Re: uh-oh, insulted farrier

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

I would wonder many things and have a couple of comments....shoes do come
off for many reasons and if you have more than one horse, sometimes they
will choose the same day or consecutive days to lose them!!  Murphy's law. 
No, it shouldn't happen all the time but sometimes it just does happen. 
Perhaps the farrier is not mad at YOU?  Did he yell at you or SAY words
that SAID in no uncertain terms he was mad at YOU?  Maybe he is mad at the
apprentice?  Maybe he is just having a bad day?  Just as horse owners have
problems finding a good farrier, farriers have trouble finding good clients
and by that I don't mean clients who have to tip toe around their farrier
and keep their mouth shut or treat them like prima donnas but clients who
value their farrier's expertise and educate themselves by asking questions,
reading articles and participating in their horse's hoof care program. 
Clients who will take a day off work, if necessary, to get and KEEP an appt
with their farrier (we do have clients who can and will do this) and don't
expect that he will work every Saturday, Sunday and evening (though we
usually work one weekend day and 2-3 nights/week).  Nelson does not charge
to replace lost shoes within 3 weeks of a set (that is NOT unprofessional).
 Too many unanswered questions in your post....TALK to your farrier.  He
may have just been having a bad day (for example, we recently had a client
who INSISTED her horse needed a size larger shoe....Nelson did not feel it
was warranted and they discussed pros and cons but he did it for her
anyway.  She is the client. She pays the bill.  However, the client isn't
always right....the shoe came off  in less than 2 weeks in exactly the way
Nelson was concerned it might.  Hmmmm..).  Anyway, I always stress
communication with your farrier.  Misunderstandings are so easily escalated
into crises that could be avoided with a simple note or phone call.  If you
like your farrier and he's that good, stick with him.  He'll appreciate
your honesty. 


Maggie Mieske
Mieske's Silver Lining
10601 S. Richards Rd.
McBain, Michigan 49657
http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
mmieske@netonecom.net

----------
> From: Tivers@aol.com
> To: michrowe@frontier.net; ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: RC:   uh-oh, insulted farrier
> Date: Monday, July 17, 2000 5:50 PM
> 
> In a message dated 7/17/00 9:51:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
> michrowe@frontier.net writes:
> 
> << Well, I accidentally made my farrier mad at me.  Two horses each lost
a 
> left
>  rear shoe within a day of each other.  The shoes had been on 4 weeks,
and I
>  have never had a horse throw a shoe.  I asked my farrier if it's
possible
>  the shoes were not clinched tight or something (he has an intern that
did
>  the clinching) and apparently I have truly insulted the man.  I
apologized
>  when he came to re-do my mare's front shoe (she threw that one a couple
days
>  later), but he's really mad.  He wouldn't accept payment for shoeing - I
was
>  going to buy him lunch as well.  How does one fix this sort of mess?? 
Or is
>  this the sign to get a new farrier?? I sent him a note and the check,
and
>  asked that he at least let the intern keep the $$ if he did not care to.
:-(
>  
>  m (aka Michelle Rowe), CO >>
> 
> 
> This is not a professional--get a new shoer. However, we reset hard
working 
> horses every 3 weeks.
> 
> ti
> 
> 
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