Trouble finding reliable farrier : (

[Jacqueline Mansfield <jaxson@leopard.com>]

	I have had the WORST string of bad luck with farriers and I would like to
ask the subscribers of Ridecamp on advice for finding and selecting a
reliable farrier.

	The first two farriers I used did a great job *but* would not respond in a
timely manner if Winza would throw a shoe. They would reschedule on me 3-4
times and I would end up waiting weeks and this would push back my training
schedule. I was not happy with the level of service I was receiving so I
searched around to find a new farrier. Just in the past 3 weeks I have
scheduled with two different farriers, the first who never showed up and
the second who rescheduled on me 3 times and now has canceled all together
(he is too sick to come out). So now I have 3 days before my first
endurance ride and I am SCRAMBLING to find a shoer. <sigh> I live in the
Denver/Boulder area of Colorado. 

	Background:

	I was planning on riding the 25 miler at the Pawnee Grasslands this
Sunday. I have often heard a horse needs 1-2 weeks after getting shoes on
before your endurance race, I had one farrier (the one who never showed
up...) tell me that I could race my horse the same day that he put shoes on
him. Winza doesn't have any special needs for shoeing and he hasn't been
lame a day in the 3 years I have owned him. Winza is very good about
standing like a gentleman for the shoer.

	My questions are: 

	1) What is reasonable to expect from a farrier? Do they often reschedule
several times, and what is the reasonable amount of time to wait for them
to reset a thrown shoe? Is it the horseshoers' responsibility to reset
thrown shoes (perhaps only up to X number of weeks?) or should I be paying
extra in those instances?

	2) What should I do - should I cancel my plans to ride this weekend, or
given the LD factor would we be ok? 

	Any advise/sympathy is GREATLY appreciated.

	Jacqueline Mansfield and Winza - is it something I said?