What do you guys think (shoeing)

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rushyj

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We had 5 of our horses shod about 3 weeks ago in that time they have lost a grand total of 6 shoes between them all. 1 has also had 2 clenches drop and become loose 1 had a hind shoe twist and need redoing. When the farrier comes out to replace said shoes he charges me for it. We are not in bottomless mud and some of the horses are not even in work!! This also is not unusual and it a fairly standard shoeing month for us. Trouble is farrier is a sweet guy but does not take criticism well. Also he knows every other farrier in the area so tricky to change.
 
From the statistics you give there certainly appears to be a problem with the way your farrier is fitting the shoes. I could understand the occasional shoe coming off, but not to the degree you're having it happen. Additionally for them to come off in that short time your farrier shouldn't be charging you to refit, mine dosn't. In the 9 years I've had my farrier I think we've only ever lost 2 shoes of our horses?

Don't feel you have an obligation to stay with him. He clearly isn't doing a good job, he's charging you to refit lost shoes very shortly after he's shod them so you are paying for his mistakes. Move your business to abother farrier if things don't improve, I imagine another farrier would welcome your business..... 5 horses....one location....all at the same time...££££££!
 
every Farrier knows every other farrier in the county and probably surrounding counties... thats no reason for you not to change! Do it! If he's not listening to you and there is a consistent problem you have every right to go elsewhere... make sure you explainto your new farrier your reasons for changing... i.e lost shoes...
 
Many farriers do charge now for repeatedly replacing shoes. If it is only a very occassional loss, they tend to do it free, but if it is repeated, then they seem to charge, as it MAY not be anything to do with how they shoe the horse.
I am told that a shoe is NOT guaranteed, because the minute the horse is shod, the farrier has no control over what the horse-or indeed the owner- will do- ie hoon about the field, tread on its own feet, paw the ground, buck and twist and even stand on its own feet,plough through deep mud etc etc.
My farrier advises that in an ideal world,lol, all horses would be turned out in a restricted area,on their own, so they can't hoon and chuck shoes off to start with!!
So, while most farriers will replace the lost shoes as a gesture of good will IF it is an infrequent occurance, if it happens repeatedly, they will often charge.
For some reason, some horses are just prone to losing shoes, no matter what you or the farrier does.
Bearing in mind how expensive diesel is, and also your farreirs laibility insurance, I imagine that many more will soon be charging even if it is a one off, sadly.
Before you change farrier, why not speak to your current one and ask his opinion on what may be happening, or what you as the owner could do to reduce the frequency?
 
Sadly his opinion is that this yard is jinxed. The shoes are coming off all the horses not just one in particular. Some of the horses are in work some are turned away. They are in 5 seperate fields (none are muddy) none of my horses particularly chase around in the fields and I have worked it out on average I am spending an extra £150 per month replacing lost shoes. Nice work if you can get it.
 
If as you say they are cavorting about unduly and are not being turned out in deep mud then I would be asking whether their foot balance is correct and they are not pulling them off because the breakover is in the wrong place? If he's not keen to discuss and / or address this if need be then I would be shopping for someone else.

There is an unscrupulous farrier in my area who uses the wrong nail size so that the nail head doesn't fit properly into the fullering of the shoe and breaks off so the shoes come off left, right and centre. Many people consider him basic shoeing price to be a bargain but when you're paying an additional £15 a time for him to replace a shoe which shouldn't have come off in the first place every 10 days or so he proves very expensive!

My farrier doesn't charge for the first shoe off but then he's been shoeing mine for 6 years now and I've never had a lost shoe!
 
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are you happy with his shoeing apart from shoes coming off?

does he balance the foot well, take into account your concerns etc?

if so i would be inclined to have a word next time he is out and see what he thinks you can do to prevent so many lost shoes. i would point out that so many shoes being lost is not normal so there must be an issue somewhere.
(i have found people take much less offence if you use the royal 'we' instead of 'you')

however, if you are not happy with the balance of the feet i would be changing straight away.
 
TBH I would be moving farrier. Captain has poorish hooves and he has never lost a shoe. Our farrier is a perfectionist and takes as long as it takes to fit the shoes properly. He also cold shoes which I prefer as there is no rush to make the shoe fit. He is infinitely patient as Fany is a madame to shoe, he takes 2 hours with her and she is only shod in front!

So there are good farriers out there, it is just a case of finding them. And I also agree they always know each other!
 
That seems very excessive. I wouldnt automatically assume the farrier had done something wrong either but i agree it seems excessive and unecessary. There are many reasons that horses lose shoes and only two or three of those that a farrier has ANY control over!

Although mud does not have to be deep to be able to take shoes off! It just needs to be thick and clay'y to do so.

Are the horses hooning around their fields? If so then over reach boots are needed.

What sort of fencing is it? Some horses like to take thier own shoes off on fencing.

Also i would be taking the shoes off the horses that are turned away unless there was a remedial reaosn they needed the shoes on (although for a horse who is turned away there is often very few resons they would still require shoeing unless it was remedially necessary)

Have a chat with him, let him know what you have noticed and ask if he thinks anythign can be done.

And read this article
http://www.voicesforhorses.co.uk/ad...rses-lose-shoes-by-James-Mundell-DipWCF-.html

And this article had a very good ending: (it also explains how horses lose shoes in the mud)

All horses occasionally lose a shoe. Once in a while is annoying but not a problem. If a pattern develops then you do have a problem that needs addressing. Your first line of defense is your farrier. If you have the offending shoe, s/he can look at it and likely figure out how it was pulled. Once this bit of detective work is done, then a solution can be found.

One last word of advice: The fact that your horse keeps losing shoes does not mean you have a bad farrier. As you can see, there are several factors that can cause this problem and most are not caused by shoeing. Ask your farrier to help you solve the problem rather than getting mad and blaming him/her for it. There’s a better than even chance it’s not your farrier’s fault.

http://www.fairhillforge.com/lose_shoes.html
 
Thank you. I hve spoken with him and he has said understands it is a problem. we worked it out we have been here for 9 months now with 9 horses regularly shod and we have lost 48 shoes in that time. At £20 per shoe to replace you can see my concerns. Most will be lost within the first week or so.
 
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Yep well at this amount. everyone loses the odd shoe here and there, and new farrier came with the yard lol. The ground here is peaty and well drained as on the side of a hill.
 
That must be infuriating for you! However (devil's advocate here...) horse's shoes do not just fall off- they are nailed on! My horses have lost a few shoes now that the ground is drying up and it even made me annoyed as they stand at the gate and smirk as I get my bridles and stuff ready before I notice....

Anyway, as the grass is coming in and they are generally naughty little feckers, they are tanking around the field like a flock of 2yos bucking, farting and generally getting their groove on. They are stepping on their own and the other horse's feet and dragging the damn things off. I hate them some days.. Maybe have a word with your Farrier about replacing them when he's next in the area for a bit less ££ as it's not a specific visit? Or if you can find the shoe maybe it'll be cheaper?
 
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Oh I don't believe it and update another shoe off Binky just watched it fall off in the stable!!! he was shod a week ago!!!!!!! aaarrrgggghhhh
 
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