[CrazyHorse]

Maybe I'm over anticipating resistance to my request. He is a very nice, down to earth guy. Maybe he will grant my request without me having to beg. I hope...
I am the least confrontational person you will ever meet. I don't want to offend him because I respect him and his work. I want to approach him in a professional but polite way. I will just address my concerns and make my request.

[Dancers Mom]

Why should you have to convince him to put shoes on her? She is your horse and you are paying for a service. Yes, he is knowledgable but in the end the choice in yours and not all are meant to go barefoot. I am a big advocate of barefoot, I really believed it is better for them all the way around if they can do it. I tried mine, it did not work and I put them back on. Next one I add to my heard of one I will try with also, if it does not work then shoes go back on. Your horse your decision!

[TrailBlazer]

IMHO you should not have to convince your farrier of anything, you should just have to ask or tell him (in a polite way) that you want shoes put on. Your horse – end of discussion.

You are paying him for a service you are requesting. I would however nicely explain to your farrier why you are apposed to barefoot trim at this time and want shoes instead. I am sure he will understand.

If he refuses or gives you a rough time about it, it may be time to change farriers.

[CrazyHorse]

Originally Posted by Dancers Mom

Why should you have to convince him to put shoes on her? She is your horse and you are paying for a service. Yes, he is knowledgable but in the end the choice in yours and not all are meant to go barefoot. I am a big advocate of barefoot, I really believed it is better for them all the way around if they can do it. I tried mine, it did not work and I put them back on. Next one I add to my heard of one I will try with also, if it does not work then shoes go back on. Your horse your decision!

Thank you Hope is the first horse I've had who's had "problem" hooves for lack of a better word. She is the only horse I've ever owned who needed shoes. I would love to have her go barefoot but she just can't right now. It breaks my heart watching her try to navigate on rocks

[CrazyHorse]

Originally Posted by TrailBlazer

IMHO you should not have to convince your farrier of anything, you should just have to ask or tell him (in a polite way) that you want shoes put on. Your horse – end of discussion.

You are paying him for a service you are requesting. I would however nicely explain to your farrier why you are apposed to barefoot trim at this time and want shoes instead. I am sure he will understand.

If he refuses or gives you a rough time about it, it may be time to change farriers.

I don't think he will refuse. I think he will resist though and try to convince me she's fine barefoot. Next time I see him I'm going to have him watch her try to walk on rocks. He trims in the round pen or in the barn aisle and I haven't had him watch her walk on the rocks in the barn driveway. Maybe that will convince him.

[mftx4]

When transitioning to bare foot, they can go through an 'ouchy' time. Some can take longer to develope the hard feet they need to remain barefoot. Some just never do. JMO, but if she's been barefoot for sometime and is still ouchy, by all means, explain your concerns and ask him to put shoes back on her, for her sake as well as your peace of mind.

[CrazyHorse]

Originally Posted by mftx4

When transitioning to bare foot, they can go through an 'ouchy' time. Some can take longer to develope the hard feet they need to remain barefoot. Some just never do. JMO, but if she's been barefoot for sometime and is still ouchy, by all means, explain your concerns and ask him to put shoes back on her, for her sake as well as your peace of mind.

I've had her for a year this month and am just now venturing out to riding her on gravel. When I lead her across the driveway she moves very slowly, almost like she's tiptoeing. I want to be able to ride her out away from the barn and in oder to do so, I have to ride over a good bit of rocks. I think it would be better all the way around to just have him shoe her and be done with it. I can't stand to see her so gimpy trying to walk over rocks
She's only had one set of shoes and moved very freely over gravel. I was hoping that after that set was pulled and her feet recovered she would be better, but that's not the case *sigh*

BTW, are you having pizza tonight?

[PeggySue]

MIssy honestly if he JUST did her feet ... I think you really need to hit the phones, Jesse would NEVER leave here with one of my horses looking like that!!

[redhorseridge]

As far as making a request for a service and getting it, I would want any expert to tell me what he thinks is best for the particular situation. So if I asked my farrier to put shoes on one of my horses and he explained why it might be better not to, I'd be ok with that (as long as he didn't refuse to put shoes on). IMO, it's his job to explain the pros and cons of barefoot and shod.

My farrier is a barefoot advocate as well, but does more shoeing than trimming (he works mostly on hunters and jumpers). I have a mare that has narrow, "deep" feet and she is tender on gravel. I talked to him about shoes and he said he really would not recommend it because it would hinder his efforts to widen her heels and round her foot (he believes it was because she was poorly shod at two and kept in shoes that her feet are like this to begin with). So I use boots. However, he ended the conversation with "I'll put shoes on her if you really think you need them for where you are riding." He also added if we did shoe her, frequent resets would be a very good idea.

[leoparddraft]

I didn't read through all the responses but it sounds like you need to find a new farrier. A TRUE barefoot farrier would not do as described in the OP. Most of the time they leave the sole almost entirely alone. I would get a second opinion from another farrier, and consult your vet about the nutrition that your horse is recieving, as well as the condition of your pasture (is it very wet or very dry?). It sounds to me like a mix of bad diet and a bad farrier. I have seen shoes ruin a horse so I refuse to have any shod. With good pasture and good diet I don't see the need for shoes. And all of my tender-footed TBs became very sound with excellent hard feet once the shoes came off. Most of the jumpers at my friend's barn have horrible feet -- with shoes. Good luck.