What is it with farriers?? Bit if a rant - any on here to answer

[JillA]

I have been having a trimmer to my horse, and doing okay, until he developed laminitis last summer and almost foundered(PPID related). At my vets recommendation I managed to get on the books of one of the best remedial farriers in the area, and I acknowledge he probably saved my horse.
All the while preaching at me about "unregulated" BF trimmers although he claims to also be a BF trimmer himself
Six months on and he still either comes in person or sends his qualified assistant, and last time, three or four weeks ago the heartbars C wears on the front were re-set and R had a trim, by QA, which, as with most farriers includes trimming sole
*sigh - I don't know why they do that on a flat footed TB, I have asked and not had much of an answer TBH*
Fast forward to last week - R had bruised soles and needed poulticing and C lost one of his heartbars and was lame, so after several phone calls said farrier comes in person today.
Okay so far??
So why did he insist on resetting both front heartbars? And why did he not give a reason when I asked, as though it was for him to know and me to find out?? As far as I am concerned that's an unnecessary extra set of nail holes, but there was no discussion, and when I asked what C's chances were of going BF in future he talked at me, didn't discuss, just said the bones in his feet were the wrong shape. Is that something anyone else has been told? BF trimmers?
And when I asked that R could have no sole trimmed in future, again he didn't explain why they prefer to do that, or agree that it is possible not to, just grunted and walked away.
Is it really that common that farriers ego's won't allow them to concede that owners of horses know their horses and that is as relevant as knowing about feet? And that the best way forward is working together?
(Oh, and accept that if farriers were doing such a good job how come there is a market for trimmers?? And why can't they share experience instead of defining battle lines???)
Rant over - are there any good farriers with a touch of humility in their make up? I know he is very very good at what he does, so am reluctant to go elsewhere but I could really do with him acknowledging my input.

 

[PorkChop]

I have had several fantastic farriers over the years, what you describe is not acceptable or normal.

If it were me I would do some research and try another farrier, they should always, always be prepared to explain what and why they are doing something.

 

[Orca]

Yes, there are good farriers with a touch of humility in their make up! There are also farriers who want horses to go barefoot wherever possible. I was told by mine *not* to shoe, that her hooves are great - and he doesn't trim her soles either. Would you like his number?

I wouldn't have any professional deal with my horse, who wasn't prepared to ask before acting (no walloping heartbears on without good reason being provided and discussed!). Your farrier sounds plain rude. I just wouldn't have it.

 

[amandaco2]

I sacked lots of sole trimming farriers. Got one now who leaves toe callous on.

 

[madlady]

I honestly think that some farriers just aren't people people IYKWIM. My farrier is quite chatty now and will happily answer my questions but I know with some people he hardly speaks lol!

Could you perhaps ask your farrier for 5 mins when he is next there and just have a chat with him - tell him why you are asking and see if that gets anywhere?

My farrier does have rants about BF trimmers but more because the ones he's come across seem to thing that a farrier can't trim a horse to be BF which my farrier takes offence at - he would actually much rather see horses barefoot and he tried all sorts when I first backed mine to try to keep her barefoot but sadly it just doesn't work for her (for numerous reasons). I know though if I decided to try again he would fully support.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Ah your experiance could be mine! I have been massively impressed with my farrier for the past 6 or so years I've used him, he has improved my horses feet and way of going and was always knowledgable and could explain what he was doing and why.

Until that is the vet dared to disagree with a shoeing choice, and I then wanted to try barefoot. All I got was it won't work and conflicting reasons why it won't work and then didn't like how her feet are doing out of shoes and omg if I dared to admit I had used a trimmer...

It's made me very sad as he is fabulous at what he does, and my other two are bare, but because he doesn't agree with my management of the oldie it's like talking to a brick wall .

 

[Enfys]

Re re-setting both heartbars, I imagine if they had been on for a month anyway if he had re-set just one they would have been uneven. That is what I would think anyway. If you don't want the sole trimmed next time, tell him, and watch him like a hawk.


The thing is with farriers that good ones are still few and far between and we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, do we put up with the ones that get on our nerves, or try to find another one. If a farrier does a good job for me, turns up when booked, and is good with my horses then I may turn a blind ear to whatever annoys me about him, if he doesn't do the professional job I pay him for then I find another one.

OP, I think your farrier may just have a communication problem, I'd have badgered and badgered about the 'wrong bones' comment until I got a satisfactory response. Everything my farrier does he explains why it would be best, or what options we have, most farriers in my experience, about 35 years, are happy to answer questions. My last lovely farrier even carried dissected hooves and legs around in his truck to explain points better, and was super happy to discuss things, he even used to lend me his theory books.

I have never yet met a barefoot trimmer who did not possess an arrogant, egotistical, patronising attitude. No time for them at all, I won't use them as what I want and what they think I want are not the same.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

It shows how the people you use/ experiance can shape your opinions, the trimmer I used I was afraid he would be preachy about barefoot but he was actually far more open minded and easy going about it.

Even said the shoes can always go back on if she won't cope bare which surprised me no end as some of the pro barefooters out there are just a tad one sided .

 

[paddy555]

you say the farrier is very good at what he does yet after his qualified assistant trimmed him R needed poulticing. Did he have constant bruised soles and need poulticing after the barefoot trimmer?

I don't understand why anyone employs farriers that cannot communicate. His job is to communicate to the owner exactly what is happening and why he is doing something. If he can't he is in the wrong job. Grunting and walking away from a paying client is not an acceptable form of communication.

many barefoot trimmers have dealt successfully with laminitic horses. Why was your trimmer unable to do so?

 

[stencilface]

Hmm, our farrier is good, but not very supportive of new things. He was very dismissive of me keeping my horses toes tidy (with a radial rasp - I never actually used it!) and although good at putting a shoe on that stays on, I'm not sure he's the one to help me take my horse on continuing to be barefoot after his trip to Rockley. I was hoping he would retire, but I might just pretend that my horse self trims and never needs anything anymore to avoid an uncomfortable conversation, he's shod our horses for 30 years.

 

[BethH]

I feel your pain and also have huge vet bills and a very broken horse due to an apprentice farrier being let loose on my horses feet without his boss being there - and a Master farrier at that, who knew how important foot balance was for my KS horse! Words cannot describe my anger at my beautiful horse becoming almost un-rideable after 10yrs of training him the proper way, sympathetically taking my time and protecting him joints etc etc etc, all my hard work written off within a few months of hopeless workmanship!

My horse is now barefoot, still lame but much happier and I have an unbelievably fantastic DAEP trimmer who handles him beautifully, watches him move and can spot mild lameness a mile off, speaks with my vet and works with the only intention of making my horse as comfortable as he can be. Why on earth would I go back to a farrier who is to arrogant to admit that maybe there is more the a trim than wacking an inch of growth off as quickly as he can! I quite often find that farriers do not seem to bother to check the angle of the hoof and have seen some shocking trims.

When my horse has been struggling my trimmer has spent hours with him trying to help as much as he can and only charging £40 for the priviledge. The properly qualified trimmers need to be taken more seriously, my vet is now becoming quite an advocate of both barefoot and of my trimmer as he can see the difference! I personally am extremely grateful they are around!

 

[SusieT]

is it possible you are coming across as controversial with your discussion? I can understand his scepticism about your opinion on your horses feet when your chosen barefoot person could not resolve the issue and he has resolved the issue tbh...

 

[JillA]

is it possible you are coming across as controversial with your discussion? I can understand his scepticism about your opinion on your horses feet when your chosen barefoot person could not resolve the issue and he has resolved the issue tbh...

No, I can be very diplomatic when I want to. The trimmer was very good, acknowledged his lack of experience in dealing with what was last chance saloon, and we needed this farriers experience and available choices. I have no problem when someone disagrees with me but ask that they please do me the credit of explaining the reasons and taking on board my viewpoint - that's all I ask.
I have a friend who is in contact with Nick Hill (farrier turned trimmer), I will see if he can explain this reliance on trimming soles and continuing need for heartbars.
The bloke who did it sure as hell didn't (explain) although he is supposed to do both (worried me a bit when he said "I can do barefoot trims, any farrier can" but IME farriers do paddock trims which is just whacking off excess wall and sole)

 

[serenityjane]

I find this post a little worrying as you are local to me and your farrier is probably also my farrier as they cover such a wide area. I have never met the man himself but have seen just about every other farrier on his books-both full and part qualified, and every single one has been brilliant, explaining what, how and why with everything they do- shoeing or trimming, and have never touched soles on any of our horses- bars and frogs get tidying, but soles are just cleaned off. Our trimmed horses are not currently in work, but they certainly don't just get a paddock trim-the trim is appropriate to the individual and where and how it is moving.

 

[JillA]

I find this post a little worrying as you are local to me and your farrier is probably also my farrier as they cover such a wide area. I have never met the man himself but have seen just about every other farrier on his books-both full and part qualified, and every single one has been brilliant, explaining what, how and why with everything they do- shoeing or trimming, and have never touched soles on any of our horses- bars and frogs get tidying, but soles are just cleaned off. Our trimmed horses are not currently in work, but they certainly don't just get a paddock trim-the trim is appropriate to the individual and where and how it is moving.

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