Pulling into a farrier clinic is an impressive sight.

A variety of bright, shiny aluminum farrier rigs line the parking lot — truck bodies, drop-ins, caps and trailers — and they don’t come cheap. Aside from your vehicle, your rig will be the most expensive tool that you’ll buy.

Although the price tag is considerable, there are a number of options from which to choose. If you plan to trim horses, a compact car and a minimal set of tools will do the trick. Like most new farriers, if you have a modest client list, a slide-out workstation under a truck bed cap or tonneau — a waterproof cover for your truck bed — might fulfill your needs. If you use your vehicle for purposes other than farriery, a trailer might be your best choice. Or, if you are fortunate enough to have a healthy client list, your practice might demand a full-size pickup with a customized body.

What Are Your Needs?

Before investing a large chunk of change, it’s imperative that you ask yourself an important question.

“How much do you really need to do your job?” asks Al Creekmore, sales director at Extendobed in Boise, Idaho.

It’s best to keep the bigger picture in mind.

“We have farriers come in here all the time and say, ‘I want this and I want that,’” says Lou Sposito…