Does you Farrier go the extra mile?

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moneypit1

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When I first got Fly he struggled to keep shoes on. My farrier was at first completely flummoxed! When he went on holiday Fly lost a shoe 3 times in a week and the relief farrier was also at a loss. It really started to p*** off my farrier that the shoes wouldn't stay on and he took it to heart! SO.. he tried everything from leaving no extra shoe showing to tucking them under. Now he welds the front of the rear shoes before he comes to me to make them last longer as Fly tends to drag his feet. (he is re shod every 5 weeks). Fly hasn't lost a shoe now for 3 months! My farrier is only a phonecall away and will come out on the way home the same day if I need him. He is 100% reliable and has offered to shoe without me being there if need be. (not that this has happened as I Want to be there when anything is done to my horse). He is amazing and I am so lucky.
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Hiya moneypit, i'm also very lucky with my farrier. (My horse is also bright bay btw!) Before i changed farriers my horse always lost a front shoe, even with his previous owner. Since i started using my current farrier over four years ago my horse has only cast a shoe once and it was totally my fault as i hadn't booked the farrier on time. He is also really good at coming out on short notice if i have a show, suspected abcess etc.
 
My farrier is absolutely fantastic
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He is 100% reliable. I have two heavy horses, both have arthritis and one has recurring problems with foot abscesses. I also have a pony with Cushings that had acute laminitis two years ago before being diagnosed. It was my farrier that pulled him back from the brink by using Imprint shoes. If I have a serious problem with any of them, he will come out the same day, he always returns my phone calls and is brilliant with the horses. I am unbelievable lucky
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Yes he does, 62 of them to be precise
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. He used to do our horses feet before we bought them. He's supposedly retired lol but still has over a months booking list. Brilliant guy who really knows his stuff and always has a long chat about the horses feet, work and everything.
 
So many farriers get a reputation for being late, not turning up, being impossible to contact etc but it's good to read possitive comments about them here. My farrier is great. He's on time, if there's a problem he'll phone & if a shoe is thrown he comes in 24 hours, cn't beat that service.
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My farrier is always reliable, usually comes within 24 hours if the horse has lost a shoe, if fantastic with nervous horses and youngsters. He runs horsey quiz nights at the local pub and is always on hand to offer advice. He's also very good at finding people the 'right' horse, has driven me to shows when I've not had transport, so yes, he's fantastic
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My farrier is nearly always late...BUT... I'd say he does go the extra mile as he understands neddys. My neurotic TB (now sold)had never been hot shod and he used to blow the smoke away so she didn't think she was on fire! He had race horses so "gets" their silly ways.
 
I always joke with my farrier that he is on "farrier time" - i.e. will always be at least 40 minutes later than he says he will be. But my farrier is fantastic - he is really patient with the youngsters that I have had in, and has done wonders with many of my horses feet.
On the other hand he does always spend the entire time shoeing complaining that he hates horses and hate shoeing them, and that he is going to retire. He has been saying this at EVERY single shoeing in the last 5 years!!! (I think that he is joking - well I always laugh at him when he says it, so I hope he is joking!!!) LOL!
 
My farriers timing used to be hopeless!! and then he found himself a good woman and he is a different bloke!!

He does treat us well, so long as we are fair to him in return - i think, like anyone, he doesn't like it when people take the piss out of him and i dont blame him for that.

Spooks is shod every 3 1/2 to 4 weeks in the summer because of the work load he does for endurance, and even then the shoes are razor thin when they come off - and I can Honestly say that he hasn't thrown a shoe in at least 3 years! I dont know how the farrier does it ..... he must superglue them on or something!!

I think they do a tough job and we should appreciate the good ones!!
 
Nope! Turning up 3 1/4 hours late is a regular occurrence, and not turning up at all then being impossible to get hold of is even more likely. When he does come he does a great job but he evidently has more customers than he can handle. A real shame.
 
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So many farriers get a reputation for being late, not turning up, being impossible to contact etc but it's good to read possitive comments about them here.

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Absolutely agree. I now have a wonderful farrier, not only is he never late - he is often early. He has patience and does his job beautifully and always ready to answer any questions or come out at short notice. Even came out Christmas Eve one year and for no extra.
 
Having in the past having had a farrier who turned up three DAYS late,
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and on another occasion he made the horse lame the day before an affiliated show,
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I am now very lucky with my farrier - who came out at 9 am on a Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago to put a shoe back on so I could go to a show - and wouldn't take any money!!
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What a star! Told the girls at the yard to marry him! lol
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Yes he does, I rang one Sat evening and left a message on his answerphone saying the stallion had thrown a shoe. he turned up within half an hour on a Sat night! As he used to event he feared we might be competing and decided to forgo his night out for us.
He is without doubt the best farrier we have found in years, and he's a nice chap too. I changed to him after he arived on my yard to shoe a livery, and I heard him explaining to her exactly why her horse's action had been compromised and he wouldn't take any crap, we had him shoe a couple for us and I literally begged him to accept us as clients.
We now have a light dry area all under cover for shoeing which is better for him on wet/hot days, and we make him any drinks too.
Good farriers who go to any lengths to help their customers need cossetting..
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