Farrier SBS equine services

05/06/2023

THE RANT OF THE JADED FARRIER (Advice in last stanza)

My phone rang late last evening;
Was a woman with a horse…
“I’m lookin’ for a Farrier,
Before his hooves get any worse”.

“I’m pretty much full-up.” I said.
But curiosity had me piqued…
“When did you trim him last?” I asked.
“Four months ago, last week.

His toes are pretty long.” she said.
“Otherwise, he looks OK.”
I ran my hand down o’er my face,
As I debated what to say.

“But…” she continued quickly,
“They just won’t come out to my home…
And I never get an answer
To my messages on their phone.”

“You mean you can’t find a Farrier?”
I asked to clarify…
Already pretty sure I knew
The many reasons why.

So I told her most won’t come back,
If she kept leaving trims so long,
Of if her horse was dangerous;
But she said I’d got it wrong.

So I booked her for next Tuesday,
And I carried on with Life…
Grumbling ‘bout the bu****it in
Our Industry that’s rife.

Spring’s an awkward time for horses;
Hooves buried fetlock deep in mud…
Saturated, overgrown, and
Flare grooves crammed with crud.

Warm weather and their winter coat
Divert their heat-making trait,
Into a sudden wall growth spurt
That collapses ‘neath their weight.

As I pulled into her driveway,
My eyes confirmed what I had thought…
A mud pit for a paddock on
A sloping, wooded plot.

“Where abouts is your work station?”
I asked as I grabbed my tools…
“My what?” She asked, with worried eyes;
As we sloshed from pool to pool.

“Where do you pick your horse’s feet?
Or brush him before you ride?
Where do you work when the Vet is here?
Or shoeing him, where’s he tied?

We stopped beside a leaning gate
As she pointed towards the horse…
“In there.” She said, staring back,
“But you can tie him up, of course.”

Unfortunately, I was old;
Disillusioned, tired, and pi**ed
That Owners expected quality work
In an environment like this.

And…before I had a chance to think,
I heard myself explaining…
“No way a Farrier can work in there.
No wonder they’re complaining.”

“We need a place that’s dry and flat;
With light, and room to move…
It’s impossible to see a thing
If he keeps burying his hooves!”

“Well the last Guy didn’t seem to mind!”
She shot back with a smirk.
“In fact he was quite polite…”
She clearly thought I was a jerk.

In for a penny, in for a pound;
“Well I’m not some two-bit Hack.
We’re accountable for the job we leave.
No wonder Folks don’t come back.

You’re torturing your horse out there.
He’s suffering constant pain…
Stressing the navicular bursa
From the flexor tendon strain.

And the tearing of the lamina
From the leverage of that toe…
It’s not enough just feeding him.
There’s so much more to know.”

I dragged the stall mat sections
From the back of my pickup truck;
Laid them out and waved my arm,
“Bring him here, outta that muck.

The poor ol’ Sod hobbled over;
Pigeon toed, with drooping neck;
But at the sight of the black stall mats
He slammed his brakes and stood erect.

They were a hole into the bowels of Hell:
I’m sure was what he thought;
As he spun around in circles
Trying to avoid them at any cost.

Then he wouldn’t keep his foot between
My knees as I trimmed his frog…
But the hoof-stand had him frantic -
That first foot was a half-hour slog.

He’d yank it away, and slam it down;
I’d fight it up, now packed with ice,
Mixed with mud, and I’d squeeze my knees
Like a geriatric vice.

I’d start all over, and get it cleaned,
And line my nippers up with the toe…
When he’d crab his hinds beneath his gut,
And rearing skyward, up we’d go.

Now, I could always blame the Handler,
But that wouldn’t be the truth…
‘Cause it’s pretty hard to hold a horse
If he don’t want you near his hoof.

By the time I had the near front done
My three mats had been ripped apart…
Squashed in a hoof-mashed crater
And I’d barely made a start!

I thought about a Scotch hobble,
But we’d both end up on our face…
And I knew that if I mentioned twitch,
She’d likely run me off the place.

So like the definition of insanity
I just went back for more…
Didn’t bother with a leg strap,
Or if the Owner was keepin’ score.

Eventually, I got him finished,
Watched him plod back through the slop…
Dragon slayed, but the price I’d paid
Showed me why the Others stopped.

Back at home I worked the numbers -
An hour there and an hour back,
Plus two hours pain for forty bucks gain,
Before that Devil threw his slack.

Yet they think that we’re over charging…
Sing the blues like Aretha’s choir…
But since my patience cracks as fast as my back,
It’s prob’ly time that I retire.

So the takeaway, if you’re listenin’…
And you want your horses’ feet well-treated -
Flat, dry, and clean, and light so they’re seen,
With Winter bonus points if it’s heated.

(My thanks to the clever author, whoever you are.)

01/05/2023

You know who you are!

11/13/2022

With winter quickly approaching us here on the East Coast and has already arrived elsewhere in the states I thought sharing a few pieces here and there that were included in a recent email received from Equus is timely and likely helpful.

This particular section hits especially close to home for me. Years and years ago I recall being so very worried about one of my most valuable broodmares getting these 'ice balls' and she did not have shoes. Luckily she and the rest of the herd survived one of the harshest winters we have had in VA with no issues. Unfortunately that was not the case for many others according to the Equine Vet that I had used during that time. He had shared there had been many horses that had to be euthanized due to broken legs and the like. Just another reason for me to not put shoes on our horses unless absolutely necessary. Article below:

ICE BALL
FORMATION
 Is there any reliable way to
prevent wet snow from packing into a horse’s shoes? My
gelding regularly comes in
from the field teetering on ice
balls that are several inches
thick. I use the claw of a hammer to pry them out, which I
know isn’t the safest solution.
A friend told me to try cooking spray to stop them from
forming, but it doesn’t seem to
work. What does?

The icy accumulations
in your horse’s hooves form
when the snow melts slightly
after touching the sole, then
refreezes as it comes in
contact with the shoe.
You’ll notice that unshod
horses hardly ever have this
problem. Ice balls can cause
a horse to slip and fall. Even
if he doesn’t, the accumulation
can lead to hoof imbalances
that strain tendons, ligaments
and muscles to the point of injury.
It’s a problem that you want to
avoid. The advice to try cooking
spray, petroleum jelly or
vegetable shortening is
well-meaning and, in theory,
make sense. All of these
products will keep ice from
sticking to the metal of the
shoe. However, in wet, wintery
conditions they tend to wash
away---and thus lose
effectiveness---quickly.
A more reliable preventive
tactic is to have your farrier
put snow pads between your
horse’s shoes and hoof. They
have a convex bubble in the
center that pops with each
step, forcing snow back out.
Another good option is snow
“rim” pads that don’t cover
the entire sole but extend
just far enough from the shoe
to prevent snow from
accumulating. As long as manure
and muck aren’t allowed to
build up in the hoof, both
products will keep snowballs
from forming.
A quick point about
on-the-spot solutions for
ice balls that have already
formed: You’re right that
prying the ice free with the
claw of a hammer isn’t a good
idea. A better solution would
be to slightly melt the ice
with a hair dryer so it falls
free on its own.

09/02/2022

I didn’t write this but I had to post it…I am a farrier; I am your farrier.

I am your farrier....I drive backroads every day looking for you and your horses. I argue with the GPS lady about which turns to make, how far to drive, where to go next.

I touch hundreds of horses and I love them. This farrier thing is much more than my job, it's my life. I do more than nail shoes on your horses feet or trim away excess hoof. I train them, help them be confident, assure them life will be okay.

I am the guy who is the first line against poor performance or unsoundness. I work hard to make your horse and you comfortable, sound, and happy.

I pet your dogs, play with your kids, compliment your barn. Ive helped you catch horses, worm them, give them shots and not once did I charge your for these little extras. I'm happy to help.

My hands are scarred and rough, yet gentle and kind. Sometimes I bleed for you. My knees are pocked with hundreds of tiny nail holes and yet you never know I hurt or I'm sore and stiff and tired. I would keep working under any conditions because this is more than my job or my work, it's who I am.

I see happy, well cared for horses with bright sunny stalls and I see horses mired in muck and urine. I work with healthy, happy horses and horses who have given every ounce of their heart and soul for your pleasure. Sadly I also see horses that, through ignorance or neglect, are misused, abused and unhappy. Some days I have to bite my tongue and some days I speak my mind about how you treat your horses.

I am your farrier. Ive watched your kids grow, Ive seen your life bloom. Ive been there when tragedy struck and when you experienced the happiness I wish for you always.

A warm or cool dry place with level ground is all I ask for most of the time. For your horses to stand quietly and to be paid on time.
When you think of me, think of the long hours, the hot days, the rain and wind, think of the good things Ive done for you and your horse.

Think of me as a professional. Think of me as a caring, sincere person who truly wants the best for you and your horse.
You've never paid me for the nails I drive or the steel I shape, you pay me for the knowledge I have. I thirst for that knowledge and I hunger to apply that knowledge.

I am proud of what I do and my vow to you is this, I will try hard to be better tomorrow than I was today. I will first, do no harm and most of all, I am your farrier.

07/08/2022

11/11/2021

1st photo was before I started working on this horse.
2nd photo was after my first trim and set of shoes.
3rd photo is 5 months later and she is doing great!

06/26/2021

We all want quality work.

and we all want our farrier to do their best work possible.

Also, every farrier wants to do their best work.

I don't think anyone would disagree.

However.... rarely is a farrier supplied with everything they need to do their best work. I guarantee that if you put your farrier out in the sun, tied to a trailer, on a gravel road, with a horse that doesn't stand perfect; you have never seen your farrier's best work.

"Well, my farrier has never complained!"

Of course not. We're tough folk. We shoe horses for a living! 🙂
In the best of conditions, it's still hard work. Why make it harder for your farrier?

You need 4 things for high quality farrier work:
#1 a skilled farrier
#2 a horse that stands well
#3 information about the horse and it's work
#4 good, safe, comfortable working conditions (for the farrier and the horse)
Anything short of those four things is a compromise.

Lets look a little deeper....

#1) a skilled farrier is obvious. But a skilled farrier only accounts for 25% of what's needed for our best work...

#2) A horse must stand quietly and be willing to have their feet worked on. Train your horse AHEAD OF TIME to hold each foot up for 3 minutes. Your horse must be comfortable with this. It should not be a fight and it should be normal. Imitate the things your farrier will be doing. Hold the feet in the same positions and tap on the feet.

#3) Your farrier needs to know how your horse is used... how much you ride... what conditions you ride in (arena, trail, sandy, rocky, ect.), stable/pasture conditions. A trail horse is set up different than a dressage horse. I barrel horse is set up different than a working cow horse. ect.

#4) The environment we work in may be the most important. Balancing a foot/limb/horse is our main focus. If we are working in sand, gravel, grass, or on an unlevel surface, our ability to see balance is going to be greatly hindered. We look at posture, angles, muscling, and conformation. Anything less than clean, level, and flat will force us to struggle to see balance.

Remember: if your horse isn't "setup" the way you want it... it may not be your farrier and their skill. It may be lack of communication, poor work conditions, or horse behavior.