Farrier is potentially ghosting me, how to trim myself?

[paintedpennypony]

I thought my farrier and I had a good working relationship. Good conversations, we made him bread for Christmas, paid over his requested amount several times, consistent business on a 5-6wk schedule for two horses. He has other clients in my area so not out of his way.

I didn’t hold the horses the last time he was here, my SO did. They scheduled the next appointment for 5wks out (per my request to get them on a shorter summer cycle; over the winter they were on a 6wk schedule) and farrier said he’d get with me to confirm the day. Well, this week was 5wks. He usually texts me the Sunday before as an appointment reminder but I didn’t hear from him. I texted twice and called once — he left my texts on read and didn’t return my call.

This coming week will be 6wks. I texted him again this morning directly asking whether or not we’re on the schedule for this week and if we aren’t to let me know so I can make other arrangements. Even if he gets back to me, I’m pretty unimpressed at his lack of communication. This has negatively impacted my opinion of him and his reliability. Unfortunately, I doubt I will find a better farrier in this area. He does above average work compared to the aggregate and is good for where we’re at. So I don’t want to even bother with trying to find someone else and gambling with the horses’ comfort and hoof health. I hate being dependent on farriers in general and this is the last straw.

I think I’m going to start trimming them myself. My 5yo mare is shod all the way around and is a lot more comfortable because of it. I’d have to pull her shoes and get her in hoof boots, which stinks. I battled her feet for years before deciding to shoe her but I suspect if I’m trimming them myself then I would make better progress on her feet. My yearling is easy and has good feet.

Any resources, suggestions, tips, or advice on learning to trim your own horses? I’m intimidated by how much there is to learn and weary that I’m going to make my horses uncomfortable. But no one is more invested in them than I am, and that has to mean something! So I’m ready to (cautiously) jump in. Thank you in advance!

ETA I was rasping my 5yo’s fronts 1x a week when she was barefoot so I have that down. I’ve been shown how to use the nippers and would start off with them very conservatively. I own a rasp but would need to buy a hoof stand, nippers, and boots. So any equipment recommendations would also be very welcomed.

[Foxglove]

I don’t know where you are located, but here (Northern IN, Southern MI) is a farrier school with a six week program that seems quite thorough. My friend who has a mule string and hires herself and her mules out to hunting/packing people in the West attended and now does her own farrier work. I used to meet with her for lunch after her class since she had to drive by my town to get from school to home. As I said, it seemed like a comprehensive education . . .

[Bluey]

You will learn faster and more correctly if you have some way to learn from at least a basic farrier course and/or follow some willing farrier for a bit that can teach you the basics.

On your own, it maybe a steep process. Even a weekend quick seminal would help.
We have a master farrier vet locally, the best farrier I have ever seen, that put himself thru vet school shoeing, that has helped many here get started with horse feet.
Maybe one of your vets could help you?

You doing your horse’s feet is a great idea, especially as you say, you can do a bit every week.

[B_and_B]

I would probably reach out to his other clients, if you know them, just on the off chance that something has happened in his life first before assuming he is ghosting you.
But, as someone who has exactly one farrier option (I have a difficult draft horse), I am very reluctant to burn my only option. Since even if I could trim him, there is always the possibility that I would need the farrier’s expertise for shoes or an injury. It sounds like you have others, even if they aren’t the best.
That being said, I fully agree on learning to trim is a good idea. I just haven’t figured out the how yet either…

[OzarksRider]

People are generally consistent in their behavior, and from your post it seems that your farrier has always been consistently professional and reliable. It’s out of character that he would suddenly dump you with no notice or explanation. It’s possible that some emergency has come up and he’s having to deal with that. Do you know anyone else who might know why he hasn’t been in touch as usual–other clients or your vet?

What type of riding do you do? I think boots are great for trail riding, but I don’t think they would do so well for riding that requires sharp turns at speed such as barrel racing. If you’re new to boots, I would start with Cavallos because they’re easier to size correctly than some of the other brands, and they’re easy to put on and take off. I started with Cavallos, and I like them, but now I use Scoot boots because they fit my horse better and they’re easy to keep clean. The best boot for your horse will be the one that fits best and is easiest for you to use, and that can take some time to figure out.

[Sdel]

Don’t rule out phone difficulty. My farrier changed phones and lost his ability to send/receive texts and calls from about half his client list; including me. He finally got it worked out, but not before I had to get someone else out for a cycle.

I know he wasn’t getting them at all because they were not being marked as delivered.

[paintedpennypony]

He has read receipts on, I can see that he’s looking at my texts

[paintedpennypony]

I texted the only other client of his who I know. She said it’s very strange that he didn’t show up last week and unlike him to no show/ not get back to me. She hasn’t heard from him recently but there’s nothing on his Facebook to suggest anything either. So… I suppose we wait… the horses have been on a 6wk cycle since the fall so the world will not end if they have to finish the 6wks or even go to 7wks. But for sure if I don’t hear from him this week then I’m gonna have to pull maresy’s shoes and trim them for this cycle.

[trubandloki]

@paintedpennypony

She said it’s very strange that he didn’t show up last week and unlike him to no show/ not get back to me

I can say that the time(s) that my very dependable farrier did not return my communications it was because he was literally in the hospital.

I hope your farrier is OK and you get it all worked out.

[Demerara_Stables]

Agree with others that he may have had a personal issue (injury? car accident?).

I don’t have any tips on resources for trimming but I would definitely look at the thread by @fivestrideline by about glue on shoes. They are pretty easy so your mare may still be able to have shoes even without a farrier.

[cayuse]

Same here, he got kicked and was out of commission. I didn’t find this out until about a year later. It was very out of character for him and I also though I was being ghosted for no reason.

[rulex]

I’m with the others who say if it’s out of character for him, there could be some kind of emergency so give him the benefit of the doubt.

As someone who had to learn to trim on my own, I can’t say I would recommend it. I was moving and my existing HCP said they didn’t know anyone good where I was moving, showed me the basics and gifted me an old rasp. I thought I’d be able to find someone but 2 trims in, I realized my HCP was right and I’d have to figure it out myself. They gave me support over text and marked up photos for me, but it was still rough figuring it all out on my own with online resources.

Eventually I was able to attend a couple of clinics and get some in person guidance which really helped.

Ideally it would be great if you could start with your farrier’s support and do some rasping in between visits, then eventually do a trim in between etc so you have some support to keep you on course. Maybe start with just the yearling since they are easy with good feet.

Even if you can find another farrier who is maybe not as good as you’d like but decent enough, they can help you at least get started. Even if it’s just to tide you over until your regular farrier is back.

I find doing my own trimming pretty time consuming with a couple of horses. I don’t regret learning to do my own but if I had someone I knew would do a good job, I’d gladly pay them to do it and take comfort knowing that I can do it myself if needed.

[4horses]

It takes a long time to learn to trim yourself. I’ve been trimming my horses for a couple years now. The first year, I kept needing the farrier to fix things that I didn’t quite get right.

You do get better over time. One thing to consider is that it is easy to trim a horse that has nice straight legs and good feet. It is not so easy to trim if the horse moves unevenly or has flares or other issues that need correcting.

The schedule is important. Make sure they are done on schedule and not late.

I trained all my horses to stand quietly on a hoof stand, at least for hind feet. I don’t do other people’s horses although I have had multiple people ask. Just not worth the risk to myself.

It is very tough on your body so that is something to keep in mind. I’m really interested in using a grinder to do feet but I haven’t been brave enough to try. I do know someone who does that and her horses feet look great. But perhaps not for me.

[Texarkana]

I got really angry at a farrier who ghosted me. Then a few months later I learned that he was in an accident and broke his hip. He was recovering from surgery when ghosting me.

I mean, it would have been nice if he had a way to mass inform his clients that he would be out of commission for the foreseeable future (updating his voicemail to reflect that, posting on social media, etc), but I mean… I get it.

[Bluey]

@Texarkana

I got really angry at a farrier who ghosted me. Then a few months later I learned that he was in an accident and broke his hip. He was recovering from surgery when ghosting me.

I mean, it would have been nice if he had a way to mass inform his clients that he would be out of commission for the foreseeable future (updating his voicemail to reflect that, posting on social media, etc), but I mean… I get it.

A few years ago, when our excellent farrier broke his leg, his answering machine gave numbers of other farriers to call, other farriers took over his clients and gave him the money from those horse’s farrier work they did for him.

It was a wonderful experience for all, clients and other farriers, how to do right and work together.

[beowulf]

Am I reading it right this is the first time he has inconvenienced you and you consider this the last straw? Is it at all possible something came up? It sounds out of character from what you’ve shared.

While thinking of all this make sure your horses are good for handling. I see a lot of horses that suck to trim. Not suggesting this is why but something to keep in the back of your mind. My farrier has pared his books down in the last 2-3 years; difficult clients (horse or owner) were first to go. I do everything in my power to be a perfect client.

If you are serious in learning how to trim, I would look up two methods: ELPO and ABC Hoof trimming. Study them both and take the time to map out the hoof before rasping.

ABC Hoof Care

https://www.lamenessprevention.org/site_page.cfm?pk_association_webpage_menu=6601&pk_association_webpage=13313

After taking on some trimming myself, I have learned a balanced trim is not so easy.

[paintedpennypony]

Not the last straw with him specifically, but I dislike being reliant on farriers in general. I’ve wanted to learn how to trim for a while so this isn’t a new thought.

My horses are very very well behaved and I’m a good client.

I found someone else to come out next week and I’m going to talk to him about teaching me how to trim over time so I can have professional guidance and still be sure my horses are getting done correctly while learning it myself. And saving for tuition to enroll in an owner’s course on trimming.

On Sunday, I reached out to another of my farrier’s clients and she said she hasn’t heard from him either. I tried calling one last time on Monday and it went straight to VM. He’s been my farrier for a year now so it is concerning and I hope he’s ok. But I’ve done all I can so when/if I ever hear from him again, I hope it’s positive.

[trubandloki]

Have you googled your farrier’s name to see if there are any news articles involving them?

If nothing else, you can ask your new farrier if all is OK.

[Buster]

Even IF he’s hurt or something like that, you would think that he could have his wife/friend/brother/whatever put an outgoing message on his voicemail or send a mass text. When my farriers have been out of commission, that’s what they’ve always done. The flaky ones do this. Ask your SO what he said that was so offensive, LOLOL!!!

[beowulf]

@paintedpennypony

I found someone else to come out next week and I’m going to talk to him about teaching me how to trim over time so I can have professional guidance and still be sure my horses are getting done correctly while learning it myself. And saving for tuition to enroll in an owner’s course on trimming.

I wonder if your current farrier was put off by you asking questions. Not a criticism or judgment, just an observation. I know I royally pissed off a farrier once by asking him why he was shoeing a particular way. It wasn’t a judgment, I just wanted to learn because what he was doing was new to me. Most farriers seem to assume when you ask questions you are either criticizing them or don’t think they’re doing a good enough job and are planning to take over yourself. That could certainly contribute to a farrier “firing” you.

Again, no judgment, more of a general observation about farrier egos.