Posted by Denise McLain on September 14, 2003 at 16:22:23:
In Reply to: Re: Who's in it for the money? posted by Ronald Aalders on September 14, 2003 at 04:35:46:
: : : : In my wanderings around cyber space I came across a website with this information. The website belongs to a Strasser practitioner of some two years. I found it interesting because many of those individuals accuse farriers of only shoeing horses for the money.
: : : : "Services & Fees:
: : : : Trimming $50.00 per hour($50.00 per horse minimum)
: : : : Consultation $50.00 per hour
: : : : Out of State Travel $300 per day plus expenses
: : : : Trimming: First time trims are the only ones which may take more than one hour. Typical follow-ups are $50, provided tha the horse is being trimmed on a regular basis.
: : : : Out of State Travel: this option is available for those who do not have access to qualified trimming help locally.......Maximum number of trims per day is six(less if there are horses with special problems).
: : : : If travel consumes an entire day, add $100 per day of travel only."
: : : : Lets see, approximately two years field work after a 21 day hands on school where the actual time spent under the horse is constrained by the other subjects discussed during the "field experience/practicum", and voila, you get to accuse professional farriers of only being in it for the money.
: : : : Give 'em enough rope and they will hang themselves.
: : : : Rick
: : : Last night I shod 3 horses front shoes and billed them the normal charg, while I was there I trimmed an old pony no charge, watched another horse move and talked to the rider for a half hour no charge, checked the front feet of a horse that looked sore no charge. Hung around and chatted with friends no charge. Caught hell from my wife for coming home late. Jeese I didint know I could have been charging cosultant fees. I don't know what I am in it for, but I like the idea that I am helping others and making an honest living.
: : : Phil
: : Phil
: : I agree with you whole heartly and catch that line all the time I think that the reason they charge so much cause they know somewhere inside that is a limited time deal so they have to charge enough to make it later but at the end of the day I must wonder if they feel the same enjoyment as we do? I have graduated to a insulated doghouse for the days like that that way I only have to hear the wah wah wah for a little while LOL
: : Frank
:
: People who know me say I'm pretty unforgiving towards that kind of shoer filled with hot air only. Usually they are the kind that will drop the foot they're working on when they know me and see me walk in. That way I won't see anything and will not ask embarassing questions. (They're wrong.....)
: But, I have given pricing some thought and feel that we as shoers, (experienced or not but at least filled with an ambition to actually help out a horse and trainer) are underpriced.
: In any normal business, everything should be paid for. Except in ours. We offer free advice, lend a hand on a little welding, fix a horse's minor tooth problem for free.........
: But how many of us make enough money to cover all costs? Enough to make a good living for the work we do? And make enough money to keep up that kind of living when we are 55 without having to work our asses of at that age? Be able to buy a new truck every 5 years? And pay for a decent insurance that pays us a normal income when we get kicked by a horse and can not work for a month?
: I sure don't. (The insurance guys wouldn't have me....)
: These things guys are considered normal costs in any other business except ours. We should give it some thought.
: Ronald Aalders
Rick,
Maybe you should investigate the situation/circumstances a little more closely before you jump to conclusions that Strasser trimmers are in it just for the money. Anne is located in central Florida--big time horse country. I have a friend in that area who paid a farrier $1800 (yes, that's $1800--not $180) a few years ago to shoe her laminitic horse using Redden's rock n roll shoe. The horse ended up being euthanisized in spite of expensive farrier care and the use of the latest, greatest gadget at that time. Anne is offering an alternative that works and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. $50 for a trim for that area is not outrageous and Anne certainly isn't getting rich considering the cost of living for her area. And when you consider the amount of time it takes to do a Strasser trim one becomes limited in how many trims they can even do per day. Now granted, as the hoof becomes more properly balanced through proper trimming and through sufficient movement, the hoof beomes more self-maintaining and the time it takes to trim becomes less and less, but pathological hooves still take more time, and Anne's practice is comprised mostly of horse's with pathological hooves.
(Anne's website is www.soundhorsesystems.com for anyone interested in checking out a few of her case studies or learning more.)
And didn't I read here on this site someone complaining that in their practice more and more owners were wanting their horses to go barefoot and that particular farrier couldn't make any money at just trimming? Why didn't anyone respond to the post with that old cliche "it's known among farriers that farriers make more money trimming"? If that particular farrier (or any farrier) isn't making any money at trimming maybe it's because they aren't charging enough per trim to cover travel time, vehicle expenses, insurance, etc. I have found most farriers, good or bad, don't charge enough per trim to make a decent living at trimming only, unless they're doing a trim that takes less than 10 or 15 minutes per horse and trimming 20 or more horses a day and not traveling more than 15 minutes to the job.
And one question, Rick, why does it upset you when someone charges a fair price for the work performed and the successful results achieved?
Denise