# Farrier hit my horse but does a good trim. What would you do?



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I'd have a conversation with him about staying calm and patient with your mare and then go by how I felt that discussion went as to whether or not I'd continue with his service. I have no problem with my farrier giving one of my horses a wallop if they deserve it though. They're almost always good but they do have a rare off day.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

What I would do is to make sure that the horse behaved for the farrier! 

A horse that is using a new place as an excuse for staring around, snorting and fidgeting needs to know that the handler is in charge, not her. 

Horses like this need firm handling, not necessarily beaten up but certainly made to concentrate on the handler rather than around her.

Would you pay the farrier for the time off work is she injured him? 

I had a livery mare that could be a devil to do her feet. My farrier soon had no problems and she would stand to have all four feet shod. 

My farrier got injured and we had another come in. He never corrected the mare despite me telling him to. She took advantage after a couple of times shoeing. 

When my farrier returned to work he was stiff from shoeing after several months off work, the mare started to mess around and he finally whacked her with the flat side of his hammer, three times on the side of her quarters. It was a show for the mare but she stood as good as gold after. 

Someone came in and said "I never realised Blue had been branded." She had three arrow head marks where he had whacked her, looked just like a brand. 

Farriers are not there to train your horse, that is up to you.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Farrier disposition is just as important as technical skill in my books which is one of the reasons I started trimming my own horses years ago. Another reason was farriers/trimmers used to be quite scare where I am so you didn't have much choice if one wasn't clicking with you.

I think I'd do two things -- keep working on your horse to get her 'farrier broke' and scout around to see who else is available in your area that has a good reputation. If it turns out that you don't come across anyone that would suit you, then at least your training will help your horse for the next session. If it turns out that you find someone of interest, then give him/her a trial with just Abby next time and should all go well then you can switch all of your horses over to the new one.


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## aubie (Aug 24, 2013)

I stopped reading after the word frustration. Hitting people or animals out of it is a serious character flaw. People with bad temperament don't belong around horses. Makes you wonder about what other ones he has. Whats he going to do when he gets frustrated with you. Would make me wonder why owners allow such behavior on their property. He is lucky loss of business is all he is facing.


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

Foxhunter said:


> What I would do is to make sure that the horse behaved for the farrier!
> 
> A horse that is using a new place as an excuse for staring around, snorting and fidgeting needs to know that the handler is in charge, not her.
> 
> ...


To address your comments, yes, I agree that a horse should behave for the farrier. I also agree that he should not train her. However, I do not agree that hitting is a one-size-fits-all approach (what worked for your horse will not work for mine, because the root of the bad behavior is not the same; at least, you've given no indication that your horse was misbehaving because it was scared), and I refuse to believe it does any good whatsoever for calming a nervous horse. For the record, I have had to whap her here and there for various infractions, but a) I don't yell at her, and b) I don't do it out of malice or impatience. This guy was doing it out of pure frustration, not fear or pain (which are the only reasons I personally see as justifiable for hitting someone else's horse). I also don't continue to do it repeatedly, as he was doing, because clearly it is not working and she needs another approach.

Moving her feet, however, DOES help calm her. But that isn't really an option here. Neither is holding her head still by force, that's not even close to possible. So, the only other solution I know of (and please, give me some suggestions if I'm missing some) is more exposure, more handling in the same scenario, and patience. In 10 years I've never known my horse to cause a major problem with a farrier before, and AFAIK my farriers have never had to hit her. 

I know that she will get better the more she is worked with, and I am working with her regularly now (and I have a trainer, and plenty of other experienced horse people around.. Plus, you guys have been an immensely helpful resource! . That will take time, it's not going to be an overnight fix. In the meantime, I also need a farrier who will not holler at and hit my horse as a first resort. 

I think I will give this guy one more chance and see if it goes any better. (And bring her into the barn and handle her feet there periodically until then). Otherwise, I'll be looking elsewhere.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I would feel uncomfortable with a farrier that hit 4 to 5 times. he should , if abwsolutlely necessary, hit once, and if the hrose is still not able to accept being still, then take it away and do it on a day when it HAS been in the alley way before, and is better prepared to do well. 

the ol' western horsemen will say , "always set your horse up for success". I think your somewhat lack of preperation (you've been away, so it's understandable), and the farrier's being in a rush and being a bit rough, are setting her up for failure.


I KNOW you can do things better next time with preperation. if this farrier does NOT do a good trim job, then find a different farrier. I do not see a lot of hitting from the farriers that I've observed.


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

tinyliny said:


> I would feel uncomfortable with a farrier that hit 4 to 5 times. he should , if abwsolutlely necessary, hit once, and if the hrose is still not able to accept being still, then take it away and do it on a day when it HAS been in the alley way before, and is better prepared to do well.
> 
> the ol' western horsemen will say , "always set your horse up for success". I think your somewhat lack of preperation (you've been away, so it's understandable), and the farrier's being in a rush and being a bit rough, are setting her up for failure.
> 
> ...


Agreed. I did not know he would want to do her feet in the barn (I've never even been in there, myself), I thought it would be down near her pasture or in the indoor arena. She's much more familiar with both of those areas. We've only been at this place for about 3 weeks so she's still settling in. 

This was my first time being there for her farrier in years, but my previous times were without incident (they were also with younger guys, this one was almost 70 so perhaps less physically resilient for a shifting horse? I dunno). If I'd known it would be like this I'd have worked with her prior, but hindsight being 20/20 and all that. I was willing to let the first hit go, because sometimes that refocuses her, but not the repeated ones. And I'd even have been fine with him saying "sorry, I'm not able to do this horse", but to keep going and just get more upset with her was not going to end well for anyone. 

Anyways, yeah, like I said, I'm going to keep working with her before her next trim (I know I dropped the ball on my end with this, though I didn't mean to or know this was a hole in her training before it happened), and I'll give it one more shot with him.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I agree that one size does not fit all. 

Experience had taught me that the horse that is not payingnattention to the handler is potentially a dangerous horse. They need to learn that when a human is there that their attention is on that human and nothing else.

They need correction for not paying attention, this can be a shake/jerk on the halter a flick of the rope along their side ot a whack, anything to make them think of something else other than the distraction.

I was bringing in four unbroken TBs along with my old mare that ran with them. As I was opening the gate so a hot air ballon came overhead very low -'he landed in the field next to ours, the balloonist hadn't seen us nor I him. I looked up and saw he actually had blue eyes, that is how low he was! 

Of course the horses were all spooked, one more than the rest, I gave him a good jerk on the halter rope along with the verbal "You dare!" And he immediately stepped forward. 

I continued as it nothing happened and the horses were not at all perturbed by the ballon now past them. 

The reason he immediately accepted the correction was because he _knew_ I demanded his attention and manners, no excuses, I was in charge.

If a horse gets into an uptight/panic situation then you have to break through the veil of panic and to say "There there, it is all right." is never going to get its attention back on you, all it is going to do is reinforce there is something to be worried about. 

More often than not, if the horse is handled correctly, a verbal correction is enough. This comes from very tight boundaries to start with, correcting _every little thing they do wrong_ as trust on both parts grows so the boundaries can widen. 

A human hitting a horse is not going to hurt as much as another horse correcting it will do.


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

Foxhunter said:


> I agree that one size does not fit all.
> 
> Experience had taught me that the horse that is not payingnattention to the handler is potentially a dangerous horse. They need to learn that when a human is there that their attention is on that human and nothing else.
> 
> ...


Fair enough, and I appreciate the examples you've given of ways to correct her. In this scenario though, there was literally nothing I could think of to do to correct her that would not make her move and upset the guy more. If she turned her head, he got upset. If she moved her foot slightly, he got upset. (I'm not exaggerating, I've never seen such a rigid approach to this. All my other ones just worked through that stuff without even mentioning it). I realize he's got a very physically demanding job and god only knows how long he's been doing it, so he's probably working through a fair bit of physical pain at his age. I just was expecting a bit more patience and quiet from someone in his job, I guess. 

Anyways, I've just started taking lessons with someone at this barn (right after the farrier visit, in fact) and the first thing I asked her to show me was how to get Abby to stop/stand calmly and not always be so forward. We did an hour of groundwork and she is showing noticeable improvement already, so I'm very optimistic that she, at least, will do better the next time around with continued handling. (I've also started her on magnesium today, after receiving that recommendation from someone here, and she cocked her leg while standing tied for the first time ever! I don't really know if those two things are related but I really hope it's having a positive effect)


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

It is good that you do have help with correcting her.

I admit that I am tough on manners, I always try to be fair and with any correction it needs to be at that moment. 

I am a great 'poker' in that I use my forefinger to give them a sharp poke which surprises them into distracting. 

People talk about ground work and go on to explain about leading and getting the hors to move away from pressure but I begin in the stable, before they get outside. 

I make them stand parallel to the back of the stable and not move until told, the door can be open but that doesn't mean they can go out. I watch their knees, the moment they put the weight on one leg and unlock the other knee,mother are going to move, a correction, verbal or a finger on their chest, and they wonder how I knew they were going to move. A very simple little thing but it gains their respect. 

I would muck out whilst they were eating their breakfast and all would automatically move their quarters over when I wanted to get to the other side. All simple little things but a leader to real respect.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I would not be comfortable with this. 

Manners are important and discipline is important but hitting a horse isn't discipline. It might mean something to a deliberately misbehaving horse but to a nervous horse it isn't going to mean a lot if randomly every six weeks some guy hits you. 

I'm also firmly of the opinion that the horses attention should always be on the handler, not on the farrier. To me the farrier hitting the horse is teaching the horse to pay attention to the farrier not the handler - opposite of what I want! All correction should be done by the handler.

Finally if physical discipline is used it should always be done strategically, purposely and without emotion. Using violent behaviour as a result of emotion quickly turns to abuse. If a farrier cannot control his emotions then he isn't a professional in my opinion, and has no place doing it. 

A farrier is welcome to refuse to continue servicing any horse and to me that is the appropriate response, along with a request for the owner to work on the behaviour. Farriers are not trainers and should neither be expected to be or to act like one. 

If your horse has ongoing issues offer a farrier $20 more, take the time to explain th strategy for managing these issues, and work on it.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I very very rarely ever held my horses for the farrier, they stood tied for shoeing and the youngsters were in the loose shed, hen they were trimmed I would hold the foals/weaners, the yearlings were tied and the two and three years old would stand in the loose shed whilst being trimmed. As would the brood mares.

The thing about the handler correcting for the farrier is that they do not always know what the horse is doing. It might just start to lean, might twitch to pull the foot away and the farrier is far more able to correct than the handler just by raising the leg, leaning into the horse or touching it elsewhere. 

I have been around horses a long time, I understand them, it doesn't take me long to get a good rapor with them, I like them and they like me. If a horse deserves a whack it will get it, generally they rarely ever do. 

If I am around a horse whether it is mine or not, I will automatically correct it of I am handling it in any way. It is instinctive. If say I have told it to stand at the back of the stable and it goes to move I will correct before it actually takes that first step. Because I have seen the weight change and knee unlock, it is not a violent correction just verbal or a finger to the chest, you might think I was being unfair as the horse hadn't actually moved, I and the horse recognised that it was going to thus making the correction perfectly fair.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It is your job to train her and it is ONLY his job to trim her.

I would work on teaching her good ground and farrier manners. This is NOT done by 'babying' a horse and sneaking around it quietly. 

Then, especially after he 'thumped' on her, I would give her 1cc of ACE orally about an hour before he was to trim her again. ACE her when he comes and do other horses for an hour. 

A low dose of ACE relieves about all anxiety and calms a nervous horse down without it acting tranquilized or 'doped'. It just takes the edge off. 

I do this for every 'first trim' and 'first shoeing' of every horse. That way, the horse is not fearful of something new and the farrier does not get frustrated. It will not take the farrier any longer than it would for an old experienced horse and the horse does not get anxious or afraid. 

When I have done this (as well as handling the horse's feet a lot at home), the next trim or shoeing goes perfect without any ACE. It just gets a horse off to a good start with farriers.

I do the same thing for young horses and excitable horses when the Vet is going to come, especially for the first time, for about any reason -- a Coggins, teeth, ??? This stops horses from getting 'on the fight' when they see the Vet walking up. Some can get pretty nasty when they see a Vet and every time they get poked and prodded on.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

I'm going to come at this from a slightly different perspective.

I once had a farrier. Loved him! He was good with the inexperienced young horses and the old one who couldn't pick his feet up high anymore. He had a way with them and took the time to do really nice work even for the one who was retired from riding which is a rarity. Most just trim those kinds of horses up but do a half-arsed job since they aren't anything more than pasture puffs.

All was fine for about a year, the hoses were good and would stand ground tied to let him do feet, the trims were wornderful and then things started to change. 

Suddenly two of my four horses were misbehaving. They would stand when he had their first foot, but the second he would put it down, they tried to get as far away from him as possible and then were reluctant to let him touch them again. I started to need to hold them so I could correct them, or he would smack them one; but they were just "off" with him and getting worse where there had been no issue before. This went on for about three visits and my first thought was where the heck am I going wrong that their behavior is going the opposite direction?

I worked between trims with the horses that had started giving him issues, but they were fine until he showed up (fine for trainer, fine for vet, dentist etc). Okay, at that point I had to ask what was going on with him because it was not like this before and the horses were standing fine for other people.

According to him, he was in the middle of a nasty divorce and his wife had emptied out both their personal accounts and the business accounts and he was finding it hard to make ends meet because he was losing business; she was telling people he was no longer available to do feet when they called for an appointment. I really didn't want to get into the middle of it, but this was a big A-HA moment, because the two that were acting up were the two who were most sensitive to their rider's emotions (nervousness, fear, anger). 

The long and short of it was that he was stressing out big time, carrying around a lot of resentment, anger and frustration and the horses knew it. We ended up doing our own feet because he is no longer a farrier and went to jail.

If you find that you work with your horse on standing, giving feet etc and she is good in all other circumstances with other service providers but she still wants nothing to do with this farrier, it might be best to try a different farrier and see how it goes; it could be that she is seeing something in that farrier that you do not.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

If this mare is sensitive and is picking up bad vibes from the farrier then she is also sensitive enough to pick up your nervousness of taking her into a new area to have her feet done. Which means you need to dial down your nerves.

I know you said you used the other horse as a crutch to get through the trimming. This would be the first thing I would correct. She needs to look to you for reassurance, not her pasture mate. You should be able to take her anywhere. 

I agree that tough love is needed even if she is sensitive. I think people tend to tip toe around the sensitive (reactive) types which at times makes things worse.

I would also suggest anyone to pick, clean, file, four or five horses in a row to see things from the farriers point of view. The ones that jerk feet away, who lean on you, who fidget, who are lippy, who won't put a hoof on a hoof jack, who won't/can't stretch legs forward or back, drive you insane. And it kills your back and shoulders.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

My farrier has smacked my mare in the chest before for acting like an idiot. He just smacked her once and told her to stop it in a stern voice and it wasn't out of frustration. A lot depends on the attitude of the person, why it was done and how. If hitting the horse corrects the problem then it is fine, if it escalates the situation then a different approach should be used.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

*The thing about the handler correcting for the farrier is that they do not always know what the horse is doing. It might just start to lean, might twitch to pull the foot away and the farrier is far more able to correct than the handler just by raising the leg, leaning into the horse or touching it elsewhere.

It is your job to train her and it is ONLY his job to trim her.

I would work on teaching her good ground and farrier manners. This is NOT done by 'babying' a horse and sneaking around it quietly. *

_All of that above are accurate and right.
__I, like many others here worked in a professional capacity with horses for years.
My farriers, the ones I used personally and those that other private owners used all took "0" nonsense from a horse...
They would take appropriate actions, swiftly and repeatedly if necessary to get a horse to stand quietly and on their own legs, not leaning even slightly on the farriers back, nor twisting their hips....nor pulling back!

Ever truly watch a farrier work? They are in a position to be destroyed with back bent, legs splayed and half-under a horse whether it is front or hind legs worked on...
Your horse is more than capable of standing quietly on 3 legs..

Honestly, your horse disrespects you!
The cues for her behavior are given by you....
YOU may tolerate her disrespect.
YOUR FARRIER will not...no farrier will.

I'll give you the farrier may have been gruff in his handling of her, maybe louder in voice than you are accustomed to...
That still puts it on YOU, her owner and handler that she stand quietly, not fidgeting, wiggling around, shifting her weight and all those other "nothings" she did. 
Every single movement changed her hoof sitting in his hand.... one wrong move when he snipped or cut could of lamed your horse...
You gave many excuses why she behaved as she did....bottom line though is she does not respect you as her handler, take her cues and recognize your authority when you stand her she stand quietly, in one place without fretting, wiggling, twisting.....
All things need working on by you and it sound like you are beginning to learn how to do them in this new barn.
I would be curious to know how the other horses in the barn react and respond to this farrier and his demands for correct behavior from them...did you see him working with any of them???

I will tell you that in my years, many years of working with horses professionally as a barn worker and management I never saw many a owner have the same respect shown by their horse to them than was shown to me.
I am also like foxhunter, if the horse does wrong, it is corrected immediately and swiftly whether I own it or not. With appropriate reaction to their wrong....
Horses are smart animals, get your number in a few days time and will push the boundary you set every chance they can. 
That boundary needs to be firm, never waiver and just deserved punishment for the oops they committed.
I also mucked many a stall with a horse in it, they watched me and kept out of my way never EVER putting their hindquarters in my direction. 
I gave them all love, kindness and attention but it was earned and at a proper time lavished on them.
They all stood patiently on a loose lead or cross-tied for the farrier. I may have been in the barn as they worked, but I was working not holding and babysitting the horse for them...

I no longer work professionally with horses but all the horses I do handle for friends I take no crap from and those horses know it right off...
I don't use anything but a thick cotton shank. Horses that drag their owner around with a chain on the nose walk quietly next to me with a loop in the lead...
Bottom line is... IT IS CALLED RESPECT, demanded from and given by them to us to keep them safe from harm. In return we give encouragement, a clear & concise message of what is expected from them and a soft pat of "good-job" when accomplished. 
Personally, I don't ever hand feed treats either. I find it takes away the respect factor you strive for with the horse "in your space" pushing for that treat..:x_
_Just remember that a humans 120 - 200 pounds means very little to a horse who weighs near 5 times as much...our "swat" or "strike" to them is a moth landing..
You better have their respect.... *
Respect*...something all humans need to learn how to ask & demand and a horse needs to learn what it means and how to give it....there is a happy middle ground.

**I just saw your post Sarah....perfectly put!!**
:runninghorse2:....
jmo...
_


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## Regula (Jan 23, 2012)

I fired a farrier for hitting my horse before. My horse is also the sensitive type, and he was just recovering from laminitis / founder at the time. The farrier knew this, he had been doing his feet for a while and my horse always tried and never gave him any trouble. But it was painful for him to stand on one leg for a long time, so he needed breaks.
The farrier whacked him in the belly with his rasp for putting his foot down. This was not bad behavior, he was just in pain. I found a different farrier after that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

I had a very similar experience with the first time I had my horse trimmed. He was the farrier the majority of the people at the barn used, so I gave him a try.

Before he even started working on my horse, he judged him for his breed. Assuming he'd be high strung. My horse isn't high strung, he just is now getting back into regular work since I've gotten him, so everything is a readjustment and I told the farrier this.

My horse let him trim his feet just fine, even let him rasp his front feet, but his back feet he didn't want any part of it with the rasp. He started moving, pulling his feet away, and the farrier got frustrated and with the rasp smacked my horse hard on the belly. I'll say I smack my horse for negative behavior, but it's firm and quick, but this was hard. I understand why he did it, when Bear pulled his foot away he did a warning "kick" at the air. I just didn't like that he hit him so hard, with the rasp and on the belly.

Since my horse is barefoot and this guy just gave him a pasture cut, I switched to my friend's barefoot trimmer who has a lot more patience and a laid back personality and was able to trim my horse in a timely fashion without hitting him. I've been working a lot with his feet lately as well, so hopefully our next visit will go even better. 

I think yes groundwork and working with your horse is important here, but as reining said, the disposition of the farrier probably has a lot to do with how your horse will stand for them, as well. I'd try a different farrier just based on the fact that he's getting frustrated by a horse that's just being shifty vs. an aggressive or outright disrespectful horse. Patience is important in any scenario and when you have a farrier who basically doesn't have any, it think that's setting any horse up for failure. All horses have off days.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

I wanted to edit my post but I guess I waited too long and can't, but basically I have nothing against a farrier correcting a horse using physical means, but getting immediately frustrated isn't going to end well. I will say if my horse ever does need shoes I'll be calling the farrier I mentioned before. I also know my horse will stand better for him now as well since I've been working with him a lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

One time I asked an old, semi-retired farrier what he did if a horse bit him. He said,"I HIT the owner!" 

While I agree that taking out frustrations on the horse is not correct, I also do my own trimming, and understand how difficult it is. 

Trim the horse in the stall next time, and put her up against the wall. She may feel more secure that way. And be sure you have a halter that she respects, so that you Make ONE clear correction....

Also make sure that when SHE is standing quietly, YOU are completely relaxed, arms hanging loosely, with a good bit of loose leadrope.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Before a person reprimands a horse for ANY reason they need to ask themselves one big question:

Does this horse know exactly what it is supposed to do? Does it know how to do this right? Does it actually know what it is doing wrong?

If a horse is green and does not know exactly what it is supposed to do, then it needs to be taught and not reprimanded. You cannot punish a horse into learning.

If it DOES know how to have its feet handled and trimmed or shod and it misbehaves anyway, then it needs to be corrected. I consider this the job of the handler and not the farrier.

As with everything else, I do not think hitting a horse is the best answer or the best punishment. If a horse is a thick skinned 'non-reactive' type of horse -- yes you can bang around on them or the farrier can hit them and they will get the message. But, there is even a better way with them.

If a horse is thin skinned and sensitive (the kind that you can really train to do great things if they have all of the other ingredients), then hitting it is only going to make it get reactive and it will take longer to get it to settle back down. If the farrier hits this kind of horse, it may get much more difficult to have a farrier handle later. It will get 'defensive' when he just walks up (also true of the Vet approaching). 

If I am holding a horse for a farrier and the horse is being difficult, I usually ask the farrier to let me know when the horse leans or jerks or ??? Then I tell him to step back and let me try to fix it. That way, the horse does not get worse and does not blame to resent the farrier. I fix it. 

I can just give a sharp jerk on the lead-rope if it is not major. It is a big problem, I simply put a chain or a string under its upper lip and give a 'tine' tug and say a sharp "Ah!" when I do it. Almost every horse encountered in the last 50 years has been re-trained this way. Some of these horses were brought to me just because they would not let anyone handle their feet. 

Now, if a person uses this method to teach a horse to stop fighting a farrier, it is very important that you do not lose your temper and you only give a light 'tug' on the chain or string. If you jerk one too hard, you make it get reactive, run backward and make it fight the handler. The little tug with an "Ah!" fixes almost all of the spoiled ones. Next time it may just take saying "Ah!" a couple of time and from then on you can just tie the horse and have someone she it.

I use the horseshoeing school at Ardmore, OK to do all of my trimming and shoeing. I have a 10 horse stock trailer. I bring them 2 full loads each 6 week school -- 20 head. They remark every time when I bring in 10 horses, tie them to the long pipe rail in the school and leave. Every horse just stands there and never jerks or pulls a foot away unless the student tries to hold the foot too far out to the side. Then one of the instructors will show the student what they are doing wrong. I stay a few minutes with each new horse and young horse I bring the first time it is to be shod. When I am satisfied the horse is going to stand OK, I go home and come back late in the afternoon to pick them up.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Follow your instincts about this farrier. There are plenty to choose from. Yes, it's not the farrier's job to train your horse but anyone who cannot work with horses without losing their temper needs to find another line of work.

There is a huge difference between discipline and indulging in anger and punishment-deep down, you know the difference when you see it.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

There are plenty to pick but it doesn't mean they are any good.

I also feel at one point in everyone's ' horse life' a temper was lost and frustration won. Just make it a learning experience. So to judge a, so far, one time frustration, well I would hate someone to judge me on a one time frustration whether it was a horse, my husband, my children, my job, my life, my mother that frustrated me.

If it is a true anger management issue, well, that is a different ball game.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Farrier: This horse keeps leaning & jerking his foot.:x

Handler: Hmmn, everything's OK on my end.:icon_rolleyes:


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

Wow, this sorta blew up overnight. Okay, here goes..

I realize his job is physically demanding and little things make a difference (I think I stated that already, no?) I think I didn't realize how much these "little" things would make a difference to HIM because past farriers never mentioned it. Now I know, and I'll figure something out. 

For the one asking about watching him do other horses, I was not there to see the next horse he did (I was retrieving my third) but I was told later by the owner that he freaked out too and got slugged for it. I don't know the specifics of it or whether it was warranted. I assume it was warranted and I assume it fixed the problem, because it was apparently only the once. But several people have said "Yeah, he's a great farrier except for that". I am not a huge fan of this guy for his bedside manner, I wasn't from the first second he started working with my horse, and I probably never will be (I know I'm to blame for part of this because I'm sure she could sense my nerves). I'm going to attempt to work around it but if it doesn't improve I'm not going to continue to use him unless I have to. His actions, both verbal and physical, were unnecessary and potentially harmful for my particular horse (I say that not because "he was loud and scary around my precious baby", but because what he was doing was not working, yet he continued to do it and escalate things). I didn't even feel comfortable asking if he could slow down because of how much he was clearly in a hurry, doing this. 

As for me, I am a nervous person. I know that, and I'm working on it. I learned some tactics for dealing with that in my following lesson, in fact. I've been separated from my horse for 10 years, during which she has pretty much been a pasture puff. She has mostly been with my parents, who are not horse people, so I'm sure she got away with things she shouldn't have (but if there was any major problem I'd have heard about it.)

I also think I've been clear that I have been working with her and will continue to do so with a vengeance, and with professional assistance. I genuinely do appreciate all of the feedback, positive and negative, and suggestions for tips to try that you all have given. Some of it is not feasible yet because of how long she has been like this, I'm working against a looong time to have these habits. Her life has changed IMMENSELY in the past month, between moving to a new barn and being handled/worked with/ridden every other day, from being a pasture puff before this who probably wasn't even looked at or thought of by the previous BO for months at a time (as evidenced by her feet being maybe 2 months overdue for a trim when I went to see her at the last place for the first time in a year). I know this is my fault and my responsibility, I did the best I could to provide for her while I was gone and there's nothing I can change about that now. I'm working to fix it, but it will take time and I need to have reasonable expectations for what she can accomplish in the amount of time I've given her so far. 

That being said, she is worth it. SO worth it. I was holding onto and paying for this horse unseen for 10 years for a reason, and I'm very lucky that that reason still exists, because she still has great potential if I can manage not to screw it up. Though she has been clearly being frustrated or confused with some of the things I've asked of her already, she's never once threatened to harm me or anyone else. She is very sensitive and willing, and is always seeking to try and figure out what I want. If I can build her confidence and teach her it's okay to not always move (she made noticeable progress with that yesterday within just an hour), and get her further along than just green broke, I know I'm going to have an awesome little horse on my hands.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Surrealle...
If you feel that strongly about this farrier then why give him a second chance???
If you truly feel he was abusive find another....

Just continue to work through the issues and with the issues you are now finding she has to make a better horse for you, for the farrier, for everyone that comes in contact with her.

You have done a lot of changes with the horse in a short time...
Horses do not "forget" their lessons learned at a younger age, good or bad lessons. but they can need a tune-up to get back on the right track....
Continue those lessons and learn some new ones for you to better "cue" your mare and she take the "cue" that all is OK.
One of those big ones is called respect....she needs to respect you, learn to rely on you, trust you to keep her safe at all times....you're on a learning curve right now...
On the way up that curve...:wink:
:runninghorse2:...


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

horselovinguy said:


> Surrealle...
> If you feel that strongly about this farrier then why give him a second chance???
> If you truly feel he was abusive find another....
> 
> ...


Thanks.. And to answer your question, I guess it's because he seems to do good work (two of our three horses went well, and he drives in from 1.5 hrs away so I'm assuming he has the other boarders' stamp of approval? or that they don't have anyone better in the area to hire). I also recognize that most of the problem is on my end, so if I can fix it by making changes on my side and with her, then I'll be okay with it. If I can't, and if the next visit is still bad, I'll look elsewhere. I don't think he was abusive, I just think his approach was wrong for my horse. If I can work with her so she never brings out that response in him, then it should no longer be an issue (and hey, more confidence-building experience for her, surviving those loud scary people!)


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Chasin Ponies said:


> There is a huge difference between discipline and indulging in anger and punishment-deep down, you know the difference when you see it.


 Agree with this.
I suspect if you work with your horse it will be fine.
But there are farriers that should be in a different line of work. We had one ONCE.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Depends on the horse. I told my farrier not to be afraid to tan their hides if they deserve it. Even my sensitive TB. I don't care if he's feeling silly or nervous, he better mind his manners, and he always does. There's no excuse for horses that know better. 

If it's a horse that's never been handled or coming from a rescue situation, that's different. The owner needs to work with it beforehand if that's the case, and probably have a conversation with the farrier before he starts to work on the horse.


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## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

I certainly believe that the OP is going to put some effort into training this horse to stand better and just hasn't completed the job yet. In the mean time, I think that it is also the responsibility of the farrier to show some patience. I certainly have had farriers put more time and effort into shoeing or trimming a problem horse than perhaps they should have but our combined efforts resulted in a horse that was easy to work with. If the OP believes that hitting the horse is not the right answer, then she needs to express that at the next visit. Becoming frustrated and hitting a horse in anger is never productive but I would consider giving the farrier another chance


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I agree with Foxhunter.
I don't condone a farrier striking a horse in anger, esp in the head, but I also don't think it is a farrier's job to teach a horse to be good with foot handling, nor do I accept strange surroundings as an excuse
I have often hauled my horses to a farrier, and even to the local farrier college to be shod, places they have never been before, yet they behave.
If a horse leans on me, you bet he gets a slap in the belly!
I would work on your horse and make her better with her foot handling
Won't hurt to talk to that farrier, and express your concerns.
Good farriers are hard to come by, and good farriers often have enough horses to work on that are good with their feet, that you risk loosing a good farrier, if your horse is difficult to trim or shoe.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Textan49 said:


> I certainly believe that the OP is going to put some effort into training this horse to stand better and just hasn't completed the job yet. In the mean time, I think that it is also the responsibility of the farrier to show some patience. I certainly have had farriers put more time and effort into shoeing or trimming a problem horse than perhaps they should have but our combined efforts resulted in a horse that was easy to work with. If the OP believes that hitting the horse is not the right answer, then she needs to express that at the next visit. Becoming frustrated and hitting a horse in anger is never productive but I would consider giving the farrier another chance


Not the farrier's job. It is the owner's job to make sure a horse is good with having their feet done. Many people think just because their horse will pick up his feet to be cleaned, he will automatically be ready for a farrier to take that foot away for extended periods, use the tow main farrier positions, plus be comfortable with the entire rasping, nipping or even nail pounding
Once you actually trim a bunch of horses, you soon relaize that , just like anything else, whether it be leading that horse, riding that horse, the job is much easier with a hrose that leads with respect, rides like abroke horse or , is solid in having his feet handled.
The farrier's job is to trim or shoe your horse, not train in to accept either. That is your job!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Saskia said:


> I would not be comfortable with this.
> 
> Manners are important and discipline is important but hitting a horse isn't discipline. It might mean something to a deliberately misbehaving horse but to a nervous horse it isn't going to mean a lot if randomly every six weeks some guy hits you.
> 
> ...


A horse should not even need to be held by a handler.
I trim all my horses from the time they are weanlings, and only use a farrier if I have shoes put on, for trail riding, whatever.
By the time they are shod, even for the first time, they are just tied and the farrier often shoed our horses while I was not even home, having left them in the corral, when I was still working.
Even now, I might visit with the farrier for awhile, discuss some shoing, but then just go about other jobs while that horse is tied and shod.
My farrier always mentions how good my horses are to work with


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

The farrier should have had more patience. If the horse was nervous, no reason she should have been hit. If she was just being a big brat, then sure. One or two smacks is enough. 

I have to lunge my mare before the farrier does her. She is a BRAT. She likes to try and pull her foot away from him and he has to get after her. Sometimes he'll give her a good whack. I dislike it but I know she deserved it. 

I'd work with your mare daily. Practice as if you were the farrier. Hold her hooves for a minute or two, pretend you're working on it, etc. And talk to the farrier about her, that he needs more patience with her and don't be afraid to speak up if you think something is wrong.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

I put that on you. Her behavior and nervousness is not his problem, it's yours. His job is to trim the horse. His livelihood depends on him being able to work and he needs to keep himself safe while doing it. It is not a farriers job to train your horse or to deal with the behavior. If she's that bad, you need to have a vet out while she's being trimmed to sedate her (also not the farrier's job to sedate) until you can train her properly.

My farrier popped one of mine one day and I apologized to him. The horse was out of line. If he's a good farrier, be a good client and train your horse.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I have to agree with palogal. The farrier asked to have the horse twitched, and unless there is some reason that this particular horse cannot be twitched, that kind of set the tone for the rest of the trim. I have been around long enough to know to treat a good shoer like gold. I have a rasp, nippers and stand just good enough to use as training tools for my horse. I always let the farrier know when I make the appointment if there is anything I think he should know so he can schedule properly. I always pay in cash, let him know that I expect the prices to rise periodically, and offer to pay more for work on a horse that needs the patient approach.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Roman said:


> The farrier should have had more patience. If the horse was nervous, no reason she should have been hit. If she was just being a big brat, then sure. One or two smacks is enough.
> 
> I have to lunge my mare before the farrier does her. She is a BRAT. She likes to try and pull her foot away from him and he has to get after her. Sometimes he'll give her a good whack. I dislike it but I know she deserved it.
> 
> ...


So, you need to work on your horse more, if she still pulls the foot away.
Is your horse stalled most of the time?. Unless she is, I see no reason to lunge
her before, and would work on making her more solid and respectful
if you get her more respectful, then there never will be a reason for your farrier to need to give her that wack!


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## cebee (Apr 4, 2010)

I truly can see both sides. The farrier is putting himself at risk when ever he trims a horse. They need to be able to do what they need to to be safe. No question. 
That said.. horses also react differently to different people. Some farriers have a relaxed touch, give the horse a break if they need to, maybe hold the leg differently if a horse is uncomfortable. 
Others just go in and 'get er done'
I have had both.
My boy was fidgety with one farrier, and while he never got smacked, he earned a loud "QUIT!" on occasion, and I hate the nose chains but I used it a time or 2. I figured that was just how he was. 
Changed farriers... and he practically sleeps thru his trims.
New farrier will change the leg position, let him put it down for a minute if he needs to... and just has a calmer disposition.
If trying a different farrier is an option, you may want to do so, made all the difference with mine.


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

I don't care what anybody else says I would NEVER let the farrier hit my horse,she is just like your mare the way you describe her nervousness in new situations is just like Linn.
I agree it is our job to teach them manners and to behave but there is no excuse in my book for hitting a nervous horse.
All it takes is 10 mins of calm reassurance by the farrier to take time and talk and stroke her,make her feel comfortable to stand for him not brute force and punishment .
I have a new farrier coming on Tuesday so we shall see how he does!
I personally would be looking for a new farrier.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I agree it is the owner's responsibility to train their horse, but I don't want a rigid, short-tempered person doing ANYTHING to my horse. Somebody like that is going to create problems where there weren't any to begin with. 

This is a vote for a different farrier.


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

Yeah, it still bothers me too that it went that way with her right from the start. I even called my mom today to see if she ever gave the other farriers any trouble at all, if they ever mentioned it or seemed to struggle with her and she said absolutely not. She said they were always in and out quickly and never had to reprimand her like that. 

I do still intend to work with her on not moving so much, especially her head (which seemed to be her biggest infraction to him). I never knew a bit of movement was a big deal before, so, now I know. But I may ask around for other farrier recommendations, too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Just so nobody thinks I believe a farrier should just beat a horse, esp if there is a pain issue, like laminitis, arthritis, ect, that is not true at all. A good farrier only corrects a horse firmly , that he knows has no pain issue, and there is a big difference between maybe slapping a horse on the belly that leans on you, constantly pulls a foot away (try seeing how hard that is on YOUR body, by actually having your horse give you his foot for even 5 minutes), and a farrier loosing his temper, beating a horse
So, exactly what constituted 'farrier hit my horse" ?
Where did he hit your horse? What was your horse doing?
Do you excuse your horse, if she bucks you off in 'new surroundings" ?


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

Smilie said:


> Just so nobody thinks I believe a farrier should just beat a horse, esp if there is a pain issue, like laminitis, arthritis, ect, that is not true at all. A good farrier only corrects a horse firmly , that he knows has no pain issue, and there is a big difference between maybe slapping a horse on the belly that leans on you, constantly pulls a foot away (try seeing how hard that is on YOUR body, by actually having your horse give you his foot for even 5 minutes), and a farrier loosing his temper, beating a horse
> So, exactly what constituted 'farrier hit my horse" ?
> Where did he hit your horse? What was your horse doing?
> Do you excuse your horse, if she bucks you off in 'new surroundings" ?


To his credit, he did reasonably well with my older arthritic horse, likely because I had a chance to explain the situation first. I didn't know or think to ask him to go slowly with Abby at first; I'm used to calmer, quieter farriers, frankly.

If you really want nitty gritty details, he was giving her loud, gruff, (and to her, meaningless) verbal commands, pretty rapid fire. He said he was training her to be loyal to him, or something of that approximation. He was working on her front hoof, she obviously wasn't relaxed but she wasn't actually moving her other feet, either. I'm sure she was not "light" and pliable with the foot he was working on and was moving that leg more than he liked. He seemed to get the most upset that she was moving her head. He almost jumped when she looked in his direction (which I do understand, he doesn't know her and is worried about being bitten). There was quite a bit of activity going on, horses going by all around her and people walking through the barn. When he was working on my husband's horse, one of the girls that works there noticed a stalled horse messing with her over his door, I don't know if he was there doing that all along. Anyways, just with working on her first hoof, within the first few minutes, he lost his patience with her fidgeting and punched her body hard with his fist about 4 separate times (meaning, attempting to work after each one). Needless to say, it did nothing to help. I know my horse was no angel and I need to work on that, but imo you don't just keep hitting a horse when it does absolutely nothing helpful besides make you feel better.

As for if she gets nervous and bucks me off, I don't know what I would do in that situation as she has never tried. She genuinely tries to please, and I am working on building her confidence in manageable steps. To ask too much of her and then punish her for it would be unfair, to me. I suppose if it did happen I would look at what I did wrong and attempt to fill that training hole.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

I wouldn't mind if my farrier gave either of my boys a smack. If I get after them, it's because they deserve it and if the farrier did it too I have no doubt they would have deserved it. He's a very gentle man and very patient with my old, arthritic horse but sometimes that patience gets taken advantage of and that isn't acceptable. 

I think in situations like what you have described you really have to go with your gut feeling. If you're not comfortable with how your animal is being treated then it'd be best to find a new farrier. Maybe give him one more chance and see how it goes?


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

OK, a farrier has a miserable job, it's exhausting, it's frustrating, it's painful, and I don't see how anyone makes a living at it. I feel sorry for farriers. Every time I trim one of my horses I'm reminded how sorry I feel for farriers.

On the other hand, not only is it not the farrier's job to train your horse, I'd go one further and say you'd be crazy to let the farrier train your horse. Most of the farriers I've known are terrible horse trainers, and quite likely to make your horse worse. Furthermore, some of them seem to generate misbehavior that is unique to that farrier.

Back to the farm a few years ago my brother said the farrier couldn't trim the back feet on the Paso Fino because he was kicking. I trimmed his back feet the next day while he stood ground tied with noone around. I can't imagine what the farrier did to persuade that horse to kick.

So bottom line, yes, horse owners have both a responsibility and a motivation to teach horses to accept handling their feet. There are lots of resources on youtube and elsewhere, or hire a trainer, but get it done, and be thorough.

And once you know your horse is solid, don't feel bad about not giving a farrier a second chance. Some of them are just not good with horses.


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## Lizzardgmartin (Apr 11, 2016)

If any horse ever puts a farriers life in danger then they have the right to be a tad bit harsh with the horse but if your farrier is just getting mad because your horse is moving a little then your farrier is in the wrong and it is unexceptable.


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## Weeaboo Jones (Apr 11, 2016)

I'd put my foot down if he hit my horse, you are the client, you can demand of him... Tell him not to hit your horse, if starts making lame *** excuses then drop him


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## dkb811 (Oct 15, 2013)

Screaming and hitting a nervous horse four times within the first five minutes seems excessive and harsh to me. A good way to get a horse to fear you!

All three of our horses were a nervous wreck with my previous Farrier. They got a bad vibe from him, and so did I. Just a horrible experience all around. 

My Farrier now is a godsend! She's calm but firm and treats each of our horses as an individual. They ground tie while she's working on them, no fear in their eyes, they are calm, relaxed and very rarely need correction. The difference is like night and day!

Yes, horses need to be trained to stand quietly for the Farrier, and I'm not opposed to a smack if it is justified and done correctly. I would not leave your horse alone with this Farrier if you continue to use her. Speak up for your horse if need be, I'm glad I did!


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## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

Smilie said:


> Not the farrier's job. It is the owner's job to make sure a horse is good with having their feet done. Many people think just because their horse will pick up his feet to be cleaned, he will automatically be ready for a farrier to take that foot away for extended periods, use the tow main farrier positions, plus be comfortable with the entire rasping, nipping or even nail pounding
> Once you actually trim a bunch of horses, you soon relaize that , just like anything else, whether it be leading that horse, riding that horse, the job is much easier with a hrose that leads with respect, rides like abroke horse or , is solid in having his feet handled.
> The farrier's job is to trim or shoe your horse, not train in to accept either. That is your job!


 Neither I or the OP feel it is the farrier's job to train the horse. I have assisted many farriers, vets, and dentists, do my own trimming and often am paid to trim for other owners, so I see both sides of this picture. Not every horse is easy and some well behaved ones just take more time and effort. Quite honestly I would have handled this quite differently if I were asked to trim this horse. I would not have felt it above and beyond my duty to use a little patience, and you bet the owner would have received some advice about getting the horse to behave better for the next time.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, yelling at horses , to me shows poor horsemanship, and punching a horse, just for fidgeting ,also does, so I would also be hesitant to use such a farrier again.
Does not matter if the person is a trainer, a farrier, a vet or an owner-yelling at a horse, striking in anger, just shows poor horsemanship in general
I good horseman corrects horse firmly, fairly, and then continues at if nothing happened. He does this all without yelling, which means nothing to a horse
Work more with your horse, and then get a farrier who is also a horseman.
I know they are out there, as I have one!

The additional info you provided, that I asked for, creates clearer picture, and why I asked for details in the first place!


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## Surrealle (Feb 28, 2016)

Smilie said:


> Well, yelling at horses , to me shows poor horsemanship, and punching a horse, just for fidgeting ,also does, so I would also be hesitant to use such a farrier again.
> Does not matter if the person is a trainer, a farrier, a vet or an owner-yelling at a horse, striking in anger, just shows poor horsemanship in general
> I good horseman corrects horse firmly, fairly, and then continues at if nothing happened. He does this all without yelling, which means nothing to a horse
> Work more with your horse, and then get a farrier who is also a horseman.
> ...


Yeah, I'm checking out other farriers now. If I hadn't had calmer ones up till now I might think that's how they all are, but he's been the most unsettling one I've seen/used. I don't want to always be stressed about his visits.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

I have known my ferrier for years, he and I played ball together in school, and he has shown with my wife since their 4h days. I will be danged if I expect him to deal with a silly horse unless he and i have discussed it well in advance. He knows me well enough to know what I expect from my horses as well as him while the trimming is happening. 

Ferrier work is hard enough on a persons body without fidgeting horses or horses that are not doing what needs to be done. An injury in this mans profession means he doesn't eat.

I have seen ferries ripped open by nails when a horse moved, before they got crimped and cleaned up, I have seen them stepped on, leaned on, bit, there is no sense in it. A friend of mine is a dang fine ferrier in the south east, who deals with grand prix type horses, and i promise he would have told you to take you r horse elsewhere and likely wouldn't have so much as pulled a rasp.

If you are not comfortable using this guy, don't. But, I'll almost guarantee you idea if "hitting" a horse and mine likely differ.


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## BarrelracingwithSkipper (Sep 25, 2014)

Foxhunter said:


> What I would do is to make sure that the horse behaved for the farrier!
> 
> Farriers are not there to train your horse, that is up to you.



This is not that simple! I dont know if you have worked with troubled or rescue or even jumpy horses but it is not so simple as to just train the horse to be okay with it.


As for the post, you have to find a farrier that is similar to the one at my barn. He does an amazing job and is understanding of all the different horse types but is not afraid to be firm if needed. I have been around horses for a while and there are many horses that are either just kinda "special" where no matter how much you try they are still jumpy or not on their best behavior for the farrier and any one who is getting into the horse business has to know this and not be so impatient 
Any one who thinks that you can just train any horse to be okay with the farrier hasnt really dealt with many horses regarding the farrier... take it from me who has dealt with many all you have to do is work to keep the horse calm and most farriers understand that the horse isnt going to be perfect


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

BarrelracingwithSkipper said:


> This is not that simple!



It IS that simple. You just have to be in charge, and not give the horse excuses.

Jim


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

This may sound harsh, but, any of you who know me know I tell it like I see it. I have scanned through the posts...I have not read all of them throughly and disected them.
That said, OP, I have a couple of thoughts. IMO Nervous horse and nervous person is a recipe for disaster. You say you have anxiety issues, and it is quite likely, IMO that your horse feeds off this. Secondly, I am guessing you knew the farrier was coming, and that he did not just show up. That means that you should have prepared your horse....and should continue to. You also should have had a convo with that farrier prior to him laying a hand on the horse. That is ALL on you. You are the human, and if you have a horse you know may be an issue, they deserve to know that ahead of time. Perhaps some of his frustration was with you? I DO agree he should not have taken it out on the horse, and perhaps some of his behavior was excessive, but I do not disagree with a well placed slap and "[email protected]!!" if a horse is being a jerk. My horses just stand there-not tied...and are just fine. I have had a conversation with my farrier about my old guys arthritis, and he is very understanding and patient with him. Had I not-who knows what would have happened?

I do not like surprises.....neither do they.


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## BarrelracingwithSkipper (Sep 25, 2014)

jimmyp said:


> It IS that simple. You just have to be in charge, and not give the horse excuses.
> 
> Jim


Jim you obviously dont have much experience with horses


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

I have had Farriers wack my horses in past for not standing appropriately ,didn't really bother me,but then wasn't beating on them. For most part it is me that gets after them:sad:. I expect my horses to stand quietly for farrier & for most part they always do,but like us they can have days they need reminders about their manners:wink:. Need be if I think they are being too figity I will ask farrier to stop & step aside while I correct the horse to be pay attention ,then have him resume

IDK but most good farriers have a full client list & if a horse is going to be ignorant most will say nope I'm done here,not worth it to them getting hurt over it:sad:.


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

Chaz80 said:


> I don't care what anybody else says I would NEVER let the farrier hit my horse,she is just like your mare the way you describe her nervousness in new situations is just like Linn.
> I agree it is our job to teach them manners and to behave but there is no excuse in my book for hitting a nervous horse.
> All it takes is 10 mins of calm reassurance by the farrier to take time and talk and stroke her,make her feel comfortable to stand for him not brute force and punishment .
> I have a new farrier coming on Tuesday so we shall see how he does!
> I personally would be looking for a new farrier.


A farrier does not have 10 minutes to beg a horse to cooperate. Also not his job. If you've told him that your horse is in charge becaus you've babied the horse, he must kiss her butt for 10 minutes, and he still accepted the job..... I'd get a new farrier- he's too desperate for work.


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

My first horse that I bought for the kids was a Percheron X TWH cross. And he was gaited. Was the greatest horse with the kids. Anyway at the stable the cross ties ceiling was not very high and when he stood with his head up he was close to the 8 ft. ceiling. So I used the farrier the barn had. The first time the farrier came I asked him if he could do the trimming out side becaused when he reared he would hit his head on the ceiling. 

You should have seen the blank expression on the farriers face and you could see his body tense up. But I couldn't keep a straight face and started grinning. The farrier took his time and rubbed on Moosie for awhile before he started. After he finished he told me He was really thinking about not doing him til I started grinning. 

But I did tell him if Moosie needed to be corrected it was ok. He never had to correct him.


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