Changing farriers

[Ly1327]

I was wondering if I could have some advice.

I’ve been a bit messed around by my farrier. For example, he booked me into a day where I couldn’t be at the yard due to work. Tried to change it to a day I could be there. But he wouldn’t budge about the day. So, he said he would put my horse out if I leave her in the stable. Turns out he wasn’t happy about me not being there at the yard. Despite, me asking him to change.

Problem is he just books my mare in for the next time without asking if the date would work. This isn’t the first time either. On the day he booked my mare in for next I ask to change to a day where I could be there. That was last week, it’s now been well over a week and he hasn’t responded.

I’ve finally decided to book with another farrier as it shouldn’t be this difficult getting a change of appointment. I’ve texted my farrier saying I’m cancelling my next appointment and low and be hold he’s now texting me asking me why I’m cancelling. Asking me why i haven’t responded to his text. Which i think is but hypercritical.

Am i doing the right thing by changing farriers??

 

[SpeedyPony]

If he's not suiting/being inflexible on appointments and then taking issue with your not being there, then I might be inclined to change, but if he is an otherwise good farrier I also wouldn't burn your bridges in case the replacement is no good/also doesn't suit. You could just mention that your (yours and his) "schedules are no longer matching up, very sorry but you don't want to mess him around" or somesuch- then if you have to go back and ask him to take you on again he might be happier to do so?

 

[Wizpop]

Yes, I would and did change farriers under those exact same circumstances. Farrier could be more flexible and not be unhappy if you’ve already said you can’t be there. Sometimes I had to arrange for another livery to be there which was OK, but if you need/ want to speak to your farrier on the day, it gets tricky.

 

[spacefaer]

Is he the yard farrier ie does he do other horses when he comes to yours? Or are you the only client there? Mine fits me in on a day he's in my area.
Communication is key and I admit that mine is not the best at that, but he is by far and away the best in the area. I'll put up with random communication skills for the quality of the shoeing

 

[Ly1327]

If he's not suiting/being inflexible on appointments and then taking issue with your not being there, then I might be inclined to change, but if he is an otherwise good farrier I also wouldn't burn your bridges in case the replacement is no good/also doesn't suit. You could just mention that your (yours and his) "schedules are no longer matching up, very sorry but you don't want to mess him around" or somesuch- then if you have to go back and ask him to take you on again he might be happier to do so?

Hi so i took your advice about saying that our scheduling isnt the same and I feel like I’m messing you all around asking to change appointments and don’t want to add to any stresses going on.

He’s just turned round calling me a knob head and an idiot. Even more reason to change

 

[SpeedyPony]

Hi so i took your advice about saying that our scheduling isnt the same and I feel like I’m messing you all around asking to change appointments and don’t want to add to any stresses going on.

He’s just turned round calling me a knob head and an idiot. Even more reason to change

Wow yeah, time to change then that's a bit extreme!

 

[Ly1327]

Wow yeah, time to change then that's a bit extreme!

I know, think I might actually report him as well.

 

[Ly1327]

Wow yeah, time to change then that's a bit extreme!

Yeah, I know. He’s been my farrier for a few years now. Only because I used to be part livery, so the farrier appointments used to be taken off by the yard manager. She would be there when he came as well. As I’d was never able to get down due to work. He was the the farrier that the yard used. I have since moved to DIY, hence why I’ve been trying to get him to come when I’m available to be there. Felt I was quite reasonable in the text I’ve sent. By hey oh, he’s showing his true colours now. Do you reckon I should report him?

 

[Ratface]

Yes. Our farrier can be a bit awkward to work with, due to him having a very full appointment book and trying to fit everyone in, but we manage to co-exist in a polite manner and he is excellent with the horses. He is always willing to discuss anything related to the horses' ways of going and explaining what he's doing and why. Certainly wouldn't want to change him.

 

[Ly1327]

Yes. Our farrier can be a bit awkward to work with, due to him having a very full appointment book and trying to fit everyone in, but we manage to co-exist in a polite manner and he is excellent with the horses. He is always willing to discuss anything related to the horses' ways of going and explaining what he's doing and why. Certainly wouldn't want to change him.

Thank you. I was always polite with him. But when you’re blanked for a week after you’ve asked to change. Until you say you wanted to cancel. I definitely made the right choice. He literally wouldn’t move his dates. I get that the has quite a full diary and I wouldn’t have minded if it was over due by a week to fit us in. But he just wouldn’t or he would ignore me. Can’t say I haven’t tried

 

[Ratface]

"Where it ain't, you can't find it!" as Granny used to say . . .
I hope that you find a more satisfactory person.

 

[Ly1327]

Is he the yard farrier ie does he do other horses when he comes to yours? Or are you the only client there? Mine fits me in on a day he's in my area.
Communication is key and I admit that mine is not the best at that, but he is by far and away the best in the area. I'll put up with random communication skills for the quality of the shoeing

No, there are our other people on the yard that use him. But there schedules are completely different to my mares. So, that’s why he comes out for her. So, last week hadn’t responded to my message about changing to a time to suit. He completely blanked me and hasn’t texted me back. Again not the first time it’s happened. Yesterday, texted to cancel. And he finally stared answering asking why & why I am not answering his text. Bit hypocritical. I was nice and polite and said that our scheduling is obviously not working anymore & and don’t want to keep messing him around by asking to change appointments. Yes, he has been my farrier for a few years now purely because I used to be part livery before I moved so all of the farrier appointments used to her sorted by the yard manager. I’ve since moved to diy hence why I’ve been trying to get a time and date available for when I can come. After I sent the reason why he’s turned round calling me a knob head and idiot, lovely

 

[Reacher]

Hi so i took your advice about saying that our scheduling isnt the same and I feel like I’m messing you all around asking to change appointments and don’t want to add to any stresses going on.

He’s just turned round calling me a knob head and an idiot. Even more reason to change

Wow - definitely get rid of him and i hope the new farrier is an improvement

 

[SEL]

Wow! I'd sack anyone who did work for me with that attitude. My farrier and I agree next appointment as I pay him for the one he's just finished - so I have my phone and work diary at the ready

We've both had to change in the past (sickness, unexpected stuff) but generally agree a new appointment pretty quickly

 

[Barton Bounty]

Hi so i took your advice about saying that our scheduling isnt the same and I feel like I’m messing you all around asking to change appointments and don’t want to add to any stresses going on.

He’s just turned round calling me a knob head and an idiot. Even more reason to change

Id have just say ‘wow thank you for the compliment’ hope you have a wonderful day.

How rude though!

 

[Snapshot2016]

I had a similar problem with my old farrier, he sent me the most unprofessional text message Iv ever received, I was gobsmacked! At the end of the day your paying for a service and if its not working for you, you have every right to go elsewhere, I actually decided to go barefoot and use a podiatrist which I think just pissed him off as hes had a few posts on fb aimed at me

 

[Ly1327]

I had a similar problem with my old farrier, he sent me the most unprofessional text message Iv ever received, I was gobsmacked! At the end of the day your paying for a service and if its not working for you, you have every right to go elsewhere, I actually decided to go barefoot and use a podiatrist which I think just pissed him off as hes had a few posts on fb aimed at me

Oh wow, that’s awful. We haven’t used the same farrier have we by any chance?

 

[Glitter's fun]

There aren't enough good farriers to go round so, in my area at least, its common for them to feel they hold all the cards & the little punters need to dance to their tune.

Our is polite but expects us to do as we're told!
Share horse is on a big yard that has a regular farrier visit pre-booked but if he has to cancel (for example, recently his van broke down) we all shuffle along in the queue, he won't come on another day to catch up.

Train more farriers!

 

[splashgirl45]

after my farrier had finished my horse he would look in his diary for 6 weeks and book her in. He used to come to me at 7.30am so it was easy for me to be there. He only had mine to do so liked to do her first which suited me ..

 

[SpeedyPony]

Yeah, I know. He’s been my farrier for a few years now. Only because I used to be part livery, so the farrier appointments used to be taken off by the yard manager. She would be there when he came as well. As I’d was never able to get down due to work. He was the the farrier that the yard used. I have since moved to DIY, hence why I’ve been trying to get him to come when I’m available to be there. Felt I was quite reasonable in the text I’ve sent. By hey oh, he’s showing his true colours now. Do you reckon I should report him?

I probably wouldn't bother reporting- I doubt anything will come of it, but I definitely wouldn't be looking to go back after that!

 

[Fjord]

Oh wow, I hope your replacement is a bit nicer than that!

Every time I read posts like this I'm SO grateful for my farrier. He's brought my mare in/turned her out for me if I haven't been able to get there and is just the nicest guy ever.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My goodness, so glad you've changed. I changed last summer from a farrier I'd had for years. I was getting fed up with him not responding to messages. The last time he came out he was also encouraging the yard owners child to run round my horse whilst he was shoeing him. My new farrier is great.

 

[webble]

Threads like this remind me how great my farrier is, we work tother to find a time and day that works for both of us and always book the next appointment at the time c if the last one.

You are definitely doing the right thing changing

 

[Ly1327]

I had a similar problem with my old farrier, he sent me the most unprofessional text message Iv ever received, I was gobsmacked! At the end of the day your paying for a service and if its not working for you, you have every right to go elsewhere, I actually decided to go barefoot and use a podiatrist which I think just pissed him off as hes had a few posts on fb aimed at me

Thank you, I’ve spoken to a few people at my yard and they also just shocked at his behaviour. It wouldn’t surprise me by his attitude if he has been losing clients because of it

 

[Ly1327]

My goodness, so glad you've changed. I changed last summer from a farrier I'd had for years. I was getting fed up with him not responding to messages. The last time he came out he was also encouraging the yard owners child to run round my horse whilst he was shoeing him. My new farrier is great.

I know, it’s not like haven’t tried and given up at the first. I’ve tried a few times and it was literally like talking to a brick wall a lot of time. He’d only text if it suited him. For example, he asked why and after half an hour after I didn’t respond he texted again why aren’t you answering. I mean for someone who didn’t respond to my texts for the last week but hypercritical of him to ask why I hadn’t replied to his. You literally can’t win

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I know, it’s not like haven’t tried and given up at the first. I’ve tried a few times and it was literally like talking to a brick wall a lot of time. He’d only text if it suited him. For example, he asked why and after half an hour after I didn’t respond he texted again why aren’t you answering. I mean for someone who didn’t respond to my texts for the last week but hypercritical of him to ask why I hadn’t replied to his. You literally can’t win

Are you sure you farrier isn't my old farrier !! What annoyed me was he wouldn't reply but would be posting on fb so obviously on his phone!!

 

[Ly1327]

Are you sure you farrier isn't my old farrier !! What annoyed me was he wouldn't reply but would be posting on fb so obviously on his phone!!

I’ll pm you to find out

 

[Cherryblossom]

Wow! That’s exceptionally rude! We’ve a few farriers round here with a major attitude. I’m very lucky with mine- He likes to start early and that suits me well- I get a reliable farrier without waiting round all day, he gets a good coffee when he rocks up at 0640!

 

[maisie06]

Hi so i took your advice about saying that our scheduling isnt the same and I feel like I’m messing you all around asking to change appointments and don’t want to add to any stresses going on.

He’s just turned round calling me a knob head and an idiot. Even more reason to change

What a disgusting unprofessional man. I don't know of any other profession that can get away with treating clients like this and get away with it. I gave up horses a while ago and I was lucky with my last farrier, but I had sacked a few in the past for the reasons you stated. They seem to think they are God some of them. The last one I had dealings with was excellent - good job done and understood my working hours and booked me the earliest slot avaliable, next booking was always sorted on the day.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

We are very lucky as we have had the same farrier for something like 40 yrs. He is early 70's now and no longer shoes but still trims so suits us well. He was a bit unreliable in his youth but not know. I dread the day he gives up entirely.