Would you use an unregistered farrier?

Mare Stare

Mare Stare

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I know of two men who appear to be allowed to operate as farriers as they have "old man rights", as in they have done the job for a long long time and seem to know what they are doing. (They work separately btw. They're not a team or anything)

I've had a fallout with my regular farrier. He's really annoyed me. I don't want to use him again - I'm not sure if he'd even come out to me again tbh.

My girl is currently unshod and has a split in her hoof that needs looking at. All the locals seem to use the two older farriers. I just feel a bit wary of them.

I was told that the farriers council took one of the men to court in an attempt to shut him down but the court ruled in favour of the man. The other one is fairly new to the area and I don't know much about him.
 
Instinctive reaction would be "no, certainly not", but the two farriers I've used have both come on recommendation, and I've never even thought to wonder if they're registered. I'm sure they are, but if I don't think to ask the question ...
 
No way. You would have no comeback at all if they butchered your horses feet and how guilty would you feel if something went wrong and it was due to less than ideal farriery?

Your horse, your choice but no worth the risk IMO.
 
Be careful as your insurance may not cover you if your horse is ever lame and you try to claim and the farrier is unregistered. My insurance company sent out letters recently warning people about using barefoot trimmers for the same reason.
 
I don't think I will. I've just someone on the register who is not too far away. I'll give him a ring tomorrow.

I was just wondering what people's opinions were.
 
Lots of people in NI and the RoI do because there is no requirement atm for farriers to even be on the Register. I don't, don't this I ever would, and won't let my liveries use anyone who isn't on the Register. Mind you, there are plenty of registered ones that I wouldn't use either :rolleyes:
 
There is a unregistered farrier in the North who is very very good and about 10 who are shocking

and again there are good and bad registered ones too...

I would doubt you yo would allowed an unreigistered farrier on the yard....
 
I thought that even those with grandfather rights had to be on the register in order to legally shoe horses but would have been granted their place on it by virtue of their experience rather than their qualifications.

eta that's what I thought amymay.
 
no chance, when i new farrier came to the area and advertised i googled him before i contacted him to see if he was legit or had ever been in the papers or courts for anything!! HHO has made me paranoid !:o
 
See I would. My father was a farrier with "grandfathers rights". He did a 7 year apprenticeship and was a true knagsman. He looked at the horse not just the hoof. He brought and kept many horses sound and had more than enough work for 2 men half his age because people knew he was good.
Some of the things he did were unbelievable- he knew if they had a false sole, he diagnosed keratomas, fantastic at remedial work. The list is endless and you would only have to speak to the extensive list of his old customers to hear many more positive recommendations.
 
not a chance!

when I bought my mare 12 years ago her pervious owners used a old school farrier, cold shoeing every 3 blimmin months! her feet were terrible! one front foot was clubbed the other was really long! took my first farrier a long time to get them half decent! I have changed farriers now, because he moved away and used to come back every 6 weeks, but I was always stuck if she lost a shoe! and my current farrier is just as good as the old guy! but not grumpy :)
 
Farriers who have been given 'grandfathers rights' are registered! Just under a different section as the younger men and usually had a longer apprenticeship. They are still under the WCF! So no I would not use an unregistered farrier but this is not the case here anyway!
 
Alphamare said:
Farriers who have been given 'grandfathers rights' are registered! Just under a different section as the younger men and usually had a longer apprenticeship. They are still under the WCF! So no I would not use an unregistered farrier but this is not the case here anyway!
Click to expand...

This.

They should still be on the list.
 
My friend did for years, never had an issue with the horses feet.

The guy is now re-registered and still doing the same great job hes always done. He did it out of principle for one reason or another.
 
no never.

Why are they not registered?

If they are good at what they do then why unregistered.

I know the rules are different when not shoeing/just trimming but I am still warey of trimmers who have done nowhere near the amount of training a farrier has to do.
 
I think you answered your own question in the first post! If the WCF bothered to prosecute them they can't be that good. I think I remember reading about it.
Think the least my horse can expect is someone qualified and regulated before I let them loose on his precious hooves. I am fortunate that I have always had excellent farriers who have done a great job with no complaints or issues.
 
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