Farrier problems advice please!

Sophie G

Sophie G

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Hello,

I have be using my farrier for the past 3 years and so far have not had any problems, but this time he came he came with his friend. I felt that they were not concentrating and what they were doing, as they were playing music and having a laugh, one would do one foot and one would do the other. When they had finished I thought that his front feet looked uneven and he toes are very short.

Since then he has not felt quite right. He has felt short in front and will sometimes take a lame step. I asked my riding instructor to have a look and she said that he's not badly lame but doesn't look right and think that his toes are too short. I had a lesson with her the day before he was shod and we went really well and there were no problems.

I'm 100% sure that this is to do with his feet, but I'm not sure what to do and how to handle it. I rang my farrier and asked if he could come and look at his feet and maybe take his shoes off. But he was really defensive and said that he has not been shod any differently.

Has anyone else had similar issues with their farrier? Do you know where I stand if I'm not happy with his shoeing? Also what do you think would be best to do about my horse? Any advice please!
 
I'm becoming less and less tolerant of substandard work from hoof care so-called 'professionals'. This one sounds like his attitude sucks, and should be swiftly shown the door imo.
 
ugh! the importance of a horses feet cannot be over estimated! id be fuming, and id certainly be asking friends/fellow horse owners for farrier recommendations and looking elsewhere. shoddy practice shouldnt be tolerated, if i wasnt happy with my farrier i would go elsewhere and thats it, welfare of my neddy comes first! but thats just my humble opinion, good luck x
 
I have spoken to him on the phone, I just said that he has not felt right since he has been shod and his toes look too short to me, and could he please come back out and have a look at them. He was really shirty with me and said that he hasn't been shod any differently than before, but they have because his mate who came with him did the fronts!

I am in my rights to ask him to re shoe correctly for free if I am not happy? Or do you think I should just get another farrier to come out and see what they think? xxx
 
No-one knows your horse better than you do, and if he doesn't feel right then that's good enough to ask for a second opinion I'd say. I would be clear in saying to him that while I've been happy with his work in the past, I'm not happy with this additional person shoeing my horse! Personally, I'd ask him to come back and correct at no extra cost, or I'll be getting another farrier. If he's sniffy with you I'd be inclined to find a new farrier anyway. The relationship between you and your farrier is an important one and you need to trust that he's doing the best for your horse, in this case he hasn't I'd say!
 
If he's been shirty about it and won't even come and have a look at the horse I would trying hard to find a replacement!
 
Thanks guys for your advice. He is going to come tomorrow. This is just the last thing that I need as my horse had a colic op in Jan and we were just getting back on track. xxx
 
My farrier was ill once and had to send another farrier to shoe my horse. He was lame afterwards as he took too much off his heels and was lame for two weeks until heels grew back. I was furious. Think its time
time for you to find another farrier, he should be straight back to check his work not be on the defensive!
 
That's what really annoyed me! I have had this problem before with a different farrier. My horse kept going lame and when his feet were xrayed the shoes were unbalanced, I rang him and he kept straight out and sorted them out. My horse has got massive side bone so if his shoes are not right he soon feels it. I'm def going to get a different one next time. x
 
Farrier came out, says that he stands by his shoeing, and wouldn't shoe him differently. But I pointed out that the toes are a lot shorter than usual and one is shorter than the other. But he refused to budge.

Not sure what I can do now. Should I just get the vet out or get a different farrier's opinion? The problem with the vet is that he is not really badly lame, but is just on the left rein he will take a lame step every now and again, but when I ride him he feels short in front. So annoying.
 
I dont know what to advise re vet, but I would CERTAINLY be looking for another farrier!!! Ask friends or recommendations, or on here for your area and get the new farrier to have a look while explaining the situation to him. Not good enough mr farrier!
 
Or complain/report to the worshipful assoc of farriers..google them to find ( my memory of names is appalling)..BUT definitely complain before somebody else has the same problem, also has a list of farriers on their website so you can find a new one at the same time :)
 
How long had it been between shoeings?
What were the conditions like on the day(weather/flies)?
Were you present?
Was/is the horse well behaved for shoeing/standing?
Is this the first and only time in 3 years you have had issue with your farriers work?
 
No foot No horse, change your farrier hun, or get another farrier out and ask for there opinion that will ease your mind, this is your horse and if your farrier was a true friend to you there would not be this problem, listen to your instincts!!!
 
Hey it had been 7 weeks, conditions were fine and my horse was really well behaved. I was present the whole time, which is why I am so unhappy because him and his friend both shod my horse and when is friend was filling his front feet he told him not to file them anymore. He toes were a lot shorter than usual, but when he came back out he said that they were fine and he wouldn't shoe him any differently.

I haven't had any problems with his shoeing before, but his joking and crudeness is going a bit far. He usually has a joke with me about dating and things like that but this time he was really out of order saying stuff like, 'have you had any sausage since I last saw you, ' and if you don't use it, it will close up' which is completely inappropriate . I think this time he was too busy showing off to his mate and making me feel uncomfortable rather then concentrating on his job. His friend was a right idiot as well, he was really horrible about my Shetland, saying that she was disgusting and what was wrong with her as her legs are too short for her body. But she got him back as she would not let him trim her feet and she is usually an angel!

I'm def not going to get him back again. My horse is better now but still not 100%. I think that he just trimmed his toes too short and he is sore on them. It a tricky situation as everyone one knows everyone in my area so I don't want to go around bad mouthing him and then no farriers want to come out to me. From what I've heard from other people he is loosing a lot of clients at the minute, probably from his attitude more than his shoeing.

Thanks for all your comments and support!
 
Very sympathetic to your situation.
I went on the list of worshipful farriers, and spoke to a few, and then took on two (I got too damn many!) farriers.
One was doing a fantastic job, one the trims (most of mine are unshod) were substandard, but good shoes.
SO went onto one, but not so happy with his shoes, and I know even though i pointed it out several times he put a misalignment in my foal down to optical illusion until it was too late to trim it out. confirmed by my vet.
So I am waiting and looking around a little.
Needless to say I am fussy. I have had well regarded farriers do dire jobs, and been sacked, with my vets witness.
I have had a horse with good feet gone downhill awfully in 6 months....thats what? should be 4 trims.
I have had the most boring farrier in history do a fantastic job....then move, and no other farrier who will do what he did.
So I personally would ask my vet the farriers he recommends, which puts them as a good team together
 
There are times when I am so embarrassed to admit that I am a farrier.
Will someone tell me why it is OK for a farrier to make those remarks to a client?
If your dentist, doctor, person in the newsagents, taxi driver, meter man, riding instructor ect said anything like it I hope you would report them…so Why O Why won’t any owners go to the FRC and give them the reprimand they deserve.
We are at present producing SOME money making thugs that have the delicacy of a Mongol warrior, and the only way to make them change their ways is to report them so they may be reminded that they are part of a profession not a one man band that can do what ever they want.
Sorry for the rant but I am incensed by what he said to you!
 
I would check the FRC register to make sure his mate was registered. Then I would simply report them both.
Of course if his mate wasn't registered it would make life more interesting!
 
Heelfirst, I did report a farrier about 3 years ago and was told he was a good farrier. Since found out he was apparently on the complaints panel. :rolleyes:

I hear so many bad things about this particular farrier yet he is horses. I appreciate very few people can please everyone all of the time but my horse had never been lame until this guy shod her. I gave him the benefit of the doubt first time but the worst thing was his attitude. My horse hadn't had toe clips for years yet he insisted on putting them on saying' it's more than my job is worth' even after my vet asking.

It's very difficult questioning a professional but even though this guy is qualified he's not a professional IMO. I know at least 8 people who have had the same problems with him but the farriers association seems to be a closed shop :(
 
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