Michael, maybe you're too young to remember "Dear Abby?" How about the radio program, Dr. Laura? The reason horse owners come to a forum seeking advice is because they are frustrated with the results their current farrier is delivering or they are uncomfortable discussing an issue with their current farrier because they don't want a confrontation. Allowing the owner to remain anonymous provides them with a certain amount of protection from liability because if you don't know who they are, you don't know who their farrier is either. That puts the focus on the case itself instead of "who did the job." It allows us to view the situation with professional detachment - no prejudice or bias. So the owner's anonymity protects their farrier who did the work we would critique from having their name trashed on the Internet. I've seen a lot of owners throw their farrier under the bus unjustly. For example an owner that only schedules the farrier every 8 weeks when the horse should be done every 4 weeks. That isn't the farriers fault. Another situation that comes to mind is the owner that will complain online about their farrier, but they haven't first discussed the issue with their farrier. If nobody tells their farrier that their horse was sore the next day after shoeing, how would the farrier know that and correct the mistake? I've seen this happen quite frequently and I've called out owners for doing it. We all make mistakes, drive hot nails that we don't know about, but show up the next day. How would you like it if that happened and instead of calling you and telling you about it your client went on the Internet and told the world about it? Well if they do it on a forum where I hang out, the first thing I'm going to ask is, "Have you notified your farrier that there is a problem? Because that is WHAT GOOD CLIENTS DO." So the owner's anonymity also protects them when somebody calls them out for being a bad client. It's easier to take a spanking when the rest of the world doesn't know you got spanked. Conversely, I think that farriers responding to owners should have their full identity and resume available for scrutiny. If you're going to give expert advice on the Internet, then having your bonafides in order helps to add credibility and weight to your words. It also adds credibility to this forum because the public will figure out that the professionals what hang out here are confident, educated, and have the respect of their peers. So am I making sense?
I get it. Your all ganging up on the young guy I see your points. My only thought was I think a lot of times horse owners come to sites befoe they talk to their farrier to get ammunition . In answer to the question if I would like one of my clients to post questions ? My hope it that I try to keep everything above board so that would not happen. If they are posting and asking questions my guess would be that I have been fired and they just haven't told me yet. I think there are a few owners that are really trying to learn. And then I think there are those that are looking for someone to give them the rope to go hang their farrier with. So I will always be on the side of the farrier that has no idea someone is posting photos of their work. Because, as we all know there are three sides to every story.
First put up some pictures from the classic and tell us what a great time you had. Wish I could have gone.
I think I saw us once. I can't see straight right now! I'll have to take another look after I get some sleep.
Ok, I think the current disclaimer on the horse owners forum could be expanded from this: Before you start a thread in this section, it is assumed that you have brought any issues you may have to your Farrier. Advice from Farriers on this site is purely their opinion. Always involve your Vet / Farrier team to resolve any issues. But this is way too long and complicated: The Farriers Forum provides this venue as a public service to horse owners seeking advice from established professional farriers. The expectations are as follows; Horse owners have a place where they can anonymously seek the opinion(s) of established professionals without the pressure of the business/politics/stress which may be involved with discussing their concerns face to face with their current hoof care provider. Think of this as "Dear Abby" for horse owners. Except, you might get several opinions and the benefit of dialog. And professionals do not always agree, therefore you should expect multiple viewpoints to be represented. Established professional farriers may provide their opinion and offer advice here. By doing so, you are representing that you are indeed an established professional farrier and as such an expert in the craft. If you are not, the Farriers Forum administrators will find out soon enough and your posts will be removed and your posting privileges revoked without notice or warning. So please, don't misrepresent yourself. The Farriers Forum expects the professionals offering advice here to support their opinions with fact, scientific reason, and logic whenever possible. This is not a soap box for promoting a brand or "system" of shoeing. I volunteer Mark Gough as the arbitrator to write a better compromise. Do I have a second?
I like it! I will have to look into it but I think we can automatically move people to another usergroup after they make x amount of posts. So after they make one post they won't have to read the disclaimer anymore. I'm going to look into the options of forcing people to see the notice before they create there first thread and not have to see it after that. I agree, the shorter the better. Nobody's going to read it past the first couple lines anyway so get the meat of it in there quickly.
Hi. Obviously, on another farrier site, owner-suggestions are not welcome. I thought members were members. Yet today, someone compared owners to "illegal immigrants". No one yet on that site has come forward and defended the owners that are being trashed. And it was suggested that owners (like me) were looking to change HS.com into a girly chat room and take over! I do believe that farriers only should be giving hoofcare advice on a farrier forum. However, there are some laypeople like me, who stick around for the education, and even like some of you farriers, and do find horse feet are an interesting subject, and are in awe of some of your "everyday shoeing pictures". And do want some friendly conversation with other members here, whether farrier or not. Not having lay people give advice is fine, but what about communication other than advice? Having a conversation with a farrier? Throwing some thoughts around? Picking some farrier brains? Commenting on farrier posted shoeing jobs? Saying Happy Birthday or "My thoughts are with you"?? Or will this, too, be a forum where farriers get to treat other members like lowly citizens that may never cross the line into farrier territory? So, Tom, how serious are you about making this website/forum user friendly? I've spent 5 years on the other site thinking I was a valued member, and finding out today that I am just a lowly owner. I have to say that some of the farriers from HS.com are good guys, and, over the years I have gotten quite attached to their "being", LOL. Please let me know how serious you are about being a friendly site where only farriers can give advice, but members are members. Karen
Welcome to the site Karen. Members can post where ever they feel like on this site. Not much has been discussed yet mostly because there isn't a need to yet. It's safe to assume the horse owners section will be heavily moderated, farriers section not so much, off topic very little. I'm actually interested in bringing a horse owner or two in as moderators so horse owners will also have a say in which direction the site goes.
Karen, Are you volunteering? It seems Mark Gough hasn't accepted my nomination to take on the task of editing the disclaimer for the horse owner section of the forum. So I'll offer you that job at the same pay rate as a professional farrier.
I am kind of assuming that you are talking more about moderating the farriers that get to aggressive, or rude? Or any personal attacks on both sides?
