In the opening days of each 8-week block of classes, Bob Smith takes his Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School students to “the candy store.” Farriers in the Sacramento, Calif., area know it as The Horseshoe Barn.

The trip gives the farriers in training an opportunity to shop for the tools, products and equipment they’ll need to start their career. It’s also an opportunity to pick the brain of Adam Wynbrandt, who’s not only the owner of the supply shop but an Accredited Professional Farrier (APF) with 2 decades of experience.

“They always want to know, ‘What can I charge?’” he says. “I tell them, ‘Well, no, the question is, what do you need to charge?’”

Questions about pricing aren’t just reserved for new farriers. Even veteran farriers often struggle with finding a winning formula.

“Most farriers work off of gross income rather than net,” Wynbrandt says. “What’s the difference? If you just did six horses for $600, that’s your gross income. That’s all your money. In reality, you have costs, expenses and taxes. The amount of money you have after those expenditures is your net income.”

Basic Cost Of Shoeing A Horse

According to the latest Farrier Business Practices survey conducted by American Farriers Journal, the average nationwide price for trimming four…