’t imagine what a profit margin is on trim and front shoes if the farrier charges $100.
you have to figure cost of shoes, equipment, gas, time, wear and tear on his body and his equipment, farrier’s own cost of living.
i’m not suggesting customers should be getting ripped off but i think there is some realistic profit that has to be made in order for this to make sense, right?
how much does your BF charge for a trim w/ 2 shoes and how much does he clear when he deducts all his costs?
[QUOTE=marta;5017660]
this is a service industry. folks are in it for profit. i can’t imagine what a profit margin is on trim and front shoes if the farrier charges $100.
you have to figure cost of shoes, equipment, gas, time, wear and tear on his body and his equipment, farrier’s own cost of living.
i’m not suggesting customers should be getting ripped off but i think there is some realistic profit that has to be made in order for this to make sense, right?
how much does your BF charge for a trim w/ 2 shoes and how much does he clear when he deducts all his costs?[/QUOTE]
Agree and can I add something slightly off the OP…for god sakes, train your horses to stand for the farrier…even if you have 30 plus young horses…it is not the farrier’s job to teach a horse how to behave while being shod and it’s down right rude to expect him/her to deal with horses who are potentially going to give him/her a career ending injury.
We manage this business very carefully. Shoes, rasps, Equipak & pads are all purchased in bulk which cuts down on the cost. We live well despite paying more for health insurance than our mortgage. Truck is paid off. We’re not exactly making peanuts here…well beyond that, in fact. We have significant savings for retirement.
Thanks for your concern, but we’re doing just fine.
. . . your signature . . . “Vote for Change.”
Here is Northern California
$170 / half shoeing
$220 / full shoeing
$250 / regular shoes with pads in front
Sad … but true!
True, but you can’t slap a Metro NE cost of living mindset on the rest of the country, that’s an equally flawed logic - that cost of living factor varies greatly and has a fairly substantial impact on everyone’s salary. My job pays well, but I promise you, it would pay better in your neck of the woods. I wouldn’t necessarily be better off, financially speaking though…
My farrier charges $40 for a trim and fronts, but then $70 to do both horses, the second just gets trimmed. $20 to come and reset a shoe when needed, which is almost never. This is in the middle of nowhere NC, and honestly the trim and fronts are the same quality as the job I was paying $90 for in Southern Pines.
