The farrier smacked my horse...

...and the look on her face was priceless!
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He's never had cause to tell her off in the past, but today she was being a little bugger, trying to eat the wood off the tailgate of his pickup. I pushed her head away once, then he pushed it away a second time, then I had just gone to get him a bucket of water when she went to do it again! He whacked her across the backside, and she jumped in suprise, then stood there looking so hurt and upset! Her ears went out to each side, and she actually looked very remorseful!

Made me laugh....she was like, 'hang on, yesterday I had a vet who gave me polos, then today you bring me a farrier who whacks my bum!'
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She is on one today!
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Quite right too
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Sometimes I think we are unfair to farriers, expecting them to trim/shoe some bad-mannered horses, and putting them at risk.
If any of my horses ever kick/bite a farrier, I'll have them made into a rug (like the tigerskin ones - with the head still on, and the mouth open
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Hope your mare recovers from the indignity!
S
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Whisk is a fidgeter and a fiddler. He chews my farriers belt, pulls his tools out of the box and generally makes a nuisance of himself!!
 
Absolutely agree, I am just so grateful that our farrier was prepared to put up with the big mares awful behaviour (she didn't bite or kick, but was frightened of him and 17hh of scared ShirexClydesdale is a bit much) He only hit her once, but I gave a her 'dig' on a regular basis, when I thought it was naughty not sacred ( she was both)
 
I agree, S, some people expect their farriers to go way beyond the call of duty when it comes to certain horses. I remember when I used to go around with my dad
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when he was a farrier, some of the things he had to do to subdue the horses were......not good
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I know a lot of farriers these days will not do youngsters or notoriously bad horses, it just isnt worth it to them. And when I went to a Shire Centre on the coast last year, the guy that ran it says he physically cannot find a farrier prepared to shoe a shire any more, so he does them himself!
 
My youngster is a nightmare for the farrier and he is quite new so was alway telling him off.
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I said give him a good whack as hes taking the mick. So he did and he is now much better behaved.He still bites his head and bum though but has stopped trying to lie down now.

My farrier is an angel and has the patience of a saint!
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lol my farrier came to replace a shoe 2 weeks ago, mare is normally good as gold, but 3 horses went troting past, and as she as been hunting all season threw a paddy and turned into a bull, ended up with with me and the farrier getting beat up, farrier put a nail in his finger blood everywhere, he wasn't best pleased, mare got a good smack, but just looked as to say yeah come on then bring it on lol. Waiting for farrier now so hope she is in a better mood
 
my old horse use to undo the farriers apron (was velcro) he was so quick with it, one min it was on the next was in heap on floor!!!!
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our big likes to sit on our farrier.......
aqt 17 2 hh hes a tad heavy too...many a time we have had to rescue small farrier from beneath big bum!!!
 
Erm...there is a down side!
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When I took my mare with a friend for a weeks riding holiday and stayed at a hotel that had a Riding School attached belonging to the hotel,we stayed in a very pretty cottage that over looked their yard....imagine the horror on our faces when we saw their local farrier, take a file and smack the horse just above the eyes,because it was fidgeting............and yes we reported it to the Riding School YM,as was a disgusting display of sheer nastiness! He did not think he was being watched,as no yard staff around!
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Erm...there is a down side!
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When I took my mare with a friend for a weeks riding holiday and stayed at a hotel that had a Riding School attached belonging to the hotel,we stayed in a very pretty cottage that over looked their yard....imagine the horror on our faces when we saw their local farrier, take a file and smack the horse just above the eyes,because it was fidgeting............and yes we reported it to the Riding School YM,as was a disgusting display of sheer nastiness! He did not think he was being watched,as no yard staff around!
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Oh, believe me, I know of the down sides
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I have no problems about revealing them to the world, as I no longer have contact with my father, but he used to be a farrier and, in the later years of his career, he was a complete bastard to the horses. Many people dropped him because they had witnessed him hitting them with a rasp or a hammer, or beating them into a corner and kicking them into submission, or punching them in the mouth until they bled....yet he used to be one of the best farriers in our area, undisputedly. I never know whether to be cross or sad that he turned out the way he did...but then his farriery methods turned out as erratic and incomprehendable as everything else in his life
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There was a rumour going around my area about a farrier (I genuinely don't know who he is) who was doing more than shoe the horses. He was caught in the act apparently at a yard when he thought he was on his own!! Scary hey?
 
My farrier is allowed to tell them off but sadly since a very nasty farrier abused my TBx she is terrifed of them. She doesn't hurt them because she's nasty but everytime they move quickly she tries to get away. Luckily the guy that comes out is lovely and prepared to spend the extra few minutes on her
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My farrier is amazeing. As we have horses that often don't like the company of people he works wonders. He just whistles to them. Jazz was a complete and utter nightmare but he has even won her round.
I had one to Florin once, long story. She was stood absolutely perfect. When he realised what horse it was - it was when i got her back and he did he feet with someone else - he hit her for no reason in the face. Well i went doo lally. I upset Florin and she nearly went into a parked car so i put her in the field and went back for another go. He hit her with a file. If it wasn't back in his car he was getting it in his face. She had stood perfectly still for him it was just because the horse she was. ooo still makes me mad. Attack me and i am softie, attack my horses and i flip.
 
I blame my 'Ex-farrier' for having to put my horse down! My horse had always been 100% to shoe - no trouble at all. Moved to a new yard, new farrier who shod all the horses.

He was quite rough with the horses and my horse was nervous of him. The first couple of times he came I held the horse and that was fine although I could always feel his heart pounding (something that never happened in the previous 4 years I'd had him).

The third time the farrier turned up when I couldn't be there. According to the YO horse wouldn't stand still so farrier hit him with the file. Horse pulled back, broke the string and galloped off at top speed along a tarmac road, bucking, with no front shoes on!!!

Took about 15 mins to catch apparently and came back lame. To cut a long and very sad story short - horse had damaged deep digital flexor tendon and after nearly a year of box and field rest had to be put down!!

A tragic and needless sequence of events.
 
I must say that my farrier is amazing. Before I got her the stud that had her sod her. A (The farrier) shod her on that occasion and she was a complete cow, wouldn't stand still, kicked with her back legs etc, and when I bought her he offered to keep doing her shoes! ( I thought this would be best because he knew what she would do and she knew him if you see what I mean?) After I got her she was as good as gold.. Farrier calls P "baby". If she looses a shoe he is out within 24hrs. If a horse is lame after being shod he is out there once his days work is done. If your horse has an abcess he is out ASAP to remove the shoe and dig for the abcess etc. I can't fault him!
 
definitely down sides - my horse is a face puller and never actually bites but obviously the farrier thought he would and when I came up to see my horse in the evening after the farrier had been he was really upset, standing in the corner of his stable sulking so he must have been whacked a few times.... the last time the farrier came he seemed ok though. If he hadnt have been I would have been looking for a new farrier. My horse is all bark and no actual bite so he doesnt deserve to be smacked, especially when I explained this to the farrier prior to him coming!
 
If you can find a good farrier who knows his stuff but is also firm but fair with your horse you are on a winner. Mine doesn't take any messing but will use his voice to warn and then smack with his hand on bum or flank never head or nose. My horses all respect him and behave for him.
 
I don't allow any farrier, and to be honest I can't ever imagine my farrier, hitting any of my horses. I never leave the farrier alone with the horses, I am always holding them for him. If the horse does something wrong, then I will thump it, not have him do it. This has never happened here though, as they are all very well behaved with the farrier.
 
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I don't allow any farrier, and to be honest I can't ever imagine my farrier, hitting any of my horses. I never leave the farrier alone with the horses, I am always holding them for him. If the horse does something wrong, then I will thump it, not have him do it. This has never happened here though, as they are all very well behaved with the farrier.

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Of course they are
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S
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Yes they are. Every single one of them, including every single one of the boarding horses aswell (including the one who used to behave like the beeatch from hell when she first came).
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I had one hit my fidgety arab mare with his hammer once, B****d!! Never had him back.
I've had the same guy now for nearly 20 years (since he first qualified) and he's my hero! Alway firm but fair, never really had a horse mess with him yet and he has endless patience with my stupid boy who goes through phases of over-reaching his front shoes off (done 4 since he was last shod) and he always comes within a couple of days and doesn't charge me even if a new shoe is requered. His van doesn't even break down outside the pub, how lucky's that?!
I'd tell you his name but then you'd all want him!!
 
The first time my horse had shoes put on she kicked the farrier
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in the balls
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and he flew about 6 feet through the air. He got up hobbled over to her, punched her in the face and gave her a nose bleed
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. I was not best pleased (don't suppose he was either!) but ever since then she has been as good as gold!
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LMAO!!! Farriers do seem to have a very desirable smell about them, the horses here all love to smell my farriers butt too!
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LMAO!!! Farriers do seem to have a very desirable smell about them, the horses here all love to smell my farriers butt too!
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You know, I think you're right. PF is an angel (of course) but she rests her nose on his bum and nuzzles him, which evidently he finds a bit of a nuisance
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See I think there's a certain level of aggressiveness that is unacceptable in farriers/anyone that deals with horses professionally.

My (ex) farrier was absolutely horrid to my horse (when he actually turned up) even though my horse is as good as gold and literally just stands there.

My lovely new farrier is absolutely wonderful. I said to him from the start 'if you need to, hit him' and he's only needed to once, when my horse was almost leaning on him.

I've seen him with horses who aren't as good, and he is patient and firm with them.
 
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