Would you be annoyed?

[SpotsandBays]

…Or am I just being picky?
Farrier was due last tuesday for my lot.
(7 horses for trims and to remove a front pair on 1).
He cancelled due to sickness, said he would go through his diary “later” to find me a new slot. Heard nothing from him by yesterday (following Monday), so popped him a message in the morning. Still nothing today on the one week from cancellation mark.
This happens a couple of times a year. I’m not worried really about the cancellation itself, but the fact that I then don’t hear from him for a week regarding a new slot, so the horses are going over by at least a week but usually more once I’ve been given a slot. Hes a great farrier, usually on time or gives an eta - but this is annoying me abit as I feel very low priority, and it hasn’t happened with a friend who also uses him. Maybe I’m just being sensitive?
WWYD?

 

[cold_feet]

Give him a ring?

 

[SpotsandBays]

Give him a ring?

I’ll do that now. I always feel awkward calling a farrier as they’re usually either under a horse or off work!

 

[milliepops]

yeah i'd just pick up the phone at this point. Some people are better at communicating than others. it's frustrating but doesn't sound like you need an urgent visit you just need to know when you'll be fitted in.
It can be tricky to rearrange after sickness, as they often have the diary booked up 6 weeks ahead so it may be that he's trying to juggle stuff around to fit you in, as there's a fair number of horses rather than just one to squeeze in somewhere.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I've recently changed my farrier due to lack of communication, it drives me mad. I'd used him for many years so it was a it decision. I've recently just changed my horses dentist for the same reason

 

[MuddyMonster]

Does your friend have numerous horses or do they only have one? I'd say its probably just the number of horses you have rather than you being a low priority.

 

[sbloom]

I have NO idea if this would apply here, but farriers and saddle fitters have been known to post/joke about simply ignoring the customers they no longer want to deal with. Worth just seeing if there's anything you do that makes his job harder. Not all of us do this, I've done it once, literally once, in 13 years (and before I'd fitted a saddle for a customer) but none of us like confrontation so sadly it isn't uncommon.

 

[SpotsandBays]

yeah i'd just pick up the phone at this point. Some people are better at communicating than others. it's frustrating but doesn't sound like you need an urgent visit you just need to know when you'll be fitted in.
It can be tricky to rearrange after sickness, as they often have the diary booked up 6 weeks ahead so it may be that he's trying to juggle stuff around to fit you in, as there's a fair number of horses rather than just one to squeeze in somewhere.

Yeah I appreciate its a lot to squeeze back in. However I’d be fine with him splitting it if needed. I’m only 10 minutes away from his home.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Does your friend have numerous horses or do they only have one? I'd say its probably just the number of horses you have rather than you being a low priority.

She has 5 adults and two foalies, so not that many difference. Maybe I’m just unlucky with the days.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I have NO idea if this would apply here, but farriers and saddle fitters have been known to post/joke about simply ignoring the customers they no longer want to deal with. Worth just seeing if there's anything you do that makes his job harder. Not all of us do this, I've done it once, literally once, in 13 years but none of us like confrontation so sadly it isn't uncommon.

So this is what I wonder?! Should I take my business elsewhere? 5 of them are all well behaved. 2 (not mine) are fine providing you stand them with a horselyx. (Which I actively try to take the brunt of getting covered in to stop the farrier getting covered!). I always try to make sure mine are all clean and ready to go for him, and I pay then and there and book for my next time (and the owner of the cheeky 2 gives me tips to give him) so id like to think that I’m a good customer!

 

[dogatemysalad]

Don't take it personally. If he's ill, you have quite a lot of horses to fit in with his other bookings, along with the horses he missed while off work.
If yours aren't shod, they probably come lower down the urgency list.
My farrier is great at his job and a lovely person, but he's hopeless at responding to messages too. I usually get my YO to contact him. She seems to have a magic phone line which gets an immediate response from every farrier, senior vet, saddler etc etc..

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Does your friend have numerous horses or do they only have one? I'd say its probably just the number of horses you have rather than you being a low priority.

Conversely I would have thought 7 horses in one place would mean OP was higher priority as it's more money for less fuel/time

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I have NO idea if this would apply here, but farriers and saddle fitters have been known to post/joke about simply ignoring the customers they no longer want to deal with. Worth just seeing if there's anything you do that makes his job harder. Not all of us do this, I've done it once, literally once, in 13 years but none of us like confrontation so sadly it isn't uncommon.

That's awful. What made me finally decide about changing my long term farrier was when he was joking about not answering a friends texts to wind her up. Her horse suffers with lameness issues. She is as fed up as I was with lack of communication but is currently still using him.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Don't take it personally. If he's ill, you have quite a lot of horses to fit in with his other bookings, along with the horses he missed while off work.
If yours aren't shod, they probably come lower down the urgency list.
My farrier is great at his job and a lovely person, but he's hopeless at responding to messages too. I usually get my YO to contact him. She seems to have a magic phone line which gets an immediate response from every farrier, senior vet, saddler etc etc..

Yeah I do get it’s a lot. They’re mostly barefoot throughout the year however one is shot in front during the summer months.
I would rope in a YO but its a private farm owned by my father (non horsey). 3 of the neds are mine, 2 are a DIYs which I arrange for her, and other 2 are next doors that I look after for the elderly lady. So its down to me ?

 

[sbloom]

Conversely I would have thought 7 horses in one place would mean OP was higher priority as it's more money for less fuel/time

But much harder to fit in to a really full diary.

That's awful. What made me finally decide about changing my long term farrier was when he was joking about not answering a friends texts to wind her up. Her horse suffers with lameness issues. She is as fed up as I was with lack of communication but is currently still using him.

I agree, in an ideal world we'd all be grown ups and have hard conversations but the world isn't great at that, let alone the horsey world.

 

[milliepops]

If he's usually good to deal with and something like this is only happening twice a year I really wouldn't be thinking he's trying to dump you as a client. Nor would I be changing of everything else is good.

 

[QueenT]

I changed farrier because the previous one didn't communicate well. I had to chase him down on the phone every time there were changes, which I really hated because I knew he was super stressed but I also need my horses prioritized. The new one comes right on schedule every time, and has a partnership with another farrier for back-up

 

[poiuytrewq]

I had the same not so long ago with my normally great farrier.
No answer to my calls or messages, at one point he did text to say he could fit me in potentially on x date but never confirmed and didn’t show up.
eventually I just text something along the lines of “hi I realise your super busy and that I’m a bit out of your normal route, totally understand if you’d rather I find someone more local to do them just give me a shout and let me know either way, hope everything’s ok”
He replied instantly and had just had a nightmare few weeks with personal issues, apologised and came the following day.
Give that a try, your giving a get out clause just in case.

 

[catembi]

I totally get where you’re coming from! I have 4, all b/f, all good to do, I take foot care very seriously. I am not at all off the beaten track…far from it. Everyone is always ready and organised. I pay on the day. But Every. Single. Time. We have drama about him coming out. Ignoring messages, giving me a time then moving it… So stressful and I am not very brave at being a nuisance! But then when he does come, he’s cheerful, does a good job and says he wishes all his clients were like me, and has cited me as an example to other clients as before I got my proper yard put in at home, I would have an awful time in winter washing v thoroughly and drying 16 muddy legs from full on clay so they wouldn’t be icky for him! So I share your pain and confusion!

 

[sport horse]

He may have Covid and still be off work?

 

[Annagain]

A week isn't that long in terms of illness, could he still be off work? Has your friend had a rearranged slot or was that a previous occasion you were talking about?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Even if he is still off with covid let's say, it takes 2 seconds to send custom text to say that and that he will rebook ASAP. My farrier wouldn't reply but would then be on fb commenting. Really annoying. Just hope my new one is better at communicating!!

 

[nagblagger]

I have zero tolerance if i was treated like that. I understand sickness and emergencies, mine has fitted me in when i have had a hoof issue. However I think it's disrespectful to you not answering, if that is the way you normally communicate with him, i always phone mine.
Your time is a valuable as his - do not be taken for granted.

 

[Lois Lame]

Yeah I appreciate its a lot to squeeze back in. However I’d be fine with him splitting it if needed. I’m only 10 minutes away from his home.

It would be good to let him know this.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

I’d can the guy. Not responding is certainly not client centric.

Asking someone to use a phone and a calendar to organise their vocation in order to generate an income is not a big ask.

I recently binned my vet practice of 15yrs because they couldnot manage to treat me as a customer. Once I had moved to the other vet practice the original vet practice manager was on the phone asking me what it would take for me to return (very profitable customer). It was too late the competitor vet practice rolled out the red carpet for me. No going back.

As we head into a potential recession our service providers won’t have the luxury of picking and choosing clients.

As one of my colleagues says “dont manage through mediocrity, it’s too time consuming”.

 

[Bernster]

Ime farriers aren’t the best at communicating and calling may be better and more direct.

 

[Bikerchickone]

I'd imagine that he has a lot of clients calling to rearrange if he's been sick for any length of time and is usually a busy and popular farrier. Unfortunately most farriers can't afford assistants to deal with their calls and if he's trying to catch up, he might be working longer hours and so have less time for calls. No, I wouldn't be happy but I would call him and leave a message saying you're happy to split yours over two appointments if it helps and see where he goes from there.

 

[Fjord]

I'd definitely let him know you'd be happy to split the visit if necessary just on this occasion. That might help him fit everything in. Can you offer flexibility on times, say early morning or last call of the day? I had a panic when my farrier, usually a great communicator, didn't send me an invoice with my next appointment on. He wasn't answering texts either. I had to ring him, turned out he was just snowed under with work.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would find yourself another farrier that is good and reliable. I always have two appointments booked in advance with my farrier i.e every 6 weeks and he has proved to be 100% reliable over the last 20 years.

 

[Fieldlife]

I’d can the guy. Not responding is certainly not client centric.

Asking someone to use a phone and a calendar to organise their vocation in order to generate an income is not a big ask.

I recently binned my vet practice of 15yrs because they couldnot manage to treat me as a customer. Once I had moved to the other vet practice the original vet practice manager was on the phone asking me what it would take for me to return (very profitable customer). It was too late the competitor vet practice rolled out the red carpet for me. No going back.

As we head into a potential recession our service providers won’t have the luxury of picking and choosing clients.

As one of my colleagues says “dont manage through mediocrity, it’s too time consuming”.

This is logical and in theory can be applied to trainers, livery yards, bodyworkers, farriers, vets etc.

However it depends on how much choice there is of really good professionals in your local vicinity.

I would say where I am: lots of choice of decent trainers, very few livery yard viable choices, lots of bodyworker choices, lots of farrier / trimmers but few that meet my criteria. Vets there is a choice but I try and build relationships with individuals that get to know me and my horses.

I wouldn't necessarily want to end up with a professional with brilliant communication and diary management but little pragmatism or skill with whatever aspect of horses I am employing them for. Trust on both sides takes time to build up with a professional and they learn to know your horses.

How much poor communication / bad organisation I will tolerate from an equine service provider depends on how important using them is to me and my horse, how easy to replace they are and how much I value them.