Wet & Dirty for the Farrier?

[ru-fi-do]

[ QUOTE ]
Would you go into a shoe shop in dirty socks?

No!

Same applies to horses and farriers!

[/ QUOTE ]
LOL

Very true.
TBH I wouldn't expect my farrier to do it in these conditions, but i do always have my farrier come first thing in the morn. I always wear rubber gloves to pick feet out when they are all grubby suppose a farrier wouldn't really look very professional in a pair of marigolds!

 

[Benjamin]

I don't think it is on either Sal!

Plus I have seen how my farrier reacts to wet muddy legs

 

[KatB]

[ QUOTE ]
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

[/ QUOTE ]

Disagree with this, my horse does HAVE to go out, I am not scared of him, neither do I object to mucking out, but he mentally cannot cope with being in. Still not an excuse to have a wet muddy horse for the farrier though if you have plenty of notice to when the farrier is coming....

 

[Sooty]

Apart from the fact that it is just bad manners not to clean your horse up, I would think it is dangerous to attempt to shoe a horse when the leg is slippery to hold.

 

[airedale]

rubbish

I've got a totally demented 30 yr old in the yard that throws his toys out of the pram with frequent regularity.

He is basically a totally spoilt brat and his owner totally agrees

He screams the place down (and he's a gelding) if anything moves - let alone gets taken out thru the main gate - but he soon calms down as he's got enough hay and fibre feed to munch on for about 16 hours a day.

Mentally can't cope is down a lot to the owners being controlled by their horses in this respect. Very similar to people who choose to have rug rats and then let their lives be made a misery every time the brat has a screaming tantrum.

Same thing - ignore the brat (obviously unless it is ill) and it then learns that the screaming tantrum has no effect.

Horses are the same.

This horse came so demented that it couldnt' be led anywhere without a chifney - it paced in teh field - and was basically like a caged lion - it also looked like a herring due to the adrenalin stress it self perpetuated.

It now can be led anywhere on the buckle end of the leadrope and is happy to stand in 24x7 for a week if the weather is bad and comes out sensible to ride at the weekend.

The art of keeping horses happy and stabled is down to the feeding and that involves feeding an enormous amount of hay and fibre compared to what 'normal' yards feed - which is 3 meals of compound feeds every day because compound feeds are cheaper for the yard to feed instead of hay. I know

My hay bill after I have to top up what I produce myself on the farm - is enormous - but then all the horses and ponies get plenty of it. 8 horses go thru 4 bales of hay a day if they are in 24 hrs. and some of those 'horses' are small ponies.

now we also have horse toys and horseballs and stable mirrors and radios etc to keep them happy if they have to be in

Horses MUST learn to be stabled for 3 to 5 days at a time because typically that is an 'injury period' and a horse that has never learnt to be stabled becomes a bad patient and hinders it's recovery.

Also we can have snow and ice for 5 to 7 days at a time and horses just have to stand in - they have to learn to do it - as I know of too many good,nice, kind horses that are now dead because they just 'had' to be turned out on frozen fields with ruts in them and they broke their legs

Teaching horses to be stabled is the same necessity as teaching them ot lead, groom, trot up , be shod, be ridden, be bathed. It is a 'life skill' they need to acquire.

 

[the watcher]

I am not sure that I would stable 24/7 by choice. On extremely wet days, when the farrier is due to visit, when we have events planned..then they stay in but every other day (especially through the week) they are wrapped up and bundled out into the paddocks..I am sure it must be better for them, even though they seem to think otherwise and hang around the gates waiting to be brought back in all day

 

[Kezza]

aren't horses supposed to be herd animals and live out??? I don't think they are designed to live in 24/7. Even police horses get to live out their retirement days in a field! Anyway, that's off topic now I think ...

 

[Twiglet]

My farrier normally turns up an hour early and because of this often has to pull my horse in from the field, so his feet would definitely be muddy then! but he's the sort of bloke who'd grumble good naturedly about it whilst washing the feet and drying them off before shoeing.

Otherwise, no I wouldn't expect them to do it, it's not fair on them.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I have no idea if my farrier will shoe or not if the horse has dirty & wet legs & feet....I wouldn't dream of presenting him to the farrier in that state.

I think if I was a farrier I'd refuse to shoe if someone presented me with a dirty & wet horse.

 

[KatB]

Long term, eg injury, he will get used to it, it is not me being "soft", it just means I will deal with him as the situation necessitates. He has lived in, but has got so stressed (even with ad lib hay/hayledge that he doesnt eat) it is just not worth it, as he is alot happier if he has been out for an hour before he is seen by the farrier etc, and the farrier is also happier as the horse is less twitchy and more cooperative. If the appointment is only an hour later than he would normally be turned out, then he does stay in, but if it is late afternoon, he will go out, and that has nothing to do with him controlling me, but what makes more sense with him, as that is how he is happier. IMO, it would be lazier of me to keep him in, than turn him out and have to get him in, get him brushed off etc. I will also ride him after being in, so IN NO way is it because I am scared of him. I just like to keep life as easy and chilled for him as possible within reason.

I apologise as rereading my post, maybe I worded it a bit strong, as he will stay in on my terms, but not unless it seriously necessitates it.

 

[KJJ]

WOW it took me a heck of a long time to find this thread.... my radar must be on the blink!!!

Haha - My farrier would give me a good telling off and refuse to provide Chocolate Brownies!!!

haha!!!

I would never have the legs wet and muddy - they are always dry and clean... always have been!!!

 

[Benjamin]

Losing your touch??? LOL

 

[KJJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Losing your touch??? LOL

[/ QUOTE ]PMSL!!! Erm... no offence to my new farrier but I just don't fancy him. I fancied my old one... so the radar seems to gone into hiberbation until the old farrier is at the yard!!

 

[airedale]

see your point totally

and if they can go out then fine

but I do know a lot of horses that people insisted on having turned out on corrugated frozen ground and are now dead (but then I'm getting on a bit !) and it upsets me that if only their owners had let them be stabled that day or days they'd still be alive

also I do really believe that being in for 3 to 5 days IS a 'life skill' that horses should acquired as a horse that is stressed out and running round it's stable on a poulticed foot isn't doing the healing process any good, for example.

 

[KatB]

Completely agree, and my horse has been in that situation, and after a day of being ignored dealt with it!! Just not worth it when have potetially stessful situation for him (eg farrier, he is only 4!) to add to it by keeping him in.

Yes agree on the crap ground, am very lucky that never been in that situation with him yet.

 

[amandawordingham]

Always have feed and legs clean and dry.
If she has to pull him in 10mins before shoeing she could wash and give a good towelling. At least they'd be clean for him.

 

[vicm2509]

My farrier came an hour early once and B was still out. Luckily I was there so I ran down and got him in and said i would just wash his legs to get all the mud off, he said it made no difference and to leave them.

Usually though I would have them washed and dried ready.

 

[auntyfred]

I always clean my teeth before going to see the dentist.
I always have a bath or shower before going to a gynocologist (sp)
I always make sure my horse has clean picked out feet before the farrier shoes her.

 

[Theresa_F]

There I was at 10 pm last night scrubbing hooves and getting worst of mud off the feathers so when my farrier comes tomorrow they should be clean and dry for him.

He is good enough to do my horses without my being there, so the least I can do is to make sure they are in a presentable state for him.

I also provide "sock" (tube bandages) for him to use on their legs so he doesn't have to keep pushing the feather out of the way when doing their feet.

I try to look after my farrier, when I am there I have tea and biccies and always as far as possible have the legs and feet clean and dry for him.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
Also we can have snow and ice for 5 to 7 days at a time and horses just have to stand in

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG!! Really?? What 7 whole days of snow and ice........

!! How in the heck would you cope with living where I live; having snow for 4 or 5 months then? Sometimes I do fear for the sanity of some poor horses.

Anyway going back to the original question - I know my farrier would do my horses in any condition and certainly wouldn't have any problems with trimming horses with dirty legs. Thankfully we don't have mud here but we do have ice and snow for months on end and he copes perfectly well.

 

[sally2008]

[ QUOTE ]
Plus I have seen how my farrier reacts to wet muddy legs

[/ QUOTE ] LOL! I'd forgotten about that.

 

[sally2008]

[ QUOTE ]
PMSL!!! Erm... no offence to my new farrier but I just don't fancy him. I fancied my old one

[/ QUOTE ] Don't tell him, or there'll definately be no more brownies for you!

 

[KJJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't tell him, or there'll definately be no more brownies for you!

[/ QUOTE ]What that I fancied my old farrier!?

... I think OTHER PEOPLE already told him!!!

 

[sally2008]

Err no, that you DON'T fancy the new one. He's a delicate little soul, I'm not sure he could take it.

 

[KJJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Err no, that you DON'T fancy the new one. He's a delicate little soul, I'm not sure he could take it.

[/ QUOTE ]LMAO!! I'm sure he'd cope!!

 

[truffles]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if my farrier didn't shoe Chloe if she was wet and muddy. It's horrible to hold icky legs lol, and if they aren't nice and clean where the shoe goes there could be a bit of trouble there...
Tis best to just slip on a tubigrip/turnout sock on or something! Especially if they are cobs and have feather etc..!

 

[Skhosu]

well....mine can sometimes give less than 20mins notice, and still complain that they're wet and dirty!
Never refused to do them though, we just rub over with a towel and he gets on with it!
If she knew when he was coming, no excuse!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

just comon courtesy that you don't present the farrier with a set of wet muddy legs! What if everyone did this? He would spend his whole day with damp hands...ouch. I make sure legs and feet are clean and dry before farrier comes.

 

[MagicMelon]

Well it depends on your facilities!! I would LOVE to bring mine in to clean off their legs all lovely and dry for the farrier. However I have 5 horses who live out 24/7 and only 2 stables....... Kinda difficult!

 

[henryhorn]

I've read right through to the end and have to hold my hand up to sometimes asking our farrier to shoe a muddy horse, I have always offered to wash it's legs ut he always said don't bother, the most he's ever done is borrow a towel to rub their legs.
If we know the farrier is coming early they stay in, otherwise go out and be brought in as needed, you can't for instance have the stallion in if you are shoeing as it's right outside his box, so he will get done last of all. (so he may have wet feet)
I do provide a big dry indoor school which accommodates the farrier and vehicle,
provide numerous hot drinks and someone to hold the horses.
This is something new to me, charging extra for a wet horse, what about people who have horses that live out 24/7? Our farrier appreciates thereis somewhere dry to shoe under, lots of places are just gateways it seems...