Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: Can You Believe...
From: sbishop@desire.wright.edu
Date: 9 Sep 92 21:00:29 EST
Organization: Wright State University 

In article <1992Sep9.071923.19457@yang.earlham.edu>, alanmoore@yang.earlham.edu writes:
> In article <1992Sep9.031212.3411@infonode.ingr.com>, blythedr@infonode.ingr.com (Dennis Blythe) writes:
>> this a few times so I am sure it is still a frightening experience 
>> for her. He tied her to a post that was rotting, and of coarse my 
>> mare did act up and pulled the post out of the ground. After the 
> 
> I would never tie a horse that I knew was going to have a fit when I tried to
> work its feet (or do anything else), unless I was ABSOLUTELY positive it
> couldn't get loose.  I think you are better off leaving them loose (with you
> holding onto a long rein or something) rather than teaching them they can break
> a halter, leadrope, or post.  I think the best solution is to have someone hold
> the horse, but in this case I guess that wasn't possible?

I agree with Alan, I never tie my horses when the farrier trims them, even
the old guys who are bomb proof.  Sometimes I want him to look at how the
horse moves, to help assess whether they need a change in the angle of their
foot.


> 
>> to mention to me that this hole was there, and I had not noticed it 
>> there for at least a day. I can't imagine what would have happened if 
>> my horse would have stepped in it.
>>...
>> this morning it was time to be reshoed and I was not able to be there 
>> to watch them do it  ( Needed to be in the house w/ baby.) I got out my 
>> binoculars only to see him injecting my horse with a tranquilizer. I 
> 
> Your ferrier is a bonehead in my opinion.  I've had to work with some really
> s****y horses (well, not really, but I called them worse than that at the time)
> and found that if you approach them calmly and don't get in a hurry, they can be
> trained to accept what you are doing, but it usually takes more time than your
> average vet/ferrier is willing to spend.
> 

My farrier is wonderful, he is calm and patient and takes his time.  This is
the mark of a truely good one.


> The fact that he wouldn't even tell you that he had injected the horse with some
> drug is worse.  Last time I knew, drugs while shoeing is not SOP, and I should
> think the owner should be consulted before it was done.
> 

I would be FURIOUS!  My Arab mare is extremely sensitive to sedatives, an
average dose for another horse might kill her.  I would have been out there
chasing the guy off with a two-by-four!


> I don't use a ferrier (I play one on my mini-ranch, though).  Others that I have
> talked to said they have a really hard time getting a reliable ferrier.  My
> girlfriend has a really good one though (he's good with the horses and actually
> listens to her suggestions, and shows up when he is supposed to).  Nope, won't
> give out his name :-).
> 
> In short, I'd find another ferrier or go to school and learn how to do it
> yourself.
> 
> Good luck,
> Alan

My friend Amy (whose horse Beau lives here) got a big giggle out of how 
I explained to treat the farrier.  I always offer him something cold to
drink, give him apples off my fruit trees and do major sucking up!  As
far as I am concerned a truely good farrier has a price above rubies!

Sue