Views on apprentices?

asmp

asmp

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What do other people think about letting apprentices do your horse, wnether it's farrier or dentist,etc? I have mixed feelings as I know they have to learn and usually my oldie is one that gets done by them as I'm too much of a wuss to say anything. A friend, however, refuses as she says she's paying for the expert. I do wonder if I should pay less?
 
We used to have apprentice farriers all the time, and I loved having them around. The pro would watch them to within an inch of their lives and often ask why they were doing things, so I'd get a running commentary on what was happening and why. He also wasn't above doing something himself if there was an issue.

As I had a clydesdale, he was often used for heavy horse practice, and the rest were well mannered so I took it as a compliment to their manners.

Not sure about dentists, never had an apprentice one but theyve to learn somehow I suppose. I certainly wouldn't pay less as the pros knowledge is still there as long as he's watching properly.
 
I’ve just had my dentist and he had a very new apprentice for the first time. My horse is fine with the dentist so she got some good hands on practice and then the dentist had a quick look at my 2yr old for wolf teeth and, well, she got a good example of how dentists handle stroppy, gobby youngsters 😂 she didn’t get involved in that but probably saw both ends of the stick!!
Personally have no issues with it if the expert is on hand
 
My farrier has trained many an apprentice over the last 14 or so years I’ve used him that are now popular farriers in the local area and I’ve never had an issue with it.
 
There is a local farrier who has apprentices. They don't appear to be overly well monitored and I have to admit I find it really off putting.
I don't mind apprenticeships so long as the person in charge is on hand and checks the work themselves thoroughly afterwards. I also like to be asked first and for the pro to step in if the apprentice is struggling. Fairly common sense really.
 
asmp said:
What do other people think about letting apprentices do your horse, wnether it's farrier or dentist,etc? I have mixed feelings as I know they have to learn and usually my oldie is one that gets done by them as I'm too much of a wuss to say anything. A friend, however, refuses as she says she's paying for the expert. I do wonder if I should pay less?
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Or maybe you should pay more if you are only prepared to let the qualified person do your horse as he has costed his business to include the apprentice doing some work?
 
I have no problem with apprentice farriers if the farrier is present
I only let vets do my horses teeth and no I would not anyone other than the vets I choose at my horses teeth
Lots of students seeing practice have given injections to my horses under supervision
And in hospital I was once a student nurses Guinea pig for her first injection
 
If we didn't let apprentices practice we would have no more professionals. They are so well supervsied - in my expericene you actually get a better service, often at less cost. Refusing to let an apprentice under supervision have a try will annoy your professional and in the long run result in less service.
 
a local farrier has apprentices and they aren’t well supervised, just used as an extra farrier when multiple horses are being shod. I would object to paying his high prices for that service. As above if they are well supervised I don’t have a problem with it.
 
My farriers daughter was an aprentice to another farrier. He arranged for her to come and trim my mules for the experience of other equines. As he had worked really hard to get one of them right in the feet, they were awful when the mule arrived, I knew he would not allow her to mess them up.
 
I do see what you mean. I used to use a farrier who had 3 or 4 other guys with him in a gang. I think one other was qualified and two apprentices. He didn’t over see anything much as far as I could tell. He’d just leave them too it and sit on the phone in his van.
Didn’t use him for long!
 
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meleeka said:
a local farrier has apprentices and they aren’t well supervised, just used as an extra farrier when multiple horses are being shod. I would object to paying his high prices for that service. As above if they are well supervised I don’t have a problem with it.
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I had the same farrier for years. At he stat, he was just setting up on his own and it was im - no problems. Then he had one apprentice, who he supervised closely. But over the next 15 years he got fat and lazy and half the time he was at mine he was in the van, on his mobile (or playing with himself.) 3 apprentices, just told to get on with it. I sacked him. Had a few ups and downs finding a replacement but have one who is excellent and doesn't have an apprentice. Of course, the silly so-and-so then did his knee in playing football, and had real trouble finding a decent 'replacement'. One was good, but kept 'chatting up' girls on the yard, then a group of them - one day was MORE than enough - rough, loud and constantly noisy isn't good for young horses. Thankfully, my good farrier is nw 'repaired' and I really look after him.
 
We have apprentices working on our yard as grooms, some of them are worth their weight in gold. One lad has been riding less than a year but he gets on brilliantly with my horse. I let him have lessons on my boy, or he takes him around the farm ride and it's been a massive benefit for both.
 
I am happy with apprentices as long as they are supervised. I did use a farrier who heavily used apprentices, at first he supervised them, then the last year apprentices were sent out alone, I was also more or less ok with that. Then the first year apprentice was sent out with other apprentices, no farrier, who were too busy trying to get through a yard full of horses to do any supervision. After a couple of times of that happening and problems with both shoeing and handling I changed farrier!

My dentist had an apprentice, dentist would do some of the work, explain everything he wanted the apprentice to do and stand over him as they did it, totally different to the farrier and I was happy.
 
My horse that I am pinning my hopes on is done by the farrier alone, although the apprentices may clench up and finish off. The other horse can be done by the apprentice.
 
I think supervision is the key. I'm not sure the work done by the apprentice that came to my yard this week was checked. The professional did the other two horses while he was doing the oldie.

Now if the work was done on me by an apprentice I'd be fine about it as I could always say if it was uncomfortable but I do feel for my oldie sometimes.
 
asmp said:
I think supervision is the key. I'm not sure the work done by the apprentice that came to my yard this week was checked. The professional did the other two horses while he was doing the oldie.

Now if the work was done on me by an apprentice I'd be fine about it as I could always say if it was uncomfortable but I do feel for my oldie sometimes.
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My farrier stands over them and watches at every stage. They’ve never been left to get on and shoe a horse unsupervised at any time until they have qualified, at least not with mine.
 
I'm Ok with my farrier bringing apprentices, and agree with allowing the next generation of farriers their chance to get valuable training. But its like any other service, sometimes its done well and they are well supervised and sometimes not, it completely depends on the level of professionalism shown by the farrier. I had one who used the time to take phone messages and return calls and didn't even look over at what the apprentices were doing. As an owner I do think you need to keep a close eye at whats going on with anyone whos working with your horse, because there are some great ones out there, but there are some dodgy ones too.
 
I also would have no problem with an apprentice provided he/she was well supervised. I have a master farrier do my horses, he is expensive but worth every penny, on a couple of days each week he has another qualified farrier working with him as he is very much in demand . He checks everything that is done and discusses everything with them and usually does most of the work on my horse himself whilst the companion is trimmed. Everyone has to learn and I think it's great to see qualified farriers continuing their training in this way.
 
The farrier I have now was an apprentice to the farrier I used to have (he retired); he started out with my horses.
 
I have no problems with it as long as they are supervised and actually listen. I used to use someone who used apprentices but he got very bad at supervising and used to send them out with a nearly qualified fellow apprentice and not even be on the yard. One day they took far too much foot off and left one of the horses lame so we didn't use them again! He was also probably the most expensive in the area and you certainly didn't get any value for money!
On another occasion where I was working the apprentice was asked to trim a youngster. He had no horsemanship skills at all and really upset her. I had to intervene although in this case his boss was furious with him and told him it was a good lesson on listening to the people who know the horse best!
I'm more than happy though when our vet let's his underling do one of my horses while he does another as he supervises very well and I feel it helps me as I get to hear him explain everything very thoroughly!
 
When my farrier had apprentices I readily let him get them to trim my mare - there are a solid group of young farriers now who know the difference between a ridden and field trim :) She is beautifully behaved for the farrier so the apprentices could completely concentrate on the job.

My vet does her teeth under sedation so she wouldn't be suitable for someone to learn on.
 
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