AHHHHH!!! farrier dilemna!

[Skhosu]

Ok, so current farrier is known to hit the horses, not exactly the gentle sort, we supervise him and last time were asked to 'leave him alone with her' as she behave much better when we weren't there! Our horses are all good to shoe, the occasional fidget but nothing worth anything!
He is mostly late, have to leave a msg and he gets back to you, last 2 appointments has called to say it'll be the next day, several hrs after he's supposed to be there. But, is recommended by the vet and mother has a vague connetion :roll:

Sister is home and has been bought a horse, who threw a shoe. A woman she works with has a son as a farrier and gave her his contact no. Sister decides to use him, so contacted him and he is to be here on thursday
My thought is, watch him with the other horse, see how his timekeeping is etc. and if better/good manner, switch.
However, old farrier knows we have a new horse...is booked in for a few weeks from now..and mother is not at all keen to get rid(bear in mind I have always not liked him, and younger sister not keen either after her mare got walloped...but he has yet to lame a horse, but never observes it moving etc. which I thought was standard? Grumpy if you question what he's doing)
So what would you do if the new farrier turns out to be better?
And how do you know if a new farrier is good if you're not an experienced foot person?
And what to offer a new farrier, e.g tea etc?

 

[Bossanova]

You're paying for a service, if you didnt like where your instuctor was taking you, you'd switch instructors.
It's hard to swap farriers politely but you wont be the first person thats changed and you wont be the last!

 

[Hullabaloo]

If I was happy with the new farrier I would switch. I wouldn't have someone I thought was going to hit my horse and I have better things to do than wait for a farrier who doesn't turn up. I think also if you do have any concerns about your horses feet it is important to have someone who will explain things to you. Like you I'm not an experienced foot person but my farrier is happy to explain things to me and talk to me about what he's doing.
I always offer my farrier coffee but I never remember to take any milk for down for him!

 

[AmyMay]

I can't see a dilema at all. You don't like the way your farrier treats your horses, and he is unreliable.

Sack him - simple.

 

[rema]

I would watch the new farrier doing your sisters horse and see what you think.Farriers provide a service which we pay for.If you are not happy with his service then take your buisness elsewhere.If your present farrier is like any of the farriers around my way if he loses one client he will gain two more to fill the space.

 

[samp]

I would see how the new farrier is with your sisters horse, if you like him they get rid of yours. I would not tolerate a farrier that was heavy handed to shoe my horse no matter how good they were. I had one before and I refused to let him come back again

 

[xxcharlottexx]

I have had a similar problem in that im not at all happy with my current farriers work and he lost a shoe 2 weeks ago so farrier came up to put it back on (thats one good thing abut him is that he always comes up if you loose a shoe) however he lost it last satuarday so i have been frantically phoning round farriers to change and now have one coming up thursay.

If he does a good job then another livery will switch too

As others have said your paying for it so go with who you like most

Id maybe stick with your farrier until you have seen your sisters a few times as sometimes they be very prompt and polite the first couple of visits to make a good impression and then the bad habbits start! Then if all is good with your sisters farrier and you like him better then switch farriers
Though i know its hard to tell them as i havnt told mine that ive found someone else yet
Though he will still be doing 3 other horses on the yard so hes not lost that much business from me and my firned (1 front set and 1 trim as shes barefoot)

 

[Skhosu]

Thanks for your replies, mum seems to think I'm being unreasonable! We'll see what the new one is like, he apparently shoes for eric smiley so that's gotta be a good recommendation .
We'll see.