Where are farriers needed?

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tommy30

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Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could comment on where in the UK there is a shortage of farriers, and the going rate you pay for a set in a particular area.

I've been a qualified farrier for 5 years, and have been working for a busy remedial practice since I started my apprenticeship 10 years ago. I am looking to set up my own practice somewhere in the UK, but as of yet haven't decided where, although would prefer to stay in England.

The area I am currently in (South Oxon) is saturated with farriers, and trying to setup a business from scratch around here is exceptionally difficult.

I have contacted the Farriers Registration Council and they suggested Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Cumbria. I just thought it would be useful to ask a broad spectrum of owners on here as you guys know whether or not you can easily get a farrier or not.

So, if you have trouble finding a farrier, or if you know of any shortages anywhere them please can you let me know.

Cheers,

Tom
 
Plenty of farriers I have found here (glos), generally very very few good ones! Good being - excellent at trimming and shoeing in a balanced way with good support where needed, happy to answer questions and explain why horse is being shod in a certain way or what might be done to improve feet/lameness issues, pleasant to deal with, fair but firm with the horses and ontime (or at least communication when running late). Have a fab one now, but good farriers seem to be a rare thing!!
 
North East Scotland (Aberdeen and above) is desperate! There are almost as many horses per square mile here as in Newmarket - so they say, and only a very few farriers.
 
Agreed with Aberdeenshire. Usually (not all though) they just dont turn up non ever answer there phone a farrier got back to me 4 weeks after i left a mesage for him. I know they say about the amount of horses here compared to Newmarket having lived in Newmarket it is not true (well i dont think so!) there are a lot of horses up here but not as many as down there. Toommy30 if you move up here could i get on your books please! hahahaha Im north Aberdeenshire though. I pay 20pound for a trim. My mares are both barefoot as i find i am more likely to get a farrier out!
 
aberdeenshire - for certain!

I know several people who had to resort to getting shoes removed by vets and then trying to keep on top of trimming either themselves or when they can find someone to do it.

Farriers get away with murder up here - just not turning up when arranged at best, and terrible workmanship at worst.

I have personally known 4 or 5 horses in the last couple of years who have been permanently damaged by bad shoeing - including 2 who had to be retired at a young age.

I count myself as lucky as my farrier does a really excellent job (although timekeeping is an issue) however i gladly put up with that knowing that my horses feet are done correctly.

Several large yards are done by one completely incompetent farrier, but they have no option - you cannot question this individual as they can't risk him not coming back (quite likely). The biggest vets practice are also well aware of the issues caused by bad shoeing and have been involved in all of the 4 or 5 cases i personally know of - and oddly enough after corrective shoeing by a different farrier under vet supervision the horses mostly improved to some extent. The original farriers opinion is still simply that he is right - the arrogance is astounding.

The amount of times a horse would go lame - the first question asked would ALWAYS be "when was it shod" - and the answer was almost always "2 days ago"

I pay about £65 for refits and about £85 for a new set., and once then shod regularly afterwards by another farrier do improve greatly - unfortunately apart from the 2 horses for whom the years of bad shoeing had affected wear due to uneven load and excessive strain on other joints.
 
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I'll 3rd the Aberdeenshire vote...!
I'm lucky enough to have a good farrier (who even answers his phone :eek:)
but I know many people struggle to get a farrier to come on time, especially at short notice i.e lost shoes etc.

FYI I event and my horse gets shod at home every 6 weeks, 2 stud holes all round, and it cost about £70
 
Im in somerset and there are some great farriers in the area also some bad ones as well i know when mine was away and i needed a farrier couldnt get hold of anyone. Prices range from £45 a set to £70 a set i pay £63 and trim is from £15-£20.
 
Try Sheffield, south side of Sheffield to be even more specific! We aren't exactly over run with farriers to choose from in the first place and the overwhelming majority of horses I see in the area have feet that are out of balance and get worse over time.
 
Sauchentree_lady said:
I'll 3rd the Aberdeenshire vote...!
I'm lucky enough to have a good farrier (who even answers his phone :eek:)

I nearly choked on my lunch when i read that!! hahahaha

I had called literally every farrier that works in my area and only 1 farrier was taking on new customers.

What area are the fellow aberdeenshire people in?
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In my bed please!!! :D :D :D :D

Only kidding... well... mostly... ish.... a little bit.

Come to Holland, farriers are more expensive here than the UK plus its a teeny tiny country with lots of horses so not as much travelling between clients. Then when you do... call me :D
 
Aberdeenshire!!!!! mintlaw area about 34miles from aberdeen we have a good farrier atm but he will be retiring shortly. When i worked at riding school we had nightmare trying to get regular reliable farrier.
 
There is a shortage of reliable farriers who deal with small private yards (horses at home) all over the country.

What private yard owners want is a farrier that does good quality work and is 100% reliable and turns up on time. i.e he works from a diary of pre-booked appointments (most people like to pre-book 2 appointments in advance).

If you can offer this service then there are numerous private yard owners who will employ you as their farrier.
 
I am in North somersret.

Although there a lot of good farriers here they are all so busy!

I think the demand is so great in our area they are just over run!

I dont think you would have any trouble getting enough business in this area.
 
gleek said:
Sauchentree_lady said:
I'll 3rd the Aberdeenshire vote...!
I'm lucky enough to have a good farrier (who even answers his phone :eek:)

I nearly choked on my lunch when i read that!! hahahaha

I had called literally every farrier that works in my area and only 1 farrier was taking on new customers.

What area are the fellow aberdeenshire people in?
Click to expand...

I'll 4th/5th the Aberdeenshire vote. I have an ok one, but only cos I happen to live very near him, and you cant book the next appointment, you have to just ring in 6 weeks, leave a message on the ansaphone and if you are lucky a fortnight later you will be rung up to say he's on his way!

And Aberdeenshire is a fab place, not normally wet and midgey like the west but with mountains and rivers and castles and whisky and beaches. I moved from the Home Counties and they'll only take me away in a wooden box.

Do consider it, quality of life is great low crime and people are lovely. And LOTS of horses.
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do you really like aberdeenshire that much? perhaps i shouldnt say what i think of it on this thread as supposed to encouraging farrier to come this way :D but well i can't stand it..
 
Aberdeenshire is in need of more farriers, if you were to come up here i am sure your books would be filled up in a matter of weeks!
 
Wow.....Aberdeenshire sure does seem desperate for farriers!! I just checked with the FRC though and there are 20 farriers based in the AB postcode area. Excuse my ignorance, but how large an area does that cover? And how remote is it up there?

To put it into perspective, there are 146 farriers based in the OX, RG and SN postcodes, which is basically the areas I cover now!

I must admit, I hadnt really wanted to move that far away, its over 500 miles! But I guess if there is that much work up there I'd be stupid not to consider it....
 
I have heard a filthy rumour that you farrier types get a super duper farrier newsletter advertising jam making and discussions about mad women who fancy the pants off their farriers.
I'm in South Ox too, so if you bump into him, or happen to be writing something to go in the newsletter, put in a good word for me please!!
:D
 
Aberdeenshire is quite a vast area and not remote i'd say, i'v lived here all my life and as far as i remember theres always been a shortage of farriers i kid you not you'd be booked up within weeks you would literally never struggle for work, if you do decide to move this way let me know :D theres the local scotads newspaper you'd put an ad in their and be inundated with calls.
 
tommy30 said:
Wow.....Aberdeenshire sure does seem desperate for farriers!! I just checked with the FRC though and there are 20 farriers based in the AB postcode area. Excuse my ignorance, but how large an area does that cover? And how remote is it up there?

To put it into perspective, there are 146 farriers based in the OX, RG and SN postcodes, which is basically the areas I cover now!

I must admit, I hadnt really wanted to move that far away, its over 500 miles! But I guess if there is that much work up there I'd be stupid not to consider it....
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I suppose it comes back to how many horses there are in the area and, as some else has mentioned, the horsey community up here is thriving! There maybe several farriers listed however getting onto the books of a good farrier can prove tricky. My own farrier and a friends farrier both are very selective about their clients. My farrier has recently dropped clients who are outwith a certain mileage from his home. Fair enough I suppose but the fact that he's in a position to do that speaks for itself!

I've also heard that there is a farrier who drives up from further south (in scotland) every couple of weeks because he has guaranteed clients up this way!! Crazy!

We're not that isolated! Aberdeen is an international airport but it is a 2hr drive from Aberdeen to Edinburgh (if you're fast!). The weather sucks but other than that its the best place to stay. I always say if the weather was better everyone would want to live here so maybe a good thing its not. But maybe thats jbeing far too positive!

Def worth you looking into though...
 
Am down in devon, loads of farriers around here - however not many good ones. I have a fantastic farrier, answers his phone, arrives on time and shoes brilliantly. he is in the minority, however you have to also think about the people around, my brilliant farrier has been working here for 3 years now, he is fighting an uphill battle to get a full book because there are loads of bad farriers out there charging only £40 a set and people would rather pay only £40 and stick with their bad farrier. Mine charges £60 a set and believe you me he is worth it - and that is less than I was paying in Glos 4 years ago. I have had new liveries who arrive with the most appalling shaped feet, completely the wrong size shoes and they really rate their farrier - so you are fighting ignorance and price as well.
 
another aberdeen vote- all of it!!north and south.
They can pick and choose and you can't do a thing about it as there no-one else who'll pick it up.
Was speaking to a new farrier -well he was at time- said when he qualified was further south (glasgow way)put more than a few ads out but wasn't that busy.Came up here put ad in paper once and has more than enough work.
Does worry when my farrier retires as don't know what I'll do.Really scary.Have told him he's not allowed to!!
 
cornwall! We need farriers down here, don't know the exact amount but we def need more, there isnt many! My current farrier came down from up country as there were too many farriers and he is flat out now! Having to turn people away. He is by far also one of the best down here too
 
almrc, would that be TheFarrier from on here? Hubby and I helped him move down. You are right, there is still a great demand for good farriers down here.
 
I live near inverurie and my farrier is very close to where i keep my horses and he travels 1 0r 2 days every 6weeks up to spey bay he is in such demand. However that is his choice to travel that far. On the farriers association website there are a few of those farriers that dont work anymore. I would say that for this area you could work in as large or small area as you like!

I moved up here from Newmarket, Suffolk. We do really enjoy it. The west coast is much wetter but Aberdeen/shire isnt as bad. It is very pretty as said before. We live 1 hour from the lecht ski centre so if you manage days off you can go skiing!!!! I miss the sun sometimes however it is sunny up here just not as hot as England.
 
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