Choosing to fire a client can be a difficult decision. On top of losing business, farriers risk damaging relationships with surrounding clients. American Farriers Journal asked farriers why and how they go about firing clients. The most common reasons for taking that leap include unsafe working conditions and negative owner relationships.

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.

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 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 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.”

Several farriers say they felt they were misinformed or misled about the horse’s behavior before 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 horses.

In these situations, Arizona farrier Jose De Lira has a system 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.”

Farrier-Client Disagreements

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

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

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-to-7-week interval,” Bos says. “I felt that their hooves were no credit to my reputation.”

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

“Years ago, I read an AFJ article about grading my clients and how they should be A-rating or higher,” he says. “When I did this rating system, I had a mix of A, B, C and a few Ds. I fired all the Ds that first year. It was scary, but it 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 grades. The ones who didn’t, depending on multiple factors, were fired the next year. It only took a couple of years, and now I have only A-rated clients.”

Breaking the News

When telling a client they’re being let go, farriers approach the situation differently. Many specify that they verbally tell the client rather than over text as a sign of professionalism.

Some farriers explain why they’re firing clients, while others simply say the client and the farrier are not a good fit.

Among those who explained the situation with their clients, most preferred to avoid burning bridges. Maryland farrier Andrew Grimm tries to be as professional as possible.

“I usually say things aren’t working out for me and/or you and 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’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.”

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 most clients are responsible and respectful, it’s crucial to know how to handle difficult situations.