My farrier is soooo rude!

My fabulous farrier - yes YOU James Hackett :) does not like tea/coffee - it is hot chocolate or orange juice for him, once made the mistake of giving him pink grapefruit juice and he nearly gagged all over the horse! I also leave him to get on with it (unless it is a real youngster or a new horse) and he does not mind at all, but then mine are all, without exception, good with the farrier.
 
I think most farriers are like this, the good ones are far and few between! My last farrier was horrific, he'd book an appointment but then simply not turn up. He wouldnt call to cancel or anything and when you tried calling him in the weeks after he never answered! He'd go off on what we (other clients of his, wasnt just me!) called "one of his jollys". It was so unbelievably rude. He also refused to have a mobile phone which didnt help so you could only call him in the evenings and basically just had to leave machine messages as he never picked up. It was upsetting as I'd struggled with him for quite a few years so was a long term client.

Got so fed up of him that I got a new farrier early last year - this farrier is excellent, he travels up to our area and his mum calls me a few days before and checks he can come on a certain day. Then he texts me the day before (yes, he HAS a mobile!) to confirm he's still coming and will text again in the morning if he's running even 5 mins late (but he's always on time which is also a nice change!).

In my area though (NE Scotland), its well known we have a shortage of farriers (especially good ones). So I guess a few of them up here know they can get the business so don't care how they treat you!
 
My farrier is good - turns up early all the time, good with horse and easy to book appointments... Gets back to me quick and reasonable rates.

You should get a new one tbh going off your experiences...
 
Amaranta said:
My fabulous farrier - yes YOU James Hackett :) does not like tea/coffee - it is hot chocolate or orange juice for him, once made the mistake of giving him pink grapefruit juice and he nearly gagged all over the horse! I also leave him to get on with it (unless it is a real youngster or a new horse) and he does not mind at all, but then mine are all, without exception, good with the farrier.
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Ooohh coincidence or what - we also have an absolutely fabulous farrier - Ryan Hackett. As he is coming to see our mare tomorrow I will get my daughter to ask him if he is related to your James Hackett.
 
Now see I thought tea and cookies were standard fair here! Last time though I learned my BS was on a diet/training program so I left the cookies inside. I will bring him out something healthy next time. Plus it seems lately in using that chocolate cream cheese on everything and I'm a bit grinchy with it!

Terri
 
They earn too much money, mines not too bad, if anything he's always early and I end up meeting him at the gate, if mine looses a shoe though I do usually have to wait at least a week to have it put it back on.

Mine had his front shoe put back on the other day and two days later lost the back one!

Ive had farriers before who just don't show up or turn up really late, they should give them a bit of customer service training whilst they are at college!
 
They earn too much money? Really! Mine charges a rather lot, but when you consider they have to bend over all day, ,deal with horses pulling them this way and that, deal with clients phoning and texting non stop, missed appts by clients, people who forget their money and promise to pay (and take their time about it). Then they have to shell out an extortionate amount these days for supplies, fuel money and taxes - no wonder they charge a lot. But I wouldn't say they necessarily get wealthy on it - but they certainly do deserve to!

Best way to get your farrier to arrive on time and come promptly for lost shoes? A polite text and a tip! Coffee and cakes work too! Treat them the way you want to be treated and I bet you get a different level of service.

:D
 
MagicMelon said:
I think most farriers are like this, the good ones are far and few between! My last farrier was horrific, he'd book an appointment but then simply not turn up. He wouldnt call to cancel or anything and when you tried calling him in the weeks after he never answered! He'd go off on what we (other clients of his, wasnt just me!) called "one of his jollys". It was so unbelievably rude. He also refused to have a mobile phone which didnt help so you could only call him in the evenings and basically just had to leave machine messages as he never picked up. It was upsetting as I'd struggled with him for quite a few years so was a long term client.
!
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That's simply unacceptable! I realise in your area that farriers are few and far between, but sheesh that's appalling!
 
We had a farrier years ago who was a nightmare to get out. He was a nice chap and good at his stuff (when he turned up) but it was very tough getting him to actually turn up,plus we lived in the middle of no where, he was the most local and only one we knew of in that neck of the woods!

From what you have said I would also be finding a new farrier
 
Capriole said:
Mine doesnt get tea or biscuits or anything similar though. I dont have electricity so no kettle and if he wants bikkies he can bring his own ;)
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I dont have a kettle either (no mains electricity), but I manage perfectly well with a thermos & still bring biscuits anyway :)
I also keep a small camping gaz ring in case of emergencies at the yard too

What he does get is well mannered horses with clean legs and feet, a dry place to stand, and regularly attended to so he isnt trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear with badly maintained feet.
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Mine gets that too :)
Large concrete yard, shade in the summer & shelter in the winter, no mud to walk or drive through at any time
 
we had a farrier who regularly turned up in the middle of the night, ie. 12am and so on. Called the horses 'precious' when your around and was quiet, and almost at the point of pathetic with them, and then 'you effing *****bag', and pushing them around when we weren't there.
3 of our horses had to have remedial shoes after years of his shoeing, so we took these 3 elsewhere and he continued to shoe the rest. a Remedial shoe came off one of the three, so we'd ask our regular farrier to put it on, and get 'Not my problem - get your replacement to do it'.

Needless to say, we have changed farriers, and now have a very nice man (who has lots of good looking young apprentices ;) )
 
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