Would you ever say this to a farrier?

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I've known my farrier for many years and occasionally he will be early and rather than waiting he will go and catch my horse if he knows where he is. It's not something I have ever asked him to do and I'm mega grateful yet embarrassed cos I feel I look a bit lazy!

Anyway he was out today and he was able to come to the appointment early so I rushed down (bear in mind I live less than a 10 min drive away) and he was waltzing up to the field with a head collar! I ran after and got my horse and was joking about how I'm a lazy client who can't even catch her own horse when he told me a story about a relatively new livery at our yard.

I'd recommended him to her as he's fab and does a lot with ex racers. So apparently the first time they met he was leading my horse back to the field (think it may have been that he had lost a shoe and rather than make several trips just offered to sort whilst I was at work) and this brand new client/livery stood and waited then told him she would wait whilst he went to catch her horse!

I laughed out loud because I just found it so strange that you would assume a farrier would do that! I kinda understand that she saw him doing that with another but other than that I always make sure I am early to appointments for the farrier and hooves are clean and ready. Or is that just me! I'm still laughing now!
 
I'd never do that!
The most I ask my farrier to do is shoe my mare if she's in during the day.
I always check he's happy to do it without me there, and he always is, as it's easier for him to go up during the day when I'm at work.
But I'd never in a million years expect him to go and get my horse, how lazy of the new livery to just stand and wait knowing her horse is in the field!
 
Would never dream of asking my farrier to bring my horses in. Well I say never, but a couple of years ago, two of them were in the sand turnout which is 20 metres from the court yard where they are shod. The rest were in the stables. I went to fetch the two out of the sand and something had riled them up and they were going berserk at the gate. It was impossible for me to get hold of one of them (had to lead this particular pair in separately). So I called out to my farrier for help and he came to my aid and led one whilst I led the other. But as I say it was only 20 metres. But that is the only time in 11 years. I have forgotten he was coming a couple of times and have rushed out to get them in as fast as I could. Very embarrassed and apologetic too if he has to wait. He's always punctual and I try to make sure everything is ready for him when he gets here.
 
I like my horses to be in and ready before farrier arrives, if he's early I am always embarrassed as he to will just go and get one and start with no fuss! I'd never ask I'd be to embarrassed! I did however ask him if he minded popping one back last time as I had to go back to work, however that day he was rather late, but I felt very cheeky despite the fact field is next to yard! Luckily he was fine about it but I'll be sure to do some home made cake for next time! Another livery frequently only shows up as he's finishing or forgets he's coming and he also brings in and just gets going.
 
Is she new to horse owning? Maybe she saw him catching and returning yours and just assumed it was the done thing!? (thats all i can think of!)

A lady once told me how she thought my farrier had done a terrible job on our shetland. I questioned her, surprised at her confidence and knowledge as i has assumed she was very novice. I had to laugh when she said in disgust but totally seriously that my ponies mane was far too long and if she was paying a farrier she'd be really annoyed at the state of it!!!!
Slightly irritated as obviously shetlands have wild manes and would look crazy neat but the thought of having a go at my farrier over it made me giggle!
 
Deltic Blue said:
I'd never do that!
The most I ask my farrier to do is shoe my mare if she's in during the day.
I always check he's happy to do it without me there, and he always is, as it's easier for him to go up during the day when I'm at work.
But I'd never in a million years expect him to go and get my horse, how lazy of the new livery to just stand and wait knowing her horse is in the field!
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That's what I do if I can't get away from work. Farrier is happy and knows which box belongs to my horse, so it is much easier for both of us. When I am there I have horse in with feet picked out as I have always been taught that this is the polite thing to do. However I do not blame you OP if he arrives earlier than you expect him to!!

Was it said in jest? Sounds like something I would joke about if I saw him bringing in someone else's horse ;)
 
I'm always mortified if he's turned up early and gotten him in! Like I said (and some of you also do the same) I like him to be in and ready to be seen with clean feet.

She is not new to owning at all.. I certainly would never say anything like that to a new farrier (nor would I ask my current farrier).

We had been chatting about people treating you as staff after I had said another girl expected me to hold her horse for the dentist because mine was also seeing the dentist. Then he laughed and came out with that! I made him a brew and said just say it's because I'm a useless lazy owner :P
 
I really hope it was said in jest but I have a feeling that she was being serious. I have been told by said livery what I should and shouldn't lunge my horse in... *let's it fly over my head*
 
poiuytrewq said:
Is she new to horse owning? Maybe she saw him catching and returning yours and just assumed it was the done thing!? (thats all i can think of!)

A lady once told me how she thought my farrier had done a terrible job on our shetland. I questioned her, surprised at her confidence and knowledge as i has assumed she was very novice. I had to laugh when she said in disgust but totally seriously that my ponies mane was far too long and if she was paying a farrier she'd be really annoyed at the state of it!!!!
Slightly irritated as obviously shetlands have wild manes and would look crazy neat but the thought of having a go at my farrier over it made me giggle!
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I quite enjoy these novice-y stories... once had a non-horsey mother ask me if her daughter's pony had been tacked up correctly for a lesson. I asked if its feet had been picked out. "No, he's got shoes on". Erm...
 
EBHouse said:
I quite enjoy these novice-y stories... once had a non-horsey mother ask me if her daughter's pony had been tacked up correctly for a lesson. I asked if its feet had been picked out. "No, he's got shoes on". Erm...
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Hehe I knew a lady who was new to pony loaning and on her first farrier visit was shocked at the process and kept making shocked noises at everything. In her defence though she asked the farrier lots of questions and seemed relieved that the pony wouldn't actually mind the farrier trimming and rasping hos hooves!
 
I would never ask my farrier to bring my horse in. On one occasion, as he was passing he said he'd call in to nail a shoe back and as the horse was in I didn't need to be there. Sadly no-one told the horse, who refused (to a dangerous level) to have anyone put a headcollar on in the stable. The chances of the farrier catching the horse in the field are nil ! I suggested he should have walked in backwards, bent over with his head down (my horse likes to lick his bald head !) but that didn't go down too well !
 
Hahaha - am surprised the farrier didn't tell her where to get off! The first farrier I ever dealt with many years ago would have had apoplexy at being asked to fetch a horse in!

My horse is on my farrier's yard but I still wouldn't expect him ever to get in! He is a great bloke and I am sure if we were stuck he would but he spends quite enough of his time working!

Yesterday (yes Sunday) he shod mine and my fieldmate's. I brought in the first one, made him coffee, and when I thought he was nearly ready I said I would go fetch the second but he told me to wait and do a straight swap while he drank his coffee, unless I wanted both on the yard at once. I treat him like the professional he is and he treats me like a customer, even though we are mates and discussed everything from the sheep to his planned-for new van over a second coffee. I also remove any poo during shoeing and clear up after him, which I have always done on every other yard.

The only thing I do differently is that I will leave a horse with him while I do something else, which is because he knows them so well and I know that were anything untoward to happen, he is more than capable of dealing with it, so yesterday I went and poo picked for 15 minutes while he did the first and then came back and sat on the yard with him and gave my bridle a much-needed clean. I then stayed around while he did mine who can be a bit less predictable, although has got a lot better as he knows and trusts farrier these days.
 
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I hope he told her to get her own horse! Must say my farrier is brilliant and if I can't be home I leave all mine in a small paddock by the house and the head collars out and he does catch them and trim them and turns them back out for me. I have six here but they are all easy to catch, it doesn't happen very often but mine hate being locked in and will kick the walls if are kept in too long.
 
He saw the funny side but he definitely didn't go fetch the horse in!

Similar (though not quite the same) when people book a lesson with their instructor but turn up 10 mins before lesson to catch, groom and tack up the horse meaning the instructor is then stood around waiting.
 
If he is there before us, our farrier will often go trim in the field. None have shoes so I guess it is an easy option for him when it's not raining.

He also won't let me lead the two girls together (we have done it all their lives) and will either take one from me or will turn both out for me when he has finished
 
I'd never ask my farrier to do that. Last year he was on box rest but was in a little paddock close to the yard during the day. The week before when he was doing another horse on the yard, my farrier saw me put him out, so when he arrived early, rather than wait for me, he went to get him. I arrived 10 minutes later to find him still trying to catch the world's most catchable horse in a 30m x 30m paddock. I called him and he walked straight over to me! He obviously decided he wasn't going to be stolen!

In winter, he will put them out when he's done as he usually comes to me first thing and I have to get to work. The winter field is only about 20m from the yard. In the summer, the field is a 5 minute walk away and although he's offered to put them out I always say no. His time is money to him so I don't want to hold him up from getting to his next appointment.
 
A previous farrier used to get our horse in if he was really early. He said it saved him time and that it was his fault he was so early (sometimes an hour).Mind you the mare loved him, used to try and take his t-shirt off and pull his trousers down. Luckily he saw the very funny side of it. He had to stop having blond tips to his hair as she would nibble at them. :) :)
 
My farrier drives round the fields (interconnecting) until he finds my horse, hops out and trims him. Wild old pony won't put up with that though so I have to be there for him. I do buy him beer, he doesn't even charge for the trim!
 
I would never expect my farrier to catch any of my horses. I am old fashioned. The horse to be trimmed or shod, should be tied up ready with clean, dry feet. Good farriers are hard to find. Mine is treated like a God.:). However, he has never let me down, and will bend over backwards to help if ever there is an emergency.
 
Mine is great and has said he is happy to do my mare without me being there, if she is in. The only time he ever tried it though, he couldn't get near her to get a headcollar on. He always laughs about how he couldn't catch her in her stable.
 
No way would I ask our farrier (who we've known for over twenty years, since before he qualified) to catch in for me. He will put one out while I take another. I once asked him if he did shoe for people when they weren't there and no he won't shoe on an empty yard, as it just isn't safe. We are always here when he shoes. I am currently trying to work out what new words the livery in the OP would have learnt......
 
Heck no! I wouldn't dream of it, not in the job description as far as I am concerned.

Although I have been caught on the hop a time or two at the livery yard, and he has stood in the barn and opened and closed stall doors as I herd 10 horses in.

Nowadays, I take my horses to my farrier most of the time, he only lives half a mile away and has a decent barn, if he comes here he has to make do with the garage :(
 
My farrier is fantastic but he would not catch from the field any of mine. He is how ever happy to trim the youngsters in the field so long as they are not up to the knees in mud. He has been known to use his headcollar to start a trim off if the horse is in his stable. Sadly can't do this with my big horse as his headcollar does not come close to fitting him.
Alway bring him coffee in winter and cold drink in summer.
 
Best comment was to my OH a few years ago. He had gone up to collect his horse to see a relatively new owner standing moaning. On asking what was wrong the other bloke said...

'His shoes! Look at the state of his feet! He only had new shoes 10 weeks ago!'...

My heavily sarcastic husband wasn't the most popular person on the yard after he completely took the pee out of this chap!

This guy honestly thought shoes lasted like ours and had no clue horses feet grew. I kid you not.
 
My farrier made it very clear from the outset that he will not go into fields and catch horses but is happy to do them unattended if you leave them in a stable. The only problem we have is making sure my friend's cob doesn't find and eat the carefully hidden money we leave for him.
 
I'm a firm believer in that horses should have clean, dry, legs and feet for when the farrier comes, and I try to make sure that I am there every time the farrier is. However, my farrier will catch in from the field, and he will trim/shoe if there is no one on the yard. Mind you he always comes with 2 assistants - one to hold the horses legs while he trims, the other preparing what ever needs preparing for shoeing.

I prefer to be there so I can discuss any potential issues - if I've noticed anything, or if the farrier sees anything, so it can be addressed immediately. Some people at my yard never see the farrier at all, they just make the appointment and pay when they get the bill. (some people don't actually know when their horses are due, as they are in a group booking - the mind boggles!)
 
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