Mr. Talbert, with all due respect, if you aren't trying to be funny, and this is how you feel, you have no business working under anyone's horses..... and THAT'S JMO......
You ever notice nothing good ever comes after when someone says "with all do respect", lol. But I was not trying to be funny, and I stand by that comment. So I guess I better be lookin for another line of work then, lol. I just don't see why I should care or why I should think it my concern. There are so many more important things to worry about than this. You are never gonna get every owner to be on a consistent 5 or 6 week schedule period. Why get your panties in a wad over the ones that aren't gonna do it? If you are so concerned with the horse, then maybe you would want to see that the job gets done properly when it does get done, instead of dropping the client because of your principles, then having those horses go on to probably not getting done at all, getting done inappropriately, or maybe the owner will just start doing them himself. If the welfare of the horse is your squable, then you should be willing to help the horse when you can as often as the owner is willing. I run my business, the same as if it were an old fashioned blacksmith shop that was open to the public to bring a horse in and get it done. Everything is first come first serve. I do get rid of owners with bad attitudes or dangerous horses, but other than that, I am happy to help anyone whether they are rich or poor, a 150,000 dollar horse or a 150 dollar horse gets the same job. I don't pass judgement and say, because you didn't get your horses done 4 weeks ago that makes you a bad owner and I won't help your horse. That is not smart, and not a good way to make friends, lol. You never know what someone's personal reasons are. They could be paying me and getting their lights shut off to get it done at 10 week intervals. I just do the best job I can when I am asked to do it. Oh but let one of them say, "boy that little toe crack just won't go away will it?" lol. I am quick to say back "Well sh-it Johny, its only been 14 weeks since I seen you last! lol" But I guess I should just quit and find some line of work better suited for my layed back personality:rolleyes:
I think the worse thing you can do for your reputation is have someone see these overdue feet out there and ask "who does your feet?", with the answer being you. You can bet a new nipper that they won't bother to tell them that they let them go 14 weeks! As soon as you lose the opportunity to do just 2 new horses because someone sees the condition of "your work" in the field, you have LOST money by continually doing this horse at 14 weeks. All you have is your reputation.......
that is pretty insecure. Just as many will see those horses hooves at 4 weeks, and firing the client will loose those potential new clients as well. Most owners will get you more business than you can handle because of your professionalism, your communication skills, and the way you go about your job. If you are good at what you do, people are gonna love you and word is gonna spread. But make someone mad over some petty insecurity, and they are not gonna view it in the same way you do:mad:. The bad experience they had with you will be told over and over. Not as many clients as you would think switch farriers based on the "gee your horse has pretty hooves who does your work"

situation, it happens, but decisions are ussually based on one owner telling another how wonderful you are. Do your best and treat people right and you shouldn't worry that someone might see john q's horse's hooves when they are past due

(ussually people know john q is a cheapskate anyway). The good clients who keep their horses done on time are ussually the ones people are paying attention to anyway.