|
Post by mandal on Oct 10, 2007 19:49:48 GMT 1
I will always trust my horses feet with someone who has spent years and years training not someone who has been on a couple of courses. UKNHCP training is much longer and in depth than a couple of courses. (UK Natural Hoofcare Practitioners) As you say though there are good and bad farriers and trimmers. I think the costs are in lieu of service................In my personal experience farrier trims are fast with no balancing or rolling of the hooves, the horse has to 'behave' no matter what, getting a youngster used to him cost the same as a trim (I charge full price if I pick up a foot!!)........I wont go on as my experiences are not what all farriers are like. I think farriers make their money from shoeing and quantity of work and imo many are stressed and over worked.
|
|
|
Post by indibindi on Oct 10, 2007 19:50:29 GMT 1
As a horse owner one should equip oneself with the necessary knowledge to provide the right environment and nutrition for ANY horse - barefoot or shod. I don't need a farrier or an EP to tell me whats the best thing to feed my horses - I speak to a nutritionist for that or trial and error. Here's something revolutionary - my arab mare was on my land for TEN YEARS, uncaught, untrimmed and fed no supplements or extras before I moved in to this house and was gifted her (she's 33 now by the way). Both the EP and the farrier said she has superb feet - and she can hack on ANYTHING - and I mean, ANYTHING.
|
|
|
Post by sarahfox on Oct 10, 2007 19:57:46 GMT 1
Quite agree smudge,I certainly wouldnt need to look to my farrier for dietary care or husbandry issues.
Tbh I am keen to have an EP out just to see if there is anything they could add to help the 2 horses I mentioned with slight issues,but I would still stay with my farrier for all else,after reading some of these stories I realise how lucky I am to have him,have to take cakes out with his tea next time I think!lol! Thats interesting re your arab mare,one of the french mares has fab feet too,and I'm certain she has never had them picked up let alone trimmed,all the others were horrendous though.
|
|
|
Post by mandal on Oct 10, 2007 20:00:10 GMT 1
Well it as usual comes down to our personal experiences..........some are lucky to have good committed farriers and some have bad trimmers! I must say that I don't feel 'conned' by my trimmer at all in fact I was near to tears when she trimmed Sophie for the first time without sedation and holding her foot really high (recommended by the vet!) so she couldn't snatch it away. The vet and farrier both said she had to be sedated and shod to mend her appalling cracks..................To me this just didn't make sense or seem right and I was becomming increasingly distressed and felt pushed into a corner as NO other options were discussed or offered that I asked a trimmer to come from N.Wales to N.Yorks to trim and I will never regret a penny that I spent!!!!!! So there's part of my personal story! Mta........My feeling is that horses out 24/7 have a better chance of good feet with infrequent/no trims. Also I think many trimmers are getting 'problem' feet so trims are more frequent than a maintainance trim.
|
|
|
Post by indibindi on Oct 10, 2007 20:00:43 GMT 1
I had an EP out and he was lovely. I really liked him. He was very knowledgable and he did a nice trim, and I liked how he was with the horses. but, it aint broke so I aint fixing it
|
|
|
Post by Yann on Oct 10, 2007 20:05:39 GMT 1
If you have a good farrier who does a genuinely good trim for £15 and your horses are sound and capable over any surface then don't let them go. £40 isn't expensive if you don't have that luxury I can see a big difference between most farrier trimmed feet and the specialist trimmed ones I see where I am.
|
|
|
Post by mandal on Oct 10, 2007 20:07:59 GMT 1
Tbh I am keen to have an EP out just to see if there is anything they could add to help the 2 horses I mentioned with slight issues, Playing devils advocate here but..... Why? ?? Surely your farrier can sort them out.
|
|
|
Post by indibindi on Oct 10, 2007 20:11:03 GMT 1
I would absolutely agree with that point mandal horses out 24 x 7 on varied grasses, with company for movement and a decent balancer are at a good starting point for barefoot.
|
|
|
Post by mandal on Oct 10, 2007 20:15:04 GMT 1
As a horse owner one should equip oneself with the necessary knowledge to provide the right environment and nutrition for ANY horse - barefoot or shod. I don't need a farrier or an EP to tell me whats the best thing to feed my horses . I wholeheartedly agree with this................how many of us know much about shoeing though?? I've learned loads about trimming because you have to learn you can't just leave it to the experts as many of us know and this applys to anything! I do take advice about diet and management from my trimmer!!!
|
|
|
Post by sarahfox on Oct 10, 2007 20:18:54 GMT 1
mandal, Well the one horse has deep cracks in his frogs which had bad thrush when I had him and he was shod,he is much better since going barefoot with my farrier,but the cracks are still there and si he still occasionally gets thrush,I would be interested to see if maybe using pads would help or if there was anything else that an EP could add.The other has very narrow upright feet that are shod to widen them,this has actually worked ( dont ask,my farrier did explain why 4 or 5 years ago when he wanted to shoe but I cant remember!)Anyway,my farrier wants to keep him shod as when he was barefoot a couple fo years ago his feet got narrower again,but I would like to see if a good EP would have any other suggestions. Tbh I think some of the new stuff esp that about pads etc is not being thoroughly utilised by farriers yet,so although 38 out of the 40 horses here have fab feet,I would just like to see if there was anything else that an EP could offer to those two.
|
|
melissa
No Longer Posts on the DG
This poster can no longer respond to posts or PMs
Posts: 4,905
|
Post by melissa on Oct 10, 2007 20:24:15 GMT 1
sounds like a plan sarah! i will be interested to know how you get on if you do.
|
|
|
Post by mandal on Oct 10, 2007 20:26:09 GMT 1
Tbh I think some of the new stuff esp that about pads etc is not being thoroughly utilised by farriers yet,so although 38 out of the 40 horses here have fab feet,I would just like to see if there was anything else that an EP could offer to those two. I think here lies the problem.....both trimmers and farriers have things to offer each other but in the main 'never the twain shall meet!' Which is a terrible shame for our horses. Trimmers and farriers are begining to work together and the UKNHCP have some farriers on their practitioner list. I think the qualification that is currently being worked on will be a start of the end of them and us! Good on you though for seeking other options for your two. Oh heck I don't mean to sound patronising! ;D Btw...............I'd get a UKNHCP trimmer not an EP if I were you!! .................LOL this is a joke btw!!
|
|
|
Post by jen1 on Oct 10, 2007 20:45:34 GMT 1
in no words at all,(my answer) i dont think it matters if your all happy with what you do, im happy barefoot the farrier who let these feet get so bad is a good farrier(,shod my old mare for 10 years,) but has never offered any advise to the ex owner as to what to do about getting his feet right, 6 months on on my yard there 90% better,the ancp trimmers have spent about 2 years to train and a vast amount of money to train,
|
|
|
Post by arabheaven on Oct 10, 2007 20:48:43 GMT 1
now if my horses feet were that bad, id look at other options too, but to me, he seems sound and healthy so im happy with my farrier. in terms of expense, at first i though bloody heck £40 a trim?!! but i pay £55 for a trim and set of shoes, so its about right i suppose, excpet you have to trim more often than you shoes so...
|
|
|
Post by lottiedude on Oct 10, 2007 20:58:47 GMT 1
My farrier is going on a barefoot trimming course soon. His aim is to charge his usual rate of £20 for a 'field' trim, and £45 for a barefoot trim (which will be exactly the same thing!). He says that if people are fool enough to pay so much for a less qualified job, then he is happy to take their cash. That said, I have seen some barefoot trimmers at work on our yard and was most impressed. They took lots of time, were very patient with the horse and did a great job. I think the difference between many barefoot trimmers (qualified, of course), and farriers, is motivation. Although good farriers do like horses, barefoot trimmers seem to be passionate about horses. I wouldn't change my farrier though. I'm lucky to have found one who is open to ideas, is good with my horses and turns up when he says he will (another difference between most farriers and barefoot specialists!)...
|
|