Finding a Farrier

[Bopper]

My farrier is out of commission due to an illness. I am not sure when he will be back to work but it will be several months. My horse has hoof issues that require a knowledgeable farrier with experience. I am struggling to find a farrier. I have been using my farrier’s mentor but he is overwhelmed with the additional work so scheduling is difficult-impossible. I tried another farrier and he messed up the hooves. I have asked my vet, asked other horse friends, checked farrier associations, etc. I can get names but evaluating their knowledge is difficult.

When I talk to farriers it is difficult to determine if they really have the skills/experience that I need. I am not sure what to ask them other then ‘My horse has this issue, how would you address it?’.

Any input on how to evaluate a farrier without actually following them around to see the work that they have done on several horses.

[walkinthewalk]

How far south are you? I’m in southern Middle Tennessee and have really lucked out to have one of the best therapeutic farrier’s in the area. She interned under Ric Redden when got out of farrier school — which was -~20 years ago:)

My foundered horse not only needs corrective shoes on the front, for the founder, but he also has a fractured sacrum, is sickle hocked & base narrow on the back, so she has to customize shoes for his rear hooves. I wouldn’t have a horse were it not for her and the equally as great chiropractor who works on him:)

She MIGHT consider a day’s drive if,this would only be temporary, or maybe she might know someone:)

I found her on https://www.newhorse.com/page/farrie…01.html?page=1

Key in your state or states if you border another state.

best wishes in finding someone. I know some great farrier’s as long as the hooves are healthy but I found out how great they were not when my horse’s hooves because special needs.

[Marla_100]

Can you give a general location, state, part of state and a hint what your horse’s problems are. They are lots of helpful

members here who may be able to suggest someone. Are you near any large vet school or hospital?

[Bopper]

I am in South Louisiana. I am checking with the local vet school now. The horse has under run heels (were that way when I bought him).

[24eventer]

Go to the AFA (American Farriers Assoc.) website and search for a Certified Journeyman Farrier, or Certified Farrier if there are no CJF’s in your area.

[Bopper]

I checked AFA and there are not many farriers near me. I have tried the one closest to me and they difficult to schedule due to having so many established clients/little available appointments.

[NancyM]

I have the same problem!!! My location is far distant from yours.

Currently, my problem pony remains barefoot, because there is not a farrier in this area that has any skill at all, and is functional. Any WITH skill are retired, injured or not accepting additional clients. My tried and true method of evaluating farrier skills is to look at jobs done previously on other people’s horses. If you are dumbfounded with dread and shock and trepidation after looking at the job, don’t call that farrier. I have watched several horses in this area be ruined by poor farrier care. This has ruled out all local farriers.

I am willing to ship to a skilled farrier. I had one agree to do the job for me, and promised to get back to me with a date for the work to be done. But after a month of waiting, she is no longer available (injured and now fully retired). Leaving me and my pony in the lurch, rather- not her fault, but still… no shoes for the pony who needs shoes. This is my VENT for the day.

I have developed, through necessity, the ability to trim, adequately, horses who have feet that are “easy” to trim, no huge issues. I’m not a professional, but as long as things are pretty obvious, I can do it, and my horses are sound and competitive. I have people who remark on what nice feet my barefoot horses have (this makes me laugh and shows the state of farrier skills in this area). I have been watching farriers for 50 years, am an educated and experienced horseman, and have a retired (skilled) farrier for a husband, who oversees and criticizes and directs my work. But I can’t put shoes on this pony, and I can’t find anyone who I would allow to put shoes on this pony, who is available to put shoes on this pony. Thus, I feel your pain. The pony also feels pain, in her feet, because she has no shoes and needs them. AAARRRRGGGGHHH!

[24eventer]

My husband is a CJF and has a group of other CJ Farriers and Certified Farriers that he is friends with and works with on a regular basis. I have talked with them at length recently about the lack of educated farriers in general and what needs to be done to help the situation. I went to the AFA website recently and was appalled at how few journeyman farriers there are. Other countries, especially England have very strict rules about who can shoe a horse and a very long certification and apprenticeship process to be allowed to work on your own. Unfortunately here, we have no regulations on it. We need some incentives for the farriers in the US and other countries to work on educating themselves in their craft. My husband and his friends are constantly reading and working and going to clinics to keep learning and educating themselves, but that is not the norm it seems. I am very fortunate to live in an area that has a lot of qualified farriers, but we also have a lot of VERY unqualified farriers as well that talk a good game, but end up destroying a horse’s feet. I’m not sure what the solution is, but a start will be us, as owners, insisting on using qualified and educated farriers. Hopefully if we can start that process, the areas that don’t have access to these people eventually will as the education process trickles down. I realize that doesn’t help you all right now though. Is there a vet school or clinic within driving distance from you? Maybe you can haul there for now? I wish you the best of luck and sound horses!

[Janet_Conway]

I’ve been there, done that, and feel your pain. A few years ago, my farrier for over a decade moved out of state, and left all his clients without a farrier. I had a terrible time finding a new farrier for my special needs horse. I finally found someone by contacting local performance horse barn owners in area for referrals. That farrier was great with my four regular maintenance horses, but struggled with my special needs horse. Ultimately, I paid $$$ to bring specialists from out of area to come down on three separate occasions to help my horse, and work with my farrier. Just when we finally get things back on track, that farrier moved out of area, but at least he made sure to find someone to continue working with me, and luckily our new farrier is a dream.

If you are willing to haul horse long distance to farrier, chances are good you can pay someone for travel time to come to you.

Good luck!!

[candyappy]

If your regular farrier will be back in a couple of months I would just move heaven and earth to stay with the mentor.

Can you arrange to haul your horse to him maybe? It will only be for a couple of visits. Maybe he can accommodate you with some special hours if he doesn’t have to come to you?

[jonem004]

I would ask the mentor farrier if they have any other previous students working in the area. Also ask your farrier for more recommendations. Farriers that participate in continuing education tend to have a good network, so if there’s anyone else in your area that’s any good, they’ll probably know each other. You might have to accept an appointment at an inconvenient time to get on a new farriers rotation. If someone is good, 10AM on Tuesday might be all you’re gonna get.

[Bopper]

The mentor was working me in until my farrier could return but he had told me that he was struggling to keep up and after he canceled our last appointment I have not heard from him. I found someone to shoe the horse this time but I am not sure about how it will go. He knew about the problem and we discussed options so he at least had some knowledge. I want to see how the hoof looks.

I am able to haul to anyone within reason but even that is not helping me find anyone. The search continues.

[walkinthewalk]

Here’s the new horse.com link to farrier’s in Louisiana. Cursor down a ways to “Chris Jolly”. He would be someone I would at least seriously look into for my special-needs horse if I had to

https://www.newhorse.com/page/farrier/b.2001.g.18.html?page=1

even if he’s a few hours away, and this is only temporary, so it might be worth it to talk to him