Isn't a farriers job to work with horses????

The farrier holding the horse's foot to trim or shoe it, is very different from the owner holding the foot.

In fact, I'd say in about 99% of horses that won't stand still for the farrier, they very easily allow the owner to pick up the feet, pick them out, etc.

It's just different when the farrier does it. The horse knows it's going to be for longer, the foot will be held in a less comfortable position(higher or on the stand), the horse has to hold very still or the trim or shoeing will be botched, plus the farrier will be nailing on, the horse knows it's different.
 
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Duchess has been shod in the past, just not since we have had them. I wanted to hold the lead, because when I am talking to her, she is mesmerized and you can do just about anything to her. But he chose to wrap the lead around one of the corral poles. dancing=move her feet around. She wasn't even that jumpy because the lead was only draped over the corral post and wrapped once. She could have easily just taken off. I am thinking the boot is the way to go.

Now that explains some things to me. It sounds like this farrier isn't commited to the job. All the ones I have known always wants the owner to be there to handle the horse will it is worked on. Yes some horses can be dancey, but usally the farrier will take a few mintues step away let the owner refocus the horse and then go back to the hoof. It is the farriers job to work with both the horse and owner and I know you didn't mean train the horse persay just listen to what the owner and horse are saying to him/her. I think some are miss understanding what you ment by the farriers job to work with the horses. You know you have to train the horse to pick up its feet and stand for the farrier, but it one if rushing or going to slow the horses can get antys.

My mom has a young haffie that isn't bad, but he can be a brat. I used to go to her house when his feet were done, but I couldn't always make it. I showed her what to do and she doesn't have any issues. She has to gently tap his forehead which keeps his focus on my mom and not what the farrier is doing.
 
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Farriers work hard. They spend most of their day with their backs bent and their head by their knees. I can imagine the stress on the farrier's back is incredible. I would never expect a farrier to train my horse. I let my farrier know my horse's quirks and so forth. If a horse is just too fractious, I'll sedate it.

Years ago I nearly had a farrier die while shoeing my horse who was not a problem to shoe. The mare always stood quietly but this one time she happened to move her hoof and drag a nail across his wrist just as the farrier's glove slipped. The nail lacerated the skin, muscle and the major blood vessel.

"You're bleeding," I said.

"Yep," he said and continued his work.

A few minutes later I said, "You're still bleeding."

"Yep. I better sit down." And he did so right there.

I saw how pale he was and went in the house to call for an ambulance. Then I went back outside and found the farrier laying on the ground, still bleeding and unconscious. Horrified, I applied a tourniquet and prayed for help to arrive. Cell phones did not exist back then but the good old mountain grape vine worked well. The news spread fast and the FIL arrived to help. Wasn't really much to do but adjust the tourniquet every so often. Even so, I appreciated having somebody there. I lived way back in the woods and the ambulance seemed to take forever.

Meantime, his wife and two little girls arrived. I never forgot how the three knelt at his side and cried. The little girls calling for their daddy. The ambulance finally arrived and took them away. He survived and took care of my horse for several more years.

Such a bizarre accident and to this day I will never take my farrier for granted. If he/she is having a tough time, we'll take a break. I want to make the farrier's job as tolerable as I can. I make sure my horses have a thorough understanding of the shoeing procedure by handling the hooves, hammering on them and so forth.

I don't expect a farrier to train my horse. That's my job. And my other job is to make sure the farrier and horse stay safe.
 
Debbie, every farrier I've used (even the one who showed up drunk! - and that was the last time he came) has preferred for me to hold the horses, at least until they know them very, very well. I had one farrier who would happily do them alone but he had known the horses in question even before I owned them.

I would run far, far away from this farrier. He sounds like a bad egg.
 

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