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| What would you all do?
I have a farrier who does great work, always does right by me. He is older so it does take him a little longer but I don't mind because again he's always done right by me and my horses
Recently his wife has gotten sick and been in hospice and he tends to her from what I've gathered, well sense then his work hasn't been great. Not 'bad' as in crippling just lazy sloppy work. Like if I'm not there and leave my horse(s) with my boyfriend or mom (not horse people) he really gets sloppy... NEVER takes enough toe off now. You'd think the horses hadnt been shod if you came out the day of and looked.
I have to watch him the entire time and tell ask him repeatedly to take more toe off. or whatever else. And again I've never had this problem before with him. I changed farrier once this year he almost ruined my good horse in ONE shoeing so now I'm paranoid!!
What would you all do????? I don't want to be rude but I don't want my horses getting crippled at the lack of his commitment to his job! I know he has family issues, but UGH! Would y'all fire him and move on? Or????
Edited by Barrelhorsehelp1 2017-05-25 8:37 PM
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4626
 
Location: Texas | Have you brought your concerns to his attention about his lack of attention? I would have a good sit down conversation with him and if his work doesn't meet your expectations from then on, find someone else. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I would bring your concerns up to him and if he doesn't think he can do better work, find someone else.
Grown up situations suck sometimes. We can have sympathy for a persons situation without sacrificing the well being of our animals. |
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| I've told him everytime he comes out, well I don't think you took enough toe off last time or I noticed you didn't finish rasping"
my horses are not what so ever bad they stand perfectly without any fuss so I know he's just being lazy, or in a hurry to leave.
I don't want him to think I do appreciate what he's done so how would I go about saying something? I have a friend who has used him longer than I have and even she said the other day he has really fallen off and her horses didn't look great either |
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Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | Wow! I understand putting horse first and well being. but we need to have more compassion for a person that is losing his wife! Put yourself in his shoes. I would tell him to not worry bout my horses and go take care of your wife! And I would let him know that when he can to let you know and come back but in the meantime I will find someone temporary. I cannot imagine my husband being with hospice! I wouldn't be able to function! before you flame me Im not saying to let your horse suffer or not be done right. |
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| Turnburnsis - 2017-05-23 8:33 PM
Wow! I understand putting horse first and well being. but we need to have more compassion for a person that is losing his wife! Put yourself in his shoes. I would tell him to not worry bout my horses and go take care of your wife! And I would let him know that when he can to let you know and come back but in the meantime I will find someone temporary. I cannot imagine my husband being with hospice! I wouldn't be able to function! before you flame me Im not saying to let your horse suffer or not be done right.
No no!! That's how I feel! And I think that's why I haven't fired him or spoken up because I just feel bad!! Mind you this has been going on for 4 maybe 5 months now though.
I love him and I love(d) the work he did!! I'm just bummed!
Plus i feel like it isn't my Business to say hey I know your wife is sick so stop shoeing my 5 horses and take care of her and come back to me when she passes... he's never said "I need some time to be with my wife" or anything! |
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Ms. Marine
Posts: 4626
Location: Texas | Turnburnsis - 2017-05-23 6:33 PM
Wow! I understand putting horse first and well being. but we need to have more compassion for a person that is losing his wife! Put yourself in his shoes. I would tell him to not worry bout my horses and go take care of your wife! And I would let him know that when he can to let you know and come back but in the meantime I will find someone temporary. I cannot imagine my husband being with hospice! I wouldn't be able to function! before you flame me Im not saying to let your horse suffer or not be done right.
Nobody said anything about NOT having compassion.. but when your horse is being put at risk over and over because your farrier's mind is elsewhere and understandably so, there's nothing wrong with finding a different farrier. If her current farrier cannot do the job he's being paid for, that's not fair to the OP to continue to use his services. It's a double edge sword unfortunately. The OP needs to do what's best for her animals and the farrier needs to do what's best for him also.
Edited by BarrelRacing4Christ 2017-05-23 8:45 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | Barrelhorsehelp1 - 2017-05-23 8:40 PM
Turnburnsis - 2017-05-23 8:33 PM
Wow! I understand putting horse first and well being. but we need to have more compassion for a person that is losing his wife! Put yourself in his shoes. I would tell him to not worry bout my horses and go take care of your wife! And I would let him know that when he can to let you know and come back but in the meantime I will find someone temporary. I cannot imagine my husband being with hospice! I wouldn't be able to function! before you flame me Im not saying to let your horse suffer or not be done right.
No no!! That's how I feel! And I think that's why I haven't fired him or spoken up because I just feel bad!! Mind you this has been going on for 4 maybe 5 months now though.
I love him and I love (d ) the work he did!! I'm just bummed!
Plus i feel like it isn't my Business to say hey I know your wife is sick so stop shoeing my 5 horses and take care of her and come back to me when she passes... he's never said "I need some time to be with my wife" or anything!
I wouldn't say when wife passes come back either. or go take care of your wife. I wouldn't put it that way either. I would just let him know that you understand how devastating it is to deal with what he is dealing with and let him know that only temporary. I agree you should find someone to do your horses right. Hopfully he will understand and that you are also really concern for him more so and wont burn a bridge. good luck I didn't mean to imply that you had no compassion for him. It just that I have seen people get so caught up in their own horses over people. So I am sorry if I came across wrong |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| I am surprised he is coming out at all since his wife is in hospice care. Those people usually only have weeks to a few months left to live. He must be so stressed out. I would probably just continue to use him but just remind him of your wants. If enough is not off the toe just say so. Farrier do prefer the owners to be there when they are doing their work anyways in checking they need to bring something to your attention or if they have a suggestion or what not. I would just let this one slide for the time being. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12837
| SloRide - 2017-05-23 10:02 PM
I am surprised he is coming out at all since his wife is in hospice care. Those people usually only have weeks to a few months left to live. He must be so stressed out. I would probably just continue to use him but just remind him of your wants. If enough is not off the toe just say so. Farrier do prefer the owners to be there when they are doing their work anyways in checking they need to bring something to your attention or if they have a suggestion or what not. I would just let this one slide for the time being.
Some of us have to pay bills |
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| unfortunately... I made wrong call used the farrier in this post on Friday, and my horse was DEAD lame today... I literally cried the whole way to vet.
he cut everything off my horse, no heel, no toe, no nothing. Unfortunately he took a horse that needed to be stood up and crippled him. Needless to say, I fired him.
Now to get my horse sound again 
Edited by Barrelhorsehelp1 2017-05-25 8:41 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| So your farrier went from being a little sloppy and leaving toes a little long, to taking a horse down to no heel or toe? Where you there when this was going on? |
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| SloRide - 2017-05-25 8:57 PM
So your farrier went from being a little sloppy and leaving toes a little long, to taking a horse down to no heel or toe? Where you there when this was going on?
Yup... pretty much.
I again said "hey i thought we didn't take enough toe off last time can we do a little more" he said sure! We talked about how he was gimpy in the heels and he suggested the rocker shoe would be perfect. I said whatever you think, I even told him I had a vet appointment prior for the gimp, he said great show the vet my work. I said sure thing, well this morning he was dead lame.
Vet took the shoes off and you can literally see where he made the shoe unbalanced and all outta wack.
Ignorance is bliss I suppose..
I even called a good friend who uses him often and she even said he had not even doing work like he used too. I take full responsibility though. Won't be so trusting next time. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Barrelhorsehelp1 - 2017-05-25 9:43 PM
SloRide - 2017-05-25 8:57 PM
So your farrier went from being a little sloppy and leaving toes a little long, to taking a horse down to no heel or toe? Where you there when this was going on?
Yup... pretty much.
I again said "hey i thought we didn't take enough toe off last time can we do a little more" he said sure! We talked about how he was gimpy in the heels and he suggested the rocker shoe would be perfect. I said whatever you think, I even told him I had a vet appointment prior for the gimp, he said great show the vet my work. I said sure thing, well this morning he was dead lame.
Vet took the shoes off and you can literally see where he made the shoe unbalanced and all outta wack.
Ignorance is bliss I suppose..
I even called a good friend who uses him often and she even said he had not even doing work like he used too. I take full responsibility though. Won't be so trusting next time.
How long have you been useing this farrier? |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | So sorry!!!!!! Ugh that's so frustrating. And a tough spot to be in. HUGS!!! |
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| Southtxponygirl - 2017-05-25 10:15 PM
Barrelhorsehelp1 - 2017-05-25 9:43 PM
SloRide - 2017-05-25 8:57 PM
So your farrier went from being a little sloppy and leaving toes a little long, to taking a horse down to no heel or toe? Where you there when this was going on?
Yup... pretty much.
I again said "hey i thought we didn't take enough toe off last time can we do a little more" he said sure! We talked about how he was gimpy in the heels and he suggested the rocker shoe would be perfect. I said whatever you think, I even told him I had a vet appointment prior for the gimp, he said great show the vet my work. I said sure thing, well this morning he was dead lame.
Vet took the shoes off and you can literally see where he made the shoe unbalanced and all outta wack.
Ignorance is bliss I suppose..
I even called a good friend who uses him often and she even said he had not even doing work like he used too. I take full responsibility though. Won't be so trusting next time.
How long have you been useing this farrier?
I've used him for about 3 years now. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Barrelhorsehelp1 - 2017-05-25 9:43 PM
SloRide - 2017-05-25 8:57 PM
So your farrier went from being a little sloppy and leaving toes a little long, to taking a horse down to no heel or toe? Where you there when this was going on?
Yup... pretty much.
I again said "hey i thought we didn't take enough toe off last time can we do a little more" he said sure! We talked about how he was gimpy in the heels and he suggested the rocker shoe would be perfect. I said whatever you think, I even told him I had a vet appointment prior for the gimp, he said great show the vet my work. I said sure thing, well this morning he was dead lame.
Vet took the shoes off and you can literally see where he made the shoe unbalanced and all outta wack.
Ignorance is bliss I suppose..
I even called a good friend who uses him often and she even said he had not even doing work like he used too. I take full responsibility though. Won't be so trusting next time.
Is he older? You said this has been going on (sloppy work) 4/5 months, how many trimmings?
Is it possible that the horse caught the shoe on something and torqued it?
It's a crappy situation, but in this case I would probably find a different farrier, temporary/permanent if you like his work. If it were me, I would also give the guy a call and ask if there's anything I could do for him or his wife during this time. Probably would make a dinner for him too as I'm sure he's focusing on his wife and not so much on himself. |
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