I had an interesting day today.... got called out to a remedial job, I'm doing 4 vet referrals in in a 25 horse yard. But today the regular farrier was there when I rocked up. I thought, Oh f***, here we go. Regular farrier stomped over ranting and raving, looking for a blue. Well, I'm a lover, not a fighter, so put on my best diplomacy, smoothed things over and high tailed it out of there ASAP. If I'd have arced up, it would have been on for young and old. I felt for him, because nobody likes other blokes taking on their jobs. What do you all do in similar situations... take them on, or smooth it over?
I take a more serious approach. I let them know what's going on, real professional, ect; and I don't leave; I get out my tools and start working. But/and if they give me an attitude; then I give the Woman's point of view!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ; but it hasn't happened yet. I have had them submarine my work; when I'm not around......but then they can have it attitude; not worth worrying about. that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt my feelings.
Oh I finished my work before I bolted... I may be a pacifist, but still waters run deep... push too hard and the sh*t will hit the fan. But the bloke had the decency to instruct his apprentice to look and learn.... kudos for him there.
Have never had a confrontation in 40+ yrs. Quite often the barn shoer and I get on great, send the owner on a coffee run and I get "the rest of the story". I'm always surprised at how disappointed the owners are when there is, no confrontation, especially when I ask them whether their shoer's consult fee goes on my bill or if he should bill them separately.
I think that in any Situation , it should be handled as Professionally as possible. I had a minor Confrontation in Junction City. I was up there for a Gymkhana ( I was Competing not shoeing) and a Barefoot trimmer came up to work on a horse. the owner saw me walking by and said hey have you met ?. She introduced us and as soon as she found out I wasen't a Boot pusher , she started in with her Opinions. I politely waited for her to pick up a foot , and quietly walked away . leaving her there talking to the horse I guess .
It is weird when people find out I spent three years in prison for beating a farrier with the handle of my shoeing hammer, other farriers don't confront me. Haha that isn't true at all just a fantasy. One time a cow milker, who 'was' a farrier at some point in his long life, maybe five years older than me, he was talking shizz about a foot I had trimmed and that is when the previous fantasy originated... fantasy only I kept telling myself. Also I make horseshoeing shirts, hoodies, ect. ect. I give them as gifts to my friends and clients. One happens to own a local strip club. He was literally assaulted by another drunken shoer. Grabbed the hood and yanked on it hurting his throat, saying something like, "That guys taking all my business." Needless to say my prize fighter bar owning friend did not take that very well at all. I have apprehensions about running into this guy, but I shoe at the barn where he 'lives' in a trailer, not once has he said anything.
I hope that is situations like that the horses well being and performance is the driving force. Personel attacks or egos are counter productive.
Flat shoe, flat foot, about the right size, bit of symmetry, boxed off shoe and dressed flare, not much that wont fix. Its just tough explaining to the old farrier that he missed some or all of those points.
When ever I am going into a possible confrontational situation, I first evaluate the size and psychical capabilities of the other farrier. So far I have always thought that delicate negotiations would be the best course. I had a Vet referral once that the appointment worked out to be the exact time as the regular shoer was to be there to work on the horse. The client had not been able to contact him to cancel, so we both showed up at the same time. I had met him before and went out to talk as he pulled up. I explained nicely (he was a big, young guy) what was going on. He stayed an watched me shoe and I turned it into an instructional session. He hasn't seemed to have learned a thing, but that situation went well.
I stopped at a arena that was going to have a weekend can race one day out of my area working...I saw some of my clients trailers so I stopped in to visit. When I have come to that arena I back into a spot so if I need to work I have a place.. so I am chatting with my clients and I see this other guy I know sneakin around watchin me??? He finally noticed that I saw him and he came over and asked me "What are you doing here??" Not tough talk but fearful maybe??? Anyway, I just said I was travelin through and stopped to visit... He finally walked off and I finished with my clients and I left....the next time I was at my clients shoeing their 5 head. They tell me that he was going to have me removed from the grounds if I setup my tools and worked??? I was kinda shocked and flattered in a way, but what a ASS he made of himself...told them he was the Official Farrier at the canrace....I just laugh thinkin about that!!!
I got a feeling you and I think alike, but for others, If they're my horses/customers them I'm going to work on them. Want me removed then you better call the law. Show me I'm breaking a law. As for at a farm, If I'm called to do a job then I do it. The other farrier can go pound rocks if he/she has a problem w/ it. If it's a friend of mine that's done the horse then I tell them I most likely can't do much better (my friends are better than me). Most times the other farrier/friend would prefer I take them cause their tired of the owner/trainer/horse anyway. I do my best not to take the customer because the best way to treat a friend is not to take their "crappy" customers.
Gary, it depends on the contract the shoer has with the show sec. and the size of the show and whether the facility is public or private owned; if the contract gives exclusive rights to the show farrier, the law will remove you.
I've had clients haul their horses off of show grounds to the nearest public parking lot for me to work on their horses. Had my shoeing rig all setup in a rest area one day waiting on a client. Their horse had lost a shoe at a show and they couldn't find the shoe and didn't trust the show farrier. So I was waiting for them at a rest area a few miles from the show grounds - building a shoe in the fire getting ready for the horse. This truck driver walks up and asks me what I'm doing. I told him I worked for AAA Equine Division and I was responding to a call for a horse with a flat tire. About 5 minutes later my client pulls in. I had just finished shaping the shoe so when they pulled the horse out of the trailer I just walked up to him, brushed his foot off and hot seated the shoe. Five minutes later my client had her horse loaded back in the trailer. When she thanked me I said (loud enough so the trucker could hear me), "You're welcome ma'am. Triple A is always pleased to be of service." She giggled and then got in her rig and drove away. The trucker came over and said to me he had no idea that AAA had that kind of service. I just smiled and said, "Well the premiums are't cheap."
I've never had a problem. If there is another farrier there, I just continue with my work, give my greeting of the day and drive on. I wouldn't back down, just not right.
Hey Tom, Great story about the trucker, but as a 20 year truck repairman and fabricator, I've found that fooling a truck driver is not a great feat.
Had a confrontation a couple of months ago but it wasn't about horses. In fact, I'm not sure what the other farrier(formerly referred to as " Earl the Pearl" but now referred to by some, myself included, as "Earl the Girl" because he's a puss) was all wound up about. He wanted me to follow him up the road to an empty field so he could give me 'what for'. I got out of my car and told him that if he wanted to throw hands or whatever, the barn parking lot was as good a place as any, so he should just 'bring it'. He got real loud at that point but in true chicken shit style, got in his rig and drove away. note: there were a few more details to the story of the confrontation, but they don't affect the gist of it or the outcome, so I just left them out. I will add, however, that the entire episode took place over a period of 8-10 minutes.
