When you find out the trusted professional you've used for ages...

I

Ilovefoals

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is starting to get bad reports and things said about them, what do you do?

Whether it's an EDT, Saddler, Farrier, Physio, etc? I've recently heard some negative things said about professionals who myself and friends have used for a long time and never had a problem with and now it's started me wondering. Is the reason I've never had a problem because I'm not noticing things I should be? Is it because I've been lucky? Or are they good at their jobs and it's a case of sour grapes from the bad mouthers for some reason? It gets me worried when I hear negative things that I'm not doing the best for my horses, even tho I only used people who are registered with the appropriate bodies for there discipline etc.

Does anyone else experience this? Do you ignore and judge on your own experiences or do you find someone else?
 
Even the best tradesman will have some dissatisfied customers & the worst will still have people who sing their praises. If, having had a bit of a think you are happy with the job they do ignore it.
 
Thanks. I'm by no means a novice but it makes me doubt my ability to judge someone or the job that they do. I just worry I'm having the wool pulled over my eyes, tho that's probably just me being paranoid :)
 
amymay said:
I think as long as your experience is positive, then whatever's being said is totally irrelevant.
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This.

I've had scathing reports about a saddler. He's very blunt and happy to tell someone what he thinks of their way. People don't take well to it, but horse wise - no complaints and that's what counts.

Unless I had reason to believe the horses care wasn't put top or they were not reliable I wouldn't change what was working.

What's the issue regarding - care?
 
If you are happy with the job done and horse is healthy and happy trust your own judgement. I use an instructor who is like marmite though no one bad mouths her work just some can not cope with the truth.
 
This happens all the time. The new yard where i am at a lot of the people say bad things about the breeder of my horse. He breaks, schools and takes on problem horses. When i asked a bit it turns out that one person had seen or heard about him using a piece of blue plastic water piping when riding a big horse instead of a stick and they all decided he is cruel. To be honest, dont know what anyones views are on here, but I saw him do this once on a 17 hander who was going nuts in the road. Turns out he uses it as it does not hurt the horse but more makes a loud noise which he finds horses listen to more than using a riding whip.
 
If you are happy with the results and your horse is happy then ignore the rumours. Then again it doesn't hurt to ask the professionals questions about what they are doing and why thus improving your own knowledge and ability to spot a job that's not been done so well perhaps
 
I think tittle tattle about someone's personality is best avoided but if there is irrefutable evidence of someone behaving badly / fraudulently then yes its only fair to warn people.

I had a great shock when someone on this forum posted about a new horse she had bought and wanted to know its history. She named the person she had bought from and I pm'd her to say my horse had been in training with this man and I'm sure all would be well only for her to reply that they were investigating as it had kissing spines and collapsed hocks and he knew that when selling as they had found the previous owner he had duped. Her investigations had uncovered so many other horror stories about him it was unbelievable. He was an accredited trainer and so she felt safe. Some people think he is fabulous but there is a side to him that preys on those not on the circuit and more naive.

So someone I had used and got on with was selling broken horses.

You end up feeling silly being duped. Am so glad I didn't buy from him.
 
Its tough. I currently have this about one of the professionals I use myself. A few years back he was the best thing since sliced bread but suddenly everyone I speak to (im not digging or asking info is just volunteered in conversation) has a problem with him, his work or something he's said or done - mostly his work the rest I couldn't care less about.
It does concern me a little but I have never had any reason (apart from a genuine mistake at first maybe) to doubt him so for now I will continue to use him
 
poiuytrewq said:
Its tough. I currently have this about one of the professionals I use myself. A few years back he was the best thing since sliced bread but suddenly everyone I speak to (im not digging or asking info is just volunteered in conversation) has a problem with him, his work or something he's said or done - mostly his work the rest I couldn't care less about.
It does concern me a little but I have never had any reason (apart from a genuine mistake at first maybe) to doubt him so for now I will continue to use him
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I found this about a local farrier. Used by all for years. I wouldn't let him near my horse and convinced a livery to try a different farrier when he didn't turn up twice in a row. Horse was miles different with new farrier.

I know other farriers who couldn't rate him higher a few years back, but won't send work his way now. He's lost heart and can't be bothered which affects his job.

Keep an eye on your horse and you won't go wrong. I could tell the horses he wanted to see and the ones he didn't when I walked round the yard after he'd been.
 
Christsam said:
This happens all the time. The new yard where i am at a lot of the people say bad things about the breeder of my horse. He breaks, schools and takes on problem horses. When i asked a bit it turns out that one person had seen or heard about him using a piece of blue plastic water piping when riding a big horse instead of a stick and they all decided he is cruel. To be honest, dont know what anyones views are on here, but I saw him do this once on a 17 hander who was going nuts in the road. Turns out he uses it as it does not hurt the horse but more makes a loud noise which he finds horses listen to more than using a riding whip.
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My coach did this too once and got mixed reviews!
 
Lots of my horsey dealer friends have mixed reviews. Everyone has their own methods and cant please everyone all the time. I think very highly of them and have spent much more time with them than people who have had brief encounters with them so I trust my own judgement
 
I agree that if you are happy with the service you are getting, then you have to make your own judgments. I have found that there are many people in the horse world who love nothing better than bad mouthing someone, often just because the said person has not agreed with their views.

On my last yard the owner couldn't speak highly enough about a local saddler. He was very expensive, but she said he was worth every penny, etc, etc. However, she suddenly changed her mind and started telling everyone what a crook he was when she found out that he didn't actually make his saddles (as she had thought) but bought them in and changed them, if needed. Some of the things she started to say about him were awful and defamatory, but at the end of the day the saddles he provided were still very good and well fitted.

I made my mind up then to ask for advice on professionals carefully, and only trust advice given from independent people, such as physios and vets.
 
I find that some people form opinions without any basis in fact.

A woman I know says she'll only ever use her farrier, vet, EDT, saddler as they are the BEST!!! :rolleyes: - which is fine of course - she can use whoever she wants to, but she then rubbishes every other professional... typically she'll tell anyone and everyone who'll listen... 'Oh I wouldn't let that farrier/dentist/vet anywhere near my horse!' Yet if you ask her why she'll say things like 'Oh he's just not up to the job', or something similarly vague.

She started a rumour about my farrier, who I've used for years. She told everyone that she'd seen him cut feet back so far that they bled and the horse was terribly lame afterwards. Absolutely untrue but unfortunately people believe things - in fact the more sensational the better! Of course the farrier wasn't there to put matters straight. No-one's even sure which horse it was (as it didn't happen not surprising!) yet to this day people on our yard don't use him.... except me as I've always found him to be professional and caring.

Very unfair
 
Oriel said:
I find that some people form opinions without any basis in fact.

A woman I know says she'll only ever use her farrier, vet, EDT, saddler as they are the BEST!!! :rolleyes: - which is fine of course - she can use whoever she wants to, but she then rubbishes every other professional... typically she'll tell anyone and everyone who'll listen... 'Oh I wouldn't let that farrier/dentist/vet anywhere near my horse!' Yet if you ask her why she'll say things like 'Oh he's just not up to the job', or something similarly vague.

She started a rumour about my farrier, who I've used for years. She told everyone that she'd seen him cut feet back so far that they bled and the horse was terribly lame afterwards. Absolutely untrue but unfortunately people believe things - in fact the more sensational the better! Of course the farrier wasn't there to put matters straight. No-one's even sure which horse it was (as it didn't happen not surprising!) yet to this day people on our yard don't use him.... except me as I've always found him to be professional and caring.

Very unfair
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I do think most people can judge a persistent moaning minnie though. You'll find she has a worse reputation than anyone she bad mouths and personally I wouldn't bother listening to someone like this.
 
I like to make my own mind up about people. I would wate for others to judge me on other peoples opinions.

My farrier is good. I had so many people tell me he was useless and was very unreliable. I have not found this however. He is always on time and has only canceled once due to horrendos rain. Horse has never lost a shoe and her feet look great. I still get comments when I mention to people who my farrier is. But it goes in 1 ear and out of the other and I simply say "Sorry to hear you've had a problem with him, I think his good and will continue to use him"

Quite alot of the liveries at my yard would recomend a certain instructor. However after watching 3 of their sessions, I wouldn't let them anywhere near my Horse.
 
I think if you find a professional you personally like and they fit with your ideology of what you want for your horse you should ignore what other people have to say.
 
I think its awful when people dump their professionals because of spiteful rumours. If you've been using someone a long time then you should know if you are happy.

If it was something really worrying then I might talk to them about it and give them a chance to explain which most professionals would be happy to do rather than just lose customers.
 
I always take people as I find, thing is not everyone is going to rate the same person, there are vets I wouldnt even have treat my horses yet have other people that rave about them its down to personal preference and your own experience with said people I think anyway.
 
I purchased a horse from someone i thought was a trusted and well known rider/instructor from my riding club. the horse was perfect sold to be as perfect novice/nervous riders horse which suited me as I as after a good allrounder who would forgive my errors when jumping (confidence related), hack out on busy roads/alone/company, do a bit of RC/TREC/fun rides etc. I paid quite a bit more than I was intending to for what was the right horse for me.

Unfortunately a few weeks after buying said horse it came to the attention of people around me that the horse had a significant history that put me at significant risk (im not silly, any horse can do that) I had been doing things that i wouldnt dare have done if id have known. it broke my heart to send the horse back not before said instructor still tried to deny the truth when we spoke to him.

unfortunately I have been unable to find another horse that matches him and my confidence trusting anyone selling has been shattered to pieces ;-(
 
Been happy with farrier since became a horse owner , then one day when a fellow liveries horse kicked out whilst being shod, he lost it and wacked the horse with the hammer he was holding at the time , said horse has had surgery for suspensory's and arthritus in her spine , this he was aware of and most prob why she kicked , not a nasty horse at all :eek: farrier has a great reputation but i was shocked that day and have'nt told the horse's owner as she would be devastated, i always make sure i'm around when he comes as i don't trust him now .
 
Thanks for all your input. It's things like "oh, you use that saddler?! Did you know she fitted such and such's saddle too narrow and now it's off with a bad back?" Or, "I got another EDT to look at my horse after such and such had been 3 times and said all was ok. New EDT was appalled at the ulcers he'd failed to spot and the sharp edges she'd left! Don't keep using him!"

Is it really possible for an EDT to see a horse 3 times and miss a mouthful of ulcers? I wouldn't have thought so to be honest.

I will continue to use the people I use as I have never had any problems but it just made me think about who we trust with our precious animals. I too have used trainers who I heard about later being unscrupulous and bought a horse from someone who I thought was honest and who ripped me off big style. It is disheartening :(
 
maisiemoo said:
Been happy with farrier since became a horse owner , then one day when a fellow liveries horse kicked out whilst being shod, he lost it and wacked the horse with the hammer he was holding at the time , said horse has had surgery for suspensory's and arthritus in her spine , this he was aware of and most prob why she kicked , not a nasty horse at all :eek: farrier has a great reputation but i was shocked that day and have'nt told the horse's owner as she would be devastated, i always make sure i'm around when he comes as i don't trust him now .
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I think I would tell the owner, she ought to know something like that, even if you just say the farrier was very impaient with her when she was struggling post op... Modify the story a bit?
 
She has since changed farriers as she wanted her horse hot shod so figured it best not to mention it, she had an idea he could be rough after he clouted my mare , yard owner told him to tie my mare up outside her stable which would normally be fine but the horse next door was in and they don't get along so ob kept having a go at each other while farrier was trying to work , he got knocked over and hit my mare [ i was told all this as was doing the school run at the time ] Plenty of other places to tie up so i blame the YO who's attitude was ' let them fight it out ' :eek: Really while a farrier is trying to work ? anyway when i arrived i knew something was up as my mare was all tense and worried , i asked YO what had happened and she said ' no idea i was'nt out here ' hhmmm , He's a good farrier and there seems to be loyalty involved as he has always done the yard , but if i ever witness him hitting my mare he will be gone !
 
badgermyers said:
My coach did this too once and got mixed reviews!
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To be honest if you got something big and strong i guess its whatever works! my boy can be a pain in the arse at times and I have asked said trainer to come over and ride him when hes broken. To be honest I would rather he did it with a little plastic pipe and made a noise than belt him with a length of fibreglass!
 
I think judge from your own experiences you would notice things that wernt right or judge from your horses reaction.

If you send a horse away for schooling turn up at different times and unexpected. You should see if things arnt right.
I'm sure if someone waa beating a horse the ownet could tell.
 
It is possible for an EDT to "miss" a mouthful of ulcers over a longish period. Bought my first horse from an RS, she had the dentist along with the other school horses a few days before I had her vetted. I know she was done as my friend own horse was done at the same time. Vet's first comment was " her teeth need rasping"! Another friend used the same EDT, he let her down over an appointment at about the same time. Because of my experience she decided to try a different EDT & he showed her the bad ulcers in 2 of her 3 horses. I later bought a pony that had had regular visits from the same EDT, again had known the owner for yonks so knew she wasn't just saying it to a buyer - they used a bitless bridle as he went much better than with a bit. Because of previous experience got my EDT straight out - he had to come back 3 times to get his teeth sorted after which he was fine with a bit. So 4 out of 5 horses that this EDT had been "doing", 4 of them for a number of years, had bad, long standing ulcers.
 
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