My farrier is wonderful in a lot of ways. He is the BEST in my area, and people travel 3+hours to him. He is always continuing his education, and specializes in performance horses and corrective shoeing. He shod my horse that had high ringbone and did everything he can to keep him as comfortable as possible, and he shoes my current horse and he is going great. 

My issues are, he is absolutely terrible at communication. My horse loses a shoe every other month, and it's pulling teeth to try and get him to put it on, and it always seems to happen when I would like to go to a race. You can't call him, text only. I texted him Thursday that my horse pulled a front shoe, and was wondering when he could come out and put it back on. No response (which is 200% normal), next day I copy and paste the same text, no response, yesterday I sent the same text, no response. I wanted to go to a race today and tomorrow, so I call random farriers in my area, and I was not expecting anyone to say yes (and I don't blame them), I found a farrier who came and put it on today. I still haven't heard back from my regular farrier. 

This is NOT uncommon. When I had my gelding with ringbone, when he pulled a shoe with his pad on, he went three legged lame, and I texted my farrier saying he's in a lot of pain, when can you come? 2 weeks later, no response. It was devestating. 

I would not be upset if he just texted me back and said, I can't come until Monday. But he just does NOT respond. There is NO communication. 

I'm going to be honest, I'm the quintessential client. I always pay cash, I have never cancelled or rescheduled an appointment, I always make sure my horses legs are clean and feet are picked out. My horse acts perfect. 

He does all the horses feet at the barn I board at except one. She uses the farrier that just came out to put my horses shoe back on. My trainer and I both use the same farrier, and he does this to her too. She rides the pro-rodeo circuit, and she is too scared to switch farriers, because ours is really THAT good..but he NEVER gets back to you. Every one of his customers I have talked to says the same thing we do. If your horse loses a shoe, you pretty much have to wait until your next scheduled visit.

I did talk to the farrier that just put on the missing shoe, and he is taking new clients, and I know people switch farriers all the time, but I'm so nervous. My horse is going SO well and has had no hoof issues, and I like the way my current farrier shoes him. I'm such at a loss. If I switch farriers, I will never get the one I use now back if I ever need him. The farrier that just came out, said If I switch to him, he will change my horses shoes. My horse wears front toe clipped shoes and side clipped in the back, and this new farrier said he would put side clips on the front. I'm just nervous that my horse will go downhill if I switch. I know, I sound ridiculous. 

I also clean their house bi-weekly. Which if I lose that job...whatever I guess. 

I'm just done begging him to come out when my horse loses a shoe. It's not like it happens once a year! 

Advice?

It’s the farriers job to put shoes back on !!! Now I tip mine to do it , and even haul my horses to his house to be done. Mine is THAT good to. Lol. In your situation I would start asking around and getting references on the new Shoer! Talk to some of his clients look at the feet of horses he does. If he is good, you might switch ! 

I think you should talk to him in person and tell him youll haul to him and possibly pay him..........Ask him...  Sounds like he just doesn't want to bother witha a lost shoe.  However communication is the first thing I would ask him................

I always pay him for a lost shoe even when he tells me no, also buy him a case of beer. He lives 5 min from the barn I board at and he boards his horse at the barn I do. The girl at the barn I’m at uses the farrier that just came out to put my shoe on and she likes him. I gave the farrier $100 cash! I always tip $20!

edited to add my trainer and I have talked to him about his lack of communication and he acknowledges it but it never gets better. 

Last month when he lost a shoe the day of a huge race I pre paid for 3 hrs away I offered to meet him anywhere! I’m flexible and he knows that. 

Most farriers have a fellow farrier they refer things to if they can't be there themselves. Ask him what protocol he'd like you to follow when you need him to come out for an issue. And if he says to just text him, tell him you'd like a response to let you know if he won't be making it out or you should call someone else. And if he doesn't respect that, then I'd be changing farriers....

Change farriers. They are not neurosurgeons, but sometimes their egos beg to differ.

Keeping in mind that my husband was a farrier for over 50+ years, I have to ask questions regarding your statement ....

My horse loses a shoe every other month, and it's pulling teeth to try and get him to put it on

WHY? Are you waiting too long between resets? (your fault)  Is the horse pulling the shoe? (your fault) It seems like the horse has a perpetual problem keeping shoes.

Maybe, this is the farrier's way of telling you he doesn't "want" to shoe your horse any more due to these problems. Also, IF he is as good as you say, he is probably pretty darn busy and tired at the end of the day. I know that sounds like excuses but it happens with farriers.....I would talk to him personally and if he rebuffs your questions, etc ..... CHANGE farriers! 

If this horse is losing a shoe every other month, then I'm betting this horse needs to be reset sooner. Theres horses that need to be reset  sooner then others, I had one that needed to be reset at least every 4 to 5 weeks or else he would start losing shoes. I would not suggest looking for another shoer, you should talk to him about resetting your horse sooner then you are now, sounds like you are waiting to long inbetween shoeings. 

I think your a little off. Ask me questions before you tell me its my fault. I do everything my farrier tells me to do, and he treats everyone like this. I have asked many times if we need to switch from 6 weeks to 5 or so: He tells me no. I can have him reset, and the next day he pulls it. I think your taking my post personally as you said your husband was a farrier. Sorry honey. 

May-be try putting bell boots on your horse when he is turned out. I have to do this with my silly guy who has tweeked a front shoe before. My farrier also squared off his back toes & that has helped alot. Good luck. Personally I would find another farrier. I Thank God for mine as he is a wonderful farrier, knows his job well, always shows up, even calls me if he is running behind & he lives about an hour & 1/2 from me, but still will get out to fix a shoe. 

Thank you!! Yes, he wears rubber bell boots 24/7 in the pasture. I will talk to him

about squaring off the toe! Thank you!

And there you have it ...... he PULLS the shoes off. Maybe that farrier is getting sick and tired of you calling him to put shoes back on ..... rather than complaining and whining .... try another farrier!

I don’t have a camera out in the pasture. Another horse could step on it and pull it. He’s a grown man, he could easily tell me to find someone else. Just because your husband used to be a farrier doesn’t mean ****. Stop acting like you know everything. And I’m sorry, he decided to become a farrier, horses lose shoes. If a farrier doesn’t want those calls, choose another profession. 

You darn right .... I take it personally .... With a husband AND son who were farriers and I have dealt with MANY years of whiny b*tching customers that don't know a hole in the ground and won't take the responsibility to take care of their horses....rather that whine and b*tch .... CHANGE FARRIERS ! ! ! !  Easy solution for you AND the farrier (and he will probably thank you!).

Did you not read any of my posts saying I do everything he tells me to? Build a bridge and get over yourself. Both my husband and I are self employed and you bet your ass we bend over backwards for our customers. Why? Why chose our profession. I’m assuming you think no farrier can do any wrong. 

We switched farrier after 15 years. It was the best decision we have made. We made the decision to switch after a communication issue. Our current farrier was new and just starting out. Of course I checked her out and asked a lot of questions. We were her first performance horses. Now that’s  all she does. We love her and wish we would have switched sooner. Their are others out there that want your business, don’t chase one that doesn’t.

yes my farrier is a 5ft blonde lady!

but that’s just my opinion!

You say hes a really great farrier and that hes the best farrier in your area, but after reading how you really feel about him, I take back about saying not finding a different farrier, You need to go ahead and find a different one and cut this one loose and do both you and this man a favor so you dont have to worry about calling him and he wont have to do any more advoiding your calls, just be done with the begging. Sounds like he dont want are need your work/money.

If the horse is losing a shoe that regularly then there's a problem. It might be your fault? It migher be the shoer's fault? It might be the horse's fault. None of that matter, except the shoer's fault. 

If it's that then changing shoers will solve the problem. 

My bext horse, and I still own him, was terrible avout losing shoes when I got him. Dry craked feet that just wouldn't grow very fast and a host of problems. I used what most, including me, thought was the best shoer in the state. He got him to where he wouldn't pull the shoes but the dryness was still there. I had to have to have reset every weeks and that was a problem because his growth wasn't a 5 week set. And I would have to reclinch all the nails at 3-4 weeks.

They dryness problem we solved with Equine Relevare Hoof Dressing. Took about a year or more but we finally got to where he was reset every 7 weeks and no reclinching at all.

The shoer worked with me thru all of that. And he never charged for a reset of a lost shoe. Sometimes at a show I would have someone on the grounds reset a lost shoe just for the convenience. Of course they charged for it. 

I would find the problem first before assigning blame. 

Best advice you have received! I hope you follow it. 

It was a holiday weekend....maybe your farrier went out of town and will reply to his messages, etc. tomorrow (Tuesday).

Talk... the best thing you can do is be open and have honest communication.  Ask if there's something different you can do to help your horse not lose shoes. Ask if there's another method of communication. Ask if he would like you to use someone else to tack the shoe back on, then ask for a referral! Ask if he would rather not do your horse. 

I think an important issue to resolve, however,  is the lost shoe issue in the first place.  Why is this happening? ASK.  Also,  maybe instead of talking about him to other clients,  talk TO him. 

After you've asked all the pertinent questions and still aren't getting what you want.  Research,  get referrals, and look at feet  other farriers have done. Do your homework. 

Good luck!

Change farriers! There are plenty of good ones out there. He might be a decent farrier, but communication makes him not so great. There are plenty of companies that make/sell good products, but have a bad rep due to customer service or long wait periods. I guarantee if you switch to someone who will communicate with you, you'll be wondering why you didn't make the move sooner! Your horse is losing shoes somehow, whose fault it is, is besides the point. The rght combo of decent work and communication will fix the problem, or make it less of a hassle and not missing races.

New farrier. You shouldn't be losing shoes that often. I had the same senario happen years ago. Farrier would come out and the next day, would be missing the same right front shoe. Every. Single. Time. After the 4th time that happened and countless times calling him to come back and put yet another shoe on, I switched. I never had an issue with the new farrier!

When I have a horse that pulls shoes often I talk to my farrier and see what he suggests. Some horses clip the insides of their legs, some clip their heels. Without proper communication to your farrier you will never resolve the issue. You have to let him know how your horse feels. Personally my old gelding that used to pull shoes had side clips on and he would rip his whole wall off. We figured out that you couldn't let his shoes over-hang as much bc he really got under himself and would just step on them and off the shoe would go. I switched farriers after a not so reliable one that would schedule me for 6 weeks then not show. He was good but I can't be waiting 8 weeks for a reset. With my new farrier he is there 5-6 weeks on the dot. No pulled shoes and now I don't even how to use any sort of clips to hold shoes on. Best thing I did was swtich farriers. 

Also, I always have a backup farrier available, actually many. People get busy and have lives too. You can't expect them to cater to your every move. Just make sure your backups are someone you trust.