What are you getting the farrier this year?

used to get my farrier a nice bottle of whisky, and some choccies for his wife :}
no horses now sadly but miss my farrier as he was not only a farrier but v helpful when i needed help and his wife came out to see if she could help too.
really though i should have gotten him a watch as he was always late lol !!!!!!
 
Haha, no seriously, my stupid goodfornothing ex would often get random booze for Xmas that he didn't drink and often just went in the cupboard. I think, unless you know what he wants to drink, get a box of biscuits or sweets or something.
 
My farrier seems to want my daughter for Christmas... :eek::eek::eek:

He met her once, and since he found out she's now single, keeps asking me to bring her along to the yard. :o
 
I was thinking about getting mine the Pete Ramey book on 'Barefoot Horses' but I think he would take it the wrong way! he won't even look at a pair of hoof boots I think his eyes would burn out!
 
My farrier travels from out of my area because I moved and couldn't find a good farrier more locally, he is generally on time (and if running late he generally texts me), sometimes early - last time I arrived just as he had finished the two horses he was coming out to do, he is reliable, comes out at the earliest opportunity to replace lost shoes, and always has the best gossip :-))) But best of all he is a very good farrier.

Just remember the old saying - 'no foot = no horse' if you need a reason to show a little appreciation at Christmas...
 
I know what quite a few of my farriers other clients 'give' him, but I'm not that type of girl! Mine are only trimmed, so taking advantage of the fact he's single & I only live round the corner from the horses, he gets home cooked food on a tinfoil wrapped plate & usual brews.
 
FionaM12 said:
My farrier seems to want my daughter for Christmas... :eek::eek::eek:

He met her once, and since he found out she's now single, keeps asking me to bring her along to the yard. :o
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This happened to me - so I gave her to him and now I have to think of really nice xmas presents for him
 
thatsmygirl said:
It seems weird to me buying a farrier a Xmas pressie, they are doing their job just like vets, docs, etc etc. Your paying for a service. And to me it doesn't help when they tell you they pay £22 for a pack of 10 shoes than say that's £75 please! I know there's the training bla bla but shoes are a rip off so it would be me who would want a pressie
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For a start those figures aren't right and you haven't taken into account nails, gas, rasps, registration, insurance, petrol and the cars tax and insurance which is extra as they carry gas. Or is it supposed to be a non profit organisation?
I think it's a lovely idea, it hardly has to cost anything. A homemade cake is just a token of appreciation
 
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Catcus said:
Gosh, I didn't even realise people bought presents for their farriers :confused:

Never have, most likely means I never will!
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Me neither. Shucks, I haven't bought any farrier I've ever used a Xmas present over the past 45 years of using them. Doubt I'll start now, either. I used to sent my old farrier and his family a card in the post, but I don't know my new farrier's home address or anything about his personal life so wont be doing that for him. He's due out on 6th Dec and I'll wish him a personal Merry Christmas and Good New Year but that'll be about it. And no, I don't feel even a tad guilty!
 
Countrychic said:
For a start those figures aren't right and you haven't taken into account nails, gas, rasps, registration, insurance, petrol and the cars tax and insurance which is extra as they carry gas. Or is it supposed to be a non profit organisation?
I think it's a lovely idea, it hardly has to cost anything. A homemade cake is just a token of appreciation
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You forgot the cost of the van, keeping it on the road, doing your CPD days to keep up to date, paying your mobile phone bill, your accountant, ooh I could go on!

Any token of appreciation is welcome, trust me :)
 
They might get paid what is seen as a good whack for what they do but I think a good farrier is worth his weight in gold. Mine is lovely and very competent, Archie has good feet and (touches wood) has never been lame, ever, and if I can show my appreciation once a year it is the least I can do. Last year it was a pamper set and this year will be something to pamper himself with again.

I love giving presents, I even put goodey bags on the stables for the horses in the yard, including carrots, mints, apples. No one else makes an effort but I enjoy it and hope I bring a smile to those who I give to.
 
PJ's (that's what she asked for) booze, take her out for lunch and get something for each of her horses too. But she is my best mate so its best that I spoil as she travels over an hour to do my two every six weeks :)
 
I give mine cash. He's always on time, is brilliant with the horses, (lots of Polos and has been known to kiss them on the nose!), and does a brilliant job.

Hopefully he has realised there's cash in his Xmas card and hasn't just binned it!
I also give our postie some cash and the window cleaner if I catch him in December. I get cards and pressies all year round to say thank you for doing my job and can safely say it always puts a smile on my face. A little bit of appreciation goes a long way!
 
Its amazing how people make assumptions about the profitability of other people's businesses. People say to me-oh your OH makes £60 an hour! I wish! I do the accounts and these days unless you are in a more affluent area with a healthy supply of clients then it's become a low profit business. Our stock bills are astronomical as is the diesel and there is also the question of cashflow-it only works well if you get paid as you go along but that's becoming harder to achieve. So much so that I would never encourage our kids to go into it-and yes as a farrier's OH they do appreciate a gesture at Christmas but it's a personal choice thing and they certainly don't expect anything.
 
Mine will get a bottle of something. I know he likes a drink, though I don't know specifically what, he had a bottle of whisky last year, not posh stuff (I don't have him down as a single malt kinda guy) but branded. Might go for vodka or brandy this year instead just in case I got it wrong last year and he's still got it in the back of a cupboard. Though he seemed fairly pleased with the whisky last year......

I don't buy gifts for all and sundry but he does go above and beyond the call of duty for me. He turns up at short notice, and will do weekends, even though he only does one on our yard. He has taken my mare from being the sort of horse farriers refuse to touch to being one that he can get out and tie up and do himself without me being there, and after his last visit even received a compliment from one of the ringleaders of the barefoot taliban on here! So anything to keep him sweet!
 
Nowt, I always time it so I see him a good few weeks before Xmas then he's due after :) he's dear enough as it is without me spending more money on him
 
My farrier recycles his pressies, so if you give him a bottle he delves into the back of the van and pulls a bottle out for me. However he also buys me cake as he passes the bakery on his way here. I am very tempted to gift wrap the dog he persuaded me to rehome (from another yard he visits) though.

I like the idea of making him a cake though, he would appreciate that. I always make him tea and a snack, the horses are always in and mud free.
 
Nothing. I see him 6 times a year for 25min a time and get charged a pound per minute I think that's a good wage! I don't know him enough to buy gifts!
 
I usually give my farrier a bottle of something, he really goes above and beyond, so it's nice to be able to show him he's appreciated.
 
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