Farrier rant

[SantaVera]

My farrier charges £45 per trim, one horse one Shetland pony. That's £90 for less than an hour's work including driving to me,he lives locally. He's injured at the moment, I wish him a speedy recovery. Meanwhile he says he's going send out a friend to help him out. Turns out the friend only accepts cash,only early morning and only has a first name. I've cancelled.i am not getting involved in tax avoidance and have no idea about his qualifications if any. There's no registered farrier of his first name anyway in a thirty mile radius on the farrier registration website. I'm disgusted.

 

[FieldOrnaments]

But that £90 covers professional insurance, van and tool upkeep (and probably insurance for those too), petrol, and labour. He's probably not getting much more than national living wage out of it though it seems a lot.
Some charge more for Shetlands as the wear and tear on their bodies is more, or flat out refuse to do them. So you're lucky in that regard.

The friend is a separate issue, though I will say lots of people apparently use barefoot trimmers who aren't farriers successfully. Though in your shoes I would have cancelled too - if you want a farrier you should get a farrier.

I am lucky with mine though he's fabulous. We've been late before now and he caught the horses and just got on with it

 

[meleeka]

Having just had an awful experience with a different farrier, I'd be happy to pay £90 for a good job! Non qualified people are allowed to trim, just not shoe, so I'd say the one lined up probably hasn't finished training yet. I wouldn't be happy with that either as he won't be insured.

I've only ever had two farriers in my 30+ years of ownership. Current one has given up and it's given me real anxiety trying to find another. There seems to be loads around here, but trying to sort the rubbish from the good is difficult. The one I had the other day will definitely not be invited back as he had a very short fuse and was just odd!

 

[Surbie]

Please don't tell my farrier what yours charges...I am on £25/trim still.

I hope you can find someone while your guy recovers.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Please don't tell my farrier what yours charges...I am on £25/trim still.

I hope you can find someone while your guy recovers.

So are we.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine charges £35 a trim but I only pay £30 as I always pay cash I've known him years and mine are easy.

I do rasp mine in between especially in the summer although I still do 5 weeks it just keeps them looking tidy.

Could you maybe do them yourself until your farrier is back?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Can I join the rant. I had to change farriers when Mylo and Felix went to the field. Felix was fine for my friend's farrier to do but I arranged for someone else to come for Mylo - as the farrier coming for the others does not really do babies. Mylo's farrier (Farrier 1) rearranged twice and a week before coming the 2nd time, farrier 2 was there in the field doing Felix and offered to do Mylo as he was calm and polite. I did not want to mess farrier 1 about so said it was fine, we had someone coming. Then he cancelled on the day and now won't come at all as it's 'too far' to be worth his while for 1 horse. Well fair enough but tell me that in the first place! Grrrr.

 

[Annagain]

Threads like this make me grateful for my farrier. £25 a trim for Arch, £75 a set for Wig and he'll replace lost shoes for nothing as long he's in the area - or charge £10 for fuel if not. He even popped out to check for an abcess last week as Wig wasn't right (did find anything so we went to the vet yesterday) and didn't charge a thing.

 

[Mustard]

I'm still only paying £20 a trim, and that included my (now no longer with us) 18h shire cross, who thought anyone picking out/trimming his feet was inviting him to a game of throw the person across the yard. We knew/owned him from his being 2, and never managed to train him out of it - all our others politely pick up the nearest foot without being asked.

 

[meleeka]

Threads like this make me grateful for my farrier. £25 a trim for Arch, £75 a set for Wig and he'll replace lost shoes for nothing as long he's in the area - or charge £10 for fuel if not. He even popped out to check for an abcess last week as Wig wasn't right (did find anything so we went to the vet yesterday) and didn't charge a thing.

My recently given up farrier was like this. I expect if I phone him and say I'm having trouble finding someone, he'll offer to still come. Poor bloke works 6 days a week now (doing something else) and had to sit on a stool to trim last time he came, so I won't be asking, but he's a big loss.

 

[lynz88]

Mine charges £40/trim but the difference that he's made to the feet in a year and a half is extraordinary. I personally, have no issue with paying in cash - just because they get paid in cash doesn't mean they don't claim it and frankly, how people want to run their business is up to them - but with all the other anomalies, I'd be cancelling too, especially if other farrier is a complete unknown. I like to know/see the work before I hire.

 

[Rowreach]

It's not illegal to pay or be paid in cash, and it's a bit of a leap to accuse someone of fiddling their tax when you don't even know who they are.

From the perspective of getting your horses' feet done, yes I would expect to at least know the name of the person coming and their credentials, but if my own farrier was out of action and suggested someone else, I'd probably trust that they would do a good job. And I would be so grateful to them for fitting me in that I would make an effort to accommodate whatever day/time of day they wanted to come.

 

[dorsetladette]

I'm paying £30 a trim. I'd pay more if he asked as he's fab.

He will pop in on his way home if I'm worried about anything and I often send him photos of broken feet (reg is a nightmare for damaging himself) for him to tell me if he needs to pop in or not.

OP I wouldn't be happy if a first name only person was sent to do my lot without having further information, but I would trust my farrier to give me the details and only recommend someone to do a good job. In all honesty I'd be more worried about my horses having a decent trim than whether the guy is paying tax or not.

 

[SantaVera]

No it isn't a leap. The guy flatly refused to have money transferred or pay by card and he'd only do early morning on his way to work. Smells very much like a fiddle to me. Also no qualifications that I could find. I know anyone can trim legally but it's a bit much when someone random bloke you can find nothing about wants to be paid a professional fee. I think the farrier is expensive anyway but he did a good job. Previous farrier was £30 atrim but he's retired. I'm doing them myself at present given the situation.

 

[SantaVera]

The new guy not registered,for all I know he could be the local farmer or farriers nextdoor neighbour

 

[Irish Sally]

No one is forcing you to use the friend. Just use a different farrier if that's what you want.

 

[Rowreach]

I don't understand why you are so cross. Your farrier is injured, he's arranged someone to cover for him, you don't want to use the replacement, so you're trimming your own. If anything it will save you a few quid until your own farrier is well enough to come back.

 

[QuantockHills]

Please don't tell my farrier what yours charges...I am on £25/trim still.

I hope you can find someone while your guy recovers.

mine's £20!

 

[asmp]

Mine’s £50 (and done with a group of horses!)

 

[stormox]

Don't assume just because someone wants cash they are trying to avoid tax. A lot of people don't want to see a cashless society.

 

[Polos Mum]

I had a horse on loan some time ago and I was mandated to use the owners farrier. He wasn't registered but had "always done them" he was a roofer by trade and also did the horses teeth when needed !!

Not joking on the teeth, I snuck in my BADET dentist to look at his mouth and she confirmed that he'd been done as far as someone with a hoof rasp and no gag could reach !!!

You would die if I shared the pictures of what the feet looked like.

OP if you're not happy find an alternative but after my wonderful trimmer semi retired finding a suitable replacement has been tough.

Be really careful with recently qualified trimmers, one made mine so lame he was on bute and deep bed box rest for a week

If you can do them yourself for a while - great.

 

[FieldOrnaments]

Regardless as to his reasons it's a bit unfair to jump to the conclusion of criminal for someone you've never met. If you don't want to use his suggested cover but don't want to burn bridges with him, just say, 'thanks for the suggestion but I think I'll be ok keeping them in check myself until you're working again.' If his rtaes seem steep find another, though £45 doesn't seem hugely unreasonable. (Mine is £35 per trim.)

 

[Sealine]

My farrier has shod my horse for the last 14 years. My horse is always impeccably behaved for him. For his next appointment I need to go into the office so I arranged for someone else to be there. Out of courtesy I messaged my farrier to let him know that I wouldn't be there but someone would be there. He knows the other person as he has shod her horses for many years. He replied to say I would have to re-arrange as he wants me to be there

 

[Ratface]

Our farrier has shod Old Horse and his four companions for the last ten years. Old Horse is now retired and barefoot. Farrier has advanced training and qualifications and is entirely wonderful. His only difficulty is being rather "variable" on what time he turns up.

 

[paddy555]

Don't assume just because someone wants cash they are trying to avoid tax.

and in the real world how much of that cash goes through the books.

 

[AmyMay]

The new guy not registered,for all I know he could be the local farmer or farriers nextdoor neighbour

Which is absolutely fair enough.

But as others have pointed out - getting paid by cash or paying by cash, is not illegal and doesn't necessarily equate to tax avoidance. I paid for a coffee with cash yesterday. I’m pretty sure it’s gone through the books

 

[thommackintosh]

Maybe I'm dodgy. But whenever I'm paying for something from anyone self-employed I offer to pay in cash, then I leave what they do to it up to them. Covid hit small businesses hard, so if I can questionably help out, I will.
Also, if my farrier recommended someone to come out, I'd trust their recommendation. After all, I trust my farrier.

 

[SOS]

Maybe he didn’t fancy moving all his regulars around or you were out of area or maybe he didn’t trust someone he had never met to “promise” to BACS?

There are good and bad farriers, but there are also good and bad clients who may have good or bad(ly behaved) horses.

I am not even going to try and justify the costs - feel free to go set up your own business, drive around and do back breaking work all day. Oh but don’t worry about the years of experience and training, I’m sure you’re doing a better job.

 

[lynz88]

Maybe I'm dodgy. But whenever I'm paying for something from anyone self-employed I offer to pay in cash, then I leave what they do to it up to them. Covid hit small businesses hard, so if I can questionably help out, I will.

No, it's my view. Not my problem if they don't claim it. I recently paid a deposit for a carpet fitting via bank transfer but rest in cash to the guys that fitted the carpet on the day. Easier for me tbh.

 

[Jambarissa]

I agree that there's probably a fair amount of fiddling when someone is paid in cash but its also a way for them to ensure they do get paid, my farrier says he has thousands owed to him.
I really don't think you can judge a skilled professional on an hourly rate. You are paying for his training not his time. If it's steep compared to others in your area you can switch.
An equine podiatrist would cost more. If they're both barefoot and straightforward you could do basic training then get an EP in a few times a year to check all is OK. My EP recommended this one for owner trimmers.

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