Changing farriers

[ILuvCowparsely]

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??

Been there with many farriers, appointment booked then did not show up and had the nerve to say I cancelled or did not show up. Change your farrier

 

[Jenko109]

My farrier is great but I have met a few over the years who I dont like.

I held a friends pony for her a long time ago. I must have been maybe 19 at the time. The farrier must have been about 40. I was dressed to go out afterwards; not revealing or anything, nice jeans and a going out top. He made a few comments about how he wished all his customers came to appointments looking like me. I felt very awkward being on my own with him.

Another I used for perhaps a year before I just couldn't tolerate him anymore. He would moan about women every single appointment. He was like a love sick puppy and I just couldn't stand listening to it anymore

I also had one that binned me off actually! I think it was a combination of things. He had just broke up with his wife and my friend felt it hilarious to text him from my phone indicating that I was interested in him (I absolutely wasnt). That coupled with a new pony I had just got, booting him He ignored all messages from me after that combination and I had to switch farriers.

 

[Bowie]

My current farrier is great but that’s partly due to the full livery yard I’m on. However my farrier from 35 years ago was exceptional. I would call him (DIY) and he would say no problem and didn’t have to be there. He would go to yard and my lovely pony would walk to him and lift his front leg when he saw him . He would put head collar on, lead him onto yard, shoe him and turn him back out. I would go to yard in evening see he was shod and drop money off when passing his house (Yard was at someone’s house and they were wonderful people. TBH it turned into part livery as they would sort him for me in winter during morning etc for no extra). Point is there are good farriers. This one is a moron. We don’t need morons. Horses are hard enough !

 

[Tracking_up]

@Ly1327 Hope you've sorted a new farrier.

I'm stressing about my (second) farrier in 6 weeks.

First farrier 7 weeks ago was a no show, and no contact despite me and various people trying to contact him, with Vincent being expressed. He'd shod my horse and a couple of others at the yard for about 2 years. (Since then livery bumped into him and the reason was 'personal').

Contacted another farrier from a previous yard and he came over, did the horse, paid him by bank transfer and booked in for Monday.

On Monday I got a text to say van has a fault, waiting for parts, he suggested Tues. Agreed but then no show on Tues, and no response to texts Tues and x2 today.

If the van issue is real then can understand it messes up diary bookings, but I really dont get the lack of contact.

Fed up....

 

[Ratface]

Sorry that you're having to deal with this. We treat our farrier like Royalty, plying him and his colleague with hot and cold drinks, biscuits etc all horses brought in prior to their arrival, feet dried and picked out, horses held whilst being trimmed/shod. I always enquire about the progress and welfare of their respective families and animals and pay cash on completion.

 

[katie_southwest]

Blimey that's a bit harsh calling you those names!
I had a farrier for the first few years of owning my mare, and when my working hours changed I had to find a new one. Only reason being that he simply wasn't in my area on my afternoon off work.
I explained that I couldn't justify taking annual leave every 6-8 weeks for a farrier visit when I have a wednesday afternoon off work every week.
Found a farrier who is in the area on a wednesday and works fine, I finish work at 1pm and he books me in for 2pm.

 

[Jellymoon]

The horse world is the only world I know where the clients are treated like absolute shiiit. You are paying him, he is there for provide a service for you. Yes, be respectful, don’t mess him around, pay on time, and appreciate his worth, do all the good things like making sure horse is ready, and safe, making coffee etc, but don’t be a doormat.

I think one of the most important things for a successful farrier/client relationship is communication. Truly great farriers are hard to find, and expensive, but there are decent ones around who do an acceptable job and if they are willing to listen to the client and the clients vet, if necessary, you should get a good outcome.

 

[JumpTheMoon1]

Get this vile person reported.If you do nothing then he will be behaving badly to everybody .
The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) is a corporate body established under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975.

 

[marmalade76]

I have had a couple get really stroppy when I stopped using them, the first one I'd used from when he first started out, after a couple of years be became quite popular and I feel it went to his head a bit, his prices shot up and he became quite arrogant and was awkward over emergency call outs like lost shoes. He actually had a temper tantrum when I told him I was changing farrier despite efforts to do it tactfully. The second one was spoiling my boy's feet and again had a bit of a strop but not as bad as the first one.

I have recently had to change again, the farrier I've been using for ten years and was reliable and always did a great job has just been banned.