WWYD.. Farrier messed up

[MrsNorris]

Ok so turns out that my farrier nail pricked my horse on both fronts, resulting in severe, but luckily short lived, lameness in both front feet.
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?731831-Worst-nightmare-or-is-it

Both shoes have blood spots on them, so to my mind, the farrier must have been aware of what he had done when he removed them.

He denied it was anything to do with the shoes at the time, the vet disagreed.

Where do I go from here?

I fully accept that nail prick happens sometimes, though this horse has excellent thick walls and soles, and it's never happened to him before.
He is brilliant to shoe and never normally pulls away, but did this time for obvious reasons.


What I can't get my head around is that it happened in both front feet at the same shoeing, and the farriers total denial that he was at fault in any way.

So how would you all handle this?
I don't want this farrier to shoe my horse again, mainly because I feel he's been dishonest, but he's the yard farrier, though there are a few here who don't use him.
I'm very non-confrontational by nature, and don't want to cause a scene, but I don't want to let it go either, help!

 

[bonny]

As there are others on the yard who use a different farrier I would just join them, can't see what you hope to gain by blaming the original farrier, just don't use him again if you are unhappy with his work.

 

[hihosilver]

plenty of farriers so I would be ringing some now!!!

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

Have you used the same farrier successfully before now?

Either way, if you are unhappy with the farrier, I suggest you don't use him again. There's got to be trust.

 

[Arzada]

So how would you all handle this?
I don't want this farrier to shoe my horse again, mainly because I feel he's been dishonest, but he's the yard farrier, though there are a few here who don't use him.
I'm very non-confrontational by nature, and don't want to cause a scene, but I don't want to let it go either, help!

I would simply find another farrier. For me there would be nothing to be gained in having anything further to do with this farrier. If you don't want to let it go then do what you have to do.

 

[Moobucket]

I've replied to your other thread so feel free to ignore, but it was after a couple of experiences of my farrier making a hash of my boys feet that I decided to go barefoot. I thought I have nothing to loose. He can't be more sore! We've never looked back. Cheaper, healthier and happier. He is also never ever naughty for the trimmer, when he used to rear for the farrier. To be honest, so would I if that was the only way I could say 'Mum this man is hurting me'.

 

[DirectorFury]

Where abouts are you? Sounds very similar to something that happened with a (now ex-)farrier of mine. If you go back through my posts to August last year you should find the thread.

 

[risky business]

There's nothing to handle to be honest.

Find a new farrier and just don't rebook with the one you have. No need to have any confrontation with him, he's broken your trust so just find someone else.

 

[Wagtail]

I have used the same farrier for over eleven years on my own horses and on all the livery horses. He has never once caused nail blind. So if it were to happen, then I would still use him again and I know he would be extra careful with that horse in the future. However, if I had only used the farrier for a couple of shoeings or he was a new farrier, then I simply wouldn't use again. If I had booked in before I realised what he had done then I would cancel the next booking. But I don't think there is anything to be gained from confronting him about it. Mistakes are made. Some farriers don't make many, others make more. Find one who falls into the former category.

 

[PorkChop]

For me it would depend on how long I had been using the farrier and how much I trusted him.

If it was a one off I would let/expect the farrier to put it right, and I would expect a good farrier to want to put it right!

 

[glamourpuss]

Nail bind can be one of those things that happens. I've never known a farrier not say apologise profusely & come & try & sort it straight away.
To be honest the nail bind (although to get it in BOTH fronts is very &#128563 wouldn't bother me as much as the farrier's reaction. You can't trust someone who has proven themselves untrustworthy. Just get another farrier

 

[peaceandquiet1]

The vet ought to discus the farrier's work with the farrier present.

 

[be positive]

Nail bind can be one of those things that happens. I've never known a farrier not say apologise profusely & come & try & sort it straight away.
To be honest the nail bind (although to get it in BOTH fronts is very �&#56883 wouldn't bother me as much as the farrier's reaction. You can't trust someone who has proven themselves untrustworthy. Just get another farrier

This, I replied on your other thread and really didn't think it could be nail bind in both feet, it is the fact he has denied it that would concern me more than it happening in the first place, my farrier of over 20 years has only once missed a nail bind, previously mentioned it was dealt with the following morning and the horse competed the same day, he has once in a while put in a nail too close and immediately removed it, mentioned it to me so I could keep an eye on things and apologised for doing so.

Like many professions/ businesses it is how they deal with mistakes that is more telling than how they deal with success that matters most, trying to cover things up or deny any wrongdoing is not the right way to keep customers happy, being upfront and helping sort out the issue in a professional manner will ensure a better relationship.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Like many professions/ businesses it is how they deal with mistakes that is more telling than how they deal with success that matters most, trying to cover things up or deny any wrongdoing is not the right way to keep customers happy, being upfront and helping sort out the issue in a professional manner will ensure a better relationship.

For this reason I would tell the farrier the latest and if his reaction is still denial, speak to the FRC. He wouldn't be near my horse again.

I really feel as a community, horse owners accept poor service from various professionals. We should be taking things up with the professional body where warranted/possible, and demanding better.

 

[tallyho!]

Honestly... if someone had hurt my horse like that I'd be on them like a herd of flailling giraffes.

Laming a horse is a serious issue - vet involvement and a complaint to FRC. They ought to be struck off.

What is the first rule of farriery?? DO NO HARM.

 

[MrsNorris]

The vet ought to discus the farrier's work with the farrier present.

She did, he took it badly and then we watched him hoof test, he said no reaction, but the vet and I clearly saw a reaction. At that point, vet waited for him to leave and tested hooves herself, obvious reaction over 2 nail holes on 2 different feet.

 

[MrsNorris]

This, I replied on your other thread and really didn't think it could be nail bind in both feet, it is the fact he has denied it that would concern me more than it happening in the first place, my farrier of over 20 years has only once missed a nail bind, previously mentioned it was dealt with the following morning and the horse competed the same day, he has once in a while put in a nail too close and immediately removed it, mentioned it to me so I could keep an eye on things and apologised for doing so.

Like many professions/ businesses it is how they deal with mistakes that is more telling than how they deal with success that matters most, trying to cover things up or deny any wrongdoing is not the right way to keep customers happy, being upfront and helping sort out the issue in a professional manner will ensure a better relationship.

This is my point exactly, the fact that he wasn't honest and I've spent 2 days on tenterhooks worrying if it is laminitis or not. I've also got a large vets bill to pay, had to call the vet as with both feet involved it seemed less likely to be nail prick/bind and more likely to be something much worse. If it had been just the one foot, I'd have assumed nail bind and just called the farrier back..

 

[be positive]

For this reason I would tell the farrier the latest and if his reaction is still denial, speak to the FRC. He wouldn't be near my horse again.

I really feel as a community, horse owners accept poor service from various professionals. We should be taking things up with the professional body where warranted/possible, and demanding better.

I think much the same, from vets to farriers to saddlers and the numerous therapists, also dodgy dealers, so many "get away" with poor service because we do not complain, normally because the injured party has no voice and it can be so hard to prove so we accept it, go elsewhere and have to be careful what we do say in case the professional decides to claim defamation of character.

 

[MrsNorris]

For this reason I would tell the farrier the latest and if his reaction is still denial, speak to the FRC. He wouldn't be near my horse again.

I really feel as a community, horse owners accept poor service from various professionals. We should be taking things up with the professional body where warranted/possible, and demanding better.

Think this is what I will do, thank you, you've helped clarify how I've been feeling, which is pretty let down and disappointed.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Think this is what I will do, thank you, you've helped clarify how I've been feeling, which is pretty let down and disappointed.

I really hate confrontation but a recent situation forced me into it big style and it really made me think about how we spend hundreds or thousands of pounds with these people and are treated like imbeciles when they get it wrong. Everyone can make a mistake, but blaming it on the horse, or the owner, when clearly they are at fault, is just not acceptable.

 

[Michen]

Well a poor shoeing where too much toe was taken off for me resulted in a horse that could barely stand and a Friday night emergency vet call. Not to mention nearly a month of box rest, lost entries, the stress.

Farrier had agreed to cover vets bill. I would expect nothing less, they are insured for such things and had he not agreed to then I would have pursued via small claims or FRC.

To make matters worse he lamed another horse on the yard doing the same thing but not to anywhere near the same extent a few weeks later. I fully accept mistakes happen but he did not come out the following day to look at and assess the horse (I had to pay another farrier and then vet) as he got "called away". I sent the message which he read at 9am asking him to come and he didn't tell me he wasn't coming until 1pm leaving me with a crippled horse and frantically trying to find a farrier to pull shoes.

That's what annoyed me the most. Had it been my usual farrier I would have used him again if he had dealt with it better but this was a new farrier so no way he is going near his feet again.

 

[MrsNorris]

I've replied to your other thread so feel free to ignore, but it was after a couple of experiences of my farrier making a hash of my boys feet that I decided to go barefoot. I thought I have nothing to loose. He can't be more sore! We've never looked back. Cheaper, healthier and happier. He is also never ever naughty for the trimmer, when he used to rear for the farrier. To be honest, so would I if that was the only way I could say 'Mum this man is hurting me'.

He has spent most of his life barefoot moobucket, and always through the winter, but I need to ride him so much at this time of year because he has EMS, and our bridle paths are so very rocky, that I have started shoeing him for probably 4 or 5 cycles over the summer. I always used to use hoof boots, but he went down quite badly a few years ago on one of our rough paths and it put me off using them a bit, don't know if the fall was caused by the boots, but one was hanging off when he got up, just held on by the gaiter. I actually hate shoeing him, but feel it's the lessor of two evils during the summer.

 

[MrsNorris]

There's nothing to handle to be honest.

Find a new farrier and just don't rebook with the one you have. No need to have any confrontation with him, he's broken your trust so just find someone else.

Well the thing is he's always on our yard, so I'm going to bump into him every few weeks, going to be very awkward if I don't say something and probably even more if I do!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would ask the vet if she is prepared to write a report for the WCF and if she is make a formal complaint. The farrier should be paying the vet bill. I would ask for wom recommendations for a new farrier, or possibly leave him without shoes. Have you tried the stuff that me Trec riders take with them in case a shoe comes off? A bit like plaster of Paris, I believe

 

[Moobucket]

He has spent most of his life barefoot moobucket, and always through the winter, but I need to ride him so much at this time of year because he has EMS, and our bridle paths are so very rocky, that I have started shoeing him for probably 4 or 5 cycles over the summer. I always used to use hoof boots, but he went down quite badly a few years ago on one of our rough paths and it put me off using them a bit, don't know if the fall was caused by the boots, but one was hanging off when he got up, just held on by the gaiter. I actually hate shoeing him, but feel it's the lessor of two evils during the summer.

Hmmm that is annoying. Stuck between a rock and a hard place! I feel your pain! Fingers crossed you find a better farrier.

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

Well the thing is he's always on our yard, so I'm going to bump into him every few weeks, going to be very awkward if I don't say something and probably even more if I do!

He lamed your horse. It should be more awkward for him when you meet. It's easy enough to avoid saying anything more than 'hello' to someone. If he tries to engage you in conversation just repeat the phrase 'You lamed my horse' either to yourself or to him. I hope that should help with any misgivings you have about seeing him again!

 

[Nasicus]

Don't worry about it being awkward, so what if he's at the yard? Just busy yourself elsewhere on the yard. I don't use our yards farrier anymore, and he's up every monday.

 

[tallyho!]

Why do farriers always get away with laming horses!!

I'm guilty of not reporting either to be honest MrsNorris because I felt intimidated. I just never used him again and went barefoot. This was 6 years ago and I've never looked back.