Farrier etiquette

I was rarely on a yard with tea making facilities so tried to make up for it by having the horse ready with clean, DRY legs and somewhere comfortable to work depending on the weather. Was always there to hold horses if needed and we got on well but would also be concious of standing there talking at them - nothing worse than conversation under duress as you’re working and can’t get away or tell them to be quiet! Occasionally if I drove to the yard from a different direction I’d text and get them a Costa or McDonald’s as I could.

My farrier now.. well I do still try and turn up as it just feels wrong not too. But he may have to catch or turn out for me, is quite often late and moans a bit.. then again I am a chronic non payer. However I do always cook dinner that evening, or get a takeaway as a Thankyou… or take him lunch on the days he’s running really behind… or collect the dogs early… and all the other benefits of being my OH! ;)
 
I have her feet picked out and dry and clean. Her tail plaited down to the end. I make us a cup of coffee and sometimes there is a chocolate biscuit too. I’ve had my farrier for around 15 years so we know each other well and have a chat while he works. He is lovely and so kind to horses.
 
We’ve had same farrier for something like 16/17 years and we’re his first appt of the day. We have the horses in (as much as possible - we have 5 living out 24/7 but we get ‘in’ who we can and have the others penned nearby) and as clean as is reasonably possible for time of year and fact they live out. He gets a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich (horses are kept at family home). At Christmas he gets some booze/choc and occasionally might get some cake.

He’s a good farrier and we’re lucky to have him. We pay cash on the day so payment is always on time.
 
We have been with our farrier for over 40 years and he has become a good friend. Only has to trim a couple these days, he no longer shoes and is close to retirement. No drinks these days as we only have a field. Would always hold our horses.
 
I don’t have drink making facilities, but the horse is always in with clean, dry feet. He’s quite happy to help himself to her if I’m not around. We make pleasant small talk, he’s a nice guy. I pay immediately and he’s always there for advice. That’s about it tho. He’s been my farrier for many years now and I recommend him to anyone asking!
 
Speaking as an EP, I would say that the clients I will go to the ends of the earth for have the horses clean, dry and ready in time, and put the effort into training their horse to be calm and still for trimming. I don't even care if there's a bit of work to do still on getting the horse happy with standing still, so long as they value my safety enough to be working on it. If the client provides a cuppa they're stuck with me for life 😂.
The ones I send packing are chronic late payers, people who drag the horse out of a bog having arrived 10 minutes late and sigh audibly when I ask for a towel to rub the worst of the mud off, and people who will literally let their horse walk all over me and never put in the effort to teach the horse to stand quietly.
I do rehome some of my favourite clients to students if they're willing. Gives the student a nice client with a well behaved horse to build their confidence, and the ckient gets a cheap trim until the student qualifies.
 
I usually have mine caught and tied up, legs as clean as possible and feet picked out but he does occasionally beat me there!
I take a wee flask to make tea and coffee and usually something home baked! It was a new brownies recipe last week. Always gets a bottle at Christmas and I bake a mincemeat cake that he really likes for him to take home.
Mine has done my lot for nearly 26 years and has cut right down his numbers. Mine are the furthest out he does and I know I need to keep on his best side.
 
My equine podiatrist is one of my closest friends so we always have a natter, put the world to rights, exchange what we're up to with our horses and generally have a good old laugh - our appointments always end up being nearly 2 hours long which is hilarious as I've lost count the amount of times we've just been sat in the field chatting without realising how much time has passed 🤣

In return I always make sure that my lads feet are cleaned out thoroughly, their legs and hooves have been dried and cleaned as much as possibly when it's muddy weather (I don't wash their legs or feet but I use several towels to get the absolute worst off and make them as clean as I can!), I'm always at least 15 minutes early to my appointment as sometimes she does pop in a bit earlier, always offer a drink, bring the occasional snack and make sure that my boys are on their best behaviour. I also ask if there is anything I can do to make her life easier in terms of training wise or hoof maintenance wise, how the boys hoof health is and ask about managing the hooves with the changes in the weather. I also get her something for her birthday and Christmas too :)

She in return takes the time to show me what to watch out for when it comes to hoof health, offers dietary advice, has offered to pop my boys out if I'm in a rush, has made a special allowance for me to have a weekend appointment even though she tries not to work weekends and is also one of the kindest and sweetest people I have ever met in my life - I'd be lost without her! x
 
suestowford said:
Ours tells me that he often doesn't get offered a drink all day. He always gets tea & a snack when he comes to us. I try to make sure they are in & reasonably clean around their feet & legs, headcollars on & ready to go. I do hold for the farrier, especially the biter, just so I can prevent him taking a chunk out of the farrier's backside.
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It's awkward when they're not chatty isn't it? I end up rabbiting rubbish to people like this and then I'm sure they think I'm stupid and convince myself that their unwillingness to talk is because I'm an idiot 😂

(Mine is lovely btw!)
 
Same farrier for 34 years. He gets coffee, tea, chocolate biscuits, cake, Easter and Christmas presents. Horses always have clean, dry feet. He spends most of his time making fun of me and we have a good laugh and catch up. He isn't allowed to retire!!
 
Mine is on livery and fairly far from the "tea room" and he is also done in about 15-20 mins so I don't generally have anything on hand for him. I also am not generally down when he's there (I usually get very broad timeframes if I ask 😂). If I am down then we chat about how horse's feet are or aren't progressing, general life stuff at a high level, what's on tv or good series to watch, etc.
 
We're always first appointment. The second he arrives I put a coffee in his hand before I even say hello. Now he has a two-year old who doesn't sleep I think he appreciates it more than ever!

The horses (he does 3 on the yard on the same day) are always in and ready with clean, dry, picked-out feet (in winter, Wig's legs only ever get washed if I'm going somewhere or farrier is coming) but I often stay a few minutes and then leave him to it. He does love a gossip (not about clients of his, he's very professional, just general stuff!) so I have to leave fairly quickly or I get drawn in!

I work on the day he comes to us so I grab the horses in (in summer when they're out overnight) and then the other two will arrive a bit later, put Wig out, and ride after the horses have been shod. The farrier is very happy with that as they're all very well behaved. We leave a big hay net and once he's done with one horse he'll pop him back in his stable, get the next one out and park him in front of the net.
 
I don't have tea or coffee making facilities nor have I ever bought cake (maybe I should) but he does get presented on time with a pony with clean legs and my sparkling conversation for 30-40 minutes 🤣 We both like live music so mainly compare notes on who we've seen in between horse talk.

I pay by BACS whilst we talk too.
 
Vet and farrier, hot drink or cold bottled water, and for the vets always tell them where the loo is and they do not have to take their boots off to go. If its a long vet visit and they bring students they get wrapped cake to take away or eat here.
I have had the same vet and farrier for may years, so its a catch up and perhaps a joint moan about non horsey things and then I shut up.
 
Mine always declines a cuppa but is grateful for the use of the loo! She jokes about her notoriously weak bladder.

I'm not often there but she trims mine loose in the stable so I am pretty superfluous to requirements if I am. I always ensure horse is brought in before she needs her, ideally early enough for her legs to dry but if not I will towel them dry.
 
Mine is out 24/7 too, but if it's raining we head in to the field shelter. Feet are picked and/or washed/towelled as needed so he doesn't have to deal with muddy feet. Always tea and cake. I actually had to explain to my local bakery when the lovely woman said 'oh I saw you walk past the other day and thought you'd not been in for a while', that I pop in on farrier days, but try to avoid cakes the rest of the time, which is why she only sees me every 6 weeks!

I am quite conscious that one trim isn't the most lucrative visit (although I know I'm only just down the road from other clients) so I try and make it as nice as possible. Plus I think it's a tough job, and a cuppa is always a good thing!
 
poiuytrewq said:
I do remember once driving down the lane to my yard to get horses in and ready in plenty of time, to meet my farrier heading back up said lane a good two hours before he was due.
Both put windows down and he told me they were all done. I was so confused! But the gate is locked and they are in the field!
He and his apprentice had taken the gate off its hinges (that shocked me and we then put the top hinge thing upside down!)
They caught, washed shod, trimmed and turned back out 🙄
I won’t lie I was quite pleased 😂
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I came up to my old yard once in the middle of the day and horse owner hadn't told the yard owner farrier was due so poor farrier (not mine, but I happen to work with his brother!) had climbed the locked gate, got the horse in, tied up on the yard and parked his van with doors open in the gateway, climbing through or over to get tools occasionally. Thankfully cold shoeing! I think I told him he should just leave and reschedule next time, it was wild 😂 turned out the horse again for him as well, the poor lad's head was fried.

It hurts me not to be able to offer tea or coffee anymore as we don't have a kettle, but I do tip my farrier a bit extra if pony is bratty or her feet are muddy and I can't get up to fix them 😭 He is always on time and communicates well so he is precious!
 
My farrier comes for one trim 🙂 so he’s never here long enough for a cuppa. I’ve offered before but he’s never taken. He’s normally slotting us in between others or I’m his last of the day.

He was here longer when Faran had the shoes on but still wouldn’t take anything
 
Mine's usually only with us for a short time & we're always last app of the day. He'd rather get home than linger.
I try to have dry clean legs & a mannerly pony.
Most embarressing moment, first app with new farrier after moving area. Fetch pony in 1 hour prior to appointment. Nice clean legs & feet.
Farrier arrives & in the time it took to go & shake his hand & introduce myself, Dave does a huge poo & stood in it.
 
All these are lovely gestures from lovely people that show they care.

My hubby is a service provider in the industry and it’s the basics that make you an amazing customer.

1) Be on time. That means having the horse in, ready and in a state for the service provider to work with.
2) Manners - horse that is. It is not the farriers job to teach your horse to stand to be shod or the saddle fitters or vets job to teach your horse to stand still. The horse must be safe for anyone to handle.
3) Pay, on the spot, everything time. Sounds simple but lots of folk just don’t get this one.
4). Don’t gossip. Don’t twitter on endlessly. Silence is perfectly ok, considered comments or questions are good.
5) Don’t be a flake. Things change but being unreliable, changing appointments endlessly, cancelling last minute or insisting you need URGENT attention at short notice will get you blocked or ignored.

The tea, coffee, cake etc is a nice touch but first and foremost just be a good client.
 
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