Know your loaded cost per hour
Start with truck, insurance, fuel, tools, fuel for the forge, and admin time. Farrier business costs are not only steel — they include the hour you spend texting schedules.
If farrier pricing only covers “hoof time,” you subsidize clients with your hidden labor.
Travel and route density
Miles between stops are part of the job. When routes sprawl, either price distance explicitly or raise barn minimums — see route planning for tightening the week.
Materials and risk
Pads, glue, specialty shoes, and comebacks belong in the line item, not your goodwill. How much to charge for farrier work should reflect variance, not only the easy resets.
Overdue balances are a line item too
Interest-free loans to clients are expensive. Policies that reward on-time payment (and software that shows aging) protect margin without drama.