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 Expert
Posts: 5290
  
| Herbie - 2016-01-28 9:13 AM
The fault I see with alot of farriers, is they know more than we do, however they see the horse only once every 6 - 8 weeks vs us seeing them every day.  I think that they are often in a rush to get as many customers a day in rather than ensuring a quality job on every horse they encounter and taking the time to measure, then rasp, then measure again to ensure balance both front to back as well as laterally. There are things I have asked my farrier to improve upon, and I also have a hoof stand and a rasp and trim a couple of my horses myself, as most of mine are now barefoot. I don't have any certification, but I try to educate myself and pay very close attention to what i'm doing, measuring the foot, and making sure I have a very balanced foot. Â
A certificate doesn't prove to me that someone takes pride in their work or that they are conscientous. The proof is in the pudding there for me. Â
Â
OMG... I am fortunate not to have a quick farrier that is into quantity rather than quality.. lol He takes about 1.5-2 hours PER HORSE making sure everything is dead on perfect... lol
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 Half-Eaten Cookies
Posts: 2075
Location: Fort Worth / Springtown | I used a farrier for a short bit - he volunteered that he wasn't certified, but he'd been shoeing/trimming for a long time also worked for a huge rescue operation, so I soaked in all of his talk/views. He was good with the horses and had a lot to say.
I have a question, though - one of my horses had the crack in the wall, split towards the front wall on his fronts. I was expecting that he could resolve it soon, but after a few trims the cracks were not disappearing and his angles were way off - this horse has a steep shoulder and steep pasterns, but this farrier had his toes growing way out in front of him. He explained that he would eventually change the angle, but right now he was cutting more off the heel and leaving the toe long to take pressure off the crack. Does that sound right?
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | txbredbr - 2016-01-28 1:06 PM I used a farrier for a short bit - he volunteered that he wasn't certified, but he'd been shoeing/trimming for a long time also worked for a huge rescue operation, so I soaked in all of his talk/views. He was good with the horses and had a lot to say.
I have a question, though - one of my horses had the crack in the wall, split towards the front wall on his fronts. I was expecting that he could resolve it soon, but after a few trims the cracks were not disappearing and his angles were way off - this horse has a steep shoulder and steep pasterns, but this farrier had his toes growing way out in front of him. He explained that he would eventually change the angle, but right now he was cutting more off the heel and leaving the toe long to take pressure off the crack. Does that sound right?
That doesn't sound right to me. One of mine was cracked and flared badly. My guy notched top and bottom and they grew out beautifully. He never messed with her angles, her feet stayed balanced. |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | My farrier is a master farrier. He apprenticed under a great farrier in the area. Been with him as my shoer over 15 years.
When I lived in Baton Rouge, used a wonderful farrier that apprenticed with some of the areas best horse shoers. He did not have that piece of paper.
Great friends with the both of them.
Edited by roxieannie 2016-01-28 2:15 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 2135
Location: Somewhere else | My husband has 20+ yrs experience, he worked under his dad forever. He goes to every clinic he can get to. Anything he can get to that will help him and his clients he goes to. So many things keep changing in the farrier business that you have to go to clinics to stay updated on the new tools, new shoes, new ways to treat certain problems and the different ways to shoe certain horses that have special needs/problems. I've gone to several of the clinics with him and you learn so much at these clinics.
Edited by dakota88 2016-02-02 9:32 AM
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 Poor Cracker Girl
Posts: 12150
Location: Feeding mosquitos, FL | txbredbr - 2016-01-28 2:06 PM I used a farrier for a short bit - he volunteered that he wasn't certified, but he'd been shoeing/trimming for a long time also worked for a huge rescue operation, so I soaked in all of his talk/views. He was good with the horses and had a lot to say.
I have a question, though - one of my horses had the crack in the wall, split towards the front wall on his fronts. I was expecting that he could resolve it soon, but after a few trims the cracks were not disappearing and his angles were way off - this horse has a steep shoulder and steep pasterns, but this farrier had his toes growing way out in front of him. He explained that he would eventually change the angle, but right now he was cutting more off the heel and leaving the toe long to take pressure off the crack. Does that sound right?
No - leaving the toe long will put more mechanical force on the crack and make it worse. Back up the toe and keep it flare-free. The crack will just grow out. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Three 4 Luck - 2016-01-28 9:31 AM
 I thought certified meant they had tested with the farrier association, not just completed a course.  As far as I know, mine learned from apprenticeships, and doing clinics and competitions.  I'm thinking he might be a certified journeyman, but I'm not sure.  I do know he worked wonders for some messed up feet from my previous shoer and he tries hard to work with me if I or my vet think something needs tweaked. Been with him almost 3 years now. Â
This sounds just like my farrier. Where do you live T4L? |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Chandler's Mom - 2016-01-29 2:53 AM Three 4 Luck - 2016-01-28 9:31 AM I thought certified meant they had tested with the farrier association, not just completed a course. As far as I know, mine learned from apprenticeships, and doing clinics and competitions. I'm thinking he might be a certified journeyman, but I'm not sure. I do know he worked wonders for some messed up feet from my previous shoer and he tries hard to work with me if I or my vet think something needs tweaked. Been with him almost 3 years now. This sounds just like my farrier. Where do you live T4L?
Between Mcgehee and Dumas. Tom Wright? |
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Half-Eaten Cookies
Posts: 2075
Location: Fort Worth / Springtown | Three 4 Luck - 2016-01-28 2:04 PM txbredbr - 2016-01-28 1:06 PM I used a farrier for a short bit - he volunteered that he wasn't certified, but he'd been shoeing/trimming for a long time also worked for a huge rescue operation, so I soaked in all of his talk/views. He was good with the horses and had a lot to say.
I have a question, though - one of my horses had the crack in the wall, split towards the front wall on his fronts. I was expecting that he could resolve it soon, but after a few trims the cracks were not disappearing and his angles were way off - this horse has a steep shoulder and steep pasterns, but this farrier had his toes growing way out in front of him. He explained that he would eventually change the angle, but right now he was cutting more off the heel and leaving the toe long to take pressure off the crack. Does that sound right?
That doesn't sound right to me. One of mine was cracked and flared badly. My guy notched top and bottom and they grew out beautifully. He never messed with her angles, her feet stayed balanced.
That's what I thought, too - and he explained it and used hand motions to back up his theory. But the angles made me cringe and I'd have to call him out after 3 weeks because toes were too long, already (didn't seem to take much off to begin with) and I quit using him. |
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Half-Eaten Cookies
Posts: 2075
Location: Fort Worth / Springtown | TrackinBubba - 2016-01-28 2:34 PM txbredbr - 2016-01-28 2:06 PM I used a farrier for a short bit - he volunteered that he wasn't certified, but he'd been shoeing/trimming for a long time also worked for a huge rescue operation, so I soaked in all of his talk/views. He was good with the horses and had a lot to say.
I have a question, though - one of my horses had the crack in the wall, split towards the front wall on his fronts. I was expecting that he could resolve it soon, but after a few trims the cracks were not disappearing and his angles were way off - this horse has a steep shoulder and steep pasterns, but this farrier had his toes growing way out in front of him. He explained that he would eventually change the angle, but right now he was cutting more off the heel and leaving the toe long to take pressure off the crack. Does that sound right?
No - leaving the toe long will put more mechanical force on the crack and make it worse. Back up the toe and keep it flare-free. The crack will just grow out.
Thanks -- that made sense to me, too. I stopped using him pretty quickly. To me, that seems like a really basic theory and a common problem that should have a tried and true resolution. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I guess I have no clue if my farriers are certified...I just went with the one guy everyone here uses and recommends and now that he's so busy, my barn manager does my horse now and he does an amazing job. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Three 4 Luck - 2016-01-29 7:10 AM
Chandler's Mom - 2016-01-29 2:53 AM Three 4 Luck - 2016-01-28 9:31 AM Â I thought certified meant they had tested with the farrier association, not just completed a course. Â As far as I know, mine learned from apprenticeships, and doing clinics and competitions. Â I'm thinking he might be a certified journeyman, but I'm not sure. Â I do know he worked wonders for some messed up feet from my previous shoer and he tries hard to work with me if I or my vet think something needs tweaked. Been with him almost 3 years now. Â This sounds just like my farrier. Where do you live T4L?
Yep, we love Tom!!! |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | The only ones that have every screwed up the balance of my horse's feet were certified. The only ones that have NEVER screwed mine up were non certified. My favorite is a 71 yr old rancher that learned how to be a farrier while he was in the service-Vietnam Era. He learned from a WWI Calvery officer. |
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 Blaines and Beauty
Posts: 1431
| My husband is a farrier and did not have any schooling and he shoes some of the top horses in the state. He learned from some great shoers and also vets that study feet. I think sometimes the ones that go to school are too by the book. They don't want to learn anything different, don't want to try stuff that might not be the "norm" and don't want to think outside of the box. I have seen so many out of farrier school that had never been around horses much and just wanted a way to make quick cash, no matter if it cripples the horse or not. My husband has been raised with top notch cutting horses and then got into barrel and team sorting horses. He shoes the normal horse full, shorter toe and heel and follows the natural angle of the pastern. The shoe is made to fit the horse, not the other way around. I'm not saying all farriers out of school are like mentioned above by any means but sometimes I feel that doing lots of hands on stuff is better than anything a school can teach. |
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Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: The Great Northwest | The schooling is great but experience is important to educate further in all sorts of situations. As always the more experience one has the more valuable one is. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | I don't know if someone can 'buy' their way through this or not. It looks like a good endorsement if it's honest. http://americanfarriers.org/certification/
Edited by komet. 2016-02-03 1:15 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 482
Location: Texas, and loving it | There is a big difference between having a certificate from a school and being certified. Certified means you are a member of the the American Farriers Association and have completed training and testing. You are required to make certain shoes, shoe horses, etc. You are judged by some of the top fairriers in the world. It is a tough deal. Alot of them don't pass the first time. They can go on to journeyman and master farriers. I don't think there is anyway you could "buy your way in". Most of them attend competitions and seminars on a regular basis not because they "have" to but because there is always new techniques and products. Not saying just because they are certified they can't do things wrong.....they are people and make mistakes too. |
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 Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | Herbie - 2016-01-28 10:13 AM The fault I see with alot of farriers, is they know more than we do, however they see the horse only once every 6 - 8 weeks vs us seeing them every day. I think that they are often in a rush to get as many customers a day in rather than ensuring a quality job on every horse they encounter and taking the time to measure, then rasp, then measure again to ensure balance both front to back as well as laterally. There are things I have asked my farrier to improve upon, and I also have a hoof stand and a rasp and trim a couple of my horses myself, as most of mine are now barefoot. I don't have any certification, but I try to educate myself and pay very close attention to what i'm doing, measuring the foot, and making sure I have a very balanced foot.
A certificate doesn't prove to me that someone takes pride in their work or that they are conscientous. The proof is in the pudding there for me.
Agree! I've gone to trimming my own and the ranch horses now too. I can put in the time to get them just right and my horses feet have never looked better. |
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Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | TrackinBubba - 2016-01-28 1:34 PM txbredbr - 2016-01-28 2:06 PM I used a farrier for a short bit - he volunteered that he wasn't certified, but he'd been shoeing/trimming for a long time also worked for a huge rescue operation, so I soaked in all of his talk/views. He was good with the horses and had a lot to say.
I have a question, though - one of my horses had the crack in the wall, split towards the front wall on his fronts. I was expecting that he could resolve it soon, but after a few trims the cracks were not disappearing and his angles were way off - this horse has a steep shoulder and steep pasterns, but this farrier had his toes growing way out in front of him. He explained that he would eventually change the angle, but right now he was cutting more off the heel and leaving the toe long to take pressure off the crack. Does that sound right?
No - leaving the toe long will put more mechanical force on the crack and make it worse. Back up the toe and keep it flare-free. The crack will just grow out.
^ This! |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| just because they have a certification, means they passed a test, not that can make sure your horses feet have proper angles and is level. |
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