Farrier etiquette

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Rescuingdawn

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Hello! A bit of a random question… what is your take on farrier etiquette?

I have had numerous farriers over the years and never quite know what to say/do except for holding the horses and make sure they are behaving.

Should I offer them a cuppa? Should I bring them some biscuits? I just don’t know what to do 😂
 
I don’t always have biscuits but a coffee never goes amiss with mine! Or a cold drink in weather like this! I also get a few bottles of something as a Christmas thank you.

My farrier is a friends ex, we just chat like I’d chat to anyone I see semi regularly. Family, work, what’s been on TV lately etc. I fetch in before work and he comes early evening, so I’m usually finishing skipping out while he’s doing them.
 
Love this! Also do you guys make sure feet are all prepped and picked out? I don’t have the best set up at the moment (in between houses while we buy so currently renting a field). I am a bit self conscious of my current set up. Where the horses are tied up is a little further from where the cars are parked (which may be not ideal for a farrier to have to trek all the way with their equipment…)
 
Always have a cup of tea brewing. We chat while he shoes and I finish stables or clean tack. Both horses are well behaved so no need to hold either horse. However I know my farrier would just ask if he felt it would be better for me to hold a horse.
My farrier always explains to me what he is doing, if he changes anything regarding how they are shod. He also always asks me how they are going and if I have noticed anything that he needs to take into consideration.
 
Definitely always have the kettle on and horses/donkeys brought in, feet dried and picked out and ready to be done. Same for my vet, who has become a bit more of a friend to be honest, rather than just my lovely vet, and he can chat as much as I can so a cuppa and a biscuit always goes down well while we put the horse world to rights.

My son used to always tell me I chat far too much to the farrier and the vet and probably delayed them. But since he has mainly taken over hoof duties and wellness issues he chats to them longer than I do and always shouts in for a cuppa and biscuits. 😊
 
Rescuingdawn said:
Hello! A bit of a random question… what is your take on farrier etiquette?

I have had numerous farriers over the years and never quite know what to say/do except for holding the horses and make sure they are behaving.

Should I offer them a cuppa? Should I bring them some biscuits? I just don’t know what to do 😂
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I'm never there when my farrier has come out as I'm always at work but on the odd ocassion when I was and when the tea room was habitable and fairly hygienic years ago I offered them an 3 in 1 coffee or a tea.

Summer - horse in during the day, farriers help themselves. Winter - horse brought in. One farrier asked not to wash feet b4 he came out.
 
I have a new farrier and am still finding it really awkward 😊. He's not that chatty, so I end up trying to think of things to talk about. The first time he came I forgot to even offer him a coffee, but the last time my friend was there so put the kettle on. I always make sure they are clean and feet picked out and I hold them, just because current ponies are known to fidget if I don't. To be honest, without the chatting it doesn't take long at all and he's in and out quite quickly. I hope it gets easier, because I've always had a great relationship with my farriers (i've only had two in 30 years!)
 
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.
 
Like others, mine were always dry, legs clean, feet picked out etc.
As I always had 1st call, I knew he would be pretty close to start time, so I'd make sure his cuppa would be ready when he arrived. He didn't often want biscuits, but occasionally I'd bring bacon baps wrapped in foil on foul days.
He very much appreciated shade in summer, a decent concrete surface to work on, and on v wet days a swept out stable to work in.
 
I always make a drink, I time this as to when my farrier is doing one I know is fine to tie up and leave!
I don’t offer biscuits because I don’t buy biscuits so never have any but in the past if I have had something in the house he’s always said no thank you anyway!

IMO the main thing and I’m shocked at how many people don’t bother is that the horse must be in with clean dry legs when he arrives. I think presenting and expecting a farrier to work on a dirty muddy horse is so rude.
 
As I am usually the first call of the day I do not give my farrier anything, as he has usually not long had his breakfast. He also limits the amount of coffee that he drinks to avoid loo breaks. The animals are shut in the barn which is undercover and has plenty of light.

He is invited to come for a coffee or tea on Christmas day, no alcohol offered then though.
 
There's what I plan and what actually happens. I plan to bring horse in, pick feet, dry legs if wet and hold then fetch drinks from the inside coffee shop.

What usually happens; farrier msgs to say he was in the area so did him 4hrs early (once 3 days early) and grooms got the horse in, he didnt need holding.
 
Horses in, tied up with a net. Feet washed and dried off if muddy or picked out if not muddy. Bucket of water ready to dunk hot shoes in. I call a week beforehand if I want to chat about changing something up, so that he has time to buy extra stuff if necessary. I sometimes buy him a Costa and warm it up in the microwave or hand over a cold coke, but not every time.
 
Feet and legs clean and dry - in winter this isn't easy with feather. Horse held somewhere with good light and out of the wind and the wet. I generally ask any questions I have about feet. Though I'm usually first in the day, my farrier doesn't want to be offered a drink - he says that means he has to plan loo breaks as not all yards have a loo. Plus my horse only takes 20 minutes. For presents I get him boot socks - he says he can never have enough so that's nice and easy.
 
Min ar in pen in their shelter. Head collar on and held once farrier is there.
They have feet picked out and clean legs.
I have no facilities so no cuppa offered. If I did then a cuppa would be offered.
 
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 😂
 
A very experienced yard owner told me when I was much younger you always look after your farrier and it has stuck. Since having my horses at home and running a yard, they get bacon or sausage sandwiches and as many hot drinks (or cold in hot weather) as they want. I also give them extra cash and a gift at Christmas. It works as they have always been very accommodating.
 
Horses in and dry, dry area to work in and sheltered in summer. I give mine tea, pop, cake, biscuits, crisps whatever she wants really and I used to take her to Burghley with me every year too.

I met her at my previous farriers funeral via a friend of us both so she was a mate before my farrier and has stayed so and would remain so even if she wants my farrier, but sincerely hope she doesn't give up for many years as shes ace 😁
 
My farrier is a member of my family so we chat lots while he does her and with me he is very laid back. He’s not one for coffee but doesn’t often refuse a chocolate bar!

Mostly I ensure she’s in with feet ready for him but he has been known to go fetch her, do feet and pop her back out for me. That depends on how many he is doing on my yard that day.
 
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