volunteers or business? farrier at RF

[Lucy C Trumbull <elsie@foothill.net>]

"cdewitt@foothill.net" wrote:
> 
> One of the people we were crewing for lost a shoe before Robinson. They had
> the shoe put back on...the farrier charged them $50.00 for that one shoe!
> Tevis is a great ride, although it is an expensive one. But, I thought it
> pretty outrageous that a farrier would take advantage of the situation and
> charge such a price. Anybody else have this problem?

I understand your dismay, but also wonder was the 
farrier out there because he likes endurance and 
wanted to "experience the ride" or was he up there 
because it's his business?

Most of the volunteers for Tevis are unpaid idiots
(myself included). At the end of the day, they could
have spent easily 24+ hours doing whatever they do to
help out.

In the case of this farrier, RF is what, a good hour away 
from civilisation? So say he lives in Auburn. He's got a 
two hour round trip drive, plus the problems of setting up 
in a difficult location. He arrives at 9am to set up and 
then waits around for possible customers until the last 
horse leaves at 1:45. At which point, he could have spent 
maybe seven + hours to be there "just in case" someone 
loses a shoe. If he's lucky, tons of people are queueing
for his services. If he's unlucky, there are only a handful.

The vets are also paid volunteers. I have no idea how much
they get paid, but wonder how it compares on an hourly 
basis?

Having to cough up $50 for one shoe sucks, but I have to
confess at 4:30 am after being up 24 hours, when my laptop 
seized up on me and I was having a "low moment" <grin>, I 
wondered what I was on earth I was doing there?? This was
supposed to be fun, right?

And then I went and watched some of the horses crossing the
finish line, got a little teary, and went back to type up the
final finishers list. :)

-- 
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Lucy Chaplin Trumbull - elsie@foothill.net
Repotted english person in Garden Valley (Sierra Foothills), CA 
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