how to move farriers?

[starfish01]

Hi Hope this is right, I'm a long time lurker but new poster. I'm wondering if anyone can give advice on changing farriers. I really like mine personally but am worried he's not doing the best job he could be (i.e. toes look too long and not always balanced). I've known him for a while and don't want to upset him but not sure he'll take on board my concerns either. What would you do?

 

[Goldenstar]

I'm wondering if anyone can give advice on changing farriers. I really like mine personally but am worried he's not doing the best job he could be (i.e. toes left too long and not always balanced). I've known him for a while and don't want to upset him but not sure he'll take on board my concerns either. What would you do?

Not easy .
Sometimes it's worth turning the vet on them it costs a bit but can work , and it depends on how seriously the vet take their responsibility.
I have xrayed a horses feet so the farrier saw what was what and done them again later .
Make sure you have the new farrier on board before you tell the old one if you decide to change .
Perhaps put the horse on a shoeing break and swop after ,bit cowardly perhaps but might be smoother .
I still shudder when I think about when I had to part company with the farrier who had done my horses since I was five .

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Actually I think it is very easy!

If you don't make an appointment at the previous shoeing, simply don't ring him up. Or if you have already made your next appointment, ring him and say "I'm sorry, I shall have to cancel my next appointment and I am not in a position to make another just yet".
But as GS says, you need to have a new farrier organised before you cancel the old one.

 

[Carlosmum]

I asked a different ( recommended) farrier to come & asses my horse's feet when I was unsure if my farrier had got it right. He was happy to give a second opinion & I paid £40 for his time & stuck with the old farrier because he was keeping my boy sound.

 

[Enfys]

Actually I think it is very easy!

If you don't make an appointment at the previous shoeing, simply don't ring him up. Or if you have already made your next appointment, ring him and say "I'm sorry, I shall have to cancel my next appointment and I am not in a position to make another just yet".
But as GS says, you need to have a new farrier organised before you cancel the old one.

Absolutely this

 

[criso]

Actually I think it is very easy!
.

Not round here it's not. The first thing the new farrier will ask is who is currently shoeing your and have you got their OK to use a different farrier.

I used the excuse of moving yard, farrier A had told a friend he didn't shoe in the new area so I thought I had a perfect reason. When I switched to farrier B and he asked if I'd asked farrier A, I told him I hadn't but he didn't cover the area.

However farrier A hadn't told the truth to my friend - he didn't want to shoe her horse because he was difficult and not only shod in the area but in the new yard. So farrier A meets farrier B on another yard and accuses him of stealing a client, apparently almost came to blows.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Not round here it's not. The first thing the new farrier will ask is who is currently shoeing your and have you got their OK to use a different farrier.

I used the excuse of moving yard, farrier A had told a friend he didn't shoe in the new area so I thought I had a perfect reason. When I switched to farrier B and he asked if I'd asked farrier A, I told him I hadn't but he didn't cover the area.

However farrier A hadn't told the truth to my friend - he didn't want to shoe her horse because he was difficult and not only shod in the area but in the new yard. So farrier A meets farrier B on another yard and accuses him of stealing a client, apparently almost came to blows.

That is where I would have asserted myself and told the pair of them that it was my choice who I paid to shoe my horse.

 

[neddy man]

^^^^^ thats the way to do it . Well put P.

 

[criso]

That is where I would have asserted myself and told the pair of them that it was my choice who I paid to shoe my horse.

It's completely ridiculous, I don't have to go and ask Tesco's permission to shop in Sainsburys'.

I can stop using a farrier but I can't force another to take me on. If they are being polite they might say they are not taking on new clients but most will say sorry I'm not stepping on X's toes, I won't do your horse.

f you really upset them, they blacklist you and no one in the area will shoe your horse.

It wasn't the main reason that my horses are now barefoot and it's a huge relief not have to deal with them.

 

[Tiffany]

I would talk to him before trying to find a new farrier.

 

[megs22]

When my farrier shod my pony's hinds for the first time they were really unbalanced laterally, I considered changing farriers but decided to speak to him first, he came out the same day and reshod her at no expense, if your not happy with his shoeing then explain your concerns to him, most farriers will work with you, after all you pay their wages and they really don't need the bad press of an unhappy client whom will no doubt tell all their horsey friends how incompetent they are as farriers!

 

[FFAQ]

I have a mortifying story about the time I changed farriers! To this day I am ashamed I wasn't brave enough to just be honest with him!

I had a farrier who was very reliable, but when he trimmed my horses feet, all he would do is nipper of the excess growth. No rasping into balance, flare removal, etc. When I asked him about this he threw a wobbly and went off on one about barefoot trimmers (it was a friend who used a barefoot trimmer who pointed out my horses might need a bit more than nipper work). So, with hindsight perhaps that little tantrum should have rung some alarm bells!

Anyway, after a couple of years of using him he got involved with a young girl (late teens, not illegal or anything) and unfortunately started getting a little bit inappropriate. Texting every 2 mins, turning up late, missing appointments. The final straw came when he fell out with a friend of mine over this behaviour. It was a bad enough falling out that she had the police come and escort him off her premises. After that, every time he saw me he would spend the whole time bad mouthing my friend. Eventually, after he was a bit rough with my elderly mare I decided he had to go but I was afraid he'd go mad if I told him I didn't like his behaviour and attitude. So I rang him up and said that for personal reasons that I found extremely uncomfortable I couldn't use him anymore. Of course, he assumed I was in love with him and I let him believe it just to get rid of him amicably!!

At the time I never expected to see him again so it seemed not so bad. Fast forward about 3 years and I have just come to the end of my equine podiatry training course. I walk onto a big yard about a month ago to trim a new horse and who should I see? You guessed it! I wanted the earth to swallow me up!!

So the moral of the story is don't lie to your farrier - it'll come back to bite you on the arse!!

 

[teacups]

FFAQ, that is a great story. <g>