Bf trimmer or farrier?

In my case, a farrier... One currently has front shoes on, others are unshod... Easier and less expensive to have one person who can cover all options... :)
 
In my case - myself!! I have done several weekend clinics and take seriously the mantra "do no harm". I wouldn't consider trimming anyone elses horses but I take responsibility for my own....so far so good!!
 
My farrier looks after my unsold competition horse very well. He has no qualms telling his customers if he thinks the horse will be better unshod. (advice not always well received by some people) but at the end of the day its qualifications, experience, and personal recommendation that count for me. This is an important part of my horses care and i want a person i have complete trust and confidence in. I have no experience of trimmers - but do think that if ppl do their research and choose a well qualified and competent professional to trim for them, then that is their choice and its fine by me. If i didn't have such a good farrier i wouldn't automatically rule out a b/f trimmer.
 
Trimmer my farrier has no experiance of horses working BF so I moved to someone who has can teach me and advise me there's no point IMO of using someone who does not believe what you are trying to do is possible.
The trimmer is now teaching me how to use the rasp so I can do bits myself in between visits.
They charge the same but the trimmer charges no travel .
 
My farrier is actually quite keen to take shoes off horses, including my mum's cob as he said she has really good feet and would manage fine without shoes. He is also a lot cheaper than a trimmer. The trimmer near me charged (several years ago) £50 a trim!!
 
My female farrier, she is a godsend and will often show us how to rasp if needed. None of mine are bf at the mo but before we lost our old bf pony she showed us how to touch him up if needed.
X
 
Trimmer! I feel that he understands the foot and how it works without shoes. My trimmer is a qualified farrier but practises as a barefoot trimmer and he's excellent. I actually used a farrier on my last trim because she was desparate for a trim and he was around and I really regret it. He took off loads of the frog and I just wish I had been more organised. He basically trimmed as you would when you prepare the hoof to be shod so he was just doing his job, nothing against the guy as I know he is an amazing farrier but I'll be making sure I'm more organised from now on and get my trimmer in.
 
I use a trimmer now and my old cushings pony is sounder and has more concavity than when we used a farrier. The baby's feet have also much improved - when he arrived he'd been trimmed by a regular farrier and his heels were far too long, my trimmer has taken them back over two sessions and the change is remarkable, he now has a perfect heel first movement and lovely big fat frogs. I don't see any reason to change! He's £30 a trim but well worth in in my opinion, he is really clued up.
 
I have a trimmer for my barefoot boy and my farrier for the shod ones. I love the fact that I can keep my barefoot boys feet neat and tidy myself, just maintenance taught to me by my trimmer. She is very happy to teach basics and advise on diet and conditioning the feet.
 
SarahRicoh said:
Odd most people i know wont use a bf trimmer... Yet most people on here do :)
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I think it's more a case the people who feel passionately that trimmers should all be burned at the stake just can't be bothered posting on such threads any more :p

I use UKNHCP trimmers and have done so happily for many years.

However I am frustrated by the reports I see of trimmers who have caused horses pain repeatedly and waffled on with a load of babble in order to justify it to the owners.

They are in the minority, but that it happens at all is unacceptable.

So if anyone wishes to use a BF trimmer - find someone with insurance, a happy client base and an excellent reputation. Shiny websites mean nothing.

As far as farriers go - there are some who don't understand the subtleties of trimming a BF horse as opposed to trimming a shod horse. But there are many who are amazing and who do a great job without sounding impressive while doing it ;)

So my answer is to use either a farrier or a trimmer - whomever does the best job in your area.
 
I'm using a trimmer,

she has a nifty camera that does slow mo ;) mine doesn't :p and the results have been very telling as to why we have a lameness situ. Given that frank has hoof pathologies going on, some of which were not helped by the original shoeing I decided I was happier to give someone a bit more specialist a go at sorting him out :)
 
How do you find a trimmer? The farrier who does our yard apparently leaves the horses he does a bit foot sore :O
 
Farrier - why? Because he's excellent; I trust him and he has done my horses for years. He is open to whatever I want to do. Had one horse unshod all her life despite white line disease as a youngster and ex-racer just had fronts on. However I lost my mare last month and had to move to livery as ex-racer can't stay on his own. There is a lot more road work there and he wasn't coping so have put hinds on this morning. Farrier spent a long time ensuring he was level and balanced. If and when I get another horse, I will move my boy back home and probably take his hinds off again - wouldn't be shod if he could cope but he can't. I have no experience of b/f trimmers so don't feel qualified to comment. Personal choice in my book - go with what you believe is right for you and your horse.
 
Oberon said:
I think it's more a case the people who feel passionately that trimmers should all be burned at the stake just can't be bothered posting on such threads any more :p

I use UKNHCP trimmers and have done so happily for many years.

However I am frustrated by the reports I see of trimmers who have caused horses pain repeatedly and waffled on with a load of babble in order to justify it to the owners.

They are in the minority, but that it happens at all is unacceptable.

So if anyone wishes to use a BF trimmer - find someone with insurance, a happy client base and an excellent reputation. Shiny websites mean nothing.

As far as farriers go - there are some who don't understand the subtleties of trimming a BF horse as opposed to trimming a shod horse. But there are many who are amazing and who do a great job without sounding impressive while doing it ;)

So my answer is to use either a farrier or a trimmer - whomever does the best job in your area.
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^^ Good commonsense! I am fed up of heading sweeping statements about trimmers and farriers, and I am fed up of hearing evangelical preaching pushing people to change from farrier to trimmer or vice versa. I just dont get why there is so much passionate arguing over this topic.

WHOEVER looks after your horses feet needs to be experienced, and should be qualified to do the job properly. There are very bad Farriers AND very bad barefoot trimmers out there, but that doesn't mean that there arent very GOOD Farriers and very good barefoot trimmers out there too. My farrier does a great job, and my horse is comfortable, well balanced and happliy working and competing unshod. SOME people have tried to say that just because he is a farrier he cant possible know how to keep a working horse properly trimmed & I think this is RUBBISH.

My friend uses a barefoot trimmer having very carefully researched the topic for quite sometime beforehand, and spending quite a bit of time watching this person work and talking to them about their approach. My friends horse is also happily working unshod, my friend is happy with her "foot person" and I am happy with my "foot person" and all horses are comfortable and sound! Friend and i manage to ride out together reqularly and discuss unshod working horses / shoing issues etc without ever needing to fall out over it - don't know why it has to be any different on here!
 
maresmaid said:
My friends horse is also happily working unshod, my friend is happy with her "foot person" and I am happy with my "foot person" and all horses are comfortable and sound! Friend and i manage to ride out together reqularly and discuss unshod working horses / shoing issues etc without ever needing to fall out over it - don't know why it has to be any different on here!
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So she doesn't make you ride a few paces behind in your shame?
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maresmaid said:
^^ Good commonsense! I am fed up of heading sweeping statements about trimmers and farriers, and I am fed up of hearing evangelical preaching pushing people to change from farrier to trimmer or vice versa. I just dont get why there is so much passionate arguing over this topic.

WHOEVER looks after your horses feet needs to be experienced, and should be qualified to do the job properly. There are very bad Farriers AND very bad barefoot trimmers out there, but that doesn't mean that there arent very GOOD Farriers and very good barefoot trimmers out there too. My farrier does a great job, and my horse is comfortable, well balanced and happliy working and competing unshod. SOME people have tried to say that just because he is a farrier he cant possible know how to keep a working horse properly trimmed & I think this is RUBBISH.

My friend uses a barefoot trimmer having very carefully researched the topic for quite sometime beforehand, and spending quite a bit of time watching this person work and talking to them about their approach. My friends horse is also happily working unshod, my friend is happy with her "foot person" and I am happy with my "foot person" and all horses are comfortable and sound! Friend and i manage to ride out together reqularly and discuss unshod working horses / shoing issues etc without ever needing to fall out over it - don't know why it has to be any different on here!
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It is exactly it you do whats best where you are living I would have stayed with my farrier if he had shown any interest outside horses can't work without shoes which is his view of the world.
My only slight different view to the above post Would be to qualify the word experianced just because you have been doing something a long time does not mean you are good at it I would rather have an in inexperianced but open minded person enaged with learning than a experianced person wearing blinkers that everything has to remain as it was when they trained thirty years ago.
This about the best person for the job you need doing you have to research to arrive at a desision the length of time someone has done something would count less to me than their attitude to that work if that makes sense.
 
Goldenstar said:
My only slight different view to the above post Would be to qualify the word experianced just because you have been doing something a long time does not mean you are good at it I would rather have an in inexperianced but open minded person enaged with learning than a experianced person wearing blinkers that everything has to remain as it was when they trained thirty years ago.
This about the best person for the job you need doing you have to research to arrive at a desision the length of time someone has done something would count less to me than their attitude to that work if that makes sense.
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I agree. I also agree that the professional should have sound, healthy barefoot working horses on their books be they trimmer or farrier.
Even so there is still the personal/individual factor, someone filling the above criteria may still not be helping your horse despite being great with many others.
As owners we need to learn more and listen to our horses, not any professional, if the horse is disagreeing.
 
I always have the farrier trim my boy up, easier for me as it means jst one person to do both mum's TBs shoes and then trim up Jackson.

Never tried a trimmer, but don't have any problem with my farrier doing it.
 
cptrayes said:
I would use the person who could show me hard working horses in their care with no shoes on.
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I think this point might make a difference... Mine wouldn't know hard work if it jumped up and bit them on the nose... They are ridden regularly on hacks but are not 'hard working'...

My farrier suggesting that the TB should at least try his back shoes off and see how he goes made me comfortable that he wasn't a dyed in the wool "all horses must wear shoes or keel over and die" type and he was considering the horse first... Daughter's and grand daughter's ponies are unshod anyway and he was happy to trim them as required... I was less interested in his other clients initially...

If I was in a position where they really were hard working/competing etc then I would be more questioning of his ability to maintain this, and his circle of clients, if remaining unshod was very important to me...

:)
 
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