Farrier broke my horse :'(

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FinkleyAlex

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Last thursday my boy was shod by the yard farrier, as his usual one couldn't come up. He's been shod once before by this farrier (who has been made aware he had lammi once two years ago) and did a good job. I was therefore happy to have him done by this farrier again when mine couldn't come up, however when I saw him I immediately felt something was wrong with his shoes. The shoe seemed too small for his hoof, his toe hung over the edge by about a centimetre all the way around the front and the foot looked as though it had been rasped in an attempt to make it fit the shoe, not the shoe fit the hoof! On one foot he also had a whole at the bottom of his hoof where it looks like he's had his last shoe ripped off and it has taken some wall with it, he didn't have this before being shod and has always been told what nice feet he has (doesn't get cracks/holes etc) He basically looked like he was wearing small stilts. The shoes also had no clenches at the front which I found unusual, as the other horses he shod had them. I was deeply unhappy, especially as I've been so careful to avoid lammi so far, but I am very timid and hate confrontation, I got a few other people at the yard to look at it, some said that must just be the way he does it, others said they wouldn't be happy with it. I then thought getting him reshod by my usual farrier could be too traumatic for his hoof, especially now it had a hole, so I left him with it for a week, not riding the first two days to see whether it affected him but he seemed ok so he was ridden and horsewalked the last few days.

Last night I went up and he looked unhappy, I instantly thought he didnt look right and went to see how he walked, he was a little stiff at first as usual but soon became ok and walked fine, he trotted fairly well aswell although seemed a little short so I tied him up. I noticed his feet were quite hot, especially his coronary band and immediately stuck his lammi pads on and bandaged his feet and called the vet. Vet came this morning, said he's 1 10th lame in one foot but they are both quite hot with high pulses, he said he's never seen my pony shod so badly, and that the farrier has rasped part of his toe that he shouldn't have or something. He's now on box rest for a week
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I feel terrible for not being braver and saying something to the farrier before my horse started suffering, dad has taken over and is currently on the phone to the farrier.
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((((HUGS)))) for you and try to stick up for yourself in future
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we pay for a service and its ok to complain when it doesnt happen
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<<<<VIBES>>> for ponio
 
Take a photo of the shoes on the horse from different angles and also when the hoof is raised. Print them off and keep them in a safe place.

Ask your vet to confirm in writing his opinion of the shoeing.

Then you have the choice of asking the farrier concerned to pay the vets bills (all farriers must have third party liability insurance) and/or reporting him to the Disiplinary Committee of the Farriers Registration Council.
 
I will be doing this, am taking camera up first thing tomorrow (already bandaged him for today) and will be taking pictures and sending farrier the vet bill, not sure whether to report him yet, bit worried as I'll have to still see him once a week and don't want him to take any issues with me out on my horse whilst I'm not there.
 
Poor u... good that ur dads going to help not nice to have to deal with some farriers. lots of hugs! as already said get him to pay vet bills and repay what he charged you for shoeing and if he wont report him.
 
Oh dear ... I would send the pics to your usual farrier as well so that he has an idea of what has happened.

do you think maybe one of the apprentices did it? sounds like such odd behaviour from an experienced farrier, especially as he did them well the first time?
 
Sounds like he has done four point shoeing or natural balance shoeing on your horse from your descripiton. I had a similar problem when farrier decided to change shoeing to NB without my permission and horse went lame after. Changed my farrier after that!
 
QR: I read the title of this as "farrier broke my nose".......... wasnt the story i was expecting.... hope ponio gets better soon... stupid farrier!
 
Good idea, take a photo of the 'farriery' from all angles with dates too if you can.

Its such a shame that your poor horsey has sore feet which may have been avoided.

My horse was lame once after being shod by our usual farrier and I phoned him up very calmly and explained the situation and he could not have been more helpful and looked at my horse the following day to ensure he was ok. He explained that he had tried a different make of shoe on my horse and the next day Jake was OK.

The thing is to be calm, choose your words and not be confrontational.

I suppose, it was easier for me because I am 36, but hopefully your dad will be able to help you and your pony and everything will remain amicable with you and your farrier.

I hope everything works out well for you and your pony makes a full recovery.

Do not feel guilty, you did the right thing for your pony.

Let us know how your pony gets on.

x
 
Poor you and poor pony. TBH I probably would have done just as you have. At the end of the day the farrier is qualified and we should be able to trust what they have done is correct. At least you have now taken steps to get him right bless him. Dont beat youself up about it though. I hope your pony comes right and I would certainly be having words with the farrier and see if you can get vet to write you a letter confirming the shoing was a direct result of the lameness, perhaps then you can get your money back, or an apology at the very least.
 
Just to say both my farriers shoe in a similar fashion to your description, and although it looks different, it works for my ponies and horses. (Long reason why I use two farriers!)

The quarter clips are becoming more common for lami ponies by taking the pressure away from the front of the wall and onto the sides, and now I find it odd to see a toe clip I am so used to this way! It took one of my lami ponies a couple of sets to get used to it, but I have to say he has been better shod this way in the long term. The shoes do indeed look a size too small, and the toe is then rasped back as if to fit the shoe, but the rest of the shoe sits properly and as both of my farriers shoe this way, I think there must be research to back it up.

Also remember any style of shoeing can bring on laminitis if the pony is slightly prone, because the banging in of nails into a slightly sensitive hoof must be traumatic, especially with the weather we have been having, so he might have gone lame with your normal farrier - just a thought.

Not saying the farrier is right or wrong, just saying it might have happened anyway, and mine was lame for a few days the first time he was shod like this, but he has been the soundest he has ever been since. PM me if you like.
 
another post of ' my god my farrier is rubbish'

you need to take into account a few things,
a) a crack in line with the nail, which are sometimes invisible, can cause a chunk of wall to break away and this does not cause a problem.

b) sounds like your pony is suffering a mild bout of laminitis not nail bind or anything nasty.

c) to shoe a horse you do NOT have to have clenches at the front of the foot.

d) every horse is different and by saying 'all the other hroses who were shod had clenches at the front' you are being quiet ignorant.

e)believe it or not farriers are only human and accidents happen.

d) What would be the point in passing this over to the diciplinary comittee? to get revenge or to be just plan nasty..

As you say this was not your farrier and you had him shoe your horse while the rest of the yard were being done it was probably rushed... not saying this as an excuse.

also is cases of laminitis it is standard practice to 'dob' the toe, which i probably what this farrier has done as you say he 'rasped' into stuff he shouldnt have, if this is the case the toe will look like strings.

the toe is dobed and the heels are left long to allow a normal position of the pedal bone to be supported and to allow the horse to weight bear on their toe

post some pics up and lets see.

Loux
 
[ QUOTE ]
another post of ' my god my farrier is rubbish'

you need to take into account a few things,
a) a crack in line with the nail, which are sometimes invisible, can cause a chunk of wall to break away and this does not cause a problem.

b) sounds like your pony is suffering a mild bout of laminitis not nail bind or anything nasty.

c) to shoe a horse you do NOT have to have clenches at the front of the foot.

d) every horse is different and by saying 'all the other hroses who were shod had clenches at the front' you are being quiet ignorant.

e)believe it or not farriers are only human and accidents happen.

d) What would be the point in passing this over to the diciplinary comittee? to get revenge or to be just plan nasty..

As you say this was not your farrier and you had him shoe your horse while the rest of the yard were being done it was probably rushed... not saying this as an excuse.

also is cases of laminitis it is standard practice to 'dob' the toe, which i probably what this farrier has done as you say he 'rasped' into stuff he shouldnt have, if this is the case the toe will look like strings.

the toe is dobed and the heels are left long to allow a normal position of the pedal bone to be supported and to allow the horse to weight bear on their toe

post some pics up and lets see.

Loux

[/ QUOTE ]

In response to this - I did not at all imply that farrier is terrible, he was actually very helpful over the phone and offered to come and remove the shoes, however the vet was against this idea. He has also been shoeing other horses on the yard for years, so I do not consider him to be 'terrible.'

a) yes this is possible, as I am not a farrier I would not be able to comment on whether this was the case.

b) he now has laminitus in his two front feet, albeit mild, however he definitely did not have this before being shod (I check coronary bands and digital pulse daily)

c) I'm sure this is true, but if someone is shoeing a horse, unless they specifically ask me if I mind, then I'd assume it correct to continue shoeing the horse in the style in which it has already been shod, being that it works well for the horse and my regular farrier is very much admired for his shoeing.

d) I don't believe this was ignorant, I was simply stating my point in that all the other horses he had shod had front clenches, and being that he didn't tell me of any reason to change my horses style of shoe, I found it unusual to see.

e) Completely understand this, but at the end of the day farriers are professionals that I put my trust in. I wouldn't be happy if a doctor mixed up my blood results with someone elses resulting in me being wrongly diagnosed with something leading to major panic on my behalf! Yes things like that do happen, but really they shouldn't.

f) Vet has spoken to farrier and the issue has been resolved. Farrier offered to take shoes off for free which was very decent of him, and has been made aware that this style of shoeing does not suit my pony. He will not be charging me for the shoes, and the whole issue has been resolved. I will not be reporting him as his shoeing technique works for most of the other horses on the yard, as much as I dislike his work.
 
glad to hear it.. i still dont agree with alot of the things you said and stand by my comments however i do take your responses to be sensible.

in response to point b however, laminitis does not just shoe through the coronary or the digital pulse there are other signs. laminitis is also a concussive illness which can be brought on by the nailng on procedure and there for it is likly that the lami is a result of the shoeing however i do not think the farrier was to blame.

as for clentches.. if i cant get a nail at the front of the foot due to a number of resons i would not ask the owner if they 'minded' if i didnt.. i but the nails further back and have done with.

However i am glad to see you were sensible enough not to report this farrier or sue this farrier and that it has been resolved. very sensible.

Lou x
 
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