Farrier New Client Intake Form: Collect the Right Information Upfront
The first appointment with a new client sets the tone for everything that follows. If you collect the right information upfront, you'll enter every subsequent visit already knowing the horse's history, the owner's preferences, and any conditions that require special attention. If you don't collect it systematically, you'll spend months picking up pieces -- or worse, make assumptions that cause problems later.
Farriers who collect complete intake information on first visit experience 34% lower no-show rates with new clients. That's partly because a thorough intake process signals to the client that you're running a professional business, which increases their investment in the relationship from the start.
Here's a complete intake form template along with guidance on how to use it effectively.
TL;DR
- Farriers who collect complete intake information on the first visit experience 34% lower no-show rates with new clients -- a thorough intake signals professionalism that increases client investment from the start.
- The form template covers six sections: client contact information, horse information, health and hoof history, shoeing preferences, scheduling preferences, and emergency authorization.
- The emergency authorization field -- whether you can proceed with additional work found during an appointment without a prior call -- is the field most often forgotten on intake forms and most often regretted when the situation arises.
- Gate codes and barn access details collected at intake prevent you from standing at a locked gate on a hot day trying to reach an owner who's at work.
- Health history fields (laminitis, navicular, club foot, contracted heels, white line disease) should be captured at intake so you approach the first visit prepared, not discovering conditions when you pick up the hoof.
- Behavioral notes (hard to tie, needs sedation, handling preferences) protect you and your equipment -- getting these before arriving is safer than discovering them at the barn.
- All intake information should be entered into FarrierIQ's digital records rather than kept in a paper folder -- paper in a folder doesn't help you two years later standing at a barn trying to remember a horse's laminitis history.
New Client Intake Form Template
CLIENT INFORMATION
Owner Name:
Phone (primary):
Phone (alternate):
Email:
Preferred communication method: [ ] Text [ ] Call [ ] Email
Best time to reach you:
Barn address / location pin (Note: include gate codes or access instructions):
Billing address (if different):
HORSE INFORMATION (Use one section per horse)
Horse Name:
Age:
Breed:
Gender: [ ] Mare [ ] Gelding [ ] Stallion
Color / Markings (for identification):
Primary discipline / use:
Current work level: [ ] Light [ ] Moderate [ ] Heavy [ ] Show / Competition
HEALTH AND HOOF HISTORY
Currently shod or barefoot:
Previous farrier name (if willing to share):
How long since last farrier visit:
Known hoof conditions or history (white line disease, laminitis, navicular, club foot, contracted heels, etc.):
Current vet: (name and contact)
Any ongoing veterinary treatment that affects the feet or legs:
Current medications (especially anything that may affect hoof growth, like Cushing's treatments):
Previous corrective or therapeutic shoeing: [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, describe:
SHOEING PREFERENCES AND HISTORY
Current shoe type (if shod):
Any special pads or modifications currently used:
Any shoe types or modifications the horse has reacted to poorly:
Preferred trimming or shoeing interval:
Any behavioral notes (hard to tie, needs sedation, specific handling preferences):
SCHEDULING PREFERENCES
Preferred appointment days:
Preferred appointment time (morning / midday / afternoon):
Who will be present at appointments: [ ] Owner [ ] Trainer / Barn manager [ ] Either
Person to contact if owner is not present: (name and phone)
Payment preference: [ ] Cash [ ] Check [ ] Card
EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION
If I identify a hoof condition requiring additional treatment on the day of an appointment, may I proceed with the additional work without prior authorization, or do you require a call first?
[ ] Proceed and notify me after
[ ] Call before proceeding with additional work
[ ] Only the pre-authorized work under any circumstances
SIGNATURE
By signing below, I confirm that the information above is accurate to the best of my knowledge, and I agree to [Your Business Name]'s scheduling and payment policies as described in the accompanying policy document.
Signature: _____________________ Date: __________
Why Each Section Matters
Contact preferences: Knowing whether someone prefers text versus phone saves you from leaving voicemails for someone who only checks texts, and vice versa. The "best time to reach you" detail is surprisingly useful when you're trying to confirm a rescheduled appointment on the same day.
Barn access details: Gate codes and access notes mean you don't stand at a locked gate on a 95-degree day trying to reach an owner who's at work. Get this on the intake form before you need it.
Health history: A horse with a history of laminitis, navicular, or club foot needs a different approach even if the condition is currently managed. Knowing this upfront means you approach that first visit prepared, not discovering it when you pick up the hoof.
Vet contact: For any horse with a known hoof condition, having the vet's contact information means you can communicate directly if you see something concerning. It also signals to the client that you work collaboratively with vets, which builds trust.
Emergency authorization: This field prevents awkward situations where you find an issue during an appointment and aren't sure whether to address it or wait. Getting a preference in writing on the intake form means both parties understand the boundaries.
How to Use the Intake Form in FarrierIQ
FarrierIQ's client management tools let you record all of this information in structured horse and client profiles. You can build the habit of entering intake information directly into the app during or immediately after the first appointment, which means the data is searchable and accessible from the start.
The hoof health records section in FarrierIQ is specifically designed to capture ongoing conditions and history, so the health information from your intake form has a logical home in the system. Notes about behavioral preferences, scheduling requirements, and emergency authorization can go in the client notes field.
Delivering the Form
You have a few options for how clients fill out the intake form:
At the first appointment: Bring a printed form and a pen. Many farriers find this creates a natural conversation about the horse's history rather than just a form-filling exercise. The discussion often surfaces information that wouldn't come out in writing.
Before the first appointment: Send the form by email or text and ask the client to complete it before you arrive. This means you can review it before you get to the barn, which helps you prepare.
Digital intake: Some farriers use a simple Google Form or a tool like JotForm to create a digital intake that clients fill out on their phone. The responses come to your email and can be entered into FarrierIQ manually.
Whatever method you use, make sure you actually enter the information into your records rather than keeping the paper in a folder. Paper in a folder doesn't help you when you're standing at the barn two years later trying to remember whether this horse had a laminitis history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information should a farrier collect from a new client?
At minimum: the owner's contact details and communication preferences, barn location and access information, the horse's age, breed, discipline, and current work level, any hoof health history (laminitis, navicular, white line disease, corrective shoeing), the current vet's contact information, behavioral notes for handling, scheduling preferences, and payment method. The emergency authorization question -- whether you can proceed with additional work found during an appointment without a prior call -- is one that new farriers often forget to ask and then regret when the situation comes up.
How do I onboard a new horse owner as a farrier client?
Start with a thorough intake form either sent in advance or completed at the first appointment. Send a same-day follow-up message confirming what work was done, noting any conditions you observed, and setting the expectation for the next visit interval. Store all of the information in FarrierIQ's client management system so it's accessible on every future visit. The goal of onboarding is to make the client feel like you're paying close attention to their specific horse -- not treating them like one stop on a generic route.
Is there a template for a farrier new client form?
Yes -- use the template in this article and customize it to match your business name, policies, and the level of detail you want to capture. The core sections (contact information, horse information, health history, scheduling preferences, and emergency authorization) are the ones that matter most. Add or remove fields based on how you work. Once you've settled on a version you like, entering the information into FarrierIQ's horse record fields after each new client intake keeps everything organized digitally rather than in a paper file.
How should farriers handle intake forms for multi-horse clients at boarding facilities?
Multi-horse facility intake works differently from single-owner private clients. At a boarding facility with 20 horses, a single facility-level intake form collects the barn manager's contact information, access details, and general policies -- then each horse gets an individual horse-level record in FarrierIQ with its own health history, behavioral notes, and shoe specifications. Start by identifying a primary contact for the facility (usually the barn manager) and use the facility-level form for billing and scheduling logistics. Build individual horse records in FarrierIQ for each animal as you work through the first visit -- capturing the baseline hoof condition, any known history, and behavioral notes per horse. The farrier client management guide covers the account structure that works best for boarding facilities versus private clients.
What should farriers do if a new client can't answer health history questions about their horse?
New horse owners, particularly first-time owners or those who recently purchased a horse without records, often can't answer hoof history questions accurately. The right response is to complete what you can on the intake form and treat the first visit as a thorough baseline assessment -- photographing all four hooves, noting every condition you observe, and documenting your starting point as completely as possible. For horses with visible corrective work history (bar shoes, pads, angles that suggest previous intervention) where the owner doesn't know why, note what you see and recommend consulting the previous farrier or an equine vet before continuing or changing the protocol. Entering "no prior records available -- baseline established at first visit" in FarrierIQ's hoof health records creates a clear starting point for future visits without pretending you have history you don't.
Sources
- American Farrier's Association (AFA), farrier business management and new client onboarding resources
- American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), client communication guidelines for equine professionals
- Small Business Administration (SBA), client intake and professional documentation best practices
Get Started with FarrierIQ
Complete intake information at the first visit produces 34% lower no-show rates -- FarrierIQ's client management tools and hoof health records give every piece of intake information a digital home that's searchable and accessible on every future visit. Try FarrierIQ free and enter your next new client intake directly into a digital horse profile instead of a paper folder.