I’ll PM you 
Wow. It seemed high, but I ass-u-med that it was a little on the high side of average.
It appears that I am paying a lot more than some people
I have asked for recommendations on a local FB group, but I did/do not expect financial details, on such a small group of local people.
Thanks for the details .
I can’t speak for special shoeing but in my area:
- Barefoot trims are about $50
- Fronts only are about $100
My guy is on a 5-6 week schedule and that seems short to me. 4 weeks is very short.
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I pay $55/trim and $230 for all four (plain, but with a leather pad on 1 hoof) about every 4.5-5 weeks . Comes out to around $3k per year for my two horses.
I know there are slightly cheaper options in my area, but there is also a lot of scary farrier work (at both low and high price points) and since the horses are pretty happy, I’m not switching any time soon. The one other guy I really like was right around $275-$300 for all around with equipak and pads up front… about 7 years ago, not sure what his prices are like now. Went to Wellington years ago as a WS. Clients were paying $400-$500ish for shoes with pads up front IIRC. I just keep telling myself it could be worse. :sigh:
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It’s so dependent on location. I pay $350 for 4 shoes, and $75-100 for a trim. Those prices are pretty average for the sporthorse people around here. We do a 5 week schedule.
Oklahoma:
aluminum rockers in front, kegs in back, pour in pads all around: ~$225
full set: $90-115, depending on shoes
I’d like to say $75 on resets and $35 on trims, but I could be a little fuzzy on those, since I’ve normally got a variety of rehab and regular stuff going on when the farrier comes out, and it’s very much a “how much do I owe you for today? we did x,y,z” situation. My farrier likes to schedule everyone at 6 or 7 weeks to start, and adjust depending on what the horse needs and the client can handle. Most of mine in shoes are at 5 weeks cause I’m picky like that.
For my draft cross mare, was $250 each shoeing. He did her great, was awful for my husband’s QH, but the guy is such an ass, every time he came over would complain about our place. Now, we are not the richest people but have a nice, well kept establishment. I got really tired of him complaining to our help about how we need a dry lot, etc. He just was so rude and critical! So now use a very nice guy who charges half that but my horse’s shoes clank after four weeks and they are not as tight. So be it, rather have someone out who is not so critical! Why do people feel like they can come over and rip apart our place when we really try so hard to keep it up? Our horses are quiet, easy to shoe, the place is mowed, trimmed, everything is easy! We use our horses, they are happy and calm! Why do some people have o be so rude?
I am outside of Baltimore. I pay $245 every 4 weeks (5 in winter) for a 24-year-old wearing orthotics. Wide webbed aluminum up front with leather pads in the summer and snow rim pads in the winter, a very specific approach to the front feet, and a subtly-changing prescription of steels behind. I am my farrier’s only client at my farm. My farrier is the reason that my horse is sound- look, I have a great vet and a good fitness and maintenance system, but the latest edition of the hind shoes to alleviate stress on the hocks has meant I haven’t had to give twice-monthly Polyglycan in the last 4 months to keep my horse able to swap his leads behind.
If you have a damn good shoer who’s taking care of your horse with special needs, and your special needs horse is thriving… I’d think twice before I switched, and consider the higher cost for the other horses an investment into your snowflake.
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STL, I paid $95 for two front shoes, no pads, no meds with my sporthorse shoer. My saddlebred shoer is a bit more ($280) for 4 shoes, but we also have to tranq my youngster.
Normal in my area is $75 trims.
I currently pay $150 for fronts, hot shod. For a single horse from a master farrier – who does only my horse at my facility b/c I’ve been friends with him for 30+ years… I’m sure it’d be less if there were others at my barn for him.
Agree that if OP wants to reduce her farrier bill, extend the time between visits to 6 - 7 weeks if horses will tolerate it.
Price should be on the bottom of your list of criteria upon which you decide on farriers.
[QUOTE=TMares;n10401139]
Agreed. If he wants to drive more between clients, rather than set up shop for a day at your barn, that’s his prerogative. [QUOTE]
I think some farriers do want to do that (drive more, spend less time under horses). When they first start and are gung ho about making lots of money they want the big barns, but then they get tired and realize that they ether need to make more money for doing less, or they need to find a new career.
This sounds expensive @Lord Helpus BUT is he a very good farrier? I would also recommend doing longer between trims if viable, to save some of the cost. Wouldn’t hurt to ask around for some prices from others in your area. If you split that cost up, you’re spending $168 per horse… that’s pretty much the cost for four shoes.
My current farrier:
$ 60 barefoot trim
$100 for fronts, regular shoes
$120 for fronts, natural balance ($100 if a reset)
$180 for new natural balance and application of my hind shoes
New farrier:
$ 200 for fronts and application of hinds
$ 225 for oversized fronts and application of hinds
Plus extras for pads and anything special
If the other horses are straight forward I’d be inclined to keep the special horse with the known farrier and move the others to a second cheaper farrier. Does the special horse drive the 4 week cycle? Perhaps the others would be fine on a 5-6 week schedule. Of course, this would double the logistics of scheduling and your current farrier may not come out for one horse. However, it may be worth running the number/thinking through to see if it would actually save a notable amount.
DFW, TX area
$35 for trims every 4-5 weeks due to a couple of special needs trimmings…haven’t put shoes on anyone in over 10 years, so I’m unsure as to what he is charging for that now. I think it used to be $75 for a set and $85 for drill and tap, but I could be way off. It was a long time ago.
I am in the NW suburbs of Chicago. My guy is on a 5 week schedule. Gets custom shoes behind (pretty much hand made each visit), nothing fancy up front. $185. I LOVE my farrier.
North Central Florida:
$35 for a trim
$100 for trim and fronts
$175 for trim, fronts, and natural balance shoes on hinds (Because my mare is an a$$#0L3 about her hind feet I’m sure he adds a few bucks)
Same farrier for all services, done every 5 weeks like clockwork.
The big boys who need special work have a special farrier:
$245+ for the older guy with a backwards shoe w/wedge on one front and shoes on the other 3 - price fluctuates with how much work he needs on his “special” foot.
$265 for the big boy with pads on the front and regular shoes on the back.
[QUOTE=kande04;n10402120]
[QUOTE=TMares;n10401139]
Agreed. If he wants to drive more between clients, rather than set up shop for a day at your barn, that’s his prerogative.
I think some farriers do want to do that (drive more, spend less time under horses). When they first start and are gung ho about making lots of money they want the big barns, but then they get tired and realize that they ether need to make more money for doing less, or they need to find a new career.
Actually it is the opposite in my experience!
Once a good farrier gets set up at some of the show / boarding barns they don’t have to drive around, have a bunch of horses to do at one time, they charge more and drop us " little people" in the rural areas even though we are just a few miles away from where they live.
Here in SoCal, I pay $225 for four shoes and $90 for a barefoot trim.
Hi Renn,
Since I started this thread I have been overwhelmed with suggestions for good farriers. A farrier who shoes champion event horses, and hunters and jumpers returned my call back first. We had a nice talk and I would like to use him, But he has his people on a 5 week rotation. I have no theoretical problems, with a 5 week schedule, , but on day 30, my horses start to shed their shoes randomly in the fields – and it becomes a big pain.
I am also leery about how busy he is. I know that good farriers are busy, so it is a conundrum.
t, I feel comfortable with his pricing. He (no one) will price out Goober before doing him, but his costs for the other horses were about 25% cheaper than I have been paying.
He also likes my routine of going to the Vet/farrier extraordinaire every 4 - 5 months, to make sure that we are staying on track.with Goober ( whose suspensory hole is 80% filled in, !!!) He will never be a show horse, because the hole fills in with scar tissue, and it will never be as strong as striated fiber; he would not stay sound with a busy schedule. But he will be rideable!!
If scheduling is a problem, I can move on to farriers 2 - 12 who were also highly recommended. It amazes me how many well respected farriers who live in my area.
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About 7 years ago, I paid $40 for a trim and $150 for a basic 4 shoe set. Last year I was paying $200 for a basic set all the way around. Then, he wanted $275 for the same, plus terribly executed Equipak in one foot. I pitched holy hell. The woman I lease a really nice sport horse from pays $250 for 4 shoes and pads on the front. And her farrier comes back out to tweak things if needed. He fixed an 1/8th of an inch differential that showed up on radiographs, for example.
After the pony foundered we took her to Paul Goodness at Morven Park. It was $375 for 4 aluminum shoes, pads and Equipak on the fronts. She looked happier than I had ever seen her after he did her shoes. Her feet must have felt great. Well worth the expense to get a set of eyes like Paul’s on her feet. And not bad at all proportionate to what the other farrier charged.
