Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
Quite.What an odd thing to say ??
Grumpy farrier
- Thread starter Sandstone1
- Start date
mariew
Well-Known Member
I also disagree slightly in that any person who handles a horse should correct them if they are naughty or misbehaves. However, it should be appropriate to what the horse does and it does sound like this one was too rough from what you are saying. Maybe talk to him about it if he is a good farrier?
Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
I would to talk to him about it but dont think he would take it too well. The horse just pulled his leg away slightly once to get jabbed in the belly. A horse thats normally good to do. This horse has not been well lately which the farrier knows.
Trouper
Well-Known Member
Absolutely sack him. We are all entitled to have "grumpy" days but it is never acceptable to take it out on an animal.
SOS
Well-Known Member
What are you doing when the horse is being wriggly? Maybe the farrier is slightly grumpy as he’s got half a ton of horse messing around above him and an owner that’s not doing anything about it. It is absolutely the owners responsibility to present a horse that’s safe to shoe/trim. I had a mare who was difficult and worked tirelessly to get her to accept it which she did within the 5 weeks before her next shoeing. None of my other horses have ever had an issue but I always stand with them the first few times.
That’s said my OH is a farrier and would not reprimand someone’s horse, he’d probably rather turn around and say ‘I’m not coming again as the horse is difficult and you’ve done nothing to improve it’. He always talks and says hello to them before starting but at the end of the day they are there to do a job not pat your pony. Similar to when I rode for people, I would always go into the stable and give a pat and say hello but I was on a time limited schedule so would crack on. People who work with horses have to keep on time too.
If the farrier turned up grumpy, did a good job and didn’t reprimand the horse then I’d be saying ignore it, not everyone likes to be talked at/has different things going on/wants to concentrate. However if you’re not happy with the reprimanding then change farriers but warn the next one the horses can be wriggly.
That’s said my OH is a farrier and would not reprimand someone’s horse, he’d probably rather turn around and say ‘I’m not coming again as the horse is difficult and you’ve done nothing to improve it’. He always talks and says hello to them before starting but at the end of the day they are there to do a job not pat your pony. Similar to when I rode for people, I would always go into the stable and give a pat and say hello but I was on a time limited schedule so would crack on. People who work with horses have to keep on time too.
If the farrier turned up grumpy, did a good job and didn’t reprimand the horse then I’d be saying ignore it, not everyone likes to be talked at/has different things going on/wants to concentrate. However if you’re not happy with the reprimanding then change farriers but warn the next one the horses can be wriggly.
sport horse
Well-Known Member
For those of you that think this is an odd thing to say this is my take:
1. It is unaccepatable for your farrier to poke/prod/ your horse in the ribs with his rasp
2. It is also unacceptable for your horse to be pulling the farrier around. His body is his livelihood and why should he be put at risk. It is up to you to train your horse to stand and/or arrange for sedation if necessary to safeguard your farrier. I breed and produce sport horses and I would never allow my farrier to continue with a horse that was pulling him around. I have far to much respect for him. We either leave a bad one and put more work in ourselves to improve its behaviour or we sedate it. If an older horse misbehaves (& yes it does happen) we can usually put it down to the horse nursing an injury that we were perhaps unaware of and again, we leave it and call the vet.
At all times I try to protect the farrier - once he is injured he can no longer earn his living but you meanwhile can find another farrier. Not very fair odds in my not very humble opinion!
tristar
Well-Known Member
most horses will have fiddly days, best thing with any horse is to ride or lunge it before the farrier, then let it stand in the stable, if it might fidget, so it will be warm and relaxed and slightly dopey
PinkvSantaboots
Well-Known Member
A farrier round here has been struck off for similar behaviour, unfortunately for him he was being filmed wacking someone's horse and they reported him, so I would be telling him to get lost!
PinkvSantaboots
Well-Known Member
One of mine will pull his back legs away but his arthritic and I just very gently remind my farrier when he is doing them, I don't expect him to remember every time I appreciate he does lots of horses he definitely wouldn't poke him with a rasp though.
sport horse
Well-Known Member
I have some oldies too - a 27 year old riddled with arthritis - I give him a bit of bute the day before a trim just to help him.
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
If the horse is uncomfortable through stiffness or arthritis a bute or 2 a few hours before farrier is due will help.
If the horse is rude, or 'playful' as some owners deem rude horses teach it manners before the farrier puts himself at risk under it. The farrier grumpy or not, has a family to feed and can earn more money doing two mannerly horses in the time it takes him to do one rude one.
A violent farrier needs reporting the Worshipful Company of Farriers. The Worshipful Company of Farriers:- Contact Us (wcf.org.uk)
If the horse is rude, or 'playful' as some owners deem rude horses teach it manners before the farrier puts himself at risk under it. The farrier grumpy or not, has a family to feed and can earn more money doing two mannerly horses in the time it takes him to do one rude one.
A violent farrier needs reporting the Worshipful Company of Farriers. The Worshipful Company of Farriers:- Contact Us (wcf.org.uk)
Polos Mum
Well-Known Member
I have work in progresses horses when it comes to the farrier. The youngster snatches which is rude in my opinion and the farrier holds on - usually just 1 foot and I am embarrassed that my horse still does this - I try and practice often and the farrier and I discuss his bad behaviour and what I can do to fix. Pony thinks himself above standing still and will fidget around - not scared, not aggressive and so farrier handing on and me giving him a good pinch on the neck usually works.
The nervous one I don't ask the farrier to do if he is in a silly mood (it's not worth an injury) I will lift his foot and the farrier will look and maybe snip while I am holding or give me advice on rasping myself. Often with this horse I'll have a good go myself the day before and the farrier will check my work - much safer for him, much less stressful for the horse - and I'm happy to pay him for his experience / advice - not just physical labour.
We should take more responsibility for the behaviour of our horses when they are being handled by people who would be out of work if injured.
OP I would speak to your farrier and see whether he has suggestions to help make his job safer - if he's just impatient / angry then best move on and find someone new - if your horse is the issue then best to fix that - otherwise you'll eventually run out of people willing to risk it.
The nervous one I don't ask the farrier to do if he is in a silly mood (it's not worth an injury) I will lift his foot and the farrier will look and maybe snip while I am holding or give me advice on rasping myself. Often with this horse I'll have a good go myself the day before and the farrier will check my work - much safer for him, much less stressful for the horse - and I'm happy to pay him for his experience / advice - not just physical labour.
We should take more responsibility for the behaviour of our horses when they are being handled by people who would be out of work if injured.
OP I would speak to your farrier and see whether he has suggestions to help make his job safer - if he's just impatient / angry then best move on and find someone new - if your horse is the issue then best to fix that - otherwise you'll eventually run out of people willing to risk it.
Chocoholic
Well-Known Member
Definitely wouldn’t put up with that sort of behaviour. Time to take your hard earned cash elsewhere x
Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
I alway correct the horse if he moves which isnt often, I could understand it if he was constantly playing up but this was nothing bad. I completely understand they need to behave but this was one slight pull away. Nothing to the reaction from the farrier.
Lady2021
Well-Known Member
I would get rid of him.
Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
If may horse was constantly bad to do I would agree but hes not, it was one slight pull away, this farrier is bad tempered and the reaction of poking with the rasp was uncalled for. You have no idea of my training methods so please dont tell me they are not working.
pansymouse
Well-Known Member
Fire him and tell him why; don't wimp and sugar coat it, he needs to know his behaviour is costing him customers.
VioletStripe
Well-Known Member
I get where you're coming from in principle for the farrier - that is absolutely true and I have seen some nasty accidents with a badly behaved horse being shod - but that is not what OP said was happening with their horse in this circumstance, I don't think that was an overly fair comment....
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
The owner should firstly tie up the horse and then stand back, they should not be holding the horse for the farrier and should be at least 2m distant during the current times.
Any farrier or knowledgeable horse person knows to run their hand down the horse‘s leg and and then wait very briefly while the horse sorts its own weight out so that it can readily pick up the required foot. Not to grab and yank.
Last edited:
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
I do not agree with naughty horses and had a row as a young child with a farrier who threatened to hit my pony with a hammer, much to the amusement of the grown ups.
But i did have a farrier whom was quite sly and would hold the horse in a very uncomfortable position to teach them a lesson, until I clicked on as my one mare would not present her hooves for him when usually its waggling in your face before you have even asked her for it.
Amazing that when i moved yards and farriers i never had a problem with her.
I do agree that my farrier is worth his weigh, i ensure he has a warm dry area, good lighting, legs are clean and dry and i am on time.
But i did have a farrier whom was quite sly and would hold the horse in a very uncomfortable position to teach them a lesson, until I clicked on as my one mare would not present her hooves for him when usually its waggling in your face before you have even asked her for it.
Amazing that when i moved yards and farriers i never had a problem with her.
I do agree that my farrier is worth his weigh, i ensure he has a warm dry area, good lighting, legs are clean and dry and i am on time.
twiggy2
Well-Known Member
I told a farrier to leave for doing just that to my last mare when she was 2yrs old
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
I know for a fact my farrier doesn't treat my horse roughly, but then my horse is the type to understand immediately a gruff voice and do as its told if it did fidget. In my experience if a horse is hard to shoe then I would guess the horse is uncomfortable in some way and I would maybe give an extra sachet of bute the morning of the visit. My horse is a nightmare to pick out her near fore at times and will snatch it under her belly, but it's because its stiff and probably hurts her more than she's being awkward or naughty. Once she has done that snatch once, she would let you hold her foot aloft all day without further incident.
I liken it with stretching your knee till it clicks if you have a dodgy knee. It's the same thing.
I liken it with stretching your knee till it clicks if you have a dodgy knee. It's the same thing.
Steerpike
Well-Known Member
I had a farrier who would just go in and grab a leg and not let them sort their weight out he would then get shitty when the horse fidgeted a bit, that farrier was miserable, my horses didn't like him much and always seemed on edge, luckily before things came to a head he decided he didn't want to do my horses. Needless to say my farrier now is worth his weight in gold and my horses behave impeccably for him.
SOS
Well-Known Member
I didn’t say this isn’t what people should do ,if you read the whole of my post I talked about how I and my OH greet horses. I presume the OP has had the horse and farrier since pre COVID anyway so the issue of horse being wriggly should of been sorted before. Much like the posts on here in the first lockdown as people worried they couldn’t hold their horse for the farrier and it would misbehave and then thinking it was okay to ignore that and put their farrier at risk because of this. This is why you train them, for the unseen circumstances where you can’t hold a horse.
As per my previous post, if the farrier was just grumpy but did a good job and the OP had no problems with his handling of the horses then I would think they are unreasonable. If they don’t like they way he reprimanded the horse then they should of course fire him.
irishdraft
Well-Known Member
My thoughts would be, does the farrier do a good job, are there any decent farriers you could replace him with, yes he is grumpy but was the rasp incident a one off ? . If easily replaced then do so, if not perhaps seeing how it goes next time and voice your concerns. My farrier is not keen on doing one of mine because he will lean and sometimes not pick up his foot immediately so I always stand and hold the horse for him and get after the horse if necessary if he's being a git. Farrier is then happy plus he gets plenty of tea and cake .
J&S
Well-Known Member
My farrier is young and sensitive with the horses and ponies but last year, despite being really horse savvy, he was kicked by a mare and his ankle was badly broken right there and then. I am sure the owner was mortified and speaking to him afterwards he didn't seem to bear a grudge but it just goes to show how situations can develope. Perhaps the "grumpy" farrier has been in some tricky situations in the past and simply won't allow the horses he shoes any lee way. Not defending his behaviour, just a thought.
SJJR
Well-Known Member
Get rid of the farrier. Not only is it unacceptable it is likely to make your horse worse to shoe
sport horse
Well-Known Member
From that it sounds as though you knew before this incident that your farrier was bad tempered? If this is the case why was he still your farrier?
Xmasha
Well-Known Member
Some interesting responses on here today.
Training methods/ bute aside - A horse that has been good to shoe,( who has felt a little under the weather recently)who wriggles away from the farrier does not deserve a jab to the belly.
OP - i would change farriers. Having done this recently i can honestly say it was a great decision.
Training methods/ bute aside - A horse that has been good to shoe,( who has felt a little under the weather recently)who wriggles away from the farrier does not deserve a jab to the belly.
OP - i would change farriers. Having done this recently i can honestly say it was a great decision.
ILuvCowparsely
Well-Known Member
**WARNING** Dump alert
No way would I stand for that anymore had it once never again.
Farriers no matter how good they are should treat our horses with respect as we are paying customers. No one dare lay a finger on any of mine now and get away with it, it would be by by, don't let the door hit you on the a$$ on the way out my yard.