Farriers, Bitting and Viewers.......

[LittleRooketRider]

This is basically 3 treads in one because I'm too lazy to do the seperately.....

Farriers
Our farrier we have now took over from/was recommended by our old farrier when he retired a few years back. WE really like her, she does a good job BUT we can never get hold of her if something needs to change (time/date/location etc.) Now we are getting a bit worried that if one day we have an emergency and she doesn't get back to us. in the last couple of days we have been trying to get hold of her about a horse that won't be on our yard (instead just 15 mins away) but we desperately need to get shoes on her as we have a possible buyer interested and her feet are rapidly deteriorating without shoes (she was turned away from work for a couple of months). We're getting fed up and Mum thinks we might look for another farrier (one a friend uses) and just tell her we won't be needing her again after tomorrow. What do you think, I feel a little awkward if I'm honest with the whole situation are we being unreasonable???

Bitting
Quite simple really pony usually goes in a CG (jumping etc.) has been going in a hanging snaffle for dressage but recently several people have commented that she just 'doesn't go in that bit' and her flatwork has been deteriorating. She can be strong and is quite capable of doing a beautiful dressage test but tend sto only do so if she feels like it. any bitting suggestions for dressage??

Viewers
Just a moan really.... finally got somebody interested in my TB mare. Sent her the only pics we have of her really, being ridden to which she replied she wanted some of her without any tack 'on the flat' What does she mean?? took some pics of her stood on the yard/in school/being trotted up she looks lovely but she says she wants pics of her stood square from front, side and behind. No idea what we're doing if i'm honest only really sold old ponies as and when we've outgrown them etc. Any advice greatly appreciated

Tea and hobknobs for all who reach the end of my essay

 

[hnmisty]

Re the farrier...it's one of those 6 of one and half a dozen of the other jobs in my opinion. She might be very good, but if she doesn't answer the phone, then she has poor business sense. My old riding stables were like this...they were (rightly) very popular...so didn't have such a pressing need to get new customers on board. We'd recommend them to people and they'd say "we've tried ringing them but they don't answer". If she wants to keep her customers, she needs to be able to communicate with them! Will she get grumpy if she turns up to shoe a horse that is no longer at your yard...when you have tried to tell her it won't be? I can't tell you what to do, but I'd investigate other farriers in the area, unless she specialises in something you need eg laminitics.

About the pictures, I think she is after those photos so she can look at your horse's conformation.

As meatloaf would say, two out of three ain't bad! (You wouldn't want me to offer bitting advice!)

 

[texas]

Farriers:
no need to tell her you don't need her anymore. Just use her for regular stuff and the other one if you can't get hold of her. If she asks, just say as much - urgent case and you couldn't get hold of her and hope she understands. Nowt wrong with using more than one!

Photos:
yes she is after conformation photos. Just stand the horse up so legs are in each corner, not resting or pointing, on a flat surface, not sloping or anything and take photos from the requested angles



Meatloaf all the way!

 

[LittleRooketRider]

Thanks

I was worried we were going to sound unreasonable when we talk to her about it, we don't want to sound over-demanding (she was moaning about another client once something about not asking how high when he said jump). Just another question to anyone....not complaining but she NEVER trims to frog, is this standard practice now? I know old farrier used to but he shod my aunts pony when she was a little girl (still doing or ponies when he was in his sixties)

 

[texas]

I don't think that frogs always need trimming, unless there are raggedy bits that could get torn off or harbour bacteria. But each farrier will have their own preferred way of working. Another thing you could ask about One of my farriers doesn't like trimming chestnuts, he doesn't like the feel of cutting them so it's just something I either specifically ask him to do or get the other when to do when he comes.