AWOL farrier

[Ibblebibble]

farrier hasn't turned up today and i can't get hold of him by text or calling, waited hour and half for him getting angrier and angrier whilst also hoping that he is ok.
now i'm wondering how long do i give him to get in touch before i find myself a new farrier?!

 

[Greylegs]

If you're happy with him otherwise, and he's generally reliable, I'd keep trying to get hold of him for the next 24 hours or so. Mine let me down unexpectedly a couple of months or so ago (to be fair, he left a message saying he couldn't make it, with no explanation) ...... turned out his mother had died suddenly ...!

Maybe there's a good reason why yours hasn't got back to you as well....

 

[Fides]

If it is a one off it could be a crisis, regular thing - get rid...

 

[Ibblebibble]

he is usually reliable and he also knows I'm pretty easy going so if theres a problem and he needs to reschedule he only has to call or text and it's not a problem. now i've had a cuppa and something to eat I'm more worried than angry.

 

[Clannad48]

Just sent you a pm that crossed with your post

 

[Maclinda]

My farrier is ALWAYS late! Ranges from 10mins to over an hour, so annoying but he is good at his job. Hopefully yours is ok and it's just a blip.

 

[Houndman]

My previous farrier went AWOL and incommunicado at the end. I spoke to other people who used him and nobody could get in contact either. Still wonder what happened.

My current farrier works like clockwork. If he says he will be there at 10.30 he will arrive exactly then. If he is runnning late, he will call to let us know. He says that it's one of the things that customers find very important and he is very much in demand.

 

[fatpiggy]

My farrier got worse and worse. I used to take a half day off work and he would be 4 hours late, if he turned up at all. And no, I couldn't contact him - he just didn't respond to texts or answer the phone. I always paid in cash, booked him 6 weeks ahead and my horse was ready and waiting for him every time. What really peed me off though was when I booked him as usual and he didn't arrive - turned out he'd gone on holiday!!!! A few times though, I would book him and other people would piggy back on to his visit and book him too. No problem except that more than once, three guesses who horse didn't get shod because he ran out of time doing all the others. One time that left me with a horse with a flip-flop for a shoe and a show to go to in 2 days time. I wasn't sorry when I finally sacked him, as although he was a good farrier, he was so up himself it wasn't true, and would slag off other farriers in public which I thought was very unprofessional as well as plain bitchy, he wasn't beyond belting a horse that fidgetted a bit, and once slapped my horse across the muzzle, in front of me simply because she turned and rested her nose on his back for a moment. She was so good to shoe you didn't even have to tie her up and it was totally uncalled for.

 

[Honey08]

If he's usually good, give him a day to contact you. An hour and a half is not that bad and he could have no signal where he is or something. There could be some sort of an emergency.

 

[asmp]

Just seen you're in Wiltshire. When I lived there I had a good farrier - when he turned up. He often didn't and came up with excuses like I'm not well or my car has broken down (after we'd been waiting around all morning for him). I moved away but recently heard that the yard finally gave up on him and now use a new one.

 

[Dry Rot]

Having had TWO farriers at my doorstep, both booked in to see the same horse at the same time when the owner didn't turn up, they have my sympathy!

If he had turned up, found your horses needed extra attention that was going to take more time, but left it on three legs because he wanted to be on time for another appointment, would you have complimented him on his attention to time keeping?

Sounds like a little understand should be applied here….at least until there is an explanation. Mine was late last time and he got a good ribbing for being so, but it was given (and I hope accepted) with a tongue firmly in cheek. He'd had an emergency and I quite understood why he did not phone. These things happen.

 

[Fides]

Sounds like a little understand should be applied here….at least until there is an explanation.

I missed that post - is HHO being silly again?

OP - what was the reason? Did he turn up? If so, how late? I hope you got sorted

 

[Ibblebibble]

well unless Dry Rot knows my farrier personally how on earth do you know if i needed to be more understanding or if he needed to learn to communicate better?! i run my own business too and have never in 11 years not got word to a customer if i couldn't make it! i spoke to him this morning after getting a message from his OH late last night, he was in hospital so yes in this case he is forgiven I'm pretty laid back with him about his time keeping because i understand hold ups and stupid horses losing shoes etc, but i really didn't appreciate waiting with 6 bored horses/ponies yesterday!

 

[madlady]

I have to say my farrier is great.

He turns up when he says he will - generally he just tells me morning or afternoon and then rings me when he's half an hour away. He will come and do them when I'm not around during if they are in the stables and the only time he has ever let me down was when he got kicked at his previous call and had his knee broken.

 

[Doormouse]

My farrier got worse and worse. I used to take a half day off work and he would be 4 hours late, if he turned up at all. And no, I couldn't contact him - he just didn't respond to texts or answer the phone. I always paid in cash, booked him 6 weeks ahead and my horse was ready and waiting for him every time. What really peed me off though was when I booked him as usual and he didn't arrive - turned out he'd gone on holiday!!!! A few times though, I would book him and other people would piggy back on to his visit and book him too. No problem except that more than once, three guesses who horse didn't get shod because he ran out of time doing all the others. One time that left me with a horse with a flip-flop for a shoe and a show to go to in 2 days time. I wasn't sorry when I finally sacked him, as although he was a good farrier, he was so up himself it wasn't true, and would slag off other farriers in public which I thought was very unprofessional as well as plain bitchy, he wasn't beyond belting a horse that fidgetted a bit, and once slapped my horse across the muzzle, in front of me simply because she turned and rested her nose on his back for a moment. She was so good to shoe you didn't even have to tie her up and it was totally uncalled for.

I had exactly the same with one of mine. He just went off on holiday and never said! I gave up after that, good farrier but no use at all if I could never get hold of him.

Got a fab one now, he is always on time, he always replies to texts within 12 hours and will do his damnest to get to get a lost shoe back on within 24 hours. Can't say fairer than that.

 

[BlackRider]

If its unusual I'd let it go... My farrier does this very occasionally usually due to illness etc.

 

[Dry Rot]

well unless Dry Rot knows my farrier personally how on earth do you know if i needed to be more understanding or if he needed to learn to communicate better?! i run my own business too and have never in 11 years not got word to a customer if i couldn't make it! i spoke to him this morning after getting a message from his OH late last night, he was in hospital so yes in this case he is forgiven I'm pretty laid back with him about his time keeping because i understand hold ups and stupid horses losing shoes etc, but i really didn't appreciate waiting with 6 bored horses/ponies yesterday!

Oh, now I understand completely. Being in hospital is hardly any excuse for not turning up and unless he was actually dead and not able to draw breath, he should certainly have phoned!

Somehow I think if I was your farrier, I'd be grateful for being sacked. I assume your business is not the running of a charm school??

 

[dogatemysalad]

Mine's reliable although I never worry if he's an hour or so late. He sometimes needs to spend extra time somewhere else and I was extremely grateful the day he made time to come over and cut an abscess out for a horse in agony. If he puts the horse first, a little extra waiting time is ok with me.

Ibblebibble, hope your farrier is ok.

 

[Ladyinred]

Oh, now I understand completely. Being in hospital is hardly any excuse for not turning up and unless he was actually dead and not able to draw breath, he should certainly have phoned!

Somehow I think if I was your farrier, I'd be grateful for being sacked. I assume your business is not the running of a charm school??

You have a talent for being unbelievably unpleasant. I suggest you actually read the thread properly before putting your spin on what has been said in an effort to vent your spleen on HHO as per usual.

It's actually pleasant to be nice to people and not be in a state of constant conflict... I suggest you try it.

 

[Apercrumbie]

You have a talent for being unbelievably unpleasant. I suggest you actually read the thread properly before putting your spin on what has been said in an effort to vent your spleen on HHO as per usual.

It's actually pleasant to be nice to people and not be in a state of constant conflict... I suggest you try it.

To be fair, ibblebibble's initial comment to Dry Rot did come across as a little catty, particularly when Dry Rot had said the same thing that other posters had: give him a chance as otherwise he has been good. I don't know if that's what ibblebibble intended, it's just how it came across to me.

Ibblebibble I hope your farrier gets better soon.

 

[Ibblebibble]

Oh, now I understand completely. Being in hospital is hardly any excuse for not turning up and unless he was actually dead and not able to draw breath, he should certainly have phoned!

Somehow I think if I was your farrier, I'd be grateful for being sacked. I assume your business is not the running of a charm school??

not sure why i'm bothering to explain as you'll find something to moan about (are you my dad??) but i did say he was forgiven and it was all sorted. it was rather unusual to have no contact from him and no answer to his phone which is why i said in my first post that although i was angry i was also hoping he was ok, perhaps you missed that if you were my farrier i probably would have sacked you for having no sense of humour!, at least mine understands my sense of humour and knows that even though i abuse him verbally when he is late it's all in fun and he still gets his coffee in a mug and not over his head

ETA; after seeing dry rots post on the 'thank you admin thread' seems laughable that he is trying to have a go at me for my attitude to my farrier !!! pot kettle black springs to mind!!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

farrier hasn't turned up today and i can't get hold of him by text or calling, waited hour and half for him getting angrier and angrier whilst also hoping that he is ok.
now i'm wondering how long do i give him to get in touch before i find myself a new farrier?!

I had this 4 times and can name all 4 farriers who did this, they did not turn up , answer text - mobile or email or land line.

Then had the audacity to tell someone oh I stopped going because they had a new farrier . gr a hole...................

 

[happyclappy]

my last farrier - now retired - over many years was only ever late twice, always on time or slightly early. he did not own a mobile phone. each time he was late was because holiday makers had had car accidents and blocked his routes. certainly not his fault.it is very possible something like this can occure, or something else, with any farrier. i would only get annoyed if I later discovered there were no good reason for not letting me know the situation. one farrier did not tun up an did not contact or respnd to my calls all day, as he decided to go hunting , decision made that morning. now, that annoyed me! fine. he could go hunting but he could and should have let me know.

 

[CarolineJ]

Mine once forgot about me completely! He'd been driving when I'd called him and not written it down in his diary when he got to his next appointment. I left a message on his phone an hour after he was due, asking if I'd written it down wrong and saying I hoped he was OK - I got a call back a couple of hours later from a horrified farrier, saying he'd been driving around all day with a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he'd forgotten something!! He insisted on doing my two for free when he came back out to me.

His time keeping can be quite relaxed sometimes (though he was bang on the dot today), but he does such an excellent job that I wouldn't change him for the world.

 

[Fides]

I've just moved and my new farrier said he could fit me in on the very next day on his way home. I'm ended up having to decline but he came the next week and was bang on time.

Turns out he lives just down the road from me and has said just to call him a day or two before and he will squeeze me on after his rounds.

 

[Dry Rot]

I phoned my farrier and told him not to come when there was a moorland fire next door. Later in the day, the wind changed and we were clear. So I phoned him again and said it would be OK to come if he could fit us in.

He turned up with four apprentices and did all 12 Highland ponies without further problems! The farrier tied the stallion to a fence post and trimmed him without any help. I don't think I have ever been let down by a farrier. I wonder why that is?

If I was married, I suspect the OP be would probably be my daughter. There but for the grace of God…etc. I am eternally grateful for this forum, in spite of its short comings, as it continually reminds me how lucky I am to be a bachelor! My commiserations to your dad, OP, and, no, I am not consenting to a DNA test!

 

[Goldenstar]

One of my favourite farriers was a serial non attender .
I was once driven after the third time he did not arrive to turn up in his local for a full and frank discussion in public , which we both laughed about later .
It was the only place I knew I would track him down .
He was excellent when you got him on the yard .

 

[MadJ]

Deleted cos I can't be bothered, but think you should be very nice to your farrier when you next see him.

 

[Blurr]

I phoned my farrier and told him not to come when there was a moorland fire next door. Later in the day, the wind changed and we were clear. So I phoned him again and said it would be OK to come if he could fit us in.

He turned up with four apprentices and did all 12 Highland ponies without further problems! The farrier tied the stallion to a fence post and trimmed him without any help. I don't think I have ever been let down by a farrier. I wonder why that is?

If I was married, I suspect the OP be would probably be my daughter. There but for the grace of God…etc. I am eternally grateful for this forum, in spite of its short comings, as it continually reminds me how lucky I am to be a bachelor! My commiserations to your dad, OP, and, no, I am not consenting to a DNA test!

Probaby your farrier turned up because you cancelled at short notice and he'd not had chance to book anything else in so with four apprentices to keep out of trouble he made a business decision and went for the money. Are we meant to believe he made his decision based on your charm?

As for your bachelor status, presumably you've not yet met a woman daft enough. One can only hope you've been 'responsible' and your genes will end with you.

MadJ - Ibblebibble IS nice to her farrier, I don't think she needs reminding!

 

[debsflo]

I put up with an unreliable farrier for years but coulnt put up with the stress of waiting around having booked time off work to then be let dowm. He was always good when he got here but i luckily found a good reliable one on my doorstep in the end...