07/04/2019
"Why Can't I Find/Keep a Farrier?"
I spend a lot of time in discussion and hearing the farrier's side of the story, from professionals around the country, even around the world. And of course, I have been servicing the general public, a couple hundred horses, over the last 6 years.
Many newer horse owners aren't always aware of these things that more experienced horsepeople consider routine, please share if you know someone who's just starting out! This article is to bridge the communication gap with clear expectations, to reduce stress for both horse owners and farriers.
Here is a short list of the major, all too common reasons you might be having trouble finding and keeping a farrier:
1) You don't stay on schedule, prebooked or otherwise, or constantly re-arrange/cancel appointments.
(This breaks your dedicated farrier's heart.)
2) You let months go by between appointments (3+ months).
(This disappoints your farrier, as they can't make improvements to the hooves or show their best skill when they have to clean up the same old mess time and again. It is difficult to expect horses to cooperate when they aren't being handled routinely.)
3) Your horses don't cooperate, stand, or act dangerously--- and you take no action to improve this.
(Your farrier wants to do their best work without getting injured or killed. Do you pay their bills if your uncooperative horse tears their muscles apart or puts them in the hospital?)
4) You don't pay on time, or don't pay at all.
(Do you walk into a grocery store and walk out with groceries with a pay-you-later-or-maybe-never? Does your employer say "Oh, I'll pay you in a few weeks, I just got back from this trip to Cuba and bought a new truck, see..."?)
Other less obvious reasons may range depending on the structure of the individual's business and what they're willing tolerate. Here are some common ones:
- Dangerous, dirty or cluttered work areas.
- Dangerous distractions such as other animals, children, people, cell phone, other contractors trying to get a job done.
- Not sticking to a dictated schedule (pre-booking routinely).
- Not covering the farrier's expenses (if you live in a remote area or out of that farrier's regular service area). This is unfortunate as many people can't control their location all the time, but it's unrealistic to expect someone to drive 2+ hours for one or two trims at $30/horse. That's basically the farrier paying to trim your horse.
- Dictating how the farrier should trim/shoe/do their job. (Exceptions noted--- discussing ideas is fine!)
- Telling the vet one thing and the farrier another. Playing one against the other is not polite and your horse is the one who suffers.
- Not calling the vet for lameness problems, especially when requested.
- Neglect in other areas that borders on criminal or is actually criminal.
- Harassment, including phone calls/texting/facebooking, sexual harassment or bullying. Other farriers witnessing such behavior are less willing to consider you as a client, since you might do the same to them.
- Rudeness or abuse towards people or animals.
- Neglecting to provide care or treatment for a horse as requested between appointments, such as treating thrush, keeping an abscess clean, calling the vet for diagnostics, fencing that laminitic pony off the 30 acres of lush grass...
And remember: Routine hoofcare is necessary for pasture ornaments as much as working horses, young and old, big and small, summer or winter or mud-season!
(The hoof pictured was trimmed at 8 weeks. Imagine if we left that for another 8 or 16 weeks or more. We would have imbalances, chunks breaking off,big nasty cracks, and a very muscle-sore horse! 😦)
