I have the best farrier ever! Not only is he good at his job but he arrives on time on our scheduled days or will call if he is going to be late. Usually I am there but if for some reason someone isn’t, the horses he needs are all in. I don’t feel it is his job to go fetch horses out of the field. I reward his good behavior by having homemade baked goods for him each time!
I had to fire a farrier recently because of scheduling issues. My parents were on premesis but I couldn’t very well ask my elderly mother to hold any of them. He would be 2 hours early and I would be at another obligation…so sorry, I can’t just drop everything and accommodate your schedule. It was a stressful disaster every time we went to trim.
I’m quite happy with our new farrier. He shows up on time, every time.
I don’t think I would be comfortable with the farrier (or vet or dentist or whatever) pulling a horse out of the field. If they are more than fifteen minutes early, they might just have to wait.
In response to drawstraws question…
For several years I was flying cross-country weekly for work, and my ability to be there for the farrier was very hit or miss. I would try to arrange to have my husband present if I couldn’t be, but that wasn’t always possible either. I had a very close relationship with that farrier and was 100% comfortable allowing him to get my horses out, shoe them, and put them away. He was not willing to do that for other clients, and I wouldn’t have done it with any other shoer at the time. My vet did the same thing for me during that time period…something she also didn’t do for other clients (and I wouldn’t have allowed any other vet to do).
I had a bad run of farriers after my good guy moved to Arizona and I was much more involved in the decisions being made about my horses’ feet at that point and wouldn’t have been comfortable having any of those guys on my property without anyone else being there, let alone shoeing my horses.
I feel a similar way about my new farrier that I did about my old good guy. But since he’s only been shoeing for me for a year, I try to always be around because questions often come up about how the horses are going and he likes to bounce ideas off of me. He has shod several of my horses when I’m not there, but only the very straight-forward ones. Neither of us would be comfortable having him do my princess-and-the-pea TB without me there.
So to answer the question - I do not routinely have my farrier shoe alone, and it’s for sure not an ideal situation. But as others have said, he’s commented that my youngsters are actually better behaved when I’m not there, and I have a decent enough set-up for him that it’s relatively easy to get the horses and shoe them without a holder. So it happens sometimes.
My farrier comes whenever she wants and I’m not there. She usually let’s me know the day. I guess it’s no different than at a big barn where the farrier just goes to the stall and gets the horse out, most of the time I don’t see owners.
[QUOTE=drawstraws;7762988]
I wouldn’t have a problem with the being early. It’s the lack of communication that would annoy me. I adore my farrier - if he’s going to be early or late, or wants to reschedule because of a change in plans, he calls or texts me. That way I can let him know if I can accommodate him or we’ll need to reschedule for an entirely different day.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that would annoy me–we’re always home for the farrier but if she’s going to be late or early she’ll call.
I once had a farrier show up half an hour early, honk his horn, and drive away before I could grab my coat and get out the door. Apparently I was supposed to be waiting horse in hand for him half an hour early! Never called him again. He pulled things like this to too many clients until he could no longer get anyone to recommend him even though he was an excellent farrier. Eventually dropped off the face of the map around here.
I really like my farrier. He lives far (a couple of hours away) but still makes time to travel to us. He schedules his day around what he has planned and how many horses he does.
He comes at any time that day, and is very understandable to bring the horses in, clean-up (he wont if he’s in a hurry) and do his work. I try to leave my horses in for him so it saves him time.
No I am not always here at the time he comes that day, but I can trust him enough to show-up and do a great job. When I am here, I come out and help.
Farrier’s like to be independent. They come and do they’re job and leave. If I am not here, I can trust my farrier enough to leave me a note should there be any problems he’s accounted with my horses, and vice-versa.
In my experience they don’t “pick” a specific time to show-up, as anything can happen on the job or day and they can get de-layed. If you’ve got a farrier you can trust and you’ve got good horses they can work with, then farrier’s usually don’t mind.
What I do know from previous experience that farriers deal with horses. They don’t appreciate being called out for not showing up on time, or complaining about how they “don’t do” they’re job. They hate drama. They are there to work with the horses not so much the people. Unless of course, there a health issue with the horse.
It’s important to have a good understanding relationship with your farrier.
I also love my farrier. When I first started using him my horse was having lameness issues. He was wonderful about working with the vet. I would be there when he was shod and he would explain what he was doing and why. Once we had a satisfactory arrangement, I was not always there for shoeings. This let the farrier schedule more easily. I left a check for him and he required that the horse be in the stall. It was a boarding barn, so there was always someone around. When I was around, I pretty much left them alone as they both seemed to prefer it that way:winkgrin:
It’s been years now and my horse is retired and at a different barn. Happily, farrier was childhood friends with one of the owners so he still comes. I leave a blank check (horse can require different things to keep him pasture sound). Only problem is when he gets chatting so much that he forgets to set up the next appointment!
These threads always make me LOVE mine all the more. Always on time, always in a good mood, does a great job. I’ve used him for 18 years.
I love, love, love my farrier. He is a genuinely nice man, my horses love him and would turn themselves inside out for him, and it’s been a great relationship for many years. He comes from quite a distance, so in order to give him an incentive to come so far, we recruited a couple other horse folks in our neighborhood, and now he has all three sets of horses to do on each visit–seven horses in all.
He is often late but we expect that due to the distance he travels. We give him holiday gifts and occasionally a “just because you’re a great guy” gift. We also pay more than he asks.
In return, not only does he do an awesome job on our horses, but he is willing to trim them when we are not home if we get in a bind. With coordinating with two other sets of horses, it happens.
He came last week while we had a commitment to be elsewhere with some out of town guests. Not only did he trim both horses, but he groomed my mare (I would never to ask him to do that, but he just likes her) and let them out into the pasture when he was done.
Until this relationship, I would never have been comfortable having my horses trimmed when my husband or I was not home. I prefer to be there (but most of the time I can’t due to my work schedule), just because I like to hang out while he’s trimming. My husband feels the same way, and he is usually home for appointments.
Rebecca
I usually can’t be here. I leave the 3 horses up in the barn,fly sprayed and halters on their doors… And a check. He turns them out when done. dh and I both work …Can’t Be there 90% of the time.
P.S. I really enjoy b.s.ing with him…I just can’t be here
[QUOTE=Polydor;7762889]
Annoying ! And this is why I love farriers who are trust worthy and independant and go pull horses out of the paddock /stall so they can arrange their day how ever they want.
P.[/QUOTE]
Holy cow there are farriers who do this!? Woah.
My farrier is premium, he can be hard to book over winter as he’s flown to Florida for the show season, but he comes back for those of us who can’t manage that.
he ran out of glue, I have one horse, he came out to me the day he got the glue, as he likes and understands me, I adore my horse, I have one horse, as that’s what I can afford, and he wants for nothing. I might not be a big fancy name, but i am there asking questions, watching, and trying to learn. My farrier has all the time in the world for me, over the big name barns he has - and they are massive barns.
Recently, I’ve not always been able to be there, and I just changed barns, he fired the other 3 clients at the barn and followed me. I don’t really know what I did for him to get so on board with me. Before I moved, I texted him asking if he would move with me, he sent one word ‘always’. I pay him when he is there, I ask questions in a learning way, and I mess with his assistant, in a joking with, messing with way.
I’ve never asked him to pull my horse out of a field, but I think he would, but I’d only do that, if no other option were available, and I don’t understand how that happens. You can pay someone $10, to pull your horse out of a field, and clean their legs?
