Farrier needed - Aberdeenshire!!

[GLEEK]

I know that there seem to be no farriers in Aberdeenshire! However i need one!! I am based between Inverurie and Huntly. I know im asking a lot but i would also like a farrier that turns up and also answers there phone!!!!!
I have been on Farriers association website have phoned maority on there but no one is answering calls or returning messages yet!! Just wondered if there was anyone else i can try!
Hope someone can help
Thank you

 

[GLEEK]

Bump bump bump!!!

 

[Decision_Tree]

have you tried asking at local riding schools?
they might have a contact for u or you could even bring you horse there for the farrier which makes it more tempting for him to shoe them all in one place?

 

[GLEEK]

My plan is tomorrow to call the local vets and riding school. If i have no success then im going to do it my self!!!!!!

That is a joke!!! lol

 

[TequilaMist]

will pm you

 

[AengusOg]

Wayne Balfour...07597177129

 

[JoJo_]

Ron Aiken - 01771 644962/07715053888

He lives in the Turriff area just up the road from me.

 

[GLEEK]

Thanks everyone i will ive those a little try shortly.

 

[Rosielucky]

I think there was a few farrier adverts in Scot-ads a few weeks ago.....

 

[Perrie]

Jason Cunningham ... 07971997636

 

[sprytzer]

Theres also Dave Cockill, hes based in Cornhill so nae to far fae Huntly/Inverurie.

 

[GLEEK]

Ok i have tried every single one suggested and more and no one is answering or taking on any more horses or returning messages. I was given david cockills number but not sure if it is right could you forward it on to me please if you have it sprytzer

 

[WishfulThinker]

The guy that does mine might be free - But I dunno his name - Young(about 23ish?), dark hair, well spoken. Will find it out tonight.

I was in the same position in 2005 and he went 6 months without a farrier a NO ONE would come out! I ended up having to take him to a livery yard to guarantee he would get done.

The vets cant help
The charities canthelp until the horse is in pain/danger - then you get into trouble.

No one has any powers to make a farrier see a horse.

 

[GLEEK]

Its just so frustrating. Why does there seem to be such a shortage of them in this area? Is it the miles they are having to travel? I spoke to the farrier i was given the number for in the turriff area said its to far for him (fair enough) so i asked if he knew of anyone in the Insch area and his reply was "Errrrr..................... NO!!" So if the farrier doesnt know of anyone how am i meant to find anyone!! I think im going to have to go down the barefoot trimmer line my only thing is i cant really afford there cost just now.

Think im away to go outside to scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sprytzer]

Have PM'ed you Daves number Gleek.

 

[jakkibag]

Im also between Inverurie and Huntly, have you tried Ross Crawford?

 

[CracklinRosie]

Number poted on here for Wayne Bafour is his old number I think, as I can't get him on that one either!

 

[soloequestrian]

Try the barefoot route - Barefootworks are excellent.

 

[GLEEK]

I literally have 2 farriers left to call funny enough they aare not answering there phones!! Then im going to have to do barefoot trimmer. Its just that im on maternity leave with 2 kids and have 2 horses that need feet doing so feet being trimmed with barefoot lady will come to 90 pounds for the first visit!

Jakkibag where are you? I stay outside of Insch

 

[x_Fiona_x]

Good luck with that!

I couldnt get a decent farrier so have had to turn to barefoot trimming. Aberdeenshire must be the worst area. Barefootworks is really busy atm too. Ive had to wait 2 weeks for my appointment.

 

[GLEEK]

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a farrier comming on monday. WOO HOO!! So now we just have to see if he turns up. Thank you everyone that has suggested names etc!

 

[Mithras]

Congratulations! I was up in Aberdeen for 3 years and I never got a single good farrier to shoe my horse in the entire time. I was at livery yards and so used the yard farrier as all other farriers would refuse to come out to a yard covered by another farrier. The first one was pretty awful, the shoes didn't fit and the feet were a funny shape and they didn't stay on. The second one, quite a well known one, could shoe well when he could be bothered but after the first couple of times the shoes were only staying on for 3 weeks before they started clinking and after another week they would fall off. His answer - I was "overhacking" my horse! Feet were also left very shallow and long and pointy at the front. I also had vets bills due to shoes coming off and causing problems with nails stuck in the hoof. It was costing me a fortune as Aberdeenshire farriers are also very expensive and a couple of years ago it was £80 a time without stud holes! I tried and tried other farriers but none of them would come out. I offered to take my horse all over the county if I could get someone else to shoe her, but they all had "closed lists". It was just bloody awful. Someone at my yard used to box her horse 120 miles down the road every 6 weeks just to get shod, it was that bad.

Needless to say this same horse now goes 6 - 8 weeks between shoeing and has never had so much as a loose shoe since moving south. Hope you land lucky with your farrier!

 

[Minstrel_Ted]

Who did you get in the end?

 

[GLEEK]

Murray Macintosh - that might all be spelt wrong but im sure you can see what im trying to say!!
At least in one way both my horses are barefoot so im sure they are easier to fit in than horses with shoes!!

 

[fjordhorsefan]

This is not good -I might be moving up there next year..... hope your farrier is OK xx

 

[TequilaMist]

Farriers up here can (and do) please themselves as know they have you over the proverbial barrow.There are heaps that well basically just don't turn up when agreed and not so much as a phone call to let you know then expect you to drop everything when they ring to tell you they'll be tomorrow.Has not happened to me but have seen many friends/folk on yards go through this.Normally you would go elsewhere if unhappy with a service but hard to get another one to take you on so folk are basically stuck.
I like my farrier and he has never not turned up or if cancelled his wife phones customers to rearrange.

 

[TequilaMist]

This is not good -I might be moving up there next year..... hope your farrier is OK xx

There are some good farriers up here.TBH depends what end (north/south) you live and a bit of luck if someone taking on new customers.
Don't panic yet sure you'll manage to get one ok

 

[measles]

Ron Aiken - 01771 644962/07715053888

He lives in the Turriff area just up the road from me.

He also sells very friendly JRT's - we have one!

 

[sprytzer]

my ex husband has been a farrier in Aberdeenshire for the last 20 odd yrs(now retired due to ill health), never once did he let a customer down, unless it was 100% unavoidable, turned up when said he would, put up with a lot of **** from customers, being expected to catch/turn back out, shoe in rain/snow with no hard standing/stable, mud etc, unhandled horses whos owners seemed to think that as they could'nt pick their horses foot off the floor the farrier would be able to!! being told how to do a job he had done for 30 odd yrs by customers who thought they knew better etc.
But he was well known for doing a 1st class job, was highly recommended by vets and did a lot of their remedial work, had a waiting list for customers as long as your arm.

So please dont tar all farriers in Aberdeenshire with the same brush, theres good and bad in all jobs, it goes to say if you are good at your job you will be popular and have to let people down, theres only so many horses a farrier can shoe in a day.

 

[Storminateacup]

Congratulations! I was up in Aberdeen for 3 years and I never got a single good farrier to shoe my horse in the entire time. I was at livery yards and so used the yard farrier as all other farriers would refuse to come out to a yard covered by another farrier. The first one was pretty awful, the shoes didn't fit and the feet were a funny shape and they didn't stay on. The second one, quite a well known one, could shoe well when he could be bothered but after the first couple of times the shoes were only staying on for 3 weeks before they started clinking and after another week they would fall off. His answer - I was "overhacking" my horse! Feet were also left very shallow and long and pointy at the front. I also had vets bills due to shoes coming off and causing problems with nails stuck in the hoof. It was costing me a fortune as Aberdeenshire farriers are also very expensive and a couple of years ago it was £80 a time without stud holes! I tried and tried other farriers but none of them would come out. I offered to take my horse all over the county if I could get someone else to shoe her, but they all had "closed lists". It was just bloody awful. Someone at my yard used to box her horse 120 miles down the road every 6 weeks just to get shod, it was that bad.

Needless to say this same horse now goes 6 - 8 weeks between shoeing and has never had so much as a loose shoe since moving south. Hope you land lucky with your farrier!

Well I am north of Inverness and experienced the same problems with all the farriers that have ever shod my horses since coming to live in Scotlandfrom south-east London five years ago. Yet never had problems down south. All shod with long toes and low heels. I am going barefoot now after the last disasters with my older cob, who since having his shoes off has now grown a fabulous heel. I am seeing Nick Hill (based Inverness but will travel, I believe) for both my cob and my new 4 year old baby.