|
|
 
| I have a good shoer and am kicking around the thought of upgrading to a great, well known shoer in our area. I need thoughts on how big of a difference can a good versus great shoer make?
|
|
| |
|
| no hoof.. no horse. makes all the difference in the world. |
|
| |
|
 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
 
Location: Arkansas | I bet your gonna get tons for answers on this!!! I wouldn't trade my farrier for a less qualified one for anything. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1432
| They can "make ya, or break ya". |
|
| |
|
  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | Like everyone else has stated, no hoof no horse. |
|
| |
|
| Thanks for the answers! I want to hear your experiences on this. Has anyone gone from a good shoer to a great one and wished they'd kept the old shoer or all of the sudden their horse started working better with the new shoer? |
|
| |
|
 Saint Stacey
| An awesome farrier caused me a lot of problems by having my daughters mare off just 1/8th of an inch. It happened when my GREAT farrier ended up in the hospital and was out for 6 months. My GREAT one fixed her in two shoeings. I still use my awesome one for everything else. The GREAT one does Vegas every 6 weeks. |
|
| |
|
 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Feet and teeth are the two most critical factors there are in maintenance. My trainer hauls mine 4 hours to get mine shod. Well worth it |
|
| |
|
 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | I went through 24 shoers in less than a year . Went from OK to I'll do it myself thankyou. Since I know nothing about shoeing , I can trim and slip a boot on, and my horses, thank me. My current shoer takes all the heel off so I am back where I started and all the work I did getting my foundered horse straightened . I back to the begining cause the sob made her flat footed again/long toe. I am beyond PO'ed. So if this is a Great farrier by all means GO FOR IT. Balance is KEY. |
|
| |
|
 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Literally every soundness issue I deal with my mare can easily be pointed to from bad to okay shoeing when she was younger.
My great shoer has coaxed her back into reasonable soundness.
Spend the time and money on the great shoer! |
|
| |
|
Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Night and Day. |
|
| |
|
 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | Before I would totally ditch the current farrier, I'd make an appointment with your great shoer for an evaluation of your current farriers work. |
|
| |
|
 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | roxieannie - 2017-04-14 6:44 AM Before I would totally ditch the current farrier, I'd make an appointment with your great shoer for an evaluation of your current farriers work.
this...and maybe the great one won't take you. Most of the time those guys are swamped. |
|
| |
|
Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| cow pie - 2017-04-13 10:56 PM
I went through 24 shoers in less than a year . Went from OK to I'll do it myself thankyou. Since I know nothing about shoeing , I can trim and slip a boot on, and my horses, thank me. My current shoer takes all the heel off so I am back where I started and all the work I did getting my foundered horse straightened . I back to the begining cause the sob made her flat footed again/long toe. I am beyond PO'ed. So if this is a Great farrier by all means GO FOR IT. Balance is KEY.
You have to take heel off to pull the toe back. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
Location: Roping pen | Been a student of and shoeing horses for 30 years. Most what makes a good shoer, IMO, is mostly their opinion and the spin they tell you. I know I will get flamed for this, but that is my opinion.
A great shoer, is one that fixes a problem and is not need on most horses. Most are vets or teachers and really understand the complex structure and what/how to fix what needs fixed. They tell you when they are not needed when they are not or there isn't a problem or a solution.
Of course a horrible shoer can cripple a horse. By leaving to much hang out, wrong size shoes, poor nail placement, angles, etc, all has a bearing-but that is mostly caused by the shoer. Also, IMO, a horrible shoer is one that tells you your 15 year old horse has a problem and he is going to fix it. I don't mess with a mature horse that is sound and working fine. Just take what mother nature gives you and don't mess it up unless there is a documented problem via xray, vet review, etc. Then they refer you to someone that specializes in these cases.
Most experienced shoers can take 90% of the horses out there and be fine IF they don't try to reinvent the hoof. There is a reason some are pigeon toed, high on one side, wears down the toes, overreaches, etc. Most of it is structural problems and can not be fixed via a shoe. Just crippled.
But opinions of shoers are like most anything. Everyone likes something different and has an opinion. The most vocal ones, to me, are the ones to stay away from.
Good luck...
Just what I have seen in 30+ years. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
Location: Roping pen | As far as the long toe issue. Most shoers are careful to not remove to much sole in the toe area at one time. That causes sore feet. IF the toe is long, it will take at least 3 sets to get it back to where it needs to be to match shoulder/pastern angles. IF you do it in one, that horse probably will be sore for at least 2 weeks IMO due to much sole removed--but that depends on the horse. You can also do it by taking off hoof wall, but that is just cosmetic and could lead to other issues. Some horses just grow more toe, some more heel. BUT again, take what mother nature gives you and don't screw it up.
Leaving heel is a misnomer that that will get them stood up. The heel grows forward. If you leave heel, you actually compound the low angle IMO. BUT some horses are flat footed and it will be difficult to get them stood up without wedges. AGAIN they lived with this problem for their entire life so, maybe we don't need to change it??????? |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | My two life motto's are, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" & "No hoof, No horse".
I supposedly had an great farrier who was on the said 'National Farrier Team', charged an arm and a leg, took the heel, left the toe. After I told him my horse has a naturally steep angle, he continued to leave toe. Therefore, my horse started hitting himself so hard that he would rip the bulbs right off of his feet!!! Several times. He lost shoes ALL THE TIME. Eventually breaking his splint bone and I am convinced that happened because he left so much toe. I was so fed up and frustrated. After a year off recovering from his broken splint bone, I researched some "good" farriers in my area. Found one that I abosolutely LOVE, he listens, and explains WHY. If I have questions or concerns, he addresses them confidently and gives me options. My horses feet look awesome, less shoes lost, and my horse is happy.
My point is, I went from 'great' to a 'good' and my horse did a complete 180. Because if he'd of done a 360, we'd be back to where we started ;)
|
|
| |
|
Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| There are two wonderful things about my farrier that make him great. He comes when I call him and he does what I ask him to do. He just shoes the horses at my house. The horses at my trainer's go to another farrier. I did go with my trainer once to watch. I learned a lot. You gotta take the heel off, the toe comes off from the outside, the shoe needs to be showing all the way around. That is the way that my farrier does the ones at home. When I talked to that farrier I told him what I was looking for. I wanted to keep my horse sound and I wanted to knock a couple of tenths of a second off. He seems to have accomplished both. The farrier that I use at home is not perfect but I don't have a problem with him. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | I used a very reputable farrier in the area a few times and he had so many sets to do in a day that he rushed through my boy. My horse was always left frazzled and was never still for him. Always pacing. I paid twice as much for him than I did with my old guy.
I switched back to my old faithful guy and he made me promise not to share his name with any of my "barrel racing friends". He said he only shoes old school ropers and barrel racers are too picky. LOL. He was in his 70s when I found him and started using him.
I cried when that guy retired. He was great with my horses. I haven't found anyone to replace him yet. He was very patient. Took his time and did lots of corrections that made my horses feel/look/ run better. He always asked me about ground before he put shoes on. If I was going to be outside and it was dry he would shoe accordingly. If I was going to be inside and in deep sand he would shoe accordingly. He was smart. Knew his angles and knew what needed to be done. He also whistled and sang and hummed while he worked so that made it even more enjoyable.  |
|
| |
|
| Thank y'all so much! After all of your replies, I called the new shoer. He is booked but is going to give me an evaluation to let me know what he thinks. |
|
| |
Folks on-line