How to Keep Your Farrier

© Ray Miller

All horses should be trained to stand while the farrier is working on the horse. It is not the job of the farrier to train a horse to stand and have its feet handled, regardless of the age of the horse. It is the job of the owner or trainer to have the horse trained to pick up its feet and stand for the time it takes to trim or shoe a horse. One method is to have a handler hold the horse. This person should be knowledgeable as to how to stand and hold a horse and how to move the horse to keep the farrier out of trouble. It’s just a matter of knowing simple basic rules of safety. When the farrier is working on the front of the horse, the handler should be on the opposite side of the horse so, in case of trouble, the horse can be pulled away from the farrier. When working on the hind they should be on the same side as the farrier, so they can turn the back end away from the farrier. They should never be trying to anchor the horse, but allow the horse to have some freedom of movement for its head.

A second method is to drape or wrap a lead rope around a hitch rail or post. Not tied hard, but loose so if the horse pulls back it can get free. But remember, a horse should be taught to stand.

A third method is to have the horse trained to ground tie–stand with just the lead rope on the ground.

A fourth method is to cross tie a horse. But remember the cross ties should be able to be broken with just the lightest of pulling. You never want a horse cross tied with chains, nylon or rope that will not break. If the cross ties are made like this, then a thin piece of binder twine at the end of the cross ties and into the halter of the horse should be used. I always hear people say they have a quick release. I feel these things are about as useless as any item used to tie a horse. Have you ever tried to run in under a horse that is flaying its legs, rearing up, striking or flipped upside down? This is very dangerous to do and could cause great injury to the person trying to get the horse released.

A fifth method is to use chemical restraint. Have a vet available to administer tranquilizer. A farrier should never apply chemical restraint to a horse. They are not licensed to do so and is a violation of most state’s laws. For an owner to do so is also a risk both to the horse and the farrier. You will need to be sure and schedule both the farrier and vet so they can be there at the same time.

Never tie a horse to a gate, door handle, or anything that is not anchored solidly to the ground so a horse can pull it loose. I would also add picnic tables, lawn tractors, tail gates and so on–the list is endless.

Also, you will want the horse to be trained not to nibble or bite the farrier. You don’t want the horse eating while the farrier is working on the horse–you always want its head up. With the head down it puts additional weight on the legs and, therefore, the farrier. If you are using feed as a way to keep your horse standing quietly, you are only reinforcing poor/bad behavior in the horse. This means hay, grain, and treats. Farriers don’t particularly care to have hay and feed dribbled on their head and done their necks either.

You will want the horse out of a high-traffic area so the farrier is not interrupted while working on the horse. If this is not possible, then the other members of the barn should have another entrance and exit while the farrier is there, or they need to wait until the farrier has completed his/her work under the horse. You will want this area to be level and hard surfaced with enough room so the farrier can stretch out both the front and back legs of the horse and so the farrier has enough room to get away from the horse if something spooks the horse. You will also want this area to be FREE OF EVERY KIND OF CLUTTER, except maybe a broom and shovel. You will also want it to be out of the wind in the winter, but cool and breezy in the summer. It will need to be located so the farrier can drive his/her rig within 10-15 feet. You don’t want the horse standing in mud, muck and manure. You will also want to be sure that the horse has been groomed and his hooves are free of any hoof conditioner and that the bottoms of the hooves have been cleaned.

You will want the horse within easy reach so when the farrier arrives to work on the horse he or she doesn’t have to wait while you run the horse out of the pasture. It takes time for you to catch the horse up and get it ready and time is money to your farrier. If she or he has to wait from 15 minutes to 30 minutes or longer for you then by the end of the day the farrier could be a few hours late to his/her last clients.

Lets talk a bit about management while the farrier is working on your horse. You don’t want little children and babies in the area that needs to be managed by you. This distracts from the attention you should have on the horse and farrier. You also don’t want kids playing in the area as they may kick or toss balls or any object in and around the horse or where the horse can see things flying up in the air. You also want the dogs and cats put up. If you have a stock dog and it minds, then put it on stay, if not trained, tie or put it in a coop. This will keep everyone safe. If you want a child or someone else to be there to learn, then ask the farrier where the best place is for them to be and watch, listen and ask questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask your farrier questions. Ask your farrier where you can find information, places and books where you can get additional information on Farrier Science. If you think you have a problem, or a problem arises, talk to the farrier about it first and listen to your farrier. There are places you can check information. One is www.horseshoes.com . There are a lot of good books on the subject of Farrier Science, read them, it is the owner’s responsibility to educate themselves and become informed.

Be sure to keep your horses on a set schedule, year round. It’s a good idea to set your next appointment before your farrier leaves. This helps the farrier schedule his/her work. It keeps the horse’s hooves in good condition and prevents problems before they arise. It also gives you a second set of eyes that might see something that you have missed in your horse. If you must cancel an appointment, do so as far out as possible. One reason for this is so the farrier can fill in the time slot. What if on a day of say five stops, you are number three in the route. Let’s say you have two horses. If you wait just a day or two out to cancel, it may well leave the farrier with a couple of hours in the middle of the day with nothing to do. The other people may not yet be home or at their barns. Also, this may have well been the farrier’s wage for the day. All the other work scheduled may have gone to pay business expenses. If not cancelling in advance, offer to pay for the time lost. Most farriers will understand a cancellation and will absorb the cost for a good client. But too many of these and the client may find themselves off the books for good.

Be sure that you have an electrical outlet at hand. The farrier may need this for the forge, grinder, drill press, and in the summer a fan to keep flies off the horse and to keep cool.

As for fly sprays, ask the farrier first if they would like fly spray on the horse. If you note the labels today, they recommend that you wear gloves and a face mask and to keep it off your skin. The same applies to the farrier. She or he may not want to be exposed to several different kinds of fly spray everyday all day long, every day of the week. They are a toxin.

The last thing is expecting to pay a fair wage for the services of your farrier and pay on time. If you are in a rural area and the farrier has drive time, expect to pay more for the service then the person that is in a large barn where the farrier can spend the whole day. She or he has more expense in travel and will work on a lesser number of horses, thus raising the cost for each horse. See if maybe you can get your neighbors to schedule at the same time. (More information on the business of horse shoeing can be found at www.horseshoes.com in the articles section, Farrier Business. “True Cost of Shoeing a Horse” is one of many.)

This is what most farriers ask to stay happy and safe.

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