Farrier recommendations in West Midlands?

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lucy16

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Have used the same farrier for many years but he's constantly cancelling/rearranging appointments which is very annoying when you have to take time off work to be there.
Also, he keeps bringing apprentices now and one of them started shoeing one of my horses on his own a few month ago. Farrier doesn't even check his work and despite me commenting on the feet not looking as good as before and saying I didnt want the apprentice, it's still going on. Horse has been lame 3 times now and after taking it to the vets, it was found that the shoeing is the most likely cause of it.
My other horse went lame also and even though we never found a definite cause for it and it has been sound, the foot still looks very imbalanced to me and there is a splint on the leg now (I know, it could be the splint that caused the lameness but I do wonder if it's the unbalanced foot that caused the splint???)

Anyway, I think the farrier is simply doing too many horses now - he's always done a good job before.
Would prefer to keep him really but cant have my horses off lame and running up vets bills.....

Can anyone recommend a good reliable farrier in the West Midlands, please???
 
Where about's are you it's a big place?
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Yes I use an excellent farrier called Richard Phillips, he's been shoeing my horses for years. Do you want to PM me for his number. He has moved house recently so you won't get his details on the internet yet. He is remedially shoeing my horse and does a good job, the only think I hate is that he charges quite a bit for stud holes in the summer. He is not that cheap at £62.50 for a full set (horse) but its much cheaper for a pony and he does a very professional and thorough job. He spends at least 3/4 hour shoeing each horse, and looks at their foot balance in greater detail than any other farrier I have used. I think its worth paying a little more for. There are about 10 of us at the yard who use him following the demise of a farrier whose first name began with a G as he was so dreadfully unreliable and started shouting at my horse which was witnessed by the only other person to be on the yard at the time, who the farrier did not know was there. Poor horse was so disturbed after the farrier had been he was throwing his water bucket all over the stable (something he only ever did following shoeing). I was upset and annoyed I hadn't realised there was a problem sooner. Shame.
 
sorry Lucy meant to say he covers Solihull, Warwickshire, Birmingham and surrounding areas. I'm part way btwn Solihull and Warwickshire. PM me and I will supply his number.
 
Tim Selby is very good
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theres also James Clowes, Paul Armstrong and Barry Goldby (sp?) I used Barry once and didnt really like him as much (and my mare hated him) but quite a few of my friends use him and are happy with him
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I have heard of a Gavin Goldby but not a Barry Goldby. Incidentally he wasn't the one with the name beginning with G that was horrid to horsey!
 
Gavin Golby is my farrier and he's great, but very busy now and mainly covers Warks. Not sure if he ventures to the Midlands side !!. Applecart14, I so know the G you mean!!!
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. There is also Anthony Charley in the area- some people on our yard use him so could get number if needed.
 
Ludo what do you know about the G I am on about. Has he been horrid to your horse too. I have rarely been so angry as I was the day I found out what my poor horse was doing to his water bucket as a way to alleviate his anxiety over the farrier visits and felt like I had allowed him to be abused. I know he can be a pain at times, but it is rare for someone to need to shout at him and I am not sure if this escalated into hitting the horse also. However, I can see it from the point of view of the farrier too, some horses can be very uncooperative and dangerous too and I can see how they become exasperated by them, I get exasperated too at times!!
 
further to my previous posts - we are on a big yard of about 40 horses. We use Gavin Golby, a chap called Spud, Richard Phillips all of whose number I can get you if you want them.
 
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