Prices for trimming
- Thread starter Trewsers
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I pay £30 for the big ones and £20 for a shetland, to a trimmer. Worth every penny and I would pay more. She spends about an hour on each one, even though they stand well. She really cares about the horses, gives help and advice about things other than feet. Has worked very well with Rhia in allowing her to grow stabilisers- which have helped her support her joints, and has done wonders with my 18 month old, who really enjoys having his feet done with her and apart from natural wobble, is a good boy.
I used to use a farrier, have had about 3, and I wouldn't fault their skill, although they didn't seem to have the same level of care about if my horse was going to be fully balanced and sound and trimmed her hooves text book style. Without taking into account her needs. It was more of a day job for them. With my trimmer, she is just strange and is obsessed with hooves
That's how I would describe the difference and therefore the price difference. The farrier used to take about 15 minutes to do Rhis hooves.
I used to use a farrier, have had about 3, and I wouldn't fault their skill, although they didn't seem to have the same level of care about if my horse was going to be fully balanced and sound and trimmed her hooves text book style. Without taking into account her needs. It was more of a day job for them. With my trimmer, she is just strange and is obsessed with hooves
That's how I would describe the difference and therefore the price difference. The farrier used to take about 15 minutes to do Rhis hooves.
Sounds just like my old trimmer, except the 'stabilisers' she let my horse grow were causing his entire hoof angle to be wrong, putting pressure in the wrong places and ultimately putting his back out that had to be correct by a physio.
Both my trimmers have been very horse centred, kind and looked at the bigger picture, sadly they have lacked the skill and knowledge of a farrier and have both caused my horse soundness issues, one of them is very highly respected in the barefoot world.
Eeek, that doesn't sound good. I have had the opposite. Rhia grows thick walls which were always taken off and she was lame, for a long time. Within a week of being trimmed, they were back again, my trimmer said lets see how she is with less being taken off, as she obviously wants them and she came sound. She has very strange shaped feet, but they work for her. I know she has spurrs of bone that have grown in her legs (prior to this) so I see the extra wall as extra support. So for me, trimmer has been more help than 3 farriers. Rhia is completely sound now.
Funnily enough my farrier said the same! He said he actually asked out of genuine interest once a barefoot trimmer what they did that was different and the official answer was um......nothing!
My farrier charges £20 for a trim per pony and the barefoot trimmer I asked for a estimate from (very well known) was nearly £45 a trim
Farrier has won a lot of competitions and has distinctions in a lot of things (I googled him - he never mentioned any of them!)
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I tried an EP and was so horrified (and I know squat about feet but I do know some basic rules about lines and angles to the feet after being interested in going barefoot) at how they left my cobs feet it taught me a lesson to stick to my farrier. Mr Cob was much happier after the farrier did it again and he is always more than happy to talk me through any questions I have. And he's on time !
Farrier at £18 for a full trim, if two ponies just needs fronts doing he will charge them as one.
Farrier is also lecturer at college, remedial expert and will look at all new horses moving before and after treatment and will suggest treatments/different trims etc.
He will also give lectures to anyone about foot balance etc!!
Farrier is also lecturer at college, remedial expert and will look at all new horses moving before and after treatment and will suggest treatments/different trims etc.
He will also give lectures to anyone about foot balance etc!!
Y
Yann
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With which organisation? I've not come across one that would qualify anyone as a practitioner on the strength of one course, even someone already who was already a hoofcare professional. And certainly not someone who wasn't, qualifying as a professional with any of the main umbrella organisations in this country takes a lot of time and money, typically 2-3 years and thousands of pounds.
You have to ask why, even after all these years people are still more than willing to pay twice the price for the same thing if the trimmers aren't providing anything more than the farriers.
First time I used my farrier I told him about the balancing the trimmer told me she was doing, she made it sound like a big issue that she was sorting. Once he'd done her feet he said yes she does need more work balancing the front but he said it was pretty normal and he wouldn't have even mentioned it just done it as part of the trim.
He said she has great feet and unlike I had been warned by trimmer he did not try to get me to put shoes on her, if anything encouraged me to keep her barefoot as long as it suited her work as he felt shoes would weaken....after speaking to trimmer wouldn't have thought he'd admit shoes don't suit all horses.
Sorry rambling now!
He said she has great feet and unlike I had been warned by trimmer he did not try to get me to put shoes on her, if anything encouraged me to keep her barefoot as long as it suited her work as he felt shoes would weaken....after speaking to trimmer wouldn't have thought he'd admit shoes don't suit all horses.
Sorry rambling now!
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Yann
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I actually think there's quite a lot of b.s. and misinformation on both sides of the so called 'divide'. If you want to keep your horse unshod and working in comfort then it doesn't matter who you use so long as they keep your horse sound and comfortable and can offer practical advice and support to keep them that way. If they don't then find someone who does.
Oh wish he was in Cheshire !! Alougth my farrier did a wonderful job of saving my cripples feet
This is it, I've used good and bad on both sides of this big divide between farriers and barefoot trimmers,
What annoys myself and perhaps alot of other people is the people who get all evangelical over using a particular type of trimmer, it almost becomes like a cult !
This.
I couldn't give a hoot what peice of paper or association they came from as long as my horses feet were in good nick and he was happy - then I'm happy.
^^agree
I use an EP but the main reason really is reliability. I can prebook 8 weeks in advance and set a date and time and he is always punctual, whereas the farriers in this area are ridiculously unreliable and don't turn up when they say they will and you cant book in advance...I haven't got the patience or time to hang around! But if I found a farrier who did a good trim and was reliable then I would consider changing tbh.
I use an EP but the main reason really is reliability. I can prebook 8 weeks in advance and set a date and time and he is always punctual, whereas the farriers in this area are ridiculously unreliable and don't turn up when they say they will and you cant book in advance...I haven't got the patience or time to hang around! But if I found a farrier who did a good trim and was reliable then I would consider changing tbh.
Completely agree Yann, it was after posting on here that you and others suggested I try a trimmer, as I wasn't happy with my farrier - pony footsore after and photos I posted on here suggested things were not right with Panda's feet.
I have no problem with our farrier - he still does the other 2 and he's very good, just wasn't happy with Panda's feet and to be honest without my trimmer getting me to use pads etc they weren't going to improve whoever trimmed them!
I have great faith in my trimmer, she's not anti-shoes, she doesn't preach, she's very helpful and i feel well trained too.
This is a link to her website if anyone wants to see what training etc she has.
http://www.phenomenalhooves.co.uk/
Well put Yann, I went with Scarlet's reaction. . Likes farrier man and is pretty relaxed with him, took the piss with then tried to crush the trimmer :frown: I don't think she liked her.
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