I lost my farrier of a few years and it felt like a breakup. It hurt. I thought I was a farriers dream. Nice barn, good horses and my checks never bounced. Then it started ...no return calls, pushed back appointments, and hard feelings. So what went wrong? I would like for owners and farriers to chime in on what makes a lasting relationship between a farrier and a client and what are the do and dont's. I would like to get into the heads of farriers and see what makes them tick.
What an interesting idea for a thread. My clients fall into different cats, there are the really profitable ones, then there are the ones who are friends, and then there are the ones who have great feet never loose a shoe and are really kind to me and my staff. So if you are un profitable, unfriendly, have rubbish feet loose lots of shoes and mean to the staff, you better be very good looking
Carolyn, Tough to answer/guess for someone else, Did you try asking the "how come " questions to this farrier?In my opinion the best place to start. I ve quit accts. for several different reasons ,but felt it important to say why, Ray
I only quit for non payment, bad horses, poor working environment, or too many cancelled or postponed appointments. Definitely for non payment. The other 3 reasons depend on how severe the "offenses" are. I can put up with quite a lot. Regards
Did the numbers change? Did you balk at price increases? Did farrier relocate? Did you complain to other owners about work or price? If not have no idea what went wrong.
probably found a better client to fill your spot but wasn't "man" enough to fire you outright or maybe he didn't think he was up to shoeing your horses' issues.
Obviously not good looking enough David : ) I have three horses. One is a trim, the other a half set and one who is a full set. No problems with thier feet. Pretty straight forward. I did start complaining though, but only when I felt like my horses were being pushed back in the schedule and they were overdue. Here is something farriers should know about us owners....our horses are the most important horses you shoe. The prices did go up and I expected that. Dont think I made a to big a fuse over it though. I should say that only one of my horses is competeing and there were times when I would call for an adjustment just for the one horse. So I am starting to get the picture here. I am trying to save money and farriers are trying to make money. The last visit from a farrier cost me $365 for the service I mention above. I am a working girl and that five week rotation comes around real fast. I did try asking how come....but farriers are notorius for not returning calls : )
Ill have money you are a very good looking Lady and your farrier isnt as shallow as I am Sometimes its just time for a change and move on, I have it with clients and they have it with me, I try and be professional at all times, but unsociable calls at all hours of the day or night may have me adopt radio silence. When I wake up in the morning and seen that the most important thing in my clents life was the clenches had risen and its 2.00 am in the morning etc. Then there are people in the world who its very dificult to tell them something they dont want to hear, and to my shame I may have adopted the head in the sand attitude. When they protest and say I should of said I remind them of the times I have tried and got contradicted!!! I personally sweat blood to keep every one happy and sometimes fail, but God I try and so do most of my colleagues Anyway Carolyn this is just a farriers point of view and is not in anyway a reflection of your good self. I suppose a picture is out of the question?
David thats good stuff..I cant tell you how many nights my better half has sat on the other side of the room puffed up like a mad hen because some women has called at 10 or 11 at night to tell me ol spot took a funny step... keep in mind this more often than not has money to burn..big home ..fancy cars.. and a good looking family snd husband. ..but somehow my better half seems to think she would want my old raggedy ass.. Carolyn. . I think you may have answered ur own question..complain about being pushed back on the books..your horse is most important. .and most of all a special trip to adjust. .what could need a adjustment to warrent a trip out like that...giod clients haul to the farrier for that..lol..just joking. .well kinda jokein you would have haul that horse for that kind of thing..most ofvthe time it comes down to where the most money can be made without spending ad much money..fuel ect..
I get the go with the money part. So what should a small barn owner do to compete with the larger more lucatuve barn do? Do I haul my horse. I will admit that you don't always know what you have until you lose it. I was at a barn this week and an owner was complaining that she could not get the farrier out and that her horse was over due and was missing a back shoe. I suggested to her that is was probably a case of going where the money is. Her response" my check is good". I cringed thinking she was about to met the same fate as I. She will be searching the farriers sites next. I guess since this happened I have learnerd a lot. Farriers work hard. It is a physically demanding job that takes a toll on the body. There is no medical insurance and no workers comp. Fuel costs are outragous as are supplies. I guess mutual respect is the answer and nothing lasts forever. I have found a new and competent farrier but I still think about what I could have done differently.
I think you hit it on the head. I have heard of more then once a Farrier ,I would say "looses appreciation " for the client, and stops calling,cancels ect.
I dont know guys I think maybe a bit more to it.. the op did say she had big issues for when she was put back on the books..I bet there are many times other clients got put back for her horses needs..but when it was her turn she did not want any part of that because she did say her horses are the most important. .its hard to please horse owners that get selfish and expect farriers to drop all and come running. .
Travis you are probaly right that there was more to it then that but I would say that there are two sides to a story and I am wanting to hear the other side. So I thank you. I admit I am no angel but I will tell you I am also reasonble. At least I think so. When I said I thought my horses were the most important I think every owner thinks that about their horse. You probably see many horse owners. I would wonder if you agree? I dont want to come off defensive, I truely did want to get inside your heads. I do not want to make the same mistakes. But if I am selfish ...is the farrier who wants the big barns and the ego to go with it also selfish? If my horse is in training and I cannot ride him because a part of my team is missing in action ...is that acceptable?
Carolyn at the min in the uk we have a heat wave on. the horses feet are drying and cracked and growing at an alarming rate. On average the feet are lasting one week less than they do usually so if your horse goes six weeks then it needs shoeing on 5 weeks, that is an increase of 20% in work load without taking on a new client!!! I try my best to stay in touch with clients but some of the scary ones I might duck the calls!!! unless they are fit of course!! The truth is there is no perfect system with shoeing both with clients or farriers alike! I wish you luck in the future and hope you have a satifactory relationship with your new guy.
Carolyn a farrier wanting big barns and a need to make the most he can does not make him/her selfish..that be like you getting a good job with better pay and telling the boss you dont want ur pay check because you dont wanna be selfish. .but asking a farrier to be at a beck and call when ur horse is only a tad over due and you thinking your needs are more important than another horse owner who may hsve a horse with an emergency. .I cant speak for your farrier but for me Iif I put others off for your emergency I expect the same in return..if a client gets that bent out of shape over a rebooking I know they will drop me for some small thing down the road so I need yo replace that stop with a more understanding client. .smaller hobby farms have to understand this is how we feed our kids..this not a hobby this is our livelyhood..same goes for large farms with trainers its how they make ends meet..if they have a down horse that cant do a lesson its like pulling money out of there pocket..im not saying its fair its just reailty of things..its not personal towards you its business nothing more nothing less..we have GOT to turn profits its just the reailty of it..
David...congradulations on Prince George Alexander Louis. Travis...now we are getting somewhere. These are things I wanted to understand and the reason for this thread. I have a new found repect for what a farrier does and the talent and contuinueing education it takes to keep our horses sound. I think its, food, water and feet and in that order. I have been reading other threads in this forum and I am impressed with the knowledge and professionalism I am seeing. I admit to wrong doing, although I am not quite the orge you may think I am. I am sincerely sorry if I have taken for granted another person trying to make a living and feed their family. In doing so I thought I was doing the same by protecting mine (family). But at the end of the day we are just talking about horses and its the people around us while we are with our horses that make it fun.
