Typical charges for holding for the farrier?

[nevertoolate]

Just trying to get an idea on what typical charges are for having a barn staffer hold your horse for the farrier? Not talking about a problem horse - just your typical needs someone standing by him type horse. Thanks!

[Cloverbarley]

I make no extra charge for holding my boarding horses for the farrier but I know a few barns around my way charge between $5 - $15.

[Highflyer]

Cost of employee's time for an hour/ estimated portion of an hour--usually $5- $10, more for glueons etc.

[Mrsmph]

curious...

I am just curious....Clearly, things don't work here like they do elsewhere?? Every time I have seen a farrier at a barn, they are either alone and put said horse on crossties, or they have a helper who holds the horse...I have never seen barn staff do it

[RedMare01]

My mare will stand on crossties, so old barn did not have to hold/no charge.

Current barn will not crosstie, insists on holding. $5 charge.

Caitlin

[nevertoolate]

Thanks! I was charged $30, and thought that was on the high side. Could understand it if he was obnoxious while being shod, but from I was told he was fine, didn't need to be held, just had someone standing next to him.

[Zevida]

Getting charged $30 means "we really don't want to do this but since we have too, we're going to charge enough to make it worthwhile."

I think $30 is pretty high. I could see anywhere from $5 if you are paying a kid or a friend as a favor up to $15 for barn staff.

[Cloverbarley]

Getting charged $30 means "we really don't want to do this but since we have too, we're going to charge enough to make it worthwhile."

I agree. OP you need to weigh up the pros and cons of this - would it have cost you more than $30 to take time out of your day to hold your horse yourself for the farrier? I think people do need to work out the cost to themselves before complaining about the cost to have others do it ... however I understand where you are coming from as $30 is not the norm around my area.

[nevertoolate]

Cloverbarley - understand what you are saying! It would cost me more than $30 to take off from work and do it myself, and I definitely don't mind paying what is a fair cost. This just seemed to be pretty high to me...I am going to have to ask for a listing of "additional fees" so I don't have any more surprises.

[RedMare01]

I would be upset about a $30 fee. Very high, IMO.

Caitlin

[FalseImpression]

I used to be charged $15 by the BM at the previous barn. Now that the BM is my BO at the current barn, she does not charge at all!
I felt $15 was reasonable since it would have cost me almost as much to drive out...

[BeeHoney]

I am just curious....Clearly, things don't work here like they do elsewhere?? Every time I have seen a farrier at a barn, they are either alone and put said horse on crossties, or they have a helper who holds the horse...I have never seen barn staff do it

I agree, $30 seems a bit high. But keep in mind that there is more to it than standing there holding the horse.

The horse has to be brought in, has to be dry and reasonably clean, someone has to get your instructions from you ahead of time, communicate those instructions to the farrier, and confirm that that gets done (and be responsible if it isn't done right), put the horse out afterwards, and pick the stall an extra time because they probably had to bring more than one horse in and they had to wait in their stalls for a bit. And oh, yeah, pay the farrier. On a rainy day with wet, muddy horses that have to be brought in and have their legs hosed in advance, yeah, it's a bit of a project. Plus, even if a horse will stand quietly in the crossties, someone has to be available to help if there are issues.

This is why I charge a hold fee even if the horse stands in the crossties. But, I don't charge $30, even if there are times when I think we deserve it!

[sublimequine]

At the last barn I was at, it was $5 trim, $10 shod.

At my current barn the BO will do it for free, but it's a very small barn with only a handful of boarders. I always get out there to hold my mare anyways.

[Rhyadawn]

The barn I was at before charged $15 to $25 depending if it was just a trim or shoes.

What peeved me off was that I (not an employee of the barn) would be holding the horses for the boarders if they weren't there, and they (the boarders) were still charged as if the barn staff had been holding them.

[katarine]

Rhydawn you were forced at gun point to hold someone else's horse?


Charges typically range from 5-15: I'd charge 15.

[Chaila]

I was never charged for this. The farrier would come, put horse on the crossties and go about his business.

But that was 12 years ago. Horses may be more psycho with the farrier now than they were then.

[Rhyadawn]

Rhydawn you were forced at gun point to hold someone else's horse?


Charges typically range from 5-15: I'd charge 15.

LOL! No. I was at the barn, didn't have any pressing thing to get back to at home or work, and the barn manager has a busy schedule. The horses were already inside, it was just a matter of out of the stall, hold them (they were all good to hold), and back in their stalls.

I didn't mind holding them, that wasn't the issue at all. My issue was that their owners were still charged as if the barn staff had held them.

[molliwog]

I'm lucky. As long as the horses are in their stalls and clearly identified, my farrier will lead them to the x-ties herself, since all of mine have manners.

If "holding for the farrier" means retrieve the well-mannered horse from stall or turnout, remove blankets if needed, communicate general instructions, and place in the x-ties, and return the horse to stall or turnout, $5 seems quite reasonable. This is less than 10 minutes of work at my place.

If the handler is expected to stand and actually hold the horse for an hour, I'd charge an hourly rate of $15.

If "holding for the farrier" means managing your obnoxious twit of a horse while it tries to bite/kick/stomp either me or the shoer, I'll charge you the equivalent of a lesson for this- $60/hour. Generally, horses only try this approach once when I am holding them for shoeing, and are standing quietly and relaxed by the time we are done.

[Sparky]

We have a list for the farrier when he arrives. The horses on the list are in their stalls. He gets them, puts them on crossties, does his job and puts them back in their stalls. We go on about our work. He makes note of what his charges are and sends a bill to his client, with whom he has communicated about the horses needs beforehand. How in the world can you make something so ordinary in the day of a barn, so complicated and in need of an extra charge?

[circusponydreams]

This is a $10 charge at my barn. My good horse stands on crossties (or if you just drape the lead rope over his neck), but the barn manager still has to hike out to his pasture, catch him and hike back in - and he always seems to be sprawled out napping in the farthest possible corner when the farrier is due! The BM doesn't usually charge the fee if the horse is in his stall already, but I still think it's fair, since it's an addition to her schedule for the day.