Thought you may find this interesting.

T

TheFarrier

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jamesthefarrier.co.uk
I dont believe my word is gospel, i dont treat my cleints like carp and i dont expect tea coffee or anything of the sort. I do my job because i love it. I appologise for farriers out there who do of course.

I am really sorry that people seem to think that fariers dont know anything any more. We have CPD where we have to do a certain amount of extra training every year to keep up with what was current. We do a lot of training for a long period of time and no this is not just about shoes, infact we sepnd an entire year before even bieng allowed to study farriery learning about steel and shaping it and bending it etc etc.

There was a debate recently between farriers and barefoot trimmers and the out come is that the trimmers could not say how what they do is any different to a good trim done by a farrier, be that as it may what bothers me is that anyone who follows the barefoot movement seems to feel that our years of training dont count for anything and that we dont know what we are talking about.

I am not against horses bieng barefoot at all, what i believe is that when the rate of work wearing down the feet exceedes the rate at which the horn grows then either cut back on the work being done or put shoes (or boots) on your horse. Anything else is just cruelty.

I have been doing some research on barefoot trims and looking at as many expamples on the net as i can find. I dont believe that the good ones look any different than a trim i do myself (on working horses) and the ones that were not were shocking. I dont beleive a horses foot should be without quarters and i dont believe that a horses foot ahould be unlevel with parts of the wall not making contact with the floor. Horses were designed to walk flat.

Be all this as it may, it is late, and i just wanted to ay that i cant go to bed without saying that not all farriers are against horses being barefoot. I am neither fanatical about shoes or no shoes, i believe in doing what is best for the horse. That at the end of the day is my job. Call it a trade if you will... i call it a passion

I appologise for any typos or spelling errors as i said its quite late.
here is the thread that made me write this post. I hope everyone has a lovely week and enough dry weather to spend time with your neds and get a few rides in too.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...ID=#Post4636499
 
go to bed farrier, what would you know anyway with just all those years of training and experience behind you...

that post has made me so mad...
 
Well said, it is the same as the difference between people qualified to do my job (Psychiatric Social Worker) and unqualified support workers, there are good and bad of each, BUT the qualified workers are registered and have to do mandatory training each year, have professional responsibility and a reputation to maintain. I feel it is the same with all professions.
 
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go to bed farrier, what would you know anyway with just all those years of training and experience behind you...

that post has made me so mad...

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Ive made you mad?

If i have i appologise ive no wish to offend i just find the whole thing a bit sad thats all. I find it sad that people feel the need to belittle the work i do. And say its wrong.
 
Farrier - I think it's the others on that post that have made abracadabra mad if I have read it right - I certainly wouldn't belittle the work farriers do IMO.
 
Don't worry to much about it, Farrier, there is naught as strange as folk.
I kind of get the feeling that barefoot trimmer (whatever they are) is the new 'parelli specialist' with his faithful followers, a bit cult-like.
If it makes you feel better, I find it no hassle at all to provide my farrier with coffee, half of my horses are barefoot, they are trimmed by said farrier and I have no intention of changing it.
I am even considering bribery to make sure that my farrier travels the 90odd miles to come to me when I move to my new yard lol!
He is always the first to say that I pay him in excess of £60 per hour and should expect excellent service and not to be made to hang around waiting... he's never on time though.
 
The old saying is certainly correct. No Foot No Horse.
Given that, the only person who will ever touch my horses feet, be it shod or barefoot, is my wonderful farrier. He is the guy who spent years getting qualified, and often see's a problem before it actually becomes one!
And Farrier.....maybe your new clients in your new area will make you tea, the Cornish are a friendly bunch
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Hi TheFarrier!

I echo all the positive comments also! (While admitting to being confused about the link also - thought it was just me!! Oh sod em!!)

Anyhow, i stick my neck out, and would like to say that this 'barefoot trimming' needs further explanation, as it appears to be nothing more than what a good farrier does anyway (except the 'barefoot trimming' involves paring bars down also! Eeek! Have I read that right?)

(This will lower heels = more pressure on navicular bone, + general wrong balance, conducive to laminitis) (Again, please, correct me if i'm wrong)

Please, please, all forum friends, don't be sucked in by this media hype. If my recollection is correct, the German lady vet who 'discovered' this has subsequently been jailed for cruelty? Please correct/confirm if i'm correct/incorrect. I seem to recollect H+H recording this.

On a personal note, TheFarrier, just like to say that my own farrier is the first person i turn to when i have a problem. He knows his stuff, as you do, and folk like me, who've worked in the horsey biz for years, very much value your knowledge + experience. If i have a hoss with an abcess, no way do i ring the vet, i ring my farrier.

Thank you, i'm only AI/IntSM, respects to all, BS x
 
I have an excellent farrier who suggested to me that my horse would be perfectly happy barefoot.

He does an excellent trim once a month and if he is down on the yard for another horse will always look at mine to see if he needs any mid month maintenance.

I have always trusted my farrier implicity and respected him as a professional in equal measure to my vet and agree with everyone else on here if something goes wrong with my horses foot first person I call is the Farrier.

To me not to would be like going to the Doctor with Toothache.
 
The barefoot pictures i have been looking at either look no different to a good normal trim or they remove the quarters which bothers me. and leave the horses very unlevel. All the toes are rolled.

The german lady to whom you are refering BS is strausser and she and several of her pupil have been charged with cruelty amongst other things. Barefoot trimming came forst from a farrier in the usa who studied mustangs.

All horses not just those in the wild will wear their own feet away to the shape and level they find most comfortable but horses in the wild dont have to cope with extra weight on their backs and the unatural surfaces we keep them in. Domestic horses are not free to rome miles for food and so their feet need looking after by someone other than themselves. Should all horses have shoes? No. should all horse be barefoot? also no
 
From my point of view Farrier I never meant to critize you personally or farriers in general.There are some excellent ones around,Iam sure you are one and if you were in my area (you are not sadly
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) I would be delighted to have your services, whether my horse was shod or not.Personally I have learned a bit from this debate.However, sadly, like all proffessions, there are poor practitioners as well as good and this is not just my own personal experience.MOST of the farriers I have met over the years have been decent.Perhaps the farriery council should just try weeding out some and the slide to barefoot trimmers may stop.I am going back to a farrier as I feel that this is in the interests of my current horse.
 
i love my farrier! yes, they get treated like royalty, in the same way a good plumber does... because sadly they do sometimes have the repuation of being unreliable... so when you find a reliable one, you do your best to please. is that illegal? no. i make my farrier tea, i sometimes even bake him biscuits... i do the same for my plumber... and any other self employed tradesperson. so, shoot me...

that thread was a bit mad, and very judgemental - on both sides. i don't think there is anyone saying ONLY a farrier can trim... but the 'pro barefoot' people do seem to be slagging off farriers, which is wrong.

for the record, my farrier recommended my horse went barefoot, as he's in such light work. he charges me £5 for the trim... and told me it would be good for his feet to have the break. he could easily have carried on charging me £65 for the set of shoes that i usually pay. instead he's done himself out of £60 (even though i was hesitant about him going barefoot)
that's a saving of £10 a week. my farrier can have as many cups of tea as he likes!
 
Okay I am old fashioned and to me horses were always shod or unshod, not barefoot. From what I have read of barefoot trimmers (only as seen on hho) they do seem to criticise farriers and consider their own methods are superior. We had a pony who was semi retired and then started being worked more. She remained without shoes for quite a while, doing roadwork and even hunting with no problem (though obviously stony ground was avoided). We did eventually have front shoes put on her because her feet were wearing down a bit too much, she was never unsound in anyway. I have a great farrier, good time keeping, and he gets tea but no biscuits cos if I had biscuits in the house I would eat them all
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Hi Farrier
FWIW I think it was quite right of you to speak up, I don't know enough about 'bare foot trimming' to comment on it's use, but I do know my farrier is worth his weight in gold. He is currently working with my vet on my lame horse who has a pedal bone fragmentation and does not think he knows it all but has such valuable advice and experience.

I also get really narked by people that judge their farriers by whether they can keep the horses shoes on, my previous farrier shod my horses with shoes that were not the best fit as he was under intense pressure from other clients to make sure all shoes stayed on for 6 weeks. My mare lost a shoe this week a week after shoeing because her shoes are currently longer as this farrier is working to gradually changing the shape of her hoof, but that is just one of those things.
 
I'm with you all the way. I have two excellent farriers whose procedures are slightly different but whose finished results are always (as far as is physically possible due to hoof conformation etc) a well shod and/or balanced hoof. Both farriers have agreed and even suggested shoeless would be very suitable and offer sound advice not based on their financial loss or gain.

What we often forget is we don't own mustangs. Our horses are often crossbred with manufactured lines of parentage and genetics will always 'out' an occasional leg/hoof conformational fault. We should breed (another topic, don't get me started!) or buy the very best we can - but don't blame the farrier if he can't cure flat feet, boxy feet or any other congenital limb defect your non-mustang happens to have. How many adverts for stallions begin with 'Has excellent feet?'

All my horses have very different, albeit 'good' feet inasmuchas when shod or left without, my farrier has half a chance of producing as correctly balanced and shaped a hoof as nature and his excellent TRAINING AND SKILLS and beliefs will allow. Performing miracles are outside of any farrier's remit.

They also have to endure many hours of earbashing I am sure - bemoaning repeatedly lost shoes and brittle feet and I think most deserve a bloody medal. I adore mine who are both punctual, will answer their phones, text or call in advance of arrival if early or (rarely) delayed and are good-looking young men. I have hit the jackpot with mine, as have my fortunate equines
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Thus ends this morning's pontificating!
 
Well said The Farrier!!!!
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FWIW I have a brilliant Farrier who trims and shoes my horses (not all shod). He turns up on time, gives advice and reassurance on my horses feet, and I trust him to do a good and professional job. After all, he is the one that trained for years, so he knows what he's doing!!!
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I also don't know enough about "barefoot trimmers" to comment, but, call me old fashioned, I think I'll stick to my Farrier thanks!!

I also recall that the German woman who started this "trend" was charged with cruelty, so I think 'nough said!!
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Two years ago, my OH's mare suffered a bout of stress related laminitis. Without the work of our highly skilled, experienced and knowledgeable farrier, working in partnership with our vet, she would have been PTS for sure (it was a close run thing we later found out).

Unfortunately the farrier we used at that time decided to emigrate (again) and sold his round to a younger guy. I chatted with him, about laminitis while he was shoeing both the horses one time and his knowledge of the anatomy of both the horse and their feet is outstanding.

That is why I would only ever use a farrier.
 
ive had good and bad farriers.like anything else.
the thing that makes so maddest is when you get a good one who is late all the time and dont return phone calls!

ive also tried an EP and found that i was paying for a trim exactly the same as the farrier.i can take pictures of my own horses feet!

i have a good farrier now who is expensive (25 for trim, 98 for fronts!!!) but really good...
 
I have to say I would NEVER get a barefoot trimmer to my mare.. I have a fantastic farrier whom I trust implicitly, and my TB's feet have always been balanced and well shod. He has also been fantastic at coming out and putting on a lost shoe on the same day/next day. What more could I ask for? My farrier has years of experience and training.. after all, your horses feet are important, why put them at risk by getting out someone less knowledgeable with less training?
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Very well said The Farrier!
Like you, my farrier says exactly the same about when to start shoeing and I trust him completely. However he does get 2 cups of tea plus biscuits when he comes
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so perhaps I am treating him too well
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I absolutely agree that a farrier trim is as good as/if not better than a 'barefoot specialist' trim BUT...unfortunately..there are so many farriers out there who favour the very long toes and collapsed heels.. You have to search far and wide now to find a farrier that will cut off the right amount of heel and shoe the foot in a balanced way, and take his time with his job.
It is because of all the farriers that a) rush the shoeing and do it in 20 mins b) leave the toes miles too long c) leave the foot unbalanced- this is why barefoot trimming has come about.
If every farrier shod as well as the next good farrier, and took as much care and trouble as you do- then people would never have started this barefeet cult epidemic. Barefeet specialists only came about because they simply couldnt find a farrier that will trim correctly, and it was a desperate attempt to take matters into their own hands. Thats what I think anyway
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My girls (mother & daughter) are kept next to another pair of mares (again mother & daughter). Mine are looked after by a very good farrier, and one is shod, one is unshod. The other pair are both 'barefoot' and looked after by a trimmer.

When I compare their feet, I have fewer issues with thrush, soft feet, hard feet, lameness etc.

I have my farrier at the end of the phone - and yes I have phoned him distraught because my girl was hopping lame through a tendon sheath injury. He worked with my vet to ensure she was shod in the best manner for her injury to recover and not reoccur. He carries round a few specialist books in his van, and is quick to use pictures to illustrate or explain his point and will always answer questions.

I have watched the barefoot trimmer, and I found her methods to be very odd, and the horses feet, to my eye, don't look particullarly balanced. They seem very long in the toe and low in the heel. One is on/off lame all the time.

So, from what I have found, I am sticking to my farrier, who gets drinks/chocolate/sweets whatever I have in the tack room at the time. He also gets two well mannered horses and paid promptly.
 
QR as someone who keeps a 'performace' horse barefoot I wouldn't let one of those trimmer within 60 yards of my horse's feet! If I wanted a trimmer I'd buy myself a rasp and have a bash myself, chances are I'd do as bad a job!

My farrier has 4 years training in the horse's foot, he's plenty qualified to keep her feet right.

You know what really bugs me is this whole 'Pasture trim' I always thought there was only one way to trim a horse, the right way? Surely one trim is balanced and keep the foot in a correct shape for movement and anything else is wrong. I understand you may have to trim to correct balance issues but a healthy hoof can only be trimmed one way...the right wat and hopefully by a qualified farrier.
 
My farrier actually told me it was pointless having shoes on my cob as he doesnt do enough work... He is very good and cares about all my horses, knows them well, helped in the past when one had lami, (more help than vet ) Not all farriers are against barefoot... I personally wouldnt want a trimmer as my farrier trained for years and is very very good.
 
I'm another one who is all for farriers.

I've seen the damage a barefoot trimmer can do and it's just not worth it. A couple at a previous yard I was on had a trimmer out... they were out every 4 weeks, spent hours banging on about feeding, environment, work etc yet these horses were still not even sound walking to and from the field (across a smooth tarmac road) 2 or more years on from going barefoot. One of these horses, after something like 4 years of trying to get it sound, actually had shoes put back on and was sound straight away. These poor horse's feet were butchered by this trimmer, looked awful.

I had my Welshy "barefoot" (though I prefer "unshod") for months and he was trimmed by my usual farrier. Farrier talked to me about the sort of work he should be doing and how to look after his feet. It was my choice to put shoes back on, no influence from my farrier at all.
 
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