Is it you or the farrier?

Farriering is an age-old profession and has been vital to horse care for centuries. Even though most do not travel via horse and carriage anymore or rely on a horse-drawn plow to farm their fields, farriers will always be paramount to the horse industry because they care for the horse’s foundation—the hooves. However, some horse owners are reporting difficulty securing reliable farriers to trim and shoe their horses.

There is no exact count of how many farriers are working in the United States. The profession does not require a license, and it is not a regulated occupation. Many farriers work part-time.

According to a representative from the American Farrier’s Association, it is believed that the number of farriers has increased in recent years. Although the association’s membership—which is paid and voluntary—took a dip around the COVID-19 pandemic, their numbers have rebounded with an increase in young people and women registering for membership.

Bryan Clemmer, assistant instructor at the Oklahoma Horseshoeing School in Purcell, Oklahoma, said the number of students attending classes over the last few years has been consistent, with about 30 farriers and apprentice farriers attending different classes each month. 

“I’ve been here four years, and I feel like, if anything, the numbers are increasing,” Clemmer said. “We’re starting to see an influx of younger kids come in. Almost the entire class is under 25.”

Data published by the American Horse Council in 2024 reported the number of horses in the U.S. in 2016 was 7.2 million. In 2023, the number of horses had decreased to 6.6 million. There are fewer horses that require a farrier, and all signs point to an increase in tradespeople for this industry, so why are horse owners having trouble finding them and getting them to return?

Is it me or the farrier?

Tommy Puffinbarger, retired Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, Extension agent and former farrier, said the issue with booking farriers is often related to location, and they can be more difficult to find in rural regions.

“If you’re in a highly populated area, horse shoers can do more horses and not have to drive 30 or 40 miles between stops,” he said. “Their fuel and time are worth something. They can make more money in those areas.”

Horses typically have their hooves trimmed every three to 12 weeks, depending on their level of use and the owner’s discretion. If the owner elects to have them shod, it is usually every six to eight weeks.

While most performance horses are on a schedule with a farrier, some horse owners are less consistent with their farrier appointments. Puffinbarger said the best farriers often have so much work that they are not accepting new clients and can be difficult to book.

“It’s best to set them up on a schedule so it’s a consistent source of income for them instead of calling every six months for an appointment,” Puffinbarger said.

Clemmer believes there also are issues with consistency from farriers, partly due to a shortage of enthusiasm within the workforce.

“It’s the work ethic that isn’t there,” he said. “It’s just not like it used to be in the old days. It’s a self-motivated job, and if you decide not to work today, you don’t have to.”

Clemmer estimates about 60% of the students who attend the Oklahoma Horseshoeing School continue working in the farrier industry long term. However, it is a tough, physical job, often conducted in uncomfortable conditions.

“It’s usually hot outside, and you’re dealing with horse feet that have been walking through crap, pee and mud,” Clemmer said. “It’s not the cleanest of jobs. It’s hard on your back, and we work with tools that can cut or smash your hands. Sometimes you get kicked, too, so it’s a hazardous job.”

Puffinbarger agreed. He said since farriers are self-employed, they are not provided with health insurance, and they do not have sick days if they get injured. If they get hurt shoeing a horse, they have no income until they are well enough to come back to work.

Both Clemmer and Puffinbarger said if a farrier will not return calls, it might relate to the experience they had at an appointment. Since the demand for farriers is high, and they are their own boss, they can pick and choose their clients. It is up to the horse owner to make it an easy decision to come back to the property, not the other way around.

“If I don’t come back, it’s because I didn’t have a good place to work, or the horse was bad,” Clemmer said. “If a horse is going to kick at me and make it a struggle, then I’m probably not going to want to do that horse again. I’ve got plenty of other horses out there that are going to stand there and be nice and let me do my job. So, part of this is people not training their horses.”

Additionally, Puffinbarger said a good client will also be respectful of a farrier’s time and work schedule and never add more horses at the last minute.

“I think the real key is, have your horses ready at the time of the appointment, train them to stand quiet, and don’t write bad checks,” Puffinbarger said.

Skilled farriers needed

Farriering, like any occupation, has positives and drawbacks. For those who love the outdoors and working with animals, it is an ideal trade to pursue. Clemmer pointed out that farriers get to travel every day and have the freedom to make their own schedules.

“You’re not stuck behind a desk,” Clemmer said. “The horses are different every day, and working with them can be very therapeutic to some people.”

Clemmer said self-motivation is the key to making this profession lucrative. Puffinbarger noted the revenue is more than it was when he worked in the industry years ago, even though the time and labor is the same.

 “I charge $150 to shoe all four feet,” Clemmer said. “If I’m doing five horses in a day, that’s pretty good. If it’s just a half set of shoes, then I’m charging $130, and then if it’s a trim, I’m charging $60. You can average between $1,000 to $5,000 or more in a day.”

Clemmer said farriers beginning their careers can expect to earn around $40,000 per year, but they could make up to $80,000 if they have a fully booked schedule.

“The further you get into your career and the more clients you have, I’d say you can average about $100,000 to $175,000 a year,” Clemmer said.

Unlike some of the more specialized fields in the equine industry, every horse owner needs a farrier, so dedicated and skilled tradespeople will always be needed for this profession.

 “I believe in the fact of no foot, no horse,” Clemmer said. “We can’t cut their foot off and give them a new one. We are very important to the health of that foot and keeping it trimmed properly. I’d say we’re pretty essential.”

Just as the horse relies on its feet to stand, horse owners rely on farriers to keep their animals healthy and able-bodied. The farrier-client relationship is a two-way street, and it takes effort from both sides for all needs to be met.

Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].