Snow Falcon
Hoping for drier days
Farrier cancelled a visit due to not being economically viable. (Not mine but a friend's)
WWYD
- Thread starter Snow Falcon
- Start date
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Is the horse shod or bare?
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Need more details i think.
Nature of visit, distance travelled etc
Personally I'd ask farrier what would make it worthwhile ( e.g. if its on the edge of his area for a trim, perhaps having an appointment on same day as someone else in the area) And if we couldn't reach an agreement, ask for a recommendation for someone else.
Nature of visit, distance travelled etc
Personally I'd ask farrier what would make it worthwhile ( e.g. if its on the edge of his area for a trim, perhaps having an appointment on same day as someone else in the area) And if we couldn't reach an agreement, ask for a recommendation for someone else.
Merry neddy man
Well-Known Member
No easy answer so much depends on quality and availability/reliability of other local farriers. A phone call to discuss when he would be coming (if not already sorted) may have him saying not coming anymore as not economical. I think a lot of tact will be needed if your friend wants to keep the same farrier, could she travel to a different destination.
Snow Falcon
Hoping for drier days
Horse suffered a hoof injury and this is a follow up visit to assess it. There was an another to do at the same time but due to horses illness has cancelled. I'm not sure of distance.
nikicb
Well-Known Member
I am struggling with this as I have a feeling there might be a back story. I have both a great farrier and a great barefoot trimmer for my horses - actually the fact that both visit a different combination of my horses says a lot about them (it's a long story!!). They are both reliable, and I am too. I provide clean tidy premises and horses and hot drinks as required. They both provide a professional service, but are both very much part of my 'team' and I rely on them to look after my horses' feet appropriately. I could never imagine being in the situation you describe OP. I think we need more information. x
Snow Falcon
Hoping for drier days
No back story as far as I know, maybe there is? Just made me wonder what others thought. I'd be disappointed if it was mine. I've had my current farrier for years!
nikicb
Well-Known Member
I just think something doesn't quite stack up. It may well be the farrier has issues of their own, but you aren't that far from me and I think business is fairly steady at the moment - so neither needing to lose or gain clients. If I were the friend I would be ditching that farrier and finding another.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
I’d be disappointed at an outright cancellation if it was a farrier I’d been a good customer of for a while.
I’d expect the farrier to discuss that it’s becoming financially non viable and to start looking for new farrier, hopefully also offering names. With perhaps an increase in charge for the interim period.
I’d expect the farrier to discuss that it’s becoming financially non viable and to start looking for new farrier, hopefully also offering names. With perhaps an increase in charge for the interim period.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
What can anyone do? Go barefoot or find another farrier is about it?
It's extremely unethical to cancel if they did it with little or no notice, but the FRC take no notice of farriers who do some seriously bad work, so they aren't going to be interested in that one, I don't think.
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CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
Let me tell you, no further back story is required. Plenty of farriers have issues of their own. I've been sh*t on plenty a time from a farrier even with my well behaved horse, clean, covered, and well lit work area. Along with hot beverage machine. Never mind the fact that I'm always on time with a clean horse and payment in hand. You're living in a world I've never lived in ? so while there could be a back story, it could also be as is. Just because you have a good situation, and someone else doesn't, it doesn't mean they they did something. Fortunately, I appear to have a fab trimmer now.
So, what would I do? Well, I would speak to the farrier to ask what would make it economically viable, never mind the fact that this has to do with animal welfare and ethics ? which a lot of farriers don't believe in, as it turns out. I've paid extra before for a farrier who was (supposed to be) good and came out of his way. Friend could offer that, to pay extra. Or when is the other person rescheduling? Would that work?
Then, if the horse is shod and loses a shoe or even had some other time sensitive situation regarding the farrier (just like appears to be the case now), I guess this one wouldn't come? As it would just be that horse and not "economically viable" if so, I would find another. That would stress me. I need someone I can depend on.
I also think it is sort of up to the farrier to make it economically viable. If a client is too far out of your range, don't take them on. In this case, it appears he did try scheduling two at a time to make it more worthwhile, but you're going to have that odd time (lost shoe, other mishap) that it is going to be that one horse. You sort of have to accept that. If it is going to drive you into the poor house and leave you starving on a street corner, then tighten your radius? Idk.
That response would've p'd me off a bit, tbh. Especially if I were a long standing good client. I would be seeing what I could do to remedy the situation if I've used this guy for awhile and he is otherwise good. But I would also be casually looking for another farrier. Actually, I'd probably just be looking for another farrier ?
I am a salty person (see my hoof thread), and envy those of you who don't have to deal with BS. And no, you don't always bring it on yourself. Sometimes you really try your best, and jump through hoops like it is an Olympic sport and still get screwed. So, I feel for anyone that has these struggles, if that's the case.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
yeah it seems a bit odd to me. the times I've known clients become "unviable" has been where something else has happened in the background, like non-payers, or people who don't attend booked appointments without giving notice, basically becoming a client that is unreliable. I'm not saying that is the case with the OPs friend, but it does seem weird.
Fleece Navidad
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't necessarily think there's something not adding up.
If otherwise happy with the farrier, I'd chat to them and see what would make it viable. When mine was at home I wasn't able to get a decent farrier to come to me for the same reason (closest good farrier was 20 miles away, mostly on back roads, and had lots of local clients keeping his appointment book full. In a situation when we couldn't travel he did come to us, but it wasn't worth his while coming in a normal situation as it was minimum 30-40 mins each way), so I arranged to travel to him. If farrier doesn't have the facilities for that, I'd ask if they know anyone who would cover your area.
If otherwise happy with the farrier, I'd chat to them and see what would make it viable. When mine was at home I wasn't able to get a decent farrier to come to me for the same reason (closest good farrier was 20 miles away, mostly on back roads, and had lots of local clients keeping his appointment book full. In a situation when we couldn't travel he did come to us, but it wasn't worth his while coming in a normal situation as it was minimum 30-40 mins each way), so I arranged to travel to him. If farrier doesn't have the facilities for that, I'd ask if they know anyone who would cover your area.
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
I just don't get why it seems weird?
A client being unviable could be because of something the client did, but this seems rarer around here. Or just that the farrier thinks it is not worth his time for who knows what reasons, perhaps personal reasons. Maybe it is different in certain areas, but around here it is like pulling teeth to get someone to do their job sometimes. You could offer someone 5000 Euro to tie your shoe and they'd still say, meh, don't feel like it.
That said, those that do a proper job and show up are usually fully booked with no space for new clients. So they do exist.
I just don't know why it is all, "something is odd" "something doesn't add up" and people instantly blame the owner. Could be the owner, could be the farrier. We have farriers here that are late (as in days or weeks) for no apparent reason. Client, well behaved horse, and cash all waiting in a nice clean work area. We also had an owner that owed a farrier a few hundred Euro. There is also a farrier that owes me a few hundred Euro. So who knows.
I would never tell someone who has an injured horse waiting for a farrier that won't come, "Oh that's weird, must be your fault and you made yourself a client that just isn't worth it."
As often, we don't have all the details. Could go either way.
A client being unviable could be because of something the client did, but this seems rarer around here. Or just that the farrier thinks it is not worth his time for who knows what reasons, perhaps personal reasons. Maybe it is different in certain areas, but around here it is like pulling teeth to get someone to do their job sometimes. You could offer someone 5000 Euro to tie your shoe and they'd still say, meh, don't feel like it.
That said, those that do a proper job and show up are usually fully booked with no space for new clients. So they do exist.
I just don't know why it is all, "something is odd" "something doesn't add up" and people instantly blame the owner. Could be the owner, could be the farrier. We have farriers here that are late (as in days or weeks) for no apparent reason. Client, well behaved horse, and cash all waiting in a nice clean work area. We also had an owner that owed a farrier a few hundred Euro. There is also a farrier that owes me a few hundred Euro. So who knows.
I would never tell someone who has an injured horse waiting for a farrier that won't come, "Oh that's weird, must be your fault and you made yourself a client that just isn't worth it."
As often, we don't have all the details. Could go either way.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Was another horse to do now there isn't makes sense to me, but in the interests of continuity for an injury I would be asking how much would make it viable/whether I could send photos if that was enough.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
no one has said that at all
i think there's a danger of projecting here!
with very little information to go on, and an apparently previously happy relationship between client and farrier, it just seems weird hence the feeling that 2nd hand information from one side of the equation might not be the complete story
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
no one has said that at all
i think there's a danger of projecting here!
with very little information to go on, and an apparently previously happy relationship between client and farrier, it just seems weird hence the feeling that 2nd hand information from one side of the equation might not be the complete story
Are you saying that I am projectiong?
I am not sure that I understand. Could you explain further.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
only that you've clearly had lots of awful experiences with farriers so understandably seem to see the worst. but we don't know anything like the level of detail needed to condemn either side in this case.
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
Exactly.
Just sucks when you have bad experiences but they are "your fault" somehow when you've literally tried so hard. So I suppose it is a sensitive topic for me. Just as someone who has only had good experiences or has a good Farrier friend, OH, whathaveyou, might see things the other way.
I just hope the OP's friend gets it sorted out.