It seems almost counterintuitive to think that building and applying the complicated appliance often needed in therapeutic shoeing could be a losing proposition for a farrier. But that can easily become the case unless some thought and reasoning are given to properly charging for the work.

Many novice hoof-care providers start out by charging a set amount per horse, with some variations based on differences between jobs (one price for a trim, a higher price for two shoes, a still higher price for four shoes, etc.). They might charge extra for materials beyond shoes and nails (pads for instance), but if one horse takes a little longer than another, many won’t charge extra, figuring the time will even out over the course of a day.

But an approach like that can be a financial disaster with therapeutic shoeing, where one job can eat up a big part of a shoer’s day.

For advice on making therapeutic shoeing…