Do you tip your farrier/trimmer at every visit?

[ChocoMare]

@Haylter

I tip if there were some unusually unpleasant circumstances the farrier deserved a little something extra for dealing with (extreme weather, rescheduling, “intruders” etc) and around the holidays. I do always try to have a beverage and snack to offer them, pay in cash and HAVE AS SAFE A HORSE AND WORKING AREA AS POSSIBLE READY ON TIME…those mean more to them than a little extra money. .

You are right on target. In fact, I have this pinned on my Facebook Trimming page:

Things hoof care professionals really appreciate (subject to additional items at any time):

1. A flat, dry place to work. Preferably with shade. During the deep summer, I’d love a fan running too.

2. A dry equine to work on (that includes feet and legs, which means please do not hose off your horse right before I trim). If you have to, dry them completely, otherwise me & my gloves are soaked.

3. Horses ready to grab or easy to have ready when I arrive.

4. It would be really ducky if ready included the hooves being picked but I’m not that “picky” about it

5. An equine that has been taught to stand quietly for trimming. My rotator cuffs are sore enough. The yanking will do them in.

6. Have fly spray on hand. Apply before I trim and let me reapply as I’m trimming since flies love the smell of dead hoof.

7. Please… Loose dogs, other loose horses, loose children… do not belong running around while someone is literally under your horse. It could be the most patient, wonderful horse in the world, but things happen. Minimizing risk to your HCP is very important, and we appreciate it when you do.

8. If our trim appointment is near meal time, please feed them before I get there. Having the horse I’m underneath screaming, dancing and jiggling because The Bucket Lady is feeding everyone else is not safe for me.

9. If it’s a windy day, please have something handy to tie up your horse’s tail with! Not every horse is as good as boy as Tobee was the day my grinder wound up wrapped in his tail.

10. Please pay me the day of my trim service. I truly don’t want to force it by having to say “No payment, no trim” and leave, k?

[Horselover52157]

I tip every time. He’s reasonably priced and is always on time or a little early, My horses are well behaved and ready when he gets there. He deserves it as far as I’m concerned.

[dani0303]

I asked my farrier and she laughed. She said prompt payment, well behaved horses, and a bottle of tequila at the holidays (I own a liquor store) is more than enough

[high_hat]

I do not tip. I have paid extra when he went out of his way to put on a missing shoe, or adjusted his schedule to accommodate me. That was to show appreciation. On a standard visit I pay the bill.

[akdraft77]

I trim my own, but sometimes, my back just can’t handle it. I’m grateful for my HCP, who supports me in the endeavor I tip every time. $10 a horse per trim, $20 a horse for shoes, and I add at least $20 to that if the farrier visit was an emergency.

I have horses caught, clean, dry and ready to go before my appointment time. I value my farrier’s time too much for him to have to wait on me for anything. I have coffee on cold days or mornings, something cold on hot days, and snacks ready (like banana bread) any time there is more than one horse that needs done. I value my farrier greatly, and I want them to continue to value me as well, especially since I don’t have to call often.

[Haylter]

@ChocoMare

You are right on target. In fact, I have this pinned on my Facebook Trimming page:

Things hoof care professionals really appreciate (subject to additional items at any time):

1. A flat, dry place to work. Preferably with shade. During the deep summer, I’d love a fan running too.

2. A dry equine to work on (that includes feet and legs, which means please do not hose off your horse right before I trim). If you have to, dry them completely, otherwise me & my gloves are soaked.

3. Horses ready to grab or easy to have ready when I arrive.

4. It would be really ducky if ready included the hooves being picked but I’m not that “picky” about it

5. An equine that has been taught to stand quietly for trimming. My rotator cuffs are sore enough. The yanking will do them in.

6. Have fly spray on hand. Apply before I trim and let me reapply as I’m trimming since flies love the smell of dead hoof.

7. Please… Loose dogs, other loose horses, loose children… do not belong running around while someone is literally under your horse. It could be the most patient, wonderful horse in the world, but things happen. Minimizing risk to your HCP is very important, and we appreciate it when you do.

8. If our trim appointment is near meal time, please feed them before I get there. Having the horse I’m underneath screaming, dancing and jiggling because The Bucket Lady is feeding everyone else is not safe for me.

9. If it’s a windy day, please have something handy to tie up your horse’s tail with! Not every horse is as good as boy as Tobee was the day my grinder wound up wrapped in his tail.

10. Please pay me the day of my trim service. I truly don’t want to force it by having to say “No payment, no trim” and leave, k?

OMG YES THE FLY SPRAY and FEED TIME!!! I was at a co op and was amazed at how others thought NOTHING of bringing in all the horses and walking by literally under my horse’s nose with hay and grain WITH OUT EVEN A WARNING while a HCP was literally under my horse. One girl did it because she just did not like my horses or me…I flat out told her take up wth ME not my horses and certainly not the innocent farrier…who did speak up after he heard me politely try to avoid disaster. I don’t expect the world to stop but all we are asking is half a chance to get out of the way. I ALWAYS offer to do the turning in and feeding if my horses appointment falls near that time.

[eeyore886]

I guess I am surprised by the number of people who don’t tip their farriers. I tip mine $15 at least every time. He has been shoeing my horses (first my mare, now my new horse) for six years and has come to each new barn I have moved to. And I am usually his only customer at these barns. I pay him a flat rate of $150 every time he comes, new shoes or reset, and it all evens out in the end, he said. But I am so grateful to have his skill and knowledge. And I like to pay people what they are worth. The other farriers in the area charge more just for a reset! So I give him a tip each time to “buy himself some lunch”. I am there to hold my horse and I clean up afterward, I know he appreciates that. Yeah it’s his “business”, but it’s something I know I could never do, so I like to show my appreciation. And I like to think that he appreciated it enough to continue to follow me to different barns, even though we are out of his way.

[lorilu]

I always have some sort of goodie for Farrier and his assistant - usually something like trail mix or filled pretzel bits in a large tub. He is great and I want him to know how much I appreciate him. He will go out of his way for me on occasion… so yeah, I guess that’s a tip.