A farrier carries more risk per hour than most trades. You handle horses you do not own, on property you do not control, with a forge and hot steel close by. When a horse comes up lame after a shoeing or a client’s barn catches a spark, the bill lands on you.
Farrier insurance packages the policies that answer those moments: liability for injury and damage, cover for client horses in your care, and protection for the tools and rig that earn your living. Tell us how you work and we match you with agents who write farrier risk.
Where farrier claims come from
- A horse goes lame after a visit
- An owner blames a hot nail or a bad trim and asks you to pay the vet bills or the horse’s lost value.
- Injury to an owner or handler
- A horse spooks during a shoeing and kicks or knocks down the person holding it.
- Damage to a client’s barn
- A portable forge or stray spark damages an aisle, a stall, or stored hay.
- Stolen or damaged tools
- Anvils, forges, and stands ride in your truck every day and walk off easier than you think.
What most farriers carry
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General liability
Pays for injury and property damage claims tied to your work at a client’s barn.
Read about liability coverage -
Care, custody and control
Covers the client’s horse while it is in your hands, the gap a general policy usually leaves open.
Read about liability coverage -
Professional liability
Answers claims that your shoeing or trimming caused an injury or a loss of use.
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Tools and equipment
Protects anvils, forges, stands, and hand tools on the road and at the job.
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Commercial auto
Covers the truck and shoeing rig you use for work, which a personal auto policy may exclude.
Good to know before you quote
- Working with a farrier association
- Some associations offer group programs. Compare those terms against an individual policy before you renew.
- Employees and apprentices
- If you pay an apprentice or helper, most states require workers compensation. Mention it on the form.
- Corrective and therapeutic work
- Glue-ons, pads, and vet-directed shoeing can change how a carrier rates you. Say so up front.
Wondering what coverage runs? Read the horse insurance cost guide or see how quotes work.
