Have nicely recovering severely foundered pony. Moved from a place with excellent vets / farriers who helped get him to this point. Now, being advised that NO vets in my area will do emergency barn calls, and most farriers have no real training! I am beside myself with worry. Any recommendations? I am in Athens, TN area, and have no transportation for my pony at this time.
Thanks!!!
Are you close to Knoxville? Contact Tyler at Irving Training Center ------perhaps he has better area info for you
Thanks, Nashfad. I am about an hour from Knoxville, maybe a little more. Hope to find something closer, maybe Tyler can help me.
Oh my, welcome to culture shock, I’m in Cleveland and will send you my contact info as well as the contact info of what is said to be the best farrier in the area, not sure if he will travel to athens and I suspect he is quite busy. fwiw, I went back “home” and learned how to trim my own previous founder horse…
It’s kind of a shame isn’t it? The area is beautifulllll!!! The pasture is amazing, the cost of living is low, it has so much potential to be horse heaven but there’s so much total ignorance it hurts. (not everyone, I found friends, but in general I want to save 80% of the horses I run across.)
Jeremy Davis is one of the better farriers in the area. I think he is based out of Ten Mile. Not sure if this is a current phone # or not 423-334-1265. Expect to pay $$ if you are the only client in area though cuz he is busy afaik.
Equine Medical Center and Bradley Vet are both in Cleveland and both good, and I think Athens must be in their coverage area. I used Equine Medical (Dr Williams & Dr Blazer) mostly, and they traveled to Soddy Daisy which was at least an hour’s drive.
I used Mike Pohl for a farrier for 8+ yrs before we moved, he’s also in Cleveland and does a lot of work for the vets. Again I’m not sure if he travels to Athens, but he also would have contacts for you I’m sure. His # is 423-432-8634.
Thanks! I may have found someone in Niota, but I will keep Jeremy Davis’s number.
Thanks. You are the second person to recommend Mike Pohl.
How far are you from Clarksville? I know of a (well-recommended by a trustworthy source anyway) trainer there who might have some suggestions for you.
I grew up in Chattanooga but moved from there years ago. I don’t know about emergencies, I can’t imagine he didn’t do them then, but I used Oscar Wilson (I believe he was out of Cleveland?) and was always happy with him, though I never had to use him for anything but routine things. My amazing farrier from those days has retired from farriery, though (Bruce Lansford out of Chattanooga).
One idea might be to contact the longtime Connemara breeders right there in Athens, Vanessa and Charlie Morgan of Foothills Connemaras, and see which professionals they use. They have a website and are such wonderful horsepeople I’m sure they would be happy to give you some recommendations.
