Tom, funny stuff!!! Brian, I know that that arena in the past has had a "resident farrier" whether he was on call or setup there..But I have shod many horses there and so have a few other Farriers that I met there...being that Texas is a Right to Work state, we work when and where we can.. let me add this guy was attemptin to become the new canhorse guru or whatever? He followed the canraces with his camper, so he thought HE was it...Im thinkin.. As of now, he divorced his pretty new wife and has left the scene of the crime in this area. The canchasers that met him at his shows are on the hunt for new Farriers again... Funny, my ex is one of them..LOL!
good manners dictate that if I have a client at show that needs my services, the first thing I do is seek out the official show/event farrier, introduce myself and ask if it's alright to set up on the grounds and take care of my client. I have never been denied and have met some soon to be friends. The only issue I have had was at an FEI event that I didn't have the proper credentials, they weren't going to let me on the grounds until I called the official farrier and he told security that I was his assistant(white lie) and he had forgotten to get me a security pass (white lie)I had never met the guy before in my life. They scrambled around and got me a temporary pass and I made a new friend. If your looking for a fight, most often you'll find one but why bother?
That must of been a pocket posting from my phone. Glad it wasn't a pocket dial they would have heard a lot of cussing, I was pulling a dead calf about that time.
speaking of bumping into farriers we shoe a horse in this yard when we got there all 3 of us there were 2 farriers working on a horse each 5 farriers in the yard at the one time we were hot shoeing and theywere cold shoeing it was funny
When I lived in the NW there were many large boarding and training stables.Sometimes with 60 plus horses. Many times 4 or 5 farriers working them. Most of us on a friendly terms if we ran short of something we could find it in another farriers truck and replace it the next Morning at the supply shop Our farrier association put on 4 clinics a year. We were acquainted with each other fairly well. Moved to SE AZ not the same. Have been working and have another farrier dive up and pull out when seeing my truck. Seems like it depends on amount of work available.There are a two other farriers that we have worked side by side and had a good time doing so. You want to have some fun work with another farrier and talk about customers. Makes the day go by quicker when it is 105 degrees.
I think being a woman in these situations helps. I just don't acknowledge they were shoeing the horse, don't criticize the previous work. Be friendly and hope they can keep their temper/ego in check. Sometimes I will check with the barn manager to find out when the regular farrier comes so I can avoid an awkward situation. Worst that I usually get is snubbed, or spoken about behind my back. Not the first time nor the last time that will happen.
Alicia I love that awkward shit..lol..a farrier getting mad becsuse they get let go is just damn absurd. ..I dont get mad I am embarrassed that I faild the client and horse..dang sure aint the farriers fault..i have heard every lame ass thing under the sun abiut how tov handle this kind of thing...my favorite is call the farrier and make sure he got paid..funnyvthing is not one person has ever called me..none nadda.. and I usta do it thinking well thatschow they all say we shoukd do..when we get fired its our own fault..its shoeing or its the way you act..figure it out and fix it..its that simple..the farriers I see that get mad over getting fired are legends in there own mind and they just cant conceive that someone would not want to use them..
In my sand pile there are some farriers who brag about how fast they can shoe a horse and how many horses they shoe. Their clients are all very happy to have the fastest farrier who shoes the most horses. But I can't understand why these same people complain incessantly about how they can never get a return telephone call or get a lost shoe replaced. None of them are willing to pay more for better service.
you answered your own question!............. ........ because NONE of them are willing to pay more for better service and you have to shoe fast in this part of the country.
My client Friday told me he appreciated my "slowness". lol The farrier that stepped in for me apparently was in and out in a rush.
Some ol' boy once said that we never lose customers, we just lose a few turns shoeing the horse. Around here most of us call each other about clients that let us go.
It is fun, John. We use it as a training method for horse owners. When we lose or fire a client, we let each other know how they are so we can make adjustments to their attitude. I remember a message on my phone once from a client I had told I wouldn't do her horse anymore, that I should mind my own business and stop calling all the other Farriers and telling them her horse kicks.
