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RE: [RC] More Money (was: barefoot trim) - heidi larsonWith all this talk of farriers overcharging, not paying attention, only pushing
shoes, I feel so very fortunate that I have such an awesome farrier! I will
make sure I tell him next time he's here (he was just here yesterday in fact!)
He doesn't always ask to see my horse move, but sometimes will if I'm
explaining how a horse is moving, he thinks barefoot is better for certain
horses w/certain jobs or lack thereof. I have 5 horses (one only a yearling so
doesn't count) and two have shoes, one goes completely barefoot for trail
riding even on heavy gravel roads and one will likely have boots in front until
I start riding him more seriously and then he'll get shoes. My farrier has
learned about plastic shoes and uses those (GC) on my endurance horse's front
feet, is on time for appts. and if he is running late, he always calls. I
don't feel overcharged, he's nice to my horses and is fun to have around! I
rasp my yearling's feet and my farrier said I
was doing a good job and that he could show me how to trim my barefoot horses
and I am going to take him up on that offer! A friend of mine had problems
with her farrier (not showing up two times in a row) and asked for Chuck's
number, he said he couldn't understand why her farrier dissed her, she has two
horses, fairly close in to drive to and they are just trims every 7 weeks.
Like he said, it's a cake job and the horses are well behaved so why wouldn't
he want her as a client? I look at my horse's record and why he's done so well
and I have to give part of the credit to my farrier! I think I'm going to
order him a cool-vest as an early Christmas gift! He deserves it! :)
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heidi larson and Kalasha+
--- On Tue, 8/12/08, Kathie Ford <mspooh17@xxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Kathie Ford <mspooh17@xxxxxxx> Subject: RE: [RC] More Money (was: barefoot trim) To: "k s swigart" <katswig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2008, 10:19 PM Well, 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, kathieFrom: 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 steelshoes.Actually (and I have found this to be even more truenow that the"barefoot trim" is so vogue and"natural" so gullible people are willingto pay exhorbitant sums for it), on atime/effort/materials basis,farriers make much more money just trimming a horsethan they do byapplying steel shoes. Applying steel shoes is hard work, requires special(and quiteexpensive) tools, and takes way longer than justtrimming a horse'sfeet. "Your horse doesn't need steel shoes, thatwill be $60 for the specialbarefoot trim" is one of the biggest boons toever come along for "hoofcare specialists." And if they won't applysteel shoes because it is"unnnatural," even better for them, theydon't even have to buy andanvil or a forge (two of the expenisve tools thatfarriers need).I have had way more farriers try to talk me out ofputting steel shoeson a horse than trying to talk me into it. The lastthing a farrierwants to have to do on a hot day is light up the forgeget out the toolsand bend iron. And I have certainly never had myfarrier complain inthe least when I tell him "we aren't puttingshoes on this one."He would much rather just trim horses' feet andnot have to even break asweat. kat Orange County, Calif. :)=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net,http://www.endurance.net.Information, Policy, Disclaimer:http://www.endurance.net/RidecampSubscribe/Unsubscribehttp://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.aspRide Long and Ride Safe!!=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=_________________________________________________________________ Get Windows Live and get whatever you need, wherever you are. Start here. http://www.windowslive.com/default.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Home_082008 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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