I started in Oklahoma shoeing for $7 a head (1961), but that $7 would buy 35 gallons of gas or a 50 pound box of shoes and 300 of those jobs would buy a new pickup. Can't see today's prices doing much more.
When the owner is looking, it takes 10 minutes to do a trim like that. I had a new client call me out to trim a horse that really didn't need anything done. What she really wanted was for me to do a vet check, as she hadn't had that done before her purchase. When she noticed how little effort I expended on the trim (just a few licks with the rasp) she asked for a discount. I explained that the trim was free, but I was charging her 40 dollars for driving out there. This is the same principle as calling out a TV repairman when your set won't turn on, and he plugs it in for you then charges a full service call.
I tell them that they are paying for what I know to leave on not how much is on the floor. Plus if you can't ride him immediately after the trim, no charge (never had to trim for free yet)
We don't count horses we count money...alone do 600 a day..two of us 1200 a day..give or take on both..I'm not sure when or how this method come about but it works because it allows fishing every pond we see..and shooting ducks every morn the law says we can..
Just remember Travis, there are magazine limits for hunting ducks, but it is legal to hunt humans with 15, 30 50 or 150 round magazines.
Watch it Tom, she's my fearless leader out here. My favorite fact about her is that she had herself Deputized as a Federal Marshal so she could carry a high cap semi auto pistol. She also very bravely turned in old 38, at one of those gun turn ins. She did however keep the 357 in the nightstand drawer at home.
Well my numbers aren't that impressive but I'll share anyway. The most horses total for me in a day is 11. That was 3 full sets, 1 front only, and seven trims. The most shoeings in a day is six full sets all done hot.
My big day (weekend) was 12 full sets on Saturday, 8 plus a burro trim on Sunday. Never wanted a second helping of that weekend. A 100 year old hotel (the Virginian hotel for western novel folks) felt like the Taj Mahal on Saturday night. I was a long way from home.
ok we have all heard what you think is a lot to do in a day , how many sets a day do you think is reasonable to do , how many trims ? maybe its me but some seem to have a different idea to me in what is a days work
Chris at home (in the real world) 6 - 8 sets a day was what I considered a days work 6 being a handy day 8 being busy and maybe a handful of trims thrown in as well.
yesterday........1 TB trim at one farm, 2 trims TB yearlings at another farm, 1 front shoes on QH/TB cross at another farm, 1 front shoes on QH barrel racer/ hinds ok on another farm. economy kept shoes off the 1st TB, will keep trimming instead. Lost money.
5 to 8 full sets or 10 to 20 trims is a good day ,dosent wear me out and im still doing my best work though it dosent happen to oftn anny more but ive had a sudden influx of new clients so i think this will be a good year
I am trimming more and more; less on the shoeing; lack of funds......... also, the Dressage has had less entries and are charging $75 now if you bring a young horse to stay as a companion horse. people are angry and are not going....that is how young horses get used to the show grounds and all the noise by going to these shows. so a few more are staying home; no shoes; me not shoeing a full set.....trim the horse instead. they will go later in the important shoes for points.
every ones in the same boat . Ive expanded my ariea lately and it seems to be paying off though the added travle cuts into my bottom line. Be happy to still be working theres a lot who arnt
With travel distances here in the west, I tended to have some variation in horses per day, but considering 3 trims as a shoeing, I said 30 a week was about what I could do and keep the rest of my life together. If I went a long way and did 10 because I didn't want to split the 10 and do the drive twice, I might schedule a short day the next day. Guess that says about a max of six per day worked for me.
