Reaching hoof-care clients means a truck or a trailer for 86% of respondents, with the remaining operating a haul-in practice or out of a truck, van or SUV. However, in the age of social media and instant communication, operating a business is often about more than just showing up and shoeing. 

According to American Farriers Journal’s annual Farrier Business Practices Survey Report, up to 70% of farriers are communicating with clients via text message daily, down about 5% from 2025, with a slight shift (up 3%) toward weekly communication. Fifty-one percent receive phone calls daily — an increase of 10% over 2025 — with fewer occurring weekly, monthly or occasionally. Respondents typically communicate via email or their own websites, either occasionally or never.

However, social media is a mixed bag. Some 23% of farriers communicate with clients only occasionally over social media, while 12% communicate weekly. Overall, social media has the most even split between those who speak with clients online (44%) and those who do not (56%). 

When it comes to business promotion, the tide is slowly shifting toward social media. Up 11% from 2024, 36% of respondents now use social media to promote their business. The effectiveness of various platforms is disputed, with Facebook being the highest rated at 3.6 on a scale of least effective (1) to most effective (5). The next most effective platform is YouTube at 2.5, Instagram at 2.4 and TikTok at 1.9. 

While trimming and shoeing videos continue to rise in popularity online, viewers are not typically potential clients, fellow farriers or even equine enthusiasts. Social posts and videos by farriers aimed at clients typically provide business information or are broadly educational in nature. The most widely engaged posts are usually those sharing detailed educational material to fellow farriers. This is how many gain a deeply rooted follower base. Still, acquiring clients from social media remains largely elusive. In the data, there was no correlation between social media promotion and income.

To see more from the most recent annual Farrier Business Practices Survey Report, read Maclaren Krueger’s article “Farrier Business Trends Reveal Shifting Priorities” featured in the June/July issue of American Farriers Journal.