Farrier/ Trimmer Reccomendations for Remedial Trimming

Bumblepony

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My horse has been having remedial trimming (not shoeing) for a while with a remedial farrier. This has been successful in moving towards remedying the foot imbalance which was the reason we started remedial trims. At the moment I am paying £90 for a trim every four weeks - I've been thinking for a little while that I need to look at alternatives as obviously this is a considerable amount of money, but I'm also concious of the importance of good trimming/ foot balance, so I don't want to decide to change farrier and end up back where I started.

I certainly don't expect to pay a very low amount for a trim - he has tricky feet which I appreciate take more work and thought than a straightforward trim might, he can be slightly quirky to trim his front feet (despite takign advice from professionals, extensive and continued positive reinforcement work and handling to get him better with foot handling, he goes through phases of finding it more difficult) and I also appreciate that coming out every four weeks just for a trim means just charging £30 or so wouldn't be economically viable, but I would like to try to find something just a bit more affordable long term than £90 if I can.

I was wondering if anyone in the West Midlands could reccommend a farrier please who is mindful of trimming in a remedial way and for a well functioning barefoot hoof, rather than a 'pasture trim' or the kind of trim which would be used before applying a shoe, and who would be agreeable to interacting with my vet/ looking at x-rays etc, and who would also be patient and sensitive to the needs of a horse who can be slightly quirky. Open to suggestions of barefoot trimmers too. Thank you in advance for any thoughts!
 
I haven’t got any suggestions for someone in your area, I’m afraid.

How much longer does the current farrier think that the horse will need corrective trimming for?

Whilst £90 for a trim every 4 weeks is a lot to stump up for, if your current remedial farrier is reliable and is doing a good job of both the corrective trimming and the handling of a tricky horse, then I’d stick with.

Can the intervals between trims be extended a bit if your current farrier advises you on how to do some light rasping yourself in between visits?
 
I haven’t got any suggestions for someone in your area, I’m afraid.

How much longer does the current farrier think that the horse will need corrective trimming for?

Whilst £90 for a trim every 4 weeks is a lot to stump up for, if your current remedial farrier is reliable and is doing a good job of both the corrective trimming and the handling of a tricky horse, then I’d stick with.

Can the intervals between trims be extended a bit if your current farrier advises you on how to do some light rasping yourself in between visits?

Thanks Tiddlypom, I have been thinking this way myself quite a lot and had planned to stick with but it's slightly complicated by the fact an apprentice often trims him - sometimes observed by the main remedial farrier but sometimes he comes on his own. He's a great guy and does a nice trim, and I know apprentices have to learn and that he wouldn't be allowed to do it if not thought capable, but I do find myself thinking, am I insane paying £90 for an apprentice to trim him unsupervised. Or maybe this is a done thing, I don't know unfortunately as I've never been down the remedial trimming route before. Unfortunately I think he may be the kind of horse who always needs someone with a remedial leaning so to speak and always needs doing monthly as his feet grow very fast and things start to go awry quite quickly.
 
Bumble pony I think you are putting a lot of trust and money that farriers way..£90 for trimming..even remedial with an unsupervised apprentice is very expensive. (I’m paying £85 fully shod with a very qualified farrier). Unfortunately I don’t know your area but I hope you can source a more cost effective qualified farrier.
 
Crikey, £90 for an apprentice is a lot, I wouldn’t be delighted with that. Do they trot the horse up each time to check the horse’s movement, at least?
 
Richard Phillips or Charlie Emmett, both excellent remedial farriers. Will help themselves to your horse if it's left in at you're at work during the day.
 
Thank you, I was in touch with him and unfortunately he's not taking on more clients at the moment, or at least not in this area unfortunately!
Mark now runs training courses for farriers in eg barefoot trimming, hoof boot fitting I would go back to him and see if he can recommend someone who has undertaken CPD with him and who covers your area
 
Thank you so much all, much appreciated! I did ask Mark if he could reccommend anyone nearer to me and he couldn't I think but it was a while back now so may be worth an ask again and will look into the ones you suggested Birker :)
 
Thank you so much all, much appreciated! I did ask Mark if he could reccommend anyone nearer to me and he couldn't I think but it was a while back now so may be worth an ask again and will look into the ones you suggested Birker :)

Do you have transport? You would have to ask him but if you could get to my place when he’s doing my two it might be a solution.
 
Thank you so much all, much appreciated! I did ask Mark if he could reccommend anyone nearer to me and he couldn't I think but it was a while back now so may be worth an ask again and will look into the ones you suggested Birker :)

Say Anne that used to have Bailey recommends you! 😃
 

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