Wet & Dirty for the Farrier?

[sally2008]

Ha! That got your attention.

No seriously now, I've just had a call from a friend of mine, furious because her farrier has just turned up (on time!) for his appointment and won't shoe her horses because they've been out all morning and their legs are wet and dirty. We had a bit of a tiff as I think it's perfectly reasonable of him, I wouldn't want to be handling their feet in that condition either. Why she couldn't leave them in for the morning I don't know - my argument was that neither she or I wouldn't present them to a vet like that so why should a farrier put up with it?

I know my farrier sticks to the same rule and he says it's because the insurance would be void if he shod then when wet as it would be so much more likely that the foot could slip and be damaged.

What does everyone else think? Would you expect your farrier to shoe / trim in those conditions?

 

[PaddyMonty]

NO.
I always get horse in early and wash legs if necessary.

 

[Alibear]

Um I'm thank full mine does trim horses feet in those conditions as they live out in a field away from the yard so he turns up their to do the trims.

For shoeing I'd have hosed legs down and towel dried them off for him. I should hope that would be acceptable?

I agree there are limits if they are wed and plastered in mud then for shoeing it's definitly not good as chances of muck getting into nails holes etc I'd have thought?

 

[Weezy]

Would you go into a shoe shop in dirty socks?

No!

Same applies to horses and farriers!

 

[AmyMay]

Like you Sally, my farrier won't shoe etc a wet and dirty leg.

 

[Super_Kat]

I would never expect my farrier to shoe feet like that so mi would always stay in until the appointment if there was somewhere in the field or on the way down where the feet could get wet and mucky. Your friends farrier was being perfectly reasonable, after all, how would she feel if she had to handle dirty feet the way a farrier has to?

 

[Tierra]

I dont particularly like handling my horse's legs when they're wet and muddy so I can perfectly understand anyone else not wanting too

I always make sure my horse is clean for anyone coming to treat him or if im having a lesson. I think it comes down to having some level of respect for the people in question.

Our horses are always in and clean for the farrier and he has an undercover area to work in and facilities on hand to make himself tea / coffee etc. Finding a farrier can be a pain in the ass, so we thoroughly intend to try and keep ours happy!

 

[Tempi]

i think its just polite to leave your horses feet in good condition for when your farrier comes - Bloss is being shod today and shes in for the day and i washed off her hoofs/legs when she came in last night so she was nice and clean and dry for the farrier today.

 

[spaniel]

Incredibly rude to present your horse for shoeing in that state. I wouldnt dream of it.

Mind you some people present horses to you for clipping in much the same state. I wouldnt do those either.

 

[Pidge]

NO! Horses were being shod at 10 and 11 on Saturday so left them in so legs and feet were nice and dry and clean for farrier. If we had turned them out then would have hosed and dried ready for farrier. Can't imagine anyone wanting to shoe a horse when its feet and legs are thick with mud, and how would they see what they were doing?

 

[sally2008]

I think washed but towel-dryed would be okay but I know mine would balk at hosed off and left to drip. Can't say I blame them, can't be very pleasant driving around all day with sopping wet jeans!

Is it just me, but I can't understand why she couldn't just plan ahead and leave them in. Mine is usual shod in the afternoon and I wouldn't even think of turning him out that morning.

 

[loopylu]

My farrier won't shoe either if wet and muddy and to be honest I wouldn't expect him to.

We are lucky in that we are always his first appointment of the day, means getting up really early but at least she is clean/dry ready for him.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Hee hee the name got my atteniton

but my farrier is rather dirty.. tounge and cheeck i guess!

Mine has done two shoes in drizzle out in her field but that was in summer conditions as not muddy etc. I also never get there in time to do any prep, like picking out feet etc, mainly coz i swear hes always there far too earlie!! I know most farriers wont shoe unless concret or hardground which is very fair after all how can you tell if its balanced etc!?

 

[samp]

If our horses feet are not clean or dry our farrier charges an extra £10 on top. My horse stays in until the farrier has been. He doesn't mind holding legs that have dry mud but wet - forget it

 

[TGM]

Most of our customers are good and have their horses clean and dry for shoeing, but OH is a bit soft and probably wouldn't actually refuse to do them if they were wet (unless it was my horse

)! Worst problem is when horses are field kept and there is no hard standing to shoe on - will sometimes cancel such customers on a day like today because it is almost impossible to do a decent job with the horse standing in the middle of a swamp. Most understand the problem but have had a few who have been miffed about it

.

 

[Nic]

I'd get dumped in the water trough! (My farrier seems to believe this is the best course of action whenever I annoy him

But no, always clean and dry. I think it is incredibly inconsiderate to leave them wet & muddy.

 

[Law]

I once washed the legs down just as the farrier arrived and he went mental at me- i'd never do it again. Always wipe the feet clean if they are dirty when coming out the field or wash them and dry them ready in plenty of time.
It was the wetness that was the problem I think- he wasn't fussed that he had slightly dirty feet he was just raging that they were wet!

 

[sally2008]

I think it's very rude too. She made such a fuss I think she's going to have to look for a new farrier.

If we don't treat them like professionals why should they behave that way?

 

[sally2008]

That's the bit that I couldn't get my friend to understand. If it was the vet that had been booked she would have made every effort to ensure he had the right conditions to do the job. I struggled to surpress a chuckle when she said he'd got back in his van and said "You won't be wanting another appointment then" and drove off.

 

[Agent XXX999]

I wouldn’t expect my farrier to shoe my horse if it had just been pulled in from the field – especially if they could have stayed in. If I had no other option I would make sure my farrier understood that prior to arrival.

I completely understand him refusing to shoe her horses, I think it takes the p*ss a little that she didn’t even hose the legs off.

Saying that my best friends brother is a farrier and some of the stories he tells about people and there horses are very eye opening….such as the lady who tried to tie up in a chiffeny, or the man that was surprised to find his cobs feathers wriggling with maggots…

Makes muddy legs look tame!

 

[TGM]

[ QUOTE ]
If our horses feet are not clean or dry our farrier charges an extra £10 on top.

[/ QUOTE ] Now that IS a good idea - might have to suggest it to OH

 

[icestationzebra]

I wonder if either of them is my old farrier?!
He made it clear right from the start that he would not shoe wet or muddy horses for the same reasons you state. I didn't blame him one bit and as he was clear right from the start what he would and wouldn't do there was never any confusion. I wouldn't expect my farrier now to have to deal with a wet and muddy horse either.....

 

[sally2008]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeew! Maggotty feathers!

 

[Jay89]

I don't see why any farrier should have to handle muddy and wet legs!! If we know the farrier is coming we hose there legs down and keep them in untill he comes.

 

[the watcher]

I think my farrier would do it...but have never been rude enough to ask him to..even if they are a bit damp I will have a towel ready to make sure they are as clean as poss

 

[suestowford]

I wouldn't expect the farrier to have to handle slimy muddy legs and make every effort to present them clean-ish and dry. HOWEVER I would also expect the farrier to turn up & do the ponies on the day he specified - quite often this doesn't happen so I have kept them in for hours, cleaned & dried legs then have to turn them out and do it all again the next day. I 'm not a happy bunny then. It is also difficult when they don't tell you what time they are coming. Last time they came while I was still at work, I was expecting them later on so hadn't left ponies in. It can be very difficult to get it right in this sort of situation.

 

[Kezza]

one of mine lives out and my farrier often beats me to the yard by minutes and has been known to towel dry off his muddy feet before for me! However, he rejects to shoeing in the rain which is a pain as we have a limited amount of undercover room where he can get his van close enough to hot shoe...

 

[KatB]

I always try to make sure they are clean and dry. However, generally they are good and wont complain if that isnt the case, just gets one of the apprentices to brush the mud off!!
Farrier down south wouldnt touch them if wet, we were expected to dry them before he even looked at them, which is fair enough!

 

[airedale]

no way would I expect a farrier to shoe wet, dirty, muddy horses. I think it is an insult to their profession. If you consider what your hands are like picking feet out of horses in that condition then why should the farrier put up with it.

TBH I think it serves her right and if the farrier can't 'manage' to shoe her shitty horses before 2007 it will serve her right

there is absolutely NO need for horses to HAVE to go out in the mire in the weather we are having (unless of course the rider is too sh!t scared to ride them unless they've been in the field first - a common problem ) or the owner is too bloody lazy to muck out twice a day. Totally and utterly serves her right.

Farrier absolutely right and good for him for being blunt, honest and professional.

The only exception would be if it had been an injured horse that needed remedial farriery - but then that sort of horse should have been in it's stable anyway - I would have expected him to deal with that sort of horse after it's legs had been hosed off

 

[Henmen]

[ QUOTE ]
no way would I expect a farrier to shoe wet, dirty, muddy horses. I think it is an insult to their profession. If you consider what your hands are like picking feet out of horses in that condition then why should the farrier put up with it.

TBH I think it serves her right and if the farrier can't 'manage' to shoe her shitty horses before 2007 it will serve her right

there is absolutely NO need for horses to HAVE to go out in the mire in the weather we are having (unless of course the rider is too sh!t scared to ride them unless they've been in the field first - a common problem ) or the owner is too bloody lazy to muck out twice a day. Totally and utterly serves her right.

Farrier absolutely right and good for him for being blunt, honest and professional.

The only exception would be if it had been an injured horse that needed remedial farriery - but then that sort of horse should have been in it's stable anyway - I would have expected him to deal with that sort of horse after it's legs had been hosed off

[/ QUOTE ]

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