What are you getting the farrier this year?

I wish I only saw my farrier six times a year. My horse refuses to leave it's shoes on sadly so no such luck :(

:D

Archiesmummy, I'm like you. Love, love, love giving presents.

Thistle- baking is a great idea. If only I were a little bit better at it! don't want to poison the poor chap :eek:
 
Jesstinsel said:
I wish I only saw my farrier six times a year. My horse refuses to leave it's shoes on sadly so no such luck :(

:D

Archiesmummy, I'm like you. Love, love, love giving presents.

Thistle- baking is a great idea. If only I were a little bit better at it! don't want to poison the poor chap :eek:
Click to expand...

My ponies lost so many shoes this year that my farrier started charging me for his visits in M&S biscuits, so I think I might see if I can get him some sort of biscuit hamper pack thing this year.

I discovered this website yesterday http://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk...ctsPerPage=1000&paId=wc_dept&value=Equestrian

There is a danger I will have spent my entire christmas bonus on internet shopping before it is even in my bank account :eek::o
 
never felt the need with my old farrier but you're all making me feel a bit mean now and he's due next weekend! I know he likes sweeties as he had a van full last time he came and shared some with my daughter so I'll get him some sweets, he gets bacon butties if he comes early morning anyway so he can't complain too much:p
 
At £91 every 5 weeks :eek: I can't afford to buy him a present!

But as he is coming on the Friday before Xmas I might do something token this year.

It's nice to thank people if they go over and above what you are paying them to do but I don't really see why I should give extra for doing the job I am already paying for.
 
I always give an extra £10 for xmas, and one year gave him £20 because he'd come out on a Saturday several times to help with a laminitic.

I think most apprentices are on such low 'wages' that they would probably appreciate hard cash as much as booze.

I have two farriers (long story) so xmas can be expensive for me. I just think there are more of us than them, and if you keep them sweet they are more likely to come out in an emergency.

I used a friend's farrier in an emergency and she looked horrified when I asked her how much she was tipping him, and said he would get a mince pie with his cup of tea.

A few months later her horse went suddenly lame with heat in the hoof and she asked farrier to come out and look. He promptly suggested she call the vet - 3-figure bill later, I wonder if she regretted the mince pie :)
 
Even though old boy is gone farrier is coming round for a sarnie tomorrow with some onions he grew me. He is a star and I feel really bad I dont have horse for him to see so he is coming to see me instead, I only rang him finally to tell him old plod was now gone to rainbow bridge! I know he is one in a million and will come out if the horses need to be checked ie relied on advice over vet if to do with lameness etc. Brilliant farrier.

I usually get a bottle of vino for him. But over years we exchanged ie veg(all grown in black gold) and eggs etc. I even got an old metal horse feed bin off him one time. Lovely guy.............I think you get the idea! All innocent by the way!
 
Nothing I don't understand buying them a present they are doing their job and and getting paid for it, mind you I do not do the whole tea and biscuit thing for them either.
And mine has such a god complex already I am sure bearing gifts would make him worse.;)
 
I always get my Farrier a bottle of Vodka, sometimes flavoued if he's lucky and some chocs - I know he appreciates it and I like to do it!

Similarly, whoever else i see Christmas week will get something - this year will defo be vet (normally give him a tin of biscuits for the office) and sometimes instructor and Osteo - they get bottle of wine or box of chocs depending on who they are... Ho Ho Ho :D
 
nothing. he does his job I pay him. I dont buy presents for shop assistants where I shop so why should I buy the farrier something? He's on more money than me. Its like tipping the dustbin men, should have stopped years ago, fortunately in my area they are privatised and not allowed to knock and ask.
 
A groupon voucher for him & his girlfriend for a night stay in a hotel. His girlfriend is my RI & has become a very good friend. Might seem tight being from groupon but its the thought that counts isn't it? !
 
We've never given our farrier presents, we pay him cash and he gets tea and biscuits everytime though. We've had the same farrier for 26 years so I don't think he minds :)
 
Horsesforever1 said:
nothing. he does his job I pay him. I dont buy presents for shop assistants where I shop so why should I buy the farrier something? He's on more money than me. Its like tipping the dustbin men, should have stopped years ago, fortunately in my area they are privatised and not allowed to knock and ask.
Click to expand...

Well, I do!

I sent a box of fancy fairy cakes from a fancy Bakers down to Joules in Holt, Norfolk because a lovely wee shop assistant away down there helped me out and sent a jacket up to me, Phoned on the Thursday, they received the defunct one on Friday and she had mine up to and delivered into my work for me walking in at 8.30 on Monday morning :p

I'll get my (new) farrier something. He's just moved up from Newmarket and taken over from another farrier. He is fabby so far, has told me not to book in advance just text when I want Dash done as he's just down the road he is happy just to pull Dash out his stable himself. Kind of farrier I like!
 
We don't give the farrier a present, it's him that gives a big box of chocolates to the yard staff. They spend all year making a minimum of 3 rounds of tea per visit (twice weekly) and trudging up and down to the fields to get horses because he forgets to text in the morning :p.
 
It's never occurred to me that I should get him anything and I'm not going to start. I like him and he's a good farrier but I pay him £25 for a trim that takes less than 10 minutes so I figure he's doing well enough out of me.
 
Mines getting a bottle of port and a bottle of Radox. The last time he came out he coincided with too much mud to go in the field, a New Forest drift, the timber people coming to collect logs out of the inclosure and a Royal Navy helicopter. Theoden did quite a lot of wafting in protest when normally he is pretty good.
 
My farrier is amazing, he only has Nickel's interests at heart and this year I've broken my rule of not bothering him and had to text him twice early on a Saturday as I was not happy with how Nickel was, both times he came out within half an hour. He comes at times to suit me and is often early rather than late and always texts or rings if he is going to be early/late. He is very talented and keen to progress his skills. I have always bought my farriers a present at Christmas and this year will be no different. In my job, my owners give us presents too. Maybe it is an old fashioned horse thing. I appreciate the job he does and to show him, he's very shy at taking compliments so a nice baked cake and a bottle of wine are much easier to give.
 
I don't have a farrier anymore-the last one was very good but I didnt get him anything for xmas. He always got well mannered, clean and dry horses, a cup of coffee and some biscuits plus cash in hand. At nearly £70 a set and £30 for a trim I felt perhaps he was making enough out of me.

the trimmer I now use doesn't get a tip either, these people aren't on minimum wage, they decide their own rates (and yes, I have been self employed). I don't really get it tbh, do you all tip your vets and doctors as well?
 
cheeryplatypus said:
Usually get him some fizz and a tub of sweets.
However his son has started an apprenticeship with him so I'm likening the idea of a box of beer. How do you decide the brand?
Click to expand...

I think I know who you're farrier is :D

If it is who I think it is I might just get them a jumbo size container of coffee between them!
 
peteralfred said:
I don't have a farrier anymore-the last one was very good but I didnt get him anything for xmas. He always got well mannered, clean and dry horses, a cup of coffee and some biscuits plus cash in hand. At nearly £70 a set and £30 for a trim I felt perhaps he was making enough out of me.

the trimmer I now use doesn't get a tip either, these people aren't on minimum wage, they decide their own rates (and yes, I have been self employed). I don't really get it tbh, do you all tip your vets and doctors as well?
Click to expand...

I don't personally tip my vet unless he comes out around Christmas time, which he did last when Nickel had come home after his op, I gave him a bottle of wine and Christmas card as a thankyou for being so supportive in Nickel's rehab. My work place does and the vets send us a few bottles of wine and a box of biscuits or chocolates. We all work so bloomin hard this time of year that a little appreciation after working long hours in the cold and wet is nice, hence why I make an effort with my farrier.
 
I'll get my farrier a bottle of something but not due now till January. But he is good as gold and puts up with my naughty beast of a horse!
 
i usually give him an extra tenner. He doesnt drink and is always being plyed with biccys and cakes so i figure this way he can buy a treat he likes.

He travels out of his way to do my 2, is always on time if not early and never complains when i forget to buy milk for his tea ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top