Is this my imagination? Farrier/foot query.

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
My lad has cracking feet and is barefoot.

He gets trimmed a couple of times a year (previously regularly while growing but now rarely needs anything other than a tidy).

A few horses on yard were being seen by farrier that day and YO happy to hold mine for a trim instead of a 1hr 30 min round drive for me to do it.

Saw my horse and thought he was standing a tad pigeon toed which is odd as he's usually straight as a die. Decided it was a trick of the light so to speak. Looked again next day and again he looked turned in in front, so started to think about it and now got myself confused.

I'm no foot expert by any means but I've never known of a horse end up noticeably looking toe in after a tidy trim?

I don't like it but sure if I'm concerned about it more than I should be. It's not like it's affecting growth plates and he'll wear himself even within a short time but that's not the point.

Now I have doubts about using that farrier and any muscular effect until he levels himself out. Can't decide whether to have another farrier out to have a look and file level or whether it truly is my imagination.

Please tell me if I'm going mad or he's been poorly trimmed as I can't decide! Just to add, I am incredibly picky. I dare say most wouldn't notice it but I feel like it's glaringly obvious!

How drastically has a trim altered your horses stance and how did you feel about it?
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
How do they look if you pick them up and 'sight' them down the frog from the toe, ie does each side look the same level?

Is he doing road work to stay self trimming? If anything like mine/few others he will undo anything he doesn't like pretty quickly so I wouldn't worry too much yet.
 

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
How do they look if you pick them up and 'sight' them down the frog from the toe, ie does each side look the same level?

Is he doing road work to stay self trimming? If anything like mine/few others he will undo anything he doesn't like pretty quickly so I wouldn't worry too much yet.

No, I'm not overly happy on 'sight'. Outside heel slightly higher along with outside edge.

He's having the winter off and is stabled at night and on rough hard standing during day as fields out of use over worst of winter weather.

He also goes on a fine rubber surfaced walker a few times a week. I've just never seen him toe in and I don't like it!
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
Ah the hard standing makes sense :). I would speak to farrier but probably wait and see if/how the horse now changes them rather than have the farrier again but that would be me.
 

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
His feet look pretty normal now, so that's that. I'll just use a different farrier. :)

He did however get his jab and teeth done today. Jab went fine, as soon as he saw the gag.......oh dear!

Clearly he hasn't got over that experience with EDT where he ended up bolting off with an open gag on him after being beaten about. :(

He needed a double dose of IV sedation and had his chain on. He fought the whole time.

Appears he hasn't forgotten his op experience at the vets either. :(

Felt really bad for him but he now has lovely smooth teethy pegs. I really didn't want to have to go down the sedation route as it makes him more suspicious and tricky but c'est a vie! Will just have to see how he feels about things tomorrow.
 

Toby_Zaphod

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 August 2005
Messages
9,259
Location
Midlands
Visit site
If you are not happy with the trim given you should really contact the farrier & get him to come back out & take a look. You should really give him a chance to rectify the issue. It's like sometimes the day after a shoeing a horse could have nail bind & you would get the farrier to come out & rectify that. Sometimes they make a mistake, they're human, give then a chance to rectify. If they don't return then they are not providing the service they should & then you seek another farrier.
 

Palindrome

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2012
Messages
1,718
Visit site
You certainly shouldn't ask another farrier for their opinion until you have discussed it with the first one.


If you are not happy with the trim given you should really contact the farrier & get him to come back out & take a look. You should really give him a chance to rectify the issue. It's like sometimes the day after a shoeing a horse could have nail bind & you would get the farrier to come out & rectify that. Sometimes they make a mistake, they're human, give then a chance to rectify. If they don't return then they are not providing the service they should & then you seek another farrier.

I don't understand these 2 posts. Yes, a farrier is human and can make a mistake, but OP is also a customer and it's her choice if she wants to use this farrier again and/or ask advice from another professional. If you go to the dentist and they mess up your teeth, you don't have any obligation to use the same dentist again! Same for vet, farrier or any other pro IMO.
 

Clodagh

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2005
Messages
24,952
Location
Devon
Visit site
I don't understand these 2 posts. Yes, a farrier is human and can make a mistake, but OP is also a customer and it's her choice if she wants to use this farrier again and/or ask advice from another professional. If you go to the dentist and they mess up your teeth, you don't have any obligation to use the same dentist again! Same for vet, farrier or any other pro IMO.

I agree with this. If you aren't happy with what he did, and in this case it hasn't done any harm as horse has the chance to self correct, but it might have done. Why would you want the farrier to come out again and trim more off, possibly making repair harder?
 

peaceandquiet1

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
1,879
Visit site
There is a code of conduct which explains the relationship between the farrier and the client. I think it is available from the worshipful company of farriers or the farriers reg council, and it sets out each parties responsibilities. Getting a second opinion without consulting the first professional is going to offend the first one and put the second one in an awkward position. If the first one has messed up it is also better surely if it is brought to his attention?
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
If you are not happy with the trim given you should really contact the farrier & get him to come back out & take a look. You should really give him a chance to rectify the issue. It's like sometimes the day after a shoeing a horse could have nail bind & you would get the farrier to come out & rectify that. Sometimes they make a mistake, they're human, give then a chance to rectify. If they don't return then they are not providing the service they should & then you seek another farrier.

Sounds like it is too late for him to take a look, the horse has already resolved.
 

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
I'm under no obligation to the Farrier, either I want him to trim or I will use someone else. He got paid for his work, end of. This is twice now (in the only 2 times he has trimmed my horse) that I have been dissatisfied with work done.

Voicing my concerns won't make him a better farrier, a simple trim/tidy should be easy done.

The whole point of 2nd opinions is to look at the 1st. No code of conduct will override my choice to seek further advise for my horse if I feel it is warranted. In this case my horse had easily enough foot to be levelled if I had decided to get the fronts balanced up, yet I wouldn't have used the previous farrier.

Anyway, horse has self corrected.
 

peaceandquiet1

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
1,879
Visit site
The code of conduct doesn't prevent anyone from changing farrier or seeking further advice, it is there to protect all parties. Anyway, another farrier gets dropped without knowing why. If you asked another vet for a second opinion i am sure they would require permission from the first. Same with farriers. Glad your horse has self corrected.
 

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
The code of conduct doesn't prevent anyone from changing farrier or seeking further advice, it is there to protect all parties. Anyway, another farrier gets dropped without knowing why. If you asked another vet for a second opinion i am sure they would require permission from the first. Same with farriers. Glad your horse has self corrected.

A code of conduct is etiquette, nothing more, it protects no one. Permission from the 1st opinion is not required for another to be a 2nd opinion.

Any Pro can get dropped without knowing why, in any Industry, that's life.

Thank you, I'm so pleased he's corrected himself so quickly. Us Owners do tend to worry overly!
 

oldie48

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 April 2013
Messages
7,027
Location
South Worcestershire
Visit site
I like to have a professional relationship with everyone I deal with including my farrier, if I didn't trust him enough to ask him back if I was unhappy about something he'd done, I wouldn't be using him in the first place. The same applies to my vet and any trainer I work with, if I can't talk to them honestly and openly they are not much use to me.
 

buzyizzy

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 April 2007
Messages
352
Visit site
I'd have a barefoot trimmer out to see what farrier has done. It sounds as tho he's unbalanced your horse's feet. Our pony only ever goes pigeon toed when he's due a trim, never afterwards!
 

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
I like to have a professional relationship with everyone I deal with including my farrier, if I didn't trust him enough to ask him back if I was unhappy about something he'd done, I wouldn't be using him in the first place. The same applies to my vet and any trainer I work with, if I can't talk to them honestly and openly they are not much use to me.

It's not that I trust whether I could ask him back, I just don't want to. He's not the farrier for me. I used him because my horse is nearly a hours drive away now, I don't know farriers in that area and he's the 'yard' farrier.

Time for me to do some research for another.
 

saskiahorsey

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 July 2013
Messages
202
Location
up north
Visit site
Hmmm he seems to have probs with vets dentist and farrier !!! Now is it him who has the prob you who has the prob or do you need to do your homework and get decent tradesmen !! Sorry didnt read whole thread but this stood a mile for me !QUOTE=Illusion100;13117314]His feet look pretty normal now, so that's that. I'll just use a different farrier. :)

He did however get his jab and teeth done today. Jab went fine, as soon as he saw the gag.......oh dear!

Clearly he hasn't got over that experience with EDT where he ended up bolting off with an open gag on him after being beaten about. :(

He needed a double dose of IV sedation and had his chain on. He fought the whole time.

Appears he hasn't forgotten his op experience at the vets either. :(

Felt really bad for him but he now has lovely smooth teethy pegs. I really didn't want to have to go down the sedation route as it makes him more suspicious and tricky but c'est a vie! Will just have to see how he feels about things tomorrow.[/QUOTE]
 

Illusion100

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2014
Messages
3,625
Location
Probably on my way to A&E
Visit site
Hmmm he seems to have probs with vets dentist and farrier !!! Now is it him who has the prob you who has the prob or do you need to do your homework and get decent tradesmen !! Sorry didnt read whole thread but this stood a mile for me !QUOTE=Illusion100;13117314]His feet look pretty normal now, so that's that. I'll just use a different farrier. :)

He did however get his jab and teeth done today. Jab went fine, as soon as he saw the gag.......oh dear!

Clearly he hasn't got over that experience with EDT where he ended up bolting off with an open gag on him after being beaten about. :(

He needed a double dose of IV sedation and had his chain on. He fought the whole time.

Appears he hasn't forgotten his op experience at the vets either. :(

Felt really bad for him but he now has lovely smooth teethy pegs. I really didn't want to have to go down the sedation route as it makes him more suspicious and tricky but c'est a vie! Will just have to see how he feels about things tomorrow.

Yes, it can be tricky to sort through 'Professionals' and cut the wheat from the chaff. Whom one person recommends another does not. If only I had your wisdom.
 

webble

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 August 2012
Messages
4,763
Location
Border of Cheshire/Wirral/ N Wales
Visit site
I remember asking my farrier once about taking on new people etc and he said he would always ask a new client who they had been using and then ring that farrier to check he didn't mind the swap and that the person wasn't a non payer/ didn't have a loon horse
 
Top