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RE: [RC] More Money (was: barefoot trim) - Kathie FordWell, here where I live I don't know about prefering to trim over shoeing. I know farriers here that will not give a person the time of day anymore if they don't shoe, especially most of the year, or most of their horses. For them financially it isn't worth it. They just start "cherry picking" clients. Here in the last few years it seems the money is more important to most farriers and shoeing costs more so they drop the clients that barefoot more often. One particular farrier here dropped many of his clients, even those that went back to his earlier years trying to help him get started. Now, especially if his clients preferred barefoot most of the year he went for the big barns and big bucks shoeing show horses or high profile/mileage horses. Dropped all the others. Most of the time w/o even a phone call or warning. Ironically, I noticed many of the retained clients horses went lame several times at rides or shows. (have a trainer down the street that wasn't happy w/a newly shod horse that went lame during a big A circuit show within days of being shod for it). I ended up being thankful I was on the "cut" list. A blessing in disquise. Just yesterday a neighor of mine called me looking for a new shoer as this same person/farrier just dropped her as she mostly does barefoot now. She would shoe periodically but doesn't ride a whole lot now so doesn't always need shoes. Just her choice. He told her he just didn't want to do hers anymore. All that being said, I can certainly understand a professional person desiring to make a good income. I can also understand and appreciate the hard work, and yes on a hot day firing up the forge. I can also understand cost of tools. For techs it's thousands of dollars in tools, and continued education as autos get more and more complicated (which the auto makers want by the way) My husband as a tech has to work under similar conditions. Sometimes in 115 degree heat in the summer, under a tin roof, opening the hood of a car just off the freeway or road, (about 200 degrees!) OMG, I'm surprised he doesn't pass out. It is part of his job however. A lousy job. Especially if folks are nasty or unthankful, or a employer is not good to work for etc.. (the few that are nice are MUCH appreciated). Still, he does not pick or chose his work/clients based on those factors or money (really poor paying work too for what they do). He does it because it keeps people going to their work, school, or acitivities or whatever so they can go forward in their lives. I know their are many farriers out there with wonderful work ethics and truly try to help their equine clients to the best of their ability and care. Yet it seems more and more that money is the motivating factor now especially w/regards to more and more cherry picking. Only an opinion and observation last few years....but a disappointing one. back to lurking, kathie From: katswig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] More Money (was: barefoot trim) Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:27:27 -0700 Terry Bannister said:Farriers can also get more money by applying steel shoes.Actually (and I have found this to be even more true now that the "barefoot trim" is so vogue and "natural" so gullible people are willing to pay exhorbitant sums for it), on a time/effort/materials basis, farriers make much more money just trimming a horse than they do by applying steel shoes. Applying steel shoes is hard work, requires special (and quite expensive) tools, and takes way longer than just trimming a horse's feet. "Your horse doesn't need steel shoes, that will be $60 for the special barefoot trim" is one of the biggest boons to ever come along for "hoof care specialists." And if they won't apply steel shoes because it is "unnnatural," even better for them, they don't even have to buy and anvil or a forge (two of the expenisve tools that farriers need). I have had way more farriers try to talk me out of putting steel shoes on a horse than trying to talk me into it. The last thing a farrier wants to have to do on a hot day is light up the forge get out the tools and bend iron. And I have certainly never had my farrier complain in the least when I tell him "we aren't putting shoes on this one." He would much rather just trim horses' feet and not have to even break a sweat. kat Orange County, Calif. :) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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