Why Horse Owners Decide to Change Farriers

Data compared from two horse owner surveys conducted in 1993 and 2020 indicate several differences as reasons for switching horseshoers.

Reasons % Owners* % Owners**
Routinely showed up 2 or more hours late 92% 12%
Failure to keep footcare appointments 100% 32%
Did not return messages 91% 24%
Farrier was often rude, confrontational with veterinarian or abusive with horses 60% 10%
Horses often lame after hoof-care work 49% 17%
Farrier showed up smelling of alcohol 19% 1%
Farrier lacked certification or credentials 0% 6%
Veterinarian recommended another farrier 12% 7%
Farrier moved out of area, or quit trimming, shoeing 18% 15%
Owner didn’t like the farrier 9% 7%

* 1993 survey of 318 backyard horse owners who had changed farriers.

** 2020 survey of 1,475 horse owners who had changed farriers in past 3 years.

— Data from 1993 Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School and 2020 American Farriers Journal surveys on why horse owners change farrier

How Many Hours Per Week do Farriers do Hoof-Care Work?

The typical full-time farrier averages 40 hours of footcare work per week while dealing with 38 horses.

— 2020 American Farriers Journal Business Practices survey

 

 

 

 

IHCS 2023

Friday's Farrier Facts & Figures is brought to you by the International Hoof-Care Summit.

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