People trying to strech it as long as they can. We would be rich around hear if we charged by the inch .might get them in sooner to
Had a guy pised once becouse my shoes fell of in four months .droped him like a bad habbit .he came back a year ago with a hole new atatude
Thats some of my worrys about traveling so far .i garentee my work for six weeks and it dosent happen verry often but thats a long way for one shoe. Guess i will have to add a fule charge
I hit their pocket book if it is really really long. I have enough people in my book on the 6-8 week trim schedule, the ones who try to squeeze in three four months worth of growth for my rate, not happening. I make it so they don't save money by neglecting horses. (unless its a hard case then Jesus takes over). That is the approach I used when I started in this area, my ad read, Bad Horses Ok. It was an ad my uncle ran and my grandpa ran. They broke horses anyways so it was no big deal for them to just break horses to shoe. Sadly they NEVER charged for it. I watched grandpa ground break scores of horses and back then charge 40 bucks and call it good. Haha. I myself, if I get a rank horse and I have to pull out a foot rope I charge 75.00 an hour. A 'training' fee. But also most of them, horses that come to me because other farriers have been beating them or just give up, well I just come in there and do them. Some of them are bastards and it takes some convincing and caressing, but honestly the horses that came to me with problems, have none now as far as shoeing and I didn't have to foot rope any of them. (side crazy story)One horse I was called to do because it was sooooo bad. After messing with the backs, I literally stood up and said, this horse isn't a bad horse, there is something wrong with its hips, they took it to Eugene the next day to OSU, the condition was so advanced they put it down. Sorry Horse. In the end it is good shoeing good jobs and interacting well with the horse, being a horse person that will win them over. There really is no way to overcome the caution many horse owners have for their animals welfare. You could fly over with an airplane daily spelling your name in smoke, do 30 second TV spots during prime time, but unless someone has some evidence, (their friend's eyewitness account) of your abilities, it doesn't matter if your name is out there. Facebook can work in the polar opposite way and be used to destroy you. You have one bad experience, you piss off one snooty ass client, bam, your shit is being shit talked on every horse Facebook page twitter page and reddit page from here to Canada. haha
Amazing how a world wide thing like fake book that insists you must be over 14?.has degeaded to the same behavure as a small town kindergarden class or a congressional hearing comitty. ( lol see:Something to look forward to )
Ray, A fellow moved into my area many years ago from about 300 miles away. He had a nice flyer made up that said something to the effect of," So and So is now accepting a limited number of clients. I have such and such experience on these types of horses and have references available." He set his prices at the top end and told me he had his books filled in six weeks. He said it was great that nobody knew all the bad stories from where he had worked before. He even took a couple of my clients as he was from the big city.
No John, he quit a few years later and got into something that seemed easier for him, the US Marines.
All these same issues and dealings happen to all of us in the Hoof Care World..put it that way because some Hoof Care Providers are not real Farriers...but that's another story... now days price is what folks are dealing with..I remember people complaining when I went from $6 ahead to trim to $8.. I lost business but I did pick up better work because that is how it goes if you stay on track....We are not all Smitty's and our work falls way short sometimes, but as long as the horse walks off your matts better than it walked up, good on you! Smitty sets a High Goal and is a Teacher so we all gain from his advice...but in reality when we are dealing with clients out where $5 is an issue with people...you do what you need to do...I am a lot higher priced than the majority around me, but I don't want to work so hard anymore...I want Quality over Quanity everyday and every stop..it may not be as pretty and perfect as others but it will work...
Sometimes you have to break the rules too. Did a horse and pony show today......was the show farrier......all new people, fix a few shoes, a vet needed front shoes on this one horse, was $100...they paid; but they were used to a much, much less expensive one. They were very happy, in fact; so happy they wanted to have hinds put on and asked how much; plus they needed a new farrier! I had put on a pair of "free" hinds shoes I had won in my first forging contest a few weeks earlier. I said no charge! since I was already there; they came back to me, and I didn't have to travel to the farm over 30 miles away. I shoe the rest next week; we have it scheduled and they and me are very very happy!
When doing farrier at a show bring plenty of change with you for those people that come up to you with the shoe in there hand and ask you to tack it on. some of them give you a bum steer and you never see them again i got stung doing an International show was the farrier for the 3 days girl wanted 2 of her horses redone with stud holes and a lad for a pair of shoes both International riders so when doing farrier at the show be one step a head of these kind of people
I got a couple shows coming up. I only do them for my regular customers, so they also help me getting paid. One thing here at most shows when the horse owner checks in, they got to turn over the horse's passport. Before leaving all bill have to be paid so this is a real good check point.
no I don't......they were alu with leather pads.....they came back....I put the hinds on for free! they are happy, new account.
