Nobody can have as many problems keeping a farrier as me. I swear I have dumb luck when it comes to farriers.
I've had them up here drunk, high on dope, no shows, left horses crippled, you name it. My biggest problem is getting a farrier that will not leave big high heels on my horses like the local racking horses. I've had farriers build up my horse's feet like you cannot imagine no matter what I said and cut the frogs clean off! I swear to you I could tear my hair out. During the phone pre-interview I would question them about these things and they know just how I want them done......yea sure, that's bull.
The only farrier I had that was really good and nice was "Bubba"......he was self taught, a big old hillbilly and was the funniest guy around. He would come complete with two picnic baskets and coolers and his daddy and wife and "fart machine" which kept me in stitches. He looked like a cross between a heck's Angel and a real hillbilly farmer and he sure knew how to do a horse's foot,. all 400 lbs of him. Problem with him was that he couldn't remember his appointments, would leave me standing there for days, but when he came, he took all day and into the night. Why?
.......because he would do one foot, then sit on the tail gate and have him a moon pie and a coke, then do another foot, then sit on the tail gate and have him another moon pie and a coke, then do another foot, then sit on the tail gate and have him some fried chicken and bisquit and some apple pie. By the time he was done here, it would be into the dark of the night and he didn't need that fart machine at all.
I finally hit on a farrier this spring that I thought we were going to click. He was retired Army and just brand new out of Oklahoma Farrier School. He was trying to build up a clientele here in this area. I didn't like him as "a person" because of his "militant ora" he had, such as the way he would "order" his wife around like a solider to bring him this and bring him that. Also, just being out of school, he seemed to know "way too much" as if he was trying to impress me. In other words, this guy was full of himself and was a braggart and loaded with a lot of mis-information such as telling me that Sonny had this and that......which of course I would be the expert on Sonny's feet, not him.
But I shut up and let him trim because he did show up and do a good job.
He came prompty, each time increasing his price, but never telling me before hand. Then he began to add milage. I know some of his other clients and they were all beginning to pay through the nose and dropped him. But I just shut up and paid the bill.
I always kept the horses up and haltered and ready.
I provided a shady, cool area in the new barn with a fan to keep him comfortable.
I put down mats for his convience to work on.
I provided soft drinks, water, or ice tea and a chair for him to take breaks in.
I paid him on the spot. But due to his constant increases, I no longer was giving him a tip.
I have tried to contact him since August 3rd because he missed our appointment. I have made countless numbers of phone calls and left messages on his answer phone to no avail. He never called me back. So here I am with my horses with super long feet, weeks over do and I can't locate him. So yestarday, I drove some 40 miles one way to his mother's place of business. She got him on the phone and said "you have a customer here."
He would not accept the call and told her to say that he no longer is doing horse's feet. No explaination, no "i'm sorry" and the rat didn't even have the common curtesy to get on the phone and speak to me himself.
I've exhausted my list of farriers to call. Most of the good ones won't come into my county. It's also amazing how many people will not do the minis. I was even told that "they were too mean" by one man. Actually, I really wanted to call "Bubba" back so I did. Problem is that I didn't have minis when he used to come and he said he would be way too fat to be able to bend over to do them.
We aren't going to do this ourselves because we are chicken we'll screw up and mostly because we still need someone that can do Sonny right with his foot issues.
So back on the phone today for me trying to find another farrier. Wish me luck.
I've had them up here drunk, high on dope, no shows, left horses crippled, you name it. My biggest problem is getting a farrier that will not leave big high heels on my horses like the local racking horses. I've had farriers build up my horse's feet like you cannot imagine no matter what I said and cut the frogs clean off! I swear to you I could tear my hair out. During the phone pre-interview I would question them about these things and they know just how I want them done......yea sure, that's bull.
The only farrier I had that was really good and nice was "Bubba"......he was self taught, a big old hillbilly and was the funniest guy around. He would come complete with two picnic baskets and coolers and his daddy and wife and "fart machine" which kept me in stitches. He looked like a cross between a heck's Angel and a real hillbilly farmer and he sure knew how to do a horse's foot,. all 400 lbs of him. Problem with him was that he couldn't remember his appointments, would leave me standing there for days, but when he came, he took all day and into the night. Why?
.......because he would do one foot, then sit on the tail gate and have him a moon pie and a coke, then do another foot, then sit on the tail gate and have him another moon pie and a coke, then do another foot, then sit on the tail gate and have him some fried chicken and bisquit and some apple pie. By the time he was done here, it would be into the dark of the night and he didn't need that fart machine at all.

I finally hit on a farrier this spring that I thought we were going to click. He was retired Army and just brand new out of Oklahoma Farrier School. He was trying to build up a clientele here in this area. I didn't like him as "a person" because of his "militant ora" he had, such as the way he would "order" his wife around like a solider to bring him this and bring him that. Also, just being out of school, he seemed to know "way too much" as if he was trying to impress me. In other words, this guy was full of himself and was a braggart and loaded with a lot of mis-information such as telling me that Sonny had this and that......which of course I would be the expert on Sonny's feet, not him.
But I shut up and let him trim because he did show up and do a good job.
He came prompty, each time increasing his price, but never telling me before hand. Then he began to add milage. I know some of his other clients and they were all beginning to pay through the nose and dropped him. But I just shut up and paid the bill.
I always kept the horses up and haltered and ready.
I provided a shady, cool area in the new barn with a fan to keep him comfortable.
I put down mats for his convience to work on.
I provided soft drinks, water, or ice tea and a chair for him to take breaks in.
I paid him on the spot. But due to his constant increases, I no longer was giving him a tip.
I have tried to contact him since August 3rd because he missed our appointment. I have made countless numbers of phone calls and left messages on his answer phone to no avail. He never called me back. So here I am with my horses with super long feet, weeks over do and I can't locate him. So yestarday, I drove some 40 miles one way to his mother's place of business. She got him on the phone and said "you have a customer here."
He would not accept the call and told her to say that he no longer is doing horse's feet. No explaination, no "i'm sorry" and the rat didn't even have the common curtesy to get on the phone and speak to me himself.
I've exhausted my list of farriers to call. Most of the good ones won't come into my county. It's also amazing how many people will not do the minis. I was even told that "they were too mean" by one man. Actually, I really wanted to call "Bubba" back so I did. Problem is that I didn't have minis when he used to come and he said he would be way too fat to be able to bend over to do them.
We aren't going to do this ourselves because we are chicken we'll screw up and mostly because we still need someone that can do Sonny right with his foot issues.
So back on the phone today for me trying to find another farrier. Wish me luck.
