Standard of farriers is shocking

[Equi]

To keep this short and sweet, my own farrier was on holiday and spud came in a bit short so i called an emergency farrier who then left him in an awful way. My own farrier bless him came out as emergency as soon as he came home (and didn't charge me) but was not able to do much until he grew out a bit but helped make him a little more comfortable or as comfortable as he could. He was genuinely shocked at how he had been left, every shoe was warped but he felt it would make things worse to take them off encase his hoof spread too much and his heels wore off even more than they had been taken. So he said give him a couple of weeks off and he'll come back as soon as any growth is there.

We have maybe another two or three goes every few weeks to get him back to normal, but he is walking normally now at least and can be brought back into work. First pic is a day or so after first farrier did him.

 

[Tiarella]

Just one of many reasons why
A) I wouldn't use a farrier
B) I wouldn't shoe my horse

 

[Equi]

Just one of many reasons why
A) I wouldn't use a farrier
B) I wouldn't shoe my horse

That theory works GREAT if you can get away with it. He was bare for as long as i could try it, but his heels ran too low which made his hamstrings too tight making him even more uncomfortable and im not confident in doing anything to their feet myself. But continue with what you do if it works for you.

 

[KautoStar1]

Just one of many reasons why
A) I wouldn't use a farrier
B) I wouldn't shoe my horse

What and use a completely untrained and unregulated barefoot trimmer. ??

 

[KautoStar1]

My farrier would agree. He sees some shocking work done.
I suppose it's like any profession. And the bad ones give the rest a bad name.

Mine is superb.

 

[Equi]

My farrier would agree. He sees some shocking work done.
I suppose it's like any profession. And the bad ones give the rest a bad name.

Mine is superb.

Ive been through a few always trying to find the one i thought was best, in my old horses and my minis. My minis were the decider in farriers for me (which is why i have the one i have now) cause if anyone can trim a mini and not half kill it they are a decent farrier. My current farrier has always been amazing with my minis always explaining things to me and showing my what he is doing and why (for their conformation or faults etc) and my cow hock mare is almost damn straight now to the eye but obviously never will be as shes forever cowhocked. He is the only one i have ever known to actually stand back, look at the horse and ask you to stand them up THEN look at the hoof, and ask what if any issues you have with them. I told him spuds hammys were tight, so he looked at his back and said he needs more heel. Simples. Also the time my mare had issues, the vet said it was lami (old fat shetland..) he said it 100% is not and went out of his way to do a lot for her, and got her sound and it wasn't lami but stifle. He is always there if i message he will sit and chat for hours about it...its not just a "ill talk to you when i see you in person" thing.

I feel so guilty so using anyone else but thought at the time i was doing the best for my horse. Clearly i was very wrong.

It doesn't do any harm that my farrier is gorgeous! phwooor..

 

[Kat]

You have got flare on the top photo that goes beyond one shoeing cycle.

And the second photo shows rasp marks really high up the hoof wall.

 

[Butterbear]

I agree that it is immensely difficult to find a good farrier, I've just moved to a new area and am concerned which one to call out or whether I just have to work through them one at a time until I find a good one. Its a shame that there are some bad ones because they are an integral part of horse keeping. Perhaps if we as owners expected more and to some extent were all fully aware of what a functioning hoof should be/look like then the bad ones would have to improve their game or retrain in some other profession.

 

[FfionWinnie]

You have got flare on the top photo that goes beyond one shoeing cycle.

And the second photo shows rasp marks really high up the hoof wall.

I agree. I don't think the "good" pic is good either. They both look horrid!

 

[ihatework]

You have got flare on the top photo that goes beyond one shoeing cycle.

And the second photo shows rasp marks really high up the hoof wall.

I was thinking the same. Those feet haven't got that unbalanced in one shoeing cycle IMO.

 

[JillA]

Bad farriers should be reported to the FRC. They may not take action but they need the feedback and if there are enough reports/complaints then they need to look at their training or monitoring of ongoing registrations. Don't tell us, tell them!

 

[Tiarella]

What and use a completely untrained and unregulated barefoot trimmer. ??

My equine podiatrist has done as much (if not more) training than a farrier. Proof is in the pudding really...happy to post pics of before and after. As I'm sure are many other people that horses have gone from strength to strength in ditching their farrier and horses shoes. In fact, I know at least 3 horses that lives have been saved from using equine podiatrists.

 

[Scarlett]

What and use a completely untrained and unregulated barefoot trimmer. ??

Or use a trained barefoot trimmer...

Farriers lame horses far more than trimmers, they just get to cover it up with shoes.

 

[Scarlett]

Bad farriers should be reported to the FRC. They may not take action but they need the feedback and if there are enough reports/complaints then they need to look at their training or monitoring of ongoing registrations. Don't tell us, tell them!

I tried to report my old farrier when my vet advised that all 3 of my horses had feet issues - navicular/caudal heel pain whatever you want to call it - because of his shoeing and the FRC didn't give a toss. My vet said his name came up regularly in the area for horses with feet probs. Yet he won an award at Windsor the year before for shoeing...

 

[ycbm]

What and use a completely untrained and unregulated barefoot trimmer. ??

The alternative for most people is a trained and/or experienced trimmer or a farrier who has not had any training in keeping hard working horses barefoot, because it is still not in the syllabus of their training.

I'm completely self taught, yet I have personally brought back into full work four horses where farriers said nothing more could be done, and helped several other people do the same with theirs.

Things are getting better, though. There are more farriers around who know more than to nail on a set of shoes just because a horse has gone a touch footie . And who know that no shoe they put on will have anything near the chance of resolving navicular syndrome lameness that taking the shoes off does.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

What and use a completely untrained and unregulated barefoot trimmer. ??

With good feet and management you don't need a trimmer, as a good farries should know how to balance feet, else how good was his training?
If a trained and regulated farrer cripples the horse, how much worse can it get?
I'm not sure many owners know enough about feet, they should learn: it will benefit both horse and rider.
I certainly don't like these hooves. I would be feeding minerals and linseed all year round. And to be honest, I would remove the shoes and turn out for a month.
The WCF discourage the promotion of barefoot horses, shoeing is a money earner................., and the travelling farrier has big overheads. But it is a lot quicker to trim than to shoe, he should be capable of doing both, he cannot be a good farrier if he can't trim.

 

[Wheels]

You should try living in Northern Ireland - it is not a requirement for farriers to be qualified. You can buy shoes in the local tack shop I kid you not!!

Of course there are good qualified farriers, very happy with mine but I only found him after going through 3 others who didn't do such a great job even though they were apparently qualified.

 

[pansymouse]

Farriers lame horses far more than trimmers, they just get to cover it up with shoes.

That's absolute rubbish in my experience my farrier has brought two badly lame and one near death laminitic back into full work after three different supposedly highly trained trimmers had literally ruined their feet and these are just the horses and ponies I know personally.

My horse is farrier maintained barefoot having been taken barefoot aged 16 at his recommendation.

 

[Celtic Fringe]

Bad farriers need to be reported to the FRC and they should take action. However, the National Farrier Training Agency was deemed inadequate in a 2013 OFSTED inspection - and some of the issues were with the quality of training provided and assessment of practical skills of apprentices. It might be that if the farrier that you used qualified around that time and their training and assessment was jus not up to scratch?

I've used both farriers and barefoot trimmers. As with all professions there are good and bad practitioners. Ours were initially recommended by word of mouth. i would not pick someone at random from a trade directory or FB page. Once you've found a good one hang onto them - they are like gold!

 

[Damnation]

I feel so lucky. So so lucky.

My farrier is relatively newly qualified - he is an utter gem and my horse has never lost a single shoe in a year under his care. Including in a winter field with almost a foot of mud in places. Never abscessed, never lame, and her feet look good.

Not only that, if I said I wanted her barefoot he would go with it.

Good ones are like gold dust.

Although I am inclined to agree with what others have said - that flare has been there longer than one cycle. Im no foot expert but I don't paticularly like the 2nd picture either. Sorry

 

[Flicker]

That's absolute rubbish in my experience my farrier has brought two badly lame and one near death laminitic back into full work after three different supposedly highly trained trimmers had literally ruined their feet and these are just the horses and ponies I know personally.

My horse is farrier maintained barefoot having been taken barefoot aged 16 at his recommendation.

Absolutely second this statement. Without my wonderful farrier suggesting fitting my last horse with bar shoes and pads, we may have followed our vet's advice and put him to sleep because we just could not keep him sound. Our farrier gave us years with him thanks to his skill and tenacity.

Barefoot is fine if your horse has feet that can cope. I know of many who can't and are crippled withou shoes. Just as metal shoes don't suit every horse so barefoot doesn't either.

Rather than 'taking a position' that shoes=bad and barefoot=good we should be caring for our horses as unique individuals and tailoring what we do to suit their needs.

 

[Equi]

You should try living in Northern Ireland - it is not a requirement for farriers to be qualified. You can buy shoes in the local tack shop I kid you not!!

Of course there are good qualified farriers, very happy with mine but I only found him after going through 3 others who didn't do such a great job even though they were apparently qualified.

I do hence horses feet lol

It's going to take a few cycles to correct

 

[ester]

It took a few cycles to get like that, just rasping high up to remove the flair only makes it look better on the surface

 

[JillA]

It took a few cycles to get like that, just rasping high up to remove the flair only makes it look better on the surface

This ^^^
The main difference between the before and after photographs is cosmetic IMHO, the "good" farrier has rasped away at the walls to make them look tidier. Or am I missing something?

 

[windand rain]

My ponies are all barefoot and work hard including ODEs my farrier is fantastic does remedial work and has kept one of mine from having a turned in leg due to trimming her from a foal. Cant say I like some of the others in the area though. My farrier will advise you to go barefoot where possible

 

[Wheels]

I do hence horses feet lol

It's going to take a few cycles to correct

Lol!! I never even noticed your location

Where abouts are you? PM me if you like

 

[tristar]

the best farrier i had was also farrier to the world champion of show jumping, young quiet, patient, modest and just did the job.

having had horses shod in several countries, the best are french, the worst irish, the english well, if they turn up..... then there is the evil tempers, the rush, and inexperience, giving my horse grief because he is a stallion, they are not fit to shoe a lot of of them.

i know a very highly qualified farrier with 40 years experience who raves in desperation about the state of training and shoeing of horses, he was also training young farriers and left because the school was, in his opinion not teaching how it should, he is currently writing a book about the state of affairs at this moment.

 

[silv]

You should try living in Northern Ireland - it is not a requirement for farriers to be qualified. You can buy shoes in the local tack shop I kid you not!!

Of course there are good qualified farriers, very happy with mine but I only found him after going through 3 others who didn't do such a great job even though they were apparently qualified.

Same here in New Zealand, have seen some terrible feet. Also dumfounded by the lack of knowledge by owners of what a balanced foot should look like.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I agree about that flare that can no way be down to one bad trim and shoeing it starts to high up. How often is your horse shod?

 

[ycbm]

I'm wondering why the farrier has rasped right up to the periople? And from the 'bad' photo, and where the rasping is down to after a bit of growth, he does this routinely?