Choosing to fire a client can be a difficult decision. On top of losing business, farriers risk damaging relationships with surrounding clients. The most common reasons for taking that leap include unsafe working conditions, unreliable clients and general negative owner relationships.

Equine behavioral issues and improperly trained horses can put farriers in danger quickly and unexpectedly. Many poll respondents saw the warning signs, had a close call or had already been injured before letting a client go.

“I was very professional and honest. I informed them that their horses were not the best behaved, and I have very strict standards in my requirements on how horses should behave,” says North Carolina farrier John Watkins.

Another respondent, Scottish farrier Donald Nicol, says a horse had been difficult for years, but once it wouldn’t let him drive a nail anymore, he put his foot down and let the client go. Texas farrier Abiel Trigueros has a similar story.

“The client wanted me to keep trying to trim a fighting horse, and I told them that for my safety I won’t come back until the horse was trained properly,” he says.

Illinois farrier Jennifer Rosenthal takes a slightly different approach, opting to work with the owner before firing them, granted they respond appropriately.

“Let’s face it, we work with horses’ hooves,” she says. “We get kicked throughout our career. It’s how the owner reacts and responds that determines if I will continue to try to put myself in danger. If the owner acknowledges the horse has a problem and is more concerned with my safety, I will continue to try to work with the horse. When the owner shows no regard or concern that I just got injured, I immediately stop, pack up and inform them I am done and am never returning. I usually find out who the next farrier is, and I strongly warn them as well.”


“As soon as I start dreading working with someone, it's not usually worth the stress...” — Megan Mix, N.Y.


Washington farrier Ruth DeGennaro also takes the time to work with an owner prior to letting them go.

“If the conditions or horse behavior is bad, I tell them why I can’t keep trimming for them,” she says. “They need to know for the horse’s sake. There are no bad horses; however, there are owners who lack the skills to keep a horse. I usually coach them for a visit or three on horse handling or working environment improvements, whatever the problem is. If they can’t or won’t fix it, I can’t work for them.”

Several farriers stated they felt they were misinformed or misled about the horse’s behavior prior to shoeing. Illinois farrier Dusty Kreider urged his former client to be honest with the next farrier for everyone’s safety. Many respondents who worked with poorly trained horses said the owners either did not take the situation seriously or were unwilling to better train or discipline their horse.

In these situations, Arizona farrier Jose De Lira has certain work-arounds he employs before letting clients go, including up-charging.

“If they have poorly behaved horses, I will explain to them that unless the vet is there in the future to sedate or they get the horse trained, I won’t be able to continue working with them,” he says. “I also charge significantly more for difficult horses, and occasionally I have even told them I have retired from working on dangerous horses. These clients usually don’t want to pay and they look for another farrier, and if they don’t I just say no. No horse or client is worth my health and safety. Just ask my wife.”

Reliability & Respect

Another common reason for firing clients is reliability, which includes missing appointments or missing payments. As business owners, these respondents value punctuality, clear communication and timely payment for service.

“I informed them that I was not a fly-by-night farrier that did this part-time. I keep strict scheduling, and I am very big on communication. When they ghost me — not returning my calls or texts — then they will need to find another farrier since they are not serious about the proper care of their horse(s),” says Texas farrier Chris Cavalier.

Whether the first or fifteenth occurrence, after the final straw it’s important to hold firm. After Ohio farrier John Bickel let his client go because of late payments, he paid Bickel the next day and requested another appointment. Maltan farrier Martin Darmanin was stood up at the client’s barn and afterwards was also asked to set up another appointment. In both instances, Bickel and Darmanin did not take their clients back, despite the lost income. Respect for their time and expertise was more important.

Dr. Ric Redden is similarly upfront with clients who will miss payments.

“Please understand my ability to help you far exceeds your ability to financially proceed with this protracted treatment protocol,” he says. “It’s best we take a walk about. You choose first. I go in the opposite direction. All the best, and it’s been my pleasure.”

Farrier-Client Disagreements

Outside of reliability and dangerous horses, sometimes client relationships become an issue. Many poll respondents either disagreed with the client’s treatment of their horses, felt their client had unrealistic expectations or was over-managing the farrier’s work.

“I told them if you don’t trust my judgement on how this horse’s hooves should be trimmed, it’s best if you find someone else to do your farrier work,” says Virginia farrier Hosanna Hill. “I will not trim a horse in a way I feel is not in the best interest of the animal. So if you don’t agree with my methods, it is best if you find someone you are comfortable with.”

Some expectations are simply unrealistic, uninformed or demanding, which multiple farriers say have been cause for letting a client go. Dutch veterinarian Iko Hoogerbeets has a similar stance.

“I told her/him that I can’t help a horse stay sound after treatment if they do not have the mechanical foot problem solved. Not all horses can do without irons and an adjusted way of standing. I am lying awake at night while they sleep,” he says. When clients aren’t willing to fully commit to a management plan, Hoogerbeets walks away. He advises farriers to do the same. “You are there for the horses and not for the client. Be sure of yourself and what you know.”


“No horse or client is worth my health and safety...” — Jose De Lira, Ariz.


Similarly, Dutch farrier Hilke Bos fired a client because of her inability to stick to a regular trimming schedule.

“I sent her a message explaining that I was withdrawing my services to trim her 12½-year-olds as her take on professional hoof care — only calling in when hooves were overly long, chipped and flared — didn’t meet my quality standards to have regular barn calls at a 6-7 week interval. I felt that their hooves were no credit to my reputation,” Bos says.

When assessing clients, Arizona farrier Jose De Lira has another good tip.

“I have fired multiple clients over the years,” he says. “The first time I did this it was very difficult. Years ago, I read an article about grading my clients and how they should be A rating or higher. When I did this rating system, I had a mix of A, B, C and a few D. I fired all the D’s that first year. It was scary, but it actually freed me up to take on better clients. Doing that helped me better understand what my expectations were, and I started communicating that to clients. Many of them heard what I said and raised their own grade. The ones who didn’t, depending on multiple factors, were fired the next year. It only took a couple years, and now I have only A-rated clients.”

Breaking the News

When it comes time to tell a client they’re being let go, farriers approach the situation in different ways. Many farriers specified that they tell the client either in person, over the phone or through a letter rather than over text as a sign of professionalism and respect. If a client was particularly difficult, a handful of farriers gave them a fake explanation to avoid any hurt feelings or simply ghosted them.

Some farriers explain why they’re firing their client, while others opt for a simpler way. The most common phrase among respondents is that the client and the farrier are just not a good fit. A handful gave out contact information to farriers they thought would be better suited to the client’s horses.

For those who did provide their clients with an explanation, in the majority of cases the goal was not to burn bridges. Maryland farrier Andrew Grimm tries to be as professional as possible.

“I usually say that things aren’t working out for me and/or you and that it’s time to move in a different direction,” he says. “I try to explain the situation the best I can without being rude and disrespectful. I can honestly say that I’ve never fired someone and looked back and said I wish I never did that. When you first start out it’s not easy, but as time goes on it gets much easier.”

New York farrier Megan Mix feels it’s beneficial for the client to get an explanation.

“I generally feel somewhat obligated to give them an honest reason for why it isn’t working so that they can hopefully be mindful of it with future farriers,” she says. “Generally I say something along the lines of, ‘I feel that due to x, y, z, this is no longer a good fit for me. I appreciate you entrusting me with the care of your equine(s) but will have to respectfully decline future services.’ It’s never fun to do, but as soon as I start dreading working with someone for one reason or another, it’s not usually worth the stress.”

Regardless of why farriers, vets or other equine professionals choose to let go of clients, ultimately their goal is to protect themselves and the horse. And while the majority of clients are responsible and respectful, it’s crucial to know how to handle difficult situations.

Let us know how you handle firing clients in the comments, and participate in our January poll here for a chance to win $25 in AFJ store credit.

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Congratulations to New York farrier Megan Mix of Flatiron Forge for winning our December drawing!