Farriers of comparable skill... and much less comparable prices

[dontskipthecafe]

I have a dilemma.

I’ve been using my current farrier since I got my first horse about a year ago. He’s very good, does a great job with both my mare and my friend’s gelding, and I like him a lot. We’ve been paying $125 for front shoes glued and nailed.

My mare is going into more consistent work and it has been recommended that she have hind shoes on because she is mildly footsore. I just found out that my farrier charges $200 for shoes all around.

I spoke with my trainer, who uses a different farrier, just to see if his prices were comparable and if this is a standard cost. Her farrier charges $140 for shoes all around. He is very skilled (manages trainer’s mare’s club foot to the point that I didn’t even notice she had one until it was pointed out). Good with the horses, graduated from Cornell, and has been pleasant to talk to every time I’ve met him.

I think I want to switch, because $60 every 7 weeks is a pretty huge difference and the skill levels appear similar. But I am really bad at conflict and I don’t want to piss off the farrier I have.

[trubandloki]

Are you sure you are comparing apples to apples in the pricing.

Maybe I am way out of the loop since all of mine have been barefoot for several years but it used to be glue on shoes cost extra.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=trubandloki;8059658]
Are you sure you are comparing apples to apples in the pricing.

Maybe I am way out of the loop since all of mine have been barefoot for several years but it used to be glue on shoes cost extra.[/QUOTE]

Current farrier doesn’t charge extra for glue, but I’m not sure about trainer’s guy. I can’t imagine it would be close to $60 though. Trainer currently has winter shoes on her horse and that costs her $160. It’s also entirely possible that my mare could hold shoes without glue, we’ve never actually tried since I’ve had her.

[OnDeck]

Not paying extra for glue? I would stay with that guy. If farrier 2 charges $140 for four shoes, I would not at all be surprised if you hit the $200 mark when you glue the front feet.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=OnDeck;8059734]
Not paying extra for glue? I would stay with that guy. If farrier 2 charges $140 for four shoes, I would not at all be surprised if you hit the $200 mark when you glue the front feet.[/QUOTE]

Talked to trainer, her farrier also does not charge extra for glue. Still $140 for four shoes. I already have an appointment for my current farrier on April 3rd, but I think I’m going to at least give new guy a shot. Hopefully current farrier does not get mad if I do not like new guy and want to go back.

[FineAlready]

My rule with farriers is that I never switch farriers unless I have to for some reason (moving horse out of farrier’s zone, shoeing jobs no longer good, etc.). It’s easy to burn a bridge with a farrier, and every time I have switched (even to good farriers), my horse goes through a transition period where he doesn’t go as well.

[RackNRoll]

Be careful about assuming that your trainer’s farrier will shoe your horse at the same price he offers your trainer. Your assumption might be wrong.

My farrier, and every one I’ve had in the past, admit that charges can vary significantly from customer to customer. Factors include
driving distance to customer
number of horses to be shod
whether customer shoes year-round, or only seasonally
conditions at customer location (horse behavior, facility amenities)
how long has this customer been a customer
and more.

I’ve been with my farrier for 10 years and he specifically told me never to tell anyone what I pay him, because I pay far less than his others. He doesn’t like raising prices on good long term customers. I pay $70 for a full set of shoes.

The other thing to watch out for is good farriers are very busy. If you can find a good one that shows up when you need him, you’re money ahead.

JMO!

[HunterRider84]

I wouldn’t leave a good farrier to try someone else and possibly go back to old farrier. If you’re concerned about the price and you’ve been with this farrier for a while talk to him. Maybe he’ll give you a break.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=RackNRoll;8060187]
Be careful about assuming that your trainer’s farrier will shoe your horse at the same price he offers your trainer. Your assumption might be wrong.

My farrier, and every one I’ve had in the past, admit that charges can vary significantly from customer to customer. Factors include
driving distance to customer
number of horses to be shod
whether customer shoes year-round, or only seasonally
conditions at customer location (horse behavior, facility amenities)
how long has this customer been a customer
and more.

I’ve been with my farrier for 10 years and he specifically told me never to tell anyone what I pay him, because I pay far less than his others. He doesn’t like raising prices on good long term customers. I pay $70 for a full set of shoes.

The other thing to watch out for is good farriers are very busy. If you can find a good one that shows up when you need him, you’re money ahead.

JMO![/QUOTE]

My trainer did speak with her farrier and he would be able to offer the same rate to me. He’s also at the barn very often to work on her horses, and always shows up when he’s needed. Unfortunately, I have not always had that luck with my farrier, especially because I’m extremely limited in my schedule by my full-time job, and can only be there to hold horses on Fridays. Trainer’s guy comes out on weekends. I’m not really planning on just “trying” new farrier, and would only flip-flop if he does a really terrible job (which he doesn’t do).

I don’t know, I don’t want to sound dismissive of the advice I’ve gotten here, but I’m more looking for “how do I say ‘too expensive’ without sounding cheap and rude” advice.

[Highflyer]

I wouldn’t mention the money. Say that your trainer wants you to switch, or that you just can’t do the scheduling with work, and tell him thank you for working with you in the past, and if things change you will give him a call.

[trubandloki]

I think the point others were trying to make is that if you change to the new farrier do not expect your old farrier to welcome you back with open arms if it does not work out with the farrier. Realize that this change might leave you looking for a new farrier.

I agree with Highflyer’s idea on telling the old farrier - My trainer would like me to switch over and use the in house farrier to make scheduling easier. Thank you so much for all the great care you have given Dobbin over the years.

[WSS2012]

I agree with Highflyer. Let him know that due to your work schedule, scheduling and holding your horse is difficult and using up all your vacation time. Also tell him that you appreciate the good work he has done and any other points of compliment. Many barns don’t have a holding fee if you use the trainers farrier either.

[merrygoround]

You didn’t explain why your horse needs glue. The way you wrote it’s as though he glues, and nails the same shoe.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=merrygoround;8060675]
You didn’t explain why your horse needs glue. The way you wrote it’s as though he glues, and nails the same shoe.[/QUOTE]

He does. The gelding needs glue because he used to rip his shoes off at the slightest provocation, and also does not have very strong hoof wall. I honestly don’t think the mare needs the glue, but that’s what we’ve been doing.

[Ambitious_Kate]

I’ve been shoing my horse in CT and RI for the past four years. Yes, this kind of price disparity is real. I had several great farriers in CT shoing all around for 140, 135, then winter pads and borium for 160 or 180. Then another who was 165 for just four on the ground, and in RI 160 and 180 for four all around. Then another in CT wo was 210 just for four shod and in RI 180 for winter borium and pads, and 160 for regular shoes. Really different pricing and really comprable skills and product level. I was “switching” farriers because of the places my horse was staying at, not because I was shopping.

If you want to switch, I would probably make it pretty much permanent, so you aren’t playing one farrier off the other, not cool, I wouldn’t think. You can tell if you will like the new farrier’s work based on what you see of your trainer’s horses’ feet, so its not like you’re going to make a mistake and want to go back to the first guy.

Leave the first guy on a good basis, just be honest with him, and tell him that you think you can save some money by using your trainer’s farrier, and that you really like his work, and have recommended him to several people, but that right now its important for you to see if it will help you to save some expenses to use your trainer’s farrier. Just that simple, don’t elaborate, and make sure you tell him how much you like his work, and indicated that his work is the standard you go by for what your horse needs, or something. You can find a way to be kind yet honest about your needs. Good luk.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=Ambitious Kate;8060805]
Leave the first guy on a good basis, just be honest with him, and tell him that you think you can save some money by using your trainer’s farrier, and that you really like his work, and have recommended him to several people, but that right now its important for you to see if it will help you to save some expenses to use your trainer’s farrier. Just that simple, don’t elaborate, and make sure you tell him how much you like his work, and indicated that his work is the standard you go by for what your horse needs, or something. You can find a way to be kind yet honest about your needs. Good luk.[/QUOTE]

Here’s what I ended up with: “Hi [Farrier], I think I need to cancel for the 3rd. I know that $200 is reasonable for four shoes, but unfortunately I’m just not in a position to afford it on a regular basis. [Trainer] also said that she would like for me to give her farrier a shot because it would make her scheduling much easier. Thank you for all of the wonderful work you’ve done, I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Can I call you again if it does not work out?”

He said “That’s okay, thank you.” I feel a little ridiculous for being so neurotic, because he’s always been very reasonable and pleasant. I really do not like burning bridges, and I find it likely that I will run into him at some point, so I’m glad that we seem to be parting amicably.

[stb]

Well played, OP.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=dontskipthecafe;8060918]
Here’s what I ended up with: “Hi [Farrier], I think I need to cancel for the 3rd. I know that $200 is reasonable for four shoes, but unfortunately I’m just not in a position to afford it on a regular basis. [Trainer] also said that she would like for me to give her farrier a shot because it would make her scheduling much easier. Thank you for all of the wonderful work you’ve done, I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Can I call you again if it does not work out?”

He said “That’s okay, thank you.” I feel a little ridiculous for being so neurotic, because he’s always been very reasonable and pleasant. I really do not like burning bridges, and I find it likely that I will run into him at some point, so I’m glad that we seem to be parting amicably.[/QUOTE]

I would note that he didn’t say, “That’s okay, and of course you can call me again if the new situation doesn’t work out.” I am not sure what you expected him to say other than what he said. The fact of the matter is, you may find out that he is too busy to take you on again if the new farrier does not work out. Or maybe not - this could really go either way.

[dontskipthecafe]

FineAlready, I am a little gunshy about breaking off professional relationships in the horse industry at this point due to some majorly hostile personal experiences and horror stories from others. I wasn’t expecting him to be angry, exactly, but I was worried.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=dontskipthecafe;8061107]
FineAlready, I am a little gunshy about breaking off professional relationships in the horse industry at this point due to some majorly hostile personal experiences and horror stories from others. I wasn’t expecting him to be angry, exactly, but I was worried.[/QUOTE]

I feel like most farriers (the farriers I have met, anyway), would react just like yours did…and then just never shoe the horse again if you ever asked him to.