Farriers inability to follow simple request has set us back months!

snopuma

snopuma

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So if I asked you to trim my mares hinds? Which feet would you expect to see trimmed when you got up to the yard?

Yep you guessed it he trimmed the fronts!!!

So now i have a footsore barefoot since June TB mare, thanks farrier, she was in full work and now I will have to wait until she has something to stand on, back in the boots she goes!

Why Oh Why can they not leave their knife in their pocket, they just don't get barefoot at all, needless to say that is that last time he goes near my mare, she had built up some lovely sole, frog and toe callous now all gone, and I got the extra benefit of having a horse with odd heels, and rasped up the front to the coronet! so now I can't see the lovely event line where the foot told me exactly when those bl**dy shoes came off!

Time to find a trimmer I think any ideas, Kent Surrey Sussex Borders?
 
I wasn't there, I was at work, some of us have to go to work to pay for our horses you know;o)

The farrier has been itching to get his hands on the fronts ever since the shoes came off and he rasped them down to pegs then, hence why I have not let him near them since, and have been doing them myself, I just wanted him to do the hinds which have been longer out of shoes and have no issues at all, and for every trim since June I have been present at trimming, taing time off, some might say its no coincidence that he magically has done the wrong feet? They didn't need doing at all and she was as sound as a pound, now hobbling round the stables, with also very overgrown hinds, pretty obvious which ones needed doing, or so I thought!
 
Sorry, skimmed first sentence. Did farrier tell ym or whoever was getting her feet done why he was doing fronts instead of hinds as requested?
 
I hope you've told the farrier that shes lame....!




This little gem seems appropriate here :D

Whats the difference between God and a farrier?

God doesnt think he's a farrier......
 
He got mixed up, it's hardly crime of the century.

And who is the 'they' who can't keep their knives away and the 'they' that don't understand barefoot- plenty of farriers understand barefoot.

Either you can speak to him and ask him why he trimmed the fronts or you can just assume he did it wilfully?
If you don't trust your farrier, change him but there is no need to discount all farriers in future or to look solely for a trimmer instead imo.
 
I know how angry u must be, I would be gutted if this happened to my lad BUT I work full time as well and I always make sure I'm there for the farrier. My farrier is also knife happy hence why I now use a trimmer as well
 
That's why I am always there when mine is trimmed and shod when he was shod.

One time when mine was still shod, the vet had recommended a particular approach and one day I couldn't be there. I got a phone call from farrier after the fact to say that he had decided not to follow vets instructions but try something else. To be fair, in that instance neither approach worked so he didn't do any damage but he did go against what the vet said and my instructions telling me when it was too late.

When he was trimmed, even with me there I have had to stop farriers from trimming the frog and sole as it would make mine lame but they believed you have to cut both back.

But we had to have the conversation every time and I had to actively stop then so I've no doubt if I wasn't there they would go their own way.

Eventually found a trimmer who was much more conservative in her approach as I didn't like being in the position of hiring a professional and interfering, don't think it's fair on them; I preferred to find someone whose approach fitted with what suited my horse.
 
Oh dear! Sadly I've only ever had similar experiences with farriers trimming my b/f horses, they seem to take a bit too much off and leave them sore even though they are supportive, it's happened a couple of times with different farriers now so I stick with my trimmer.

Check out Liz Chapman - she might cover your area and I think she is superb. She has a wonderful level headed approach to managment and trimming and helped me get my navicular mare sound.

http://www.shoefree.co.uk/ is her website.
 
YasandCrystal said:
sorry but you should have been there - particularly when you are making statements like the farrier was itching to work on the fronts!!
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But if clear instructions are given, no matter what the farrier wants to do, they should be followed! Time for a new farrier, although so far I have found it very hard to find one that doesn't want to trim frogs and sole.
 
millitiger said:
He got mixed up, it's hardly crime of the century.

And who is the 'they' who can't keep their knives away and the 'they' that don't understand barefoot- plenty of farriers understand barefoot.

Either you can speak to him and ask him why he trimmed the fronts or you can just assume he did it wilfully?
If you don't trust your farrier, change him but there is no need to discount all farriers in future or to look solely for a trimmer instead imo.
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You took the words right out of my mouth!

I can't imagine leaving the horse and the farrier to just get on with it, with no-one else there.

If I were unhappy with my farrier's work, I'd speak to him about it and then if necessary change farrier, not employ some self-styled 'trimmer'.
 
How can a farrier get mixed up between front and rear feet? If he can't tell the difference then you definitely need a new farrier. I'd be very cross in your position. :mad:
 
millitiger said:
And who is the 'they' who can't keep their knives away and the 'they' that don't understand barefoot- plenty of farriers understand barefoot.

Either you can speak to him and ask him why he trimmed the fronts or you can just assume he did it wilfully?
If you don't trust your farrier, change him but there is no need to discount all farriers in future or to look solely for a trimmer instead imo.
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Exactly Millitiger.

I also agree that if you were concerned about your farriers 'itchiness' to have a go at the front feet it would have been prudent to have been present.
 
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You could try Alicia Mitchell or Ashley Harwood. If you Google you will be able to check their accreditation.
Why would a farrier trim the wrong hooves? Seriously, if you can't trust a farrier to know rear from hind then I'd be parting company and telling him why. A lot of people can't be present for their horses to be shod or trimmed and have a YO or similar attending instead. Also, whether or not I was present I wouldn't want to be constantly fighting to persuade someone to do as I ask and not trim sole.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
You took the words right out of my mouth!

I can't imagine leaving the horse and the farrier to just get on with it, with no-one else there.

.
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It's very common on livery yards for farriers to come in and shoe a group of horses which the yard manager co-ordinates.

I personally prefer to take a more active interest and be there but I was the exception on my last two yards.

I don't think the farrier for a moment got mixed up but given that he was so keen to trim the fronts I think that was a 'mistake' waiting to happen.

OP needs to find someone they are not constantly at odds with and who is more supportive.
 
I can't believe how many people have problems with their farriers. They seem to think they're untouchable... and they are mostly. They don't turn up for weeks on end and they're moaned about but still used, crap work, moaned but still booked. I wouldn't let one near my horse who didn't put the horse first. One we used to use would occasionally not turn up or turn up a couple of hours late as a horse took longer to do than planned... I didn't mind this as he'd always stay for ours too, it was expected that each horse was an individual and took as long as they needed.

I think I'm very lucky that OH's dad is a farrier. And one who would rather have an unshod horse if possible and will shoe otherwise.
I've met several farriers I wouldn't let near my horse and a couple who I'd happily pay to fly round the country as would rather unshod/horses best interest than the money from shoes. I've never used a farrier who wasn't happy to explain why they were doing something and discuss options I wanted to talk about.

Pan
 
Wow, I feel really blessed with my farrier after reading this! He is not only an excellent trimmer of my barefoot cob (would never dream of trimming the sole/frog of a barefooter) but a first class shoer too if thats whats needed! And he's a really lovely person to boot. I love my farrier (in the biblical sense, of course!!)
 
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