Farrier Advice

[DoubleDown]

I’ve been using the same farrier for 14 years, every couple years, he disappears- misses an apt, no calls, etc. He’ll be back, no explanation, no apology, and back to super reliable for the next couple years. I always pay when work is completed, horses are always caught for him, and clean, and he has a barn to work in.

All was good until January, he canceled, and was unreachable for long enough that I had to get someone to do feet to tide me over. Got a hold of him for March, he showed up everything was normal, but no apology or explanation. Set up next appointment for last Monday the 27th. He cancels day of, says he’ll reschedule for later that week. I have to reach out to him again, reschedules for today. Cancels just now. Rescheduled for this Wednesday.

He does fantastic work, and I HATE the drama of finding a replacement. But how long do I let this drag out? How do I dump him? I was half hoping I wouldn’t hear at all from him today, and he’d be a no show so I’d be able to easily break it off.

I really try to give him the benefit, but this is super frustrating, and I really have to keep my guys on a 6 wk schedule.

[firefoot]

“Thank you so much for all your work over the years. I truly appreciate it. I am switching the horses to a different provider. X appointment will be the last. Again, thanks for everything.”

It’s actually quite easy to fire a farrier. You don’t owe anyone an explanation, but what you describe is absolutely reason enough to find someone else. Finding a new one that is good is another task…good luck.

[Foxglove]

I spoke to my really great (best in the area) vet about the same thing. I said, “I think you are the best --but you forget appointments, show up on the wrong days, and sometimes on the wrong day and the right time!” --he also forgot to bil me, and then billed me double the next time. He said it wasn’t the first time someone said something to him about forgetting appointments or billing, or showing up on the wrong day. He said he needed someone to manage his office but his wife didn’t want to do it. She was sitting right there with him and said, You are right, I don’t want to manage your office." And that was the end of that vet treating my horses. I use the cow-doc now --he’s reliable as death and taxes. He isn’t as good as the horse-doc --but when someone makes an appointment I want them to be there. I do use the second vet for emergencies --only if I can’t get the cow-doc out.

[BayBondGirl]

On the next no-show I would find someone else and just not book with original farrier again. If he called or texted me to initiate another appointment, I would just politely respond with some variation of, “I found someone else as you were not available. Thank you!” No blame-game, just stating facts. Doesn’t have to get personal.

I’ve done that with a farrier and a body worker in the past. I never got a response, but it didn’t bug me as I wasn’t intending to continue a professional relationship with them anyway. I can’t rely on someone unpredictable for my horse’s well being, no matter how magical they may be at their craft.

[Heinz_57]

This sounds like a couple guys I know. :lol: One was absolutely the best, quality wise, but unreliable as could be. He’d do great for a while and then just blow me off. And no, I was never a bad client. Some people are just flaky.

Wait til Wednesday. If he no shows, just don’t call him again. If he cancels on you last minute, let him know you can’t keep rescheduling and will have to look for someone else to take care of your horse. If he shows up… Well, I don’t know what you should say then. :lol: I’d probably be giving him some friendly crap about being unreliable and see what he says. If he’s really that good and you don’t already have a line on someone to replace him that you know is as good or better… You might decide to put up with it a while longer.

Don’t be insulting, even if he is being a jerk with all the flakiness…most of these guys all know each other, so burning bridges can make you an unattractive client for the next one. Maybe he will be glad if you dump him, for whatever the reason is he keeps putting you off. Hopefully you aren’t taking off work for these missed appointments, that would chap my backside.

[Obsidian_Fire]

I would call my local farrier supply store and get a bunch of names. I’d also call my vet for recommendations. Then you start calling each and every one of them and “interviewing” them.
That’s what I did to find my current farrier, and he’s been amazing.
I felt just like you do, worried spitless about finding a new one and needing one to be reliable and give quality work.
Just have to dive in and do it.

[Libby2563]

If your horses are due and he actually shows up, I’d have him do them so you have time to find someone else. I would not want to desperate when searching for a new farrier.

I fired a super unreliable farrier before. I think I may even have posted on here before I did it, with similar questions as you. He was an alcoholic. Maybe your guy disappears to rehab once in a while and that’s why he doesn’t want to talk about it? Actually I give my guy some credit because he made sure to do my horses right before he left and right after he came back.

I tried someone else for about 6 months but one of my horses told me it wasn’t working for him so I actually went back to the flakey farrier. I guess I had fired him well because there were no hard feelings. I did end moving on again after a while though because i just could not deal with the unprofessionalism. We stayed in friendly contact for a while.

I’ve since found a wonderful farrier who shows up exactly when she says she will and she actually does a better job too. I was so nervous to switch but it was definitely the right move. Life is too short and there are true professionals out there. Good luck!

[DoubleDown]

@Obsidian Fire

I would call my local farrier supply store and get a bunch of names. I’d also call my vet for recommendations. Then you start calling each and every one of them and “interviewing” them.
That’s what I did to find my current farrier, and he’s been amazing.
I felt just like you do, worried spitless about finding a new one and needing one to be reliable and give quality work.
Just have to dive in and do it.

I did, and got some names from her, and names from a few other friends/trainers that I trust. She’s (supply store owner) friends with him, and is aware of his issues. We’ve talked about it many times over the years! We think it’s tied to his revolving love life…:sigh:

I like everything people have said, I’ll be borrowing one of them, based on the outcome of this week!

[walktrot]

@DoubleDown

We think it’s tied to his revolving love life…

Does he have relatives in Maine? We’ve had a shortage in southern Maine. One of the best retired, and another one took off for 6 months to find himself. A new one arrived from out west and took up residence with the owner at a nearby farm. He did several horses at our barn and looked pretty good. One of the owners came in a couple of days later and a shoe was missing. Close investigation revealed that the nails hadn’t been clinched. Then we heard he wasn’t living at that farm.

[B_and_B]

I’m feeling like I should pay my farrier extra…usually I call him, and then the next week call him, and the third week we get connected. He is an amazing farrier who will do anything from elderly thoroughbreds, to polo ponies, to ‘working on it’ semi polite drafts. For the latter, I am terrified of losing him. But I should pay him extra…he was planning on being in the area and called me!! to schedule last time around. ‘Hey, I’ll be in your town on Friday, want me to trim B&B, they should be about due?’ Tip, must tip.

[Dutchmare433]

@B and B

I’m feeling like I should pay my farrier extra…usually I call him, and then the next week call him, and the third week we get connected. He is an amazing farrier who will do anything from elderly thoroughbreds, to polo ponies, to ‘working on it’ semi polite drafts. For the latter, I am terrified of losing him. But I should pay him extra…he was planning on being in the area and called me!! to schedule last time around. ‘Hey, I’ll be in your town on Friday, want me to trim B&B, they should be about due?’ Tip, must tip.

I just schedule my next appointment at the end of each appointment. He prefers it, as he tries to maximize his time by organizing clients geographically. But I’ve also definitely put up with poor communication for a good farrier in the past!

[TheHunterKid90]

Farriers are a fickle sort! I feel like most are a one man band trying to handle all aspects of their business solo.
my farrier got a bit unreliable last fall. Canceled on me several times or would come, set up and then not be able to complete my list (despite my giving it to him a week in advance.)
I ended up being very frank with him after a
cancellation…”do you want to continue to service my barn?”
The answer was yes followed by a ton of apologies. He had a whole summer of pretty dreary personal issues etc etc. which is fine and I have sympathy for that, but I was very clear.
”I need you one day per week for 4-5 hours OR twice per month for 9-10 hours. I would prefer weekly so if something pulls a shoe, it’s not standing barefoot for 2 weeks and I also prefer weekly so I don’t brutalize you shoeing for 10 hours straight.
We have been on the same page and he has been extremely reliable since.
Ask yourself if you WANT it to work…if the answer is yes then I suggest posing a question like mine. If you don’t want to try to salvage it, just end it and move on.
I wanted mine to work because he is truly a master at his craft. We have a very clear understanding that communication is absolutely essential from
both of us. And I hold up my end by making his job as easy as possible…horses always ready, dry legs, hands to hold horses is necessary and clearly communicate how I need each horse shod from a vet or performance perspective.
Good luck!

[Jackie_amp_Starlette]

This reminds me mine is due for some banana bread :). Luckily he gets eggs from me each week, so I can slip in a treat next time he swings by to get his eggs.

[endlessclimb]

I fired one for being unreliable. I told him why I was letting him go, because I didn’t mind the quality of his work. I straight told him that being 3 weeks late to shoe wasn’t going to work with me or with my horses. He is still the farrier for a few at the barn, and we are still cordial.

[quietann]

Sadly, from what I’ve heard, alcoholism is a “thing” amongst farriers. Note: not saying a huge number have problematic drinking, just that it’s more prevalent. One of mine may have been in that boat. I put up with it because he did good work on my mare, and because I just liked the guy. But at some point, the quality of his work just declined. Broke my heart to fire him. One of the mare’s farriers from when I first had her worked in the area, so I went with her and it’s been good.
”‹

[Xanthoria]

“He’s just not that into you” - for whatever reason he doesn’t want to work for you. Let him go and move on right away. And tell him why - so he can learn from it - if you’re feeling generous.

I recently moved barns and contacted 3 farriers who work there. Two I emailed via the contact form on their site, sending detail on what was needed and asking when they go to that barn, and what was the cost for 4 plain shoes. I gave my email and number. The replies:

Farrier a) several days later “call me” - no price, no schedule, nothing more. Farrier b) a week and a half later “call me” - again, no details as requested. Sorry guys - too lazy! Farrier c) I only had a number. Called, she got right back to me, and continues to do so as needed. Hired her.

I don’t care if you’re bad at running your business. There’s just no reason for me to allow you to waste my time. At all.

[DoubleDown]

Update- He came out, and did his usual great job. At the end I asked if I was hard to get to because I’m not a big barn- just an individual. Barns are the bulk of his business. Said that I really wanted and needed to be clear with communication, that I didn’t want to break up with him, and to tell me if there is anything i can do to make his life easier.

He apologized which is amazing, he never does that. And said things should be settling down for him, whatever that means. I really don’t want to go with someone else, but I’m cautiously optimistic that things will be better at least until next time he goes off the rails.:uhoh:

[candyappy]

@DoubleDown

Update- He came out, and did his usual great job. At the end I asked if I was hard to get to because I’m not a big barn- just an individual. Barns are the bulk of his business. Said that I really wanted and needed to be clear with communication, that I didn’t want to break up with him, and to tell me if there is anything i can do to make his life easier.

He apologized which is amazing, he never does that. And said things should be settling down for him, whatever that means. I really don’t want to go with someone else, but I’m cautiously optimistic that things will be better at least until next time he goes off the rails.:uhoh:

I would hold on to your recommendations and give him 1 more chance. If he bails out on you again that is it. I can forgive the occasional reschedule because things happen, but I can’t put up with the MIA and not getting ahold of someone for days.

I had a great farrier who would just not show up and be unreachable for days, then he would come right out and do a great job for months, then it happened again and again over the next year. After the last MIA ( i waited for an hour), I found another guy through a recommendation and he is awesome.

He is on time, calls me a couple days before my scheduled appt to confirm, and books me before he leaves for the next time. So much better than wondering if they will show.

[16_Hands]

I had one farrier like the one the OP describes. Everything would be going great, he was punctual, did excellent work and then out of the blue, didn’t show up for an appointment. No call, no nothing. This was in pre-texting days so only phone contact. I called and left a message, no return. I finally get ahold of him and we schedule for the following week. No apology for not showing up. He comes and we schedule the next appointment and he does the same. I didn’t bother calling and found someone else.

He came out with a friend to look at a horse for sale and DH told him I was pretty ticked that he didn’t show up to shoe that time. He claimed he was sure he called and said he had to cancel. DH responded that we’re pretty sure you didn’t. That was the last I heard from him.