I think barefoot trimmer may have conned me!

JingleTingle

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I am actually fuming that in my attempt to try my mare barefoot I have apparently been conned out of rather a lot of money and left with a brand new pair of hoof boots that are too big for my horse and of no use to me whatsoever.

I will try to keep this as brief as possible. I contacted an equine podiatrist that was advertised on an Irish barefoot site. She came and trimmed my horse and said she would measure her for boots and order them for me. I explained I only wanted fronts to begin with as I couldnt afford to buy the backs at the same time. She assured me that if they did not fit she would be able to take them back of me, she said she also ran a service to exchange boots as and when my horse would need a larger size.

She did dither a lot when she had trimmed and said that she was surprised how large my horse's feet were measuring and that it would be a size 9 in the Easyboot Trail. She was so unsure that she asked me to get the mare back in again before she left and measured her again. She still came up with the same size boot.,

Boots duly arrived in the post, too big IMO and even when I sent pictures with a measure on to someone far more experienced than me, they also came up with totally different measurements and thought a size 7 or 8, but definitely not a 9.

I have contacted the trimmer (if she actually IS a trimmer?) with the pictures and the measurements marked on the photos. I had already said I thought they were too big and she told me to try them on again but pull the velcro even tighter, well that didnt work!

So this is her latest response, can anyone please tell me if this is acceptable and how can I find out more about her qualifications etc? Obviously I am now doubting everything about her! Incidentally I didn't pay her trade prices, it was the full retail price so I am not sure what she is mentioning that for?

[B]Well like I said, ill call in on Monday on my way home from wicklow and see them. Only thing is u can try to sell them on because they won't take them back from me because its trade which is a pain. At the moment because of another client making me order the wrong size boots, I can't even afford to buy them back. I'm thinking it would be so much handier for people to buy them direct from the company who will then return them, or off another website.[/B]

I have replied that I am not happy with this at all, and if she doesnt take back the boots and refund my money, I will take her to the small claims court and name and shame her. Incidentally, the boots are spotless still, I put socks on the horse and stood her on old sheets to protect them whilst I tried them on her. So far she is ignoring me, any helpful suggestions please? Be gentle please, no fool like an old fool and all that!:o
 
Badgermyers, you can't tarnish all with the same brush... I'm sure there are plenty of bad ones out there but I can vouch for at least one superb trimmer.
 
What a supprise....I dont trust barefoot trimmers one bit. Ill never understand how they learn what they do in a few weeks......


whereas my farrier is coming to see what my barefoot trimmer knows that he doesn't when she trims tomorrow (must have been a good few weeks eh :rolleyes:), given that the horse is sound in her care and he was struggling. We will likely all just have a nice chat about feet ;)

OP I would have said if she is selling them as 'trade' then the onus is on her to take them back! If she can't/won't she shouldn't have suggested you buy them off her in the first place.

My trimmer has an easyboot fit kit but does not sell them herself.. I was then able to purchase the right size from my choice of supplier.
 
well, if you don't know for sure whether she is a trimmer, what the heck are you doing letting her trim your horse? It's your responsibility to check that out.

as for the boots, if she's going back on her word thats a different matter. However, if she's not going to help you then you will be able to sell them for a new price-the market is good in boots. Although The Saddlery Shop can be a little pricier than others, you can at least hire boots form them and their customer service is very good.
 
What a supprise....I dont trust barefoot trimmers one bit. Ill never understand how they learn what they do in a few weeks......

BM if you can't help the woman MUST you derail her post with those old, old arguments :mad: ? If the trimmer IS an EP she has studied for a long time and spent a lot of money doing it. If she's not then that's hardly the fault of barefoot trimmers who have studied hard and paid a lot.

Now, OP, back on track, what is the law in Ireland where you are? In the UK she has to have provided goods that were "fit for purpose" and the boots are not because they are too big and so she should lose in a small claims court.
 
well, if you don't know for sure whether she is a trimmer, what the heck are you doing letting her trim your horse? It's your responsibility to check that out.

I didn't post this to be accused of paying someone to trim my feet who wasn't qualified. At this stage I will NOT name her, but I WAS convinced because on the Irish barefoot site that lists her as a barefoot trimmer and equine podiatrist. It also links to her own site that also claims she is a qualified Equine Podiatrist? As a total newbie to all things barefoot I am not sure what else I would have been expected to do?

Unfortunately over here in Ireland, finding someone to do a barefoot trim who is qualified is like looking for hen's teeth...I had thought I had found a qualified person, obviously I might have been fooled by both web sites? At this stage I really don't know?

Nor did I post in order to set off a barefoot slanging match. Just looking for helpful and practical advice if that is possible on H&H?:( I am still hoping to try barefoot, but obviously now I will have to search again for a trimmer and get my boots elsewhere.
 
Sorry only going on experience and what I have looked into for my dissertation!

Cos thats going to be an unbiased set of research and dissertation :rolleyes:

OP Do you know what organisation the person trained with ? You could complain to them. Unfortunately, much like clothing sizes for humans, boots can be tricky to get right and obviously they have to be right to do their job properly :(
 
Cos thats going to be an unbiased set of research and dissertation :rolleyes:

OP Do you know what organisation the person trained with ? You could complain to them. Unfortunately, much like clothing sizes for humans, boots can be tricky to get right and obviously they have to be right to do their job properly :(

No I have found good and bad points to both sides dont worry! but it seems best results are acheived via a farrier trimming with vet supervision for the barefoot side of things. I havnt conducted my individual study yet and I am looking forward to the results.
 
I'm sure if she said you couldn't return them you would have thought twice about buying them... That is pretty poor. She was probably just talking up her business a bit, but it has backfired.
 
Thank you cptrayes...it is rather complex in that the 'trimmer' is from the North (UK) and I am from the South (Eire) so I actually paid her with a euro cheque that was the exchange rate for the sterling retail price on that day she was here.

But I am pretty sure that consumer law here is very similar if not exactly the same. But would I have to start a small claim here or via the NI courts?
 
Thats because it takes a lot longer then a few weeks.

Agree. My sister studied and worked for free for two years to get qualified. It does sound as though she measured the wrong part of the hoof though. Probably measured to the back of the heel rather than the groove by the sound of it.
 
No I have found good and bad points to both sides dont worry! but it seems best results are acheived via a farrier trimming with vet supervision for the barefoot side of things.

do you have a reference for those studies? I would be interested to read and have full access. thanks.
 
Why on Earth do people insist on a barefoot trimmer for unshod horses?

I would have who was best and who was recommended locally and who I trusted. This has always been farriers from experience, but if there was a local barefoot trimmer worth their salt I would have no hesitation in using them either. Advantage of a farrier you trust is that if they don't think it can go unshod immediately they can shoe longer and any of mine, will happily do what is best for the horse not owner and themselves. Most of the farriers I know prefer horses unshod, so they certainly wouldn't flog you a shoe for the sake of it either.

Get local recommendations asap for barefoot trimmer or farrier who works with unshod horses and don't let this woman near your horse again (obviously doesn't give two tosses if she's not prepared to get boots that actually fit on the horse).
 
Agree. My sister studied and worked for free for two years to get qualified. It does sound as though she measured the wrong part of the hoof though. Probably measured to the back of the heel rather than the groove by the sound of it.

Thats fair enough and interesting to know! Barefoot doesnt seem popular around here and all the ones I have met/delt with either did a couple of week course, taught themselves and do their own horses or just seem plain useless. I know you get useless farriers too but personally I would far rather trust a farrier than a trimmer, BUT I am doing a study into foot balance and comparing shod vs barefoot horses in terms of balance and soundness.

I am excited to see what I find :) There doesnt seem to be any studies into footbalance like it. Only ones into either barefoot OR shod ect
 
Thank you cptrayes...it is rather complex in that the 'trimmer' is from the North (UK) and I am from the South (Eire) so I actually paid her with a euro cheque that was the exchange rate for the sterling retail price on that day she was here.

But I am pretty sure that consumer law here is very similar if not exactly the same. But would I have to start a small claim here or via the NI courts?

Not sure on that, but in the UK you go to your local court.

Perhaps contact the site you found her on too? I'm sure they would like to know of any problems
 
Please get your research from those who have qualified with the UKNHCP/ AEP schools rather than unqualified /home trimmers to make it a fair playing field!

I wouldn't let the local farrier near mine at gun point having seen what he's capable of :eek:
 
BM I think it will also be important for your dissertation to know what the training involves for those attached to various organisations FRC and trimmers :).
 
She has measured wrong and needs to take them back. Simple as. If she's so tight as to not be able to afford to buy them back/sort it out she's struggling and needs to reconsider her business plan! Nevermind the fact that it is totally unprofessional in terms of the nattering on to you about other custoemrs etc. etc. and her finances!
 
not going to get involved in the trimmer vs farrier debate - but - OP - take screen shots of her listed qualifications/returns policy etc etc on her websites so you have proof of what you believed - just in case they miraculously become re-worded over night
 
I wouldn't let the local farrier near mine at gun point having seen what he's capable of :eek:

Likewise. Scary how many people will use someone because they always have/cheaper/good to look at.

Local normal one is rubbish, two other locals I found (one through OHs father - farrier) were fantastic. All three regularly attend seminars and love seeing interesting cases and one knows old donkey sanctuary farrier, so got a lot of advice there too. All will spend as long as it takes with the horse and never get angry with it, or do a shoddy rush job
 
Agree. My sister studied and worked for free for two years to get qualified. It does sound as though she measured the wrong part of the hoof though. Probably measured to the back of the heel rather than the groove by the sound of it.

That is exactly where she measured to..the back of her heel, and I did think that as her heels are under run perhaps it should have been to the actual groove that is the area that touches the floor? But then I am not an expert, I would have trimmed and measured myself if I was!:o Also her width measurement was considerably wrong, by 5mm so I am not sure where that came from?
 
GOM, I feel for you! It's like the wild west here sometimes. I'm sticking with my farrier to trim because I figured I'd end up just like you are now. Not because I think all trimmers are useless, but because we don't have much to choose from here. It takes me a long time to build up trust as I've been burned badly, not by trimmers! I'm just gun-shy. My farrier is very much pro getting them out of shoes. Listened to my thoughts, my hopes, how we could get it done ect. He's been great. I updated my OP today. I did have to put 2 back in shoes temporarily. I'm pretty sure I set myself up for failure taking 4 bare all at the same time. Rookie mistake. My farrier was trying to console me as I felt like a huge failure. He's like these shoes aren't permanent we can try again. I need boots for those 2 and probably some diet tweaking. I'm just really gutted as those 2 have the much better feet and been in shoes the least amount of time. The 2 with the worst feet are flying. They have gone from strength to strength. Anyway, will be trying again, but I think it was a bit silly of me to think 4 would be a breeze. But all of the BF people on this thread always said don't put to much pressure on you and your horses. Still feel like a failure.

Good luck with this. Sounds like a pain.

Terri
 
Get local recommendations asap for barefoot trimmer or farrier who works with unshod horses and don't let this woman near your horse again (obviously doesn't give two tosses if she's not prepared to get boots that actually fit on the horse)

Pandorasjar I can assure you that had I got a halfway decent farrier within 100 miles of me I would NOT have had to take this route in the first place. I am in the backend of nowhere and have managed in just the last 6 months to find a farrier that at least doesn't do any more damage to her feet, even if he doesn't know enough to improve them! That is a fact of life where I am and I have to live with it and do the best I can with what is available to me.

I haver actually just been speaking to someone on the phone that might be able to help me on my barefoot quest......but they are a very long way from me and it will not be cheap! But if it helps to sort my horse out then so be it.
 
Last time i let a farrier near my horse to check his balance & give him a trim (incase i was getting it all wrong!) he sliced straight down his beautiful frogs before i could say a word! Turns out my balance was fine, but they were trimming my mothers horses, the horses had flares & white line seperaton, we dont let those farriers near ours now! I dont use barefoot trimmers either though, after £45 and 3 hours to trim one horse, never again!
 
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