I've been mulling some things over in my head about my buisness and I was trying to think about what it really costs me to shoe a horse. So I wanted to put this question out there. "What does it cost you to shoe a horse?" I know someone has broken it down at somepoint as to exactly what it costs. Not just what does four shoes and 24 nails cost, but also fuel, tools, truck, tags, taxes, retirement, vacation time, insurance, etc. All these are things that we would want to know if we went and got a real job so I feel like we should have a handle on these things for shoeing. I feel like I have a good idea about what it cost me but I want to see what others have to say because I know that I may not be thinking about something. I am one of those egg-head types that like to think about all these things.

I wish I could find it but I had a piece of paper around hear somewhere where I figured out how much more I could save per year by using a different brand of shoe and by pulling my own clips. Saving $0.21 per shoe by changing brands, and about $0.60 per shoe by pulling my own clips didn't sound like much until I figured out what that ment over the course of a year.

Good question. I tried to figure it out but the problem is a lot of things you buy and use are in use for several horses, or even several years like powertools and the truck. Also travelling distance is a problem because shoeing horses close by will end up cheaper than the horses in your book that are further away.

For me I always looked at the margin at the end of the year. That way I'm sure all the costs are taken into account, including depreciation, maintenance and such.


Ronald Aalders

I'm pretty good with excel so if you want to give me some numbers we can work out a sheet that would figure the true cost for you. Then when things change ( electric bill goes up, vehicle mileage changes etc) you could put the new numbers in and it would change the total.


Baron,

Maybe this would be something we could put up as a resource for everyone once it's worked out, then everyone could figure their own costs for themselves. Could we put it in a place on here where everyone could download it and use it?

David

1. Take inventory.

2. Go over all the clients that you have,
and separate the ones you trim and the ones who have shoes.

3. Separate the big barns for the little one stops on the way home.

This way you will find the best way to save money is to buy "in bulk" the shoes you use the most often, and buy a case of the most fequently used nails, ex: SB5/CH5 Capewell's; and buy your rasps one+ boxes at a time.
Only buy the specialty shoes if you have a client who needs a particular shoes, ie. barshoes, ect.

Mostly do this in the spring/summer months when you are the most busiest, and start to slow down on buying during the fall/winter months.
try to schedule you clients, if you can; in a radius; so you travel the furtherest first and come back towards your home. leave one day for emergencies/or from 4-5 pm for any lost shoes, ect.
It won't always be that way; but if you get the 85% that way; then the 15% more involved clients will be more easier to take care of.

4. Write down all of your expenses and costs you have for each client on a 3 column ledger.

Business 101.......................................linda muggleworth

David, I'd be more than happy to add any articles (about this subject, or any other farriery related subject) to the Articles section of the F&HRC. There are already some excellent cost/business related articles there. Look in:

http://www2.horseshoes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=41&Itemid=72

Baron Tayler

i was taught the first rule in business is the 1 2 3 rule.
1 third materials and operating expenses
2 taxes
3 your profits
shopping around and buying in bulk offers massive cost savings,just recently by changing supplier my usual 1/2 year order instead of 4500uk plus tax,i got for 1200uk inc tax.
chris

Cyber Farrier wrote:
I've read a lot of the articles there, and I agree there are some good ones. I was thinking more of an excel spreadsheet that folks could input certain information and get a number out of so they know if they charge less than this they are losing money. I tried to make one up but I know I left a lot of things out ( especially in the tool category). The one I do have figures break even point for a farrier with very minimal tools and my bills and gas mileage. I tried to put it in a post earlier but it doesn't copy and paste well so I deleted it. If anyone wants to look it over I can email it and you could give suggestions of what needs to be added to it. For instance, I just realized it doesn't figure in maintenance of the vehicle ( oil Changes) as a cost.

David

ladyblacksmith wrote:
Why are you BUYING bar shoes???????:eek:Bar shoes cost between $20 and $30 a PAIR!!!!!!! Steel is less than a dollar a foot. You are a BLACKSMITH correct lady???? You own a FORGE correct???? Why not use it??? Yeah Yeah I know I'm gonna hear all that bullpucky about passing the cost of purchased specialty shoes on to the customer. Well how about this? Pass that cost on to the customer and MAKE some money by putting what you saved in your own pocket! Don't know how you spent your afternoon but I spent mine in the fire, used the leftover snow to cool the tongs.
Lynne Vecchione, IJHU

GiddyapGirl wrote:
I can make a hand-made barshoe out of barstock, Lynne;
but the customer is not going to pay for handmades around here; let alone stand around while I make them up.
But I can do is to use some long-bar shoes and put it in the forge like a hand-made one. I can do that!....if that is to your liking dear:p
In fact I have them on the truck, just for that reason.

Linda Muggleworth, IUJH racetrack plater

Linda, just turn the blank barshoes ahead of time, then all you do at the horse is punch nails where needed. Mark up is going to be higher on barshoes anyway so why would the client bicker?

Does not cost me anything to shoe a Horse The owners pay for it...
I always think of it as a regular income...What goes out is clear on the bills you pay.
The only thing that is not making money is the time between each horse...But thats rest time even when driving ,that could be seen as a perk of the job aswell:)

Gary Hill wrote:
you have to measure the foot first; then you cut your steel to fit the hoof.
I do that if I need to make a Z-Bar, diamond bar shoe, ect.

I build lots of pairs when I am at a horseshow or canchase instead of being bored to death. I make all differant sizes, as one would have with a stock of store bought ones. No differance. That is my practice time in the forge, no sence wasting steel on shoes that will never nailup? JMO.:cool:

ladyblacksmith wrote:
Linda,

I make mine up in the shop ahead of time also. I can get by pretty well with full and half sizes for all feet. I charge about $20 per pair to the customer, which is a good deal for them, and a small profit for me, and I get to practice for free. I can also chuck the ones I mess up, and it doesn't take time or look incompetant at the customer site. It also impresses the heck out of most people around here, who have never seen anything but keg shoes.

Regards

I appreciate the response from everybody. I do order my supplies in bulk. I buy my nails and my rasps by the case and I haven't bought shoes since last May. I make my own bar shoes and most specialty shoes. It is funny that the longer I shoe I seem to carry less stuff on my truck. I like to see the different ideas from everyone. It helps me to see things from angles that I may not have seen or thought of before.