It isn’t unusual for farriers to find themselves having to make difficult decisions. When part of your job involves meeting the expectations of others, you will often find yourself struggling to address unfair or confusing issues.
We took several tough questions from novice shoers and gave them to a few members of the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame for their answers. Although you may not agree with their opinions, this article will reveal how some successful farriers have resolved tough situations.
Q. A client called and said that her horse is lame after I shod it. What should I do?
A. First, remain professional on the phone and in person. Make an appointment as soon as possible to evaluate the horse. Listen and make eye contact with the client as she explains the problem as she sees it, without interrupting. Remember that the horse may be a personal pet and emotions sometimes get in the way of logic.
Watch the horse move and evaluate the lameness, isolating it to a specific leg/foot. Check for a digital pulse. A normal horse at rest usually does not have a digital pulse. A strong digital pulse would be indicative of a foot problem. Use your hoof testers in an attempt to find the specific area of the foot that is the problem.
Attempt to find the cause of the lameness. Remember that this is not a “blame game,” but an honest attempt on your part to help the horse and satisfy your client.
If the problem is of your making, such as a bad nail, resolve the problem by removing the nail, establishing drainage and/or put on a pad. Admit your mistake, take responsibility and let the client know that you are sincerely interested in “fixing” your mistake.
If the lameness isn’t in the foot or if the lameness is beyond your abilities, let the client know that they will need a veterinarian. Tell the client that you will be at the appointment to work with the vet to resolve the problem.
If your work caused the lameness, and the client insists that you pay the vet bill, do so. Learn from your mistake and move on. Speak privately with the vet about the bill. Most will give you a professional discount on their fees and allow you to make payments to satisfy the account.
You will set yourself apart as a farrier that is willing to take responsibility for the work that you perform.
Bob Smith is a 2010 inductee in the Hall Of Fame. He owns the Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School in Plymouth, Calf. He was awarded the inaugural Summit Achievement Award for a farrier’s dedication to volunteerism in the equine community.
A. Unfortunately, there will be times when you cause a horse to become sore. This is more likely to happen when you are a beginner, since your skills are still being honed.
Most people will deny any wrongdoing or refuse to accept any blame. If you had done wrong and knew about it, you should have already told the owner.
Another reason is that farriers are often the scapegoat, and are blamed for things that are not our fault. However, the correct response should be one of calmness and compassion for the lame horse’s owner.
Set up an appointment as soon as possible to check on the horse. Be kind and humble in dealing with this angry customer. First, inspect the feet, just as you would with any lameness exam. Watch the horse move to determine where the lameness is, and then use hoof testers on the sound foot first to gauge how the horse is going to react.
If you find that the problem is indeed with the shoeing, take the necessary steps to remedy it. Pull the tight nail, cup the shoe out with sole pressure, put a pad on the foot, use a pour-in, drain the abscess and pack it with an Epsom salt poultice. Give the customer an abscess kit if needed.
If you find out that the lameness is the result of something else, then advise the customer of what you think is going on and recommend a vet.
If it has happened more than 7 days from the shoeing, the likelihood of it being caused by the shoeing is quite remote. Remote doesn’t mean impossible. Although rare, a tight nail can turn into a hot nail over time.
If you are at fault, the follow-up visits and care that you provide should be free, but don’t refund the shoeing. Refunding the money you received may be a mistake.
Owner of the Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo., Chris Gregory is a Fellow in the Worshipful Company of Farriers and the first American to be named an examiner for the historic guild. In 2011, he published Gregory’s Textbook of Farriery.
Q. A horse I have worked with regularly has gone lame. The client has called in a veterinarian. The veterinarian has prescribed a shoeing treatment that I feel won’t help this horse. How should I approach this situation?
A. This is a very difficult situation that all farriers will face at one time or another. A lot is riding on your reaction in a situation like this. You must carefully weigh your words. If you do the work suggested by the vet and it doesn’t work, it will probably be perceived by the owner as your fault. If you refuse because you feel it will hurt rather than help, you probably will not work with or be recommended by that vet again.
Explain to both the owner and the veterinarian, using proper anatomical terms, why you think the proposed mechanical shoeing treatment will or will not help. Use examples from your own experience of successful cases to illustrate. If you are new to the business, use examples that you have seen successfully demonstrated in school or at an educational clinic. If you haven’t learned the terms, or made the effort to get education to understand the problem, or behave in a bold or intimidating way, you will probably lose the customer. Be confident, not condescending.
A lot depends upon your relationship with the owner. If the owner trusts you, he or she may seek a second opinion from another vet or have you do what you think is best. This places a lot of responsibility on you. It’s better if you and the vet can agree on the proposed solution and share the responsibility. After you come to an agreement, propose the options and expect the owner to make the decision.
In these situations, be aware that in most cases the vet’s word will be taken over yours, even though you may have more experience with foot problems. He or she has extensive education and a credential. This can be good since they then must accept the responsibility for the outcome. This is why it is important to work with another professional. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one. However, this can only be true if both are experienced and congenial. It is not true if the situation is outside the realm of experience of one or the other.
One way to increase the odds in your favor for a successful outcome is to suggest to the owner that you have had more success in these kinds of cases when working with a specific vet whom you know and respect — and who respects you. Successful farriers possess a combination of skill plus character. In today’s adversarial environment, most clients will choose character over skill. Yet both are needed for long-term success.
Doug Butler has taught horseshoeing since 1964. He is the co-author of the farrier-training textbook The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3). He and his sons Jacob and Peter run Butler Professional Farrier School, LLC, near Chadron, Neb. His farrier business book, Six-Figure Shoeing, and other farrier training materials can be found on his website, www.dougbutler.com.
Q. I’m told I shouldn’t work with bad horses due to the danger and the overall impact they have on my reputation. However, I can only find bad horses in my area. How should I approach this?
A. If all there are in your area are bad horses, then you’d better learn to deal with them or move. One shoeing doesn’t pay enough to cover the medical bills if you get hurt, so don’t get hurt.
Do learn how to deal with bad horses. Take some “natural horsemanship” classes. Even the best horses can turn bad at times, and you should know what to do.
Sometimes that means coming back on another day or time. It may mean moving the horse to a different spot, or bringing a buddy horse near. Recently, I had two horses that although usually good, were jerking their feet away and being extremely difficult and rude. It turned out to be just two blackflies biting their legs.
A champion of promoting farrier communication and education, Henry Heymering of Frederick, Md., founded American Farriers Journal as an 8-page publication 36 years ago
A. Every area has bad horses, but good ones, too. The secret to not shoeing bad horses is don’t start. Let clients and potential clients know you will not stand for any nonsense.
If a horse is too unruly to be safely shod, then it is the owner’s responsibility to restrain it either physically or chemically. Refer the client to a good trainer for ground manners.
Along with his father, the late John Blombach, Sr., Westminster, Mass., farrier John Blombach is a member of the only father-son inductees in the Hall Of Fame. He is the current vice president of the American Farrier’s Association.
Q. There is a farrier who says his research delivers a different and more practical way of trimming the hoof than I learned. Other farriers I know say it works for them. How should I go about understanding if this theory is practical or if it is counter to trustworthy farriery?
A. Throughout my career, methods of trimming have come and gone. Different isn’t always better. I still trim feet in the manner I was taught. The best way to decide whether any method is correct is to learn enough about it to be able to compare it intelligently with the process you have been taught.
The foot’s basic requirements for protection and function are often set aside by farriers for what they want to see on a foot and is not always beneficial for the horse. Try not to be led down that path. The only way to avoid it is to have enough knowledge to know when something being shown to you is wrong.
Mansfield, Ohio, shoer Randy Luikart is a longtime advocate and writer for employing scientific accuracy in hoof care. He is a past president of the American Farrier’s Association.
Q. I have a good client who has referred a lot of business to me, but she hasn’t paid me for the last two shoeings. I’m nervous about bringing up the subject because I want her to refer more business to me. What do I do?
A. “Good” clients pay you. And they refer you because your work is worth what they pay for it.
Review your invoicing methods to make certain that they are appropriately and professionally done. Prompt payment incentives and/or late payment penalties clearly stated on the statement are options to encourage timely payments. Be careful about letting this slide to the point where it will be a burden to either you or the delinquent client.
Also, the referrals you’re getting may get the impression that you are “easy” and become lax in their payments as well. Kindly thank her for the referrals but tell her your suppliers won’t allow you to wait two cycles to be paid. Good business practices are essential for your new profession to exist and grow.
Jim Keith opened his hoof-care school in Tucumcari, N.M., in 1982. He would be elected to the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame 11 years later. He is also well-known for his line of hand tools available at www.jktools.com.
Related Content: How Would You Handle These Ethical Concerns About Footcare?
