Tuesday, February 25, 2014

All the New

Because I haven't been able to make it out to the barn since this weekend I will enthrall bore all of you with my recent farrier saga.  Because what horse person doesn't love one of those, right?

Now I have owned Mollie for nearly thirteen years and have used the same farrier the whoooole time.  He was the farrier for the barn I was riding at so naturally we began using him, he's always done her feet well, and we've never had a reason not to use him.  Even after moving the barn he serviced he dutifully came out to do Mollie's feet-sies wherever we moved.  Several years ago when we had some lameness issues with Mollie and confirmed that her feet were to blame he talked to my vet, made corrections, and shoes her the way she needs to be shod, not the way he "shoes" which I've always appreciated.

That is all well and good, until it isn't.  When we moved Mollie to the new barn that put her about an hour and a half/two hours from where our farrier lives.  He never minded traveling a little ways but I had a feeling this would be much to far for just one horse.  And who could blame him?  He assured us though that he would come out at least once, see how far it was, and then decide if he would be able to continue.  He came out, right when scheduled, and said the distance was no problem and he would continue doing Mollie's feet.  Awesome, right?  Not awesome.

Our farrier was always very good about just "showing up" and doing Mollie when he could fit her in. She's very easy to trim/shoe/handle so he thought nothing of coming out to do her at the crack of dawn, getting her from her stall, doing her feet, and putting her away and just sticking a bill on her stall door.  Very rarely did I have to call him to ask him to come out.  Therefore it was a solid 7ish weeks (she's a very easy keeper) before I realized Mollie needed to be done, and I hadn't heard from him.  No biggie, I figured since he wasn't in our "area" anymore he just hadn't thought of it.  I called him, left a message, and waited.

Then a week went by.

So unlike him.  I called again, daily, and texted more than once before hearing back from him.  He was having a family emergency and apparently that was why he hadn't returned any of my calls.  Well that's fine, it happens to everyone.  I asked when he could come out and he said he "didn't know."  Sigh.  In the back of my head I had a feeling he wasn't coming again... ever.  And I was right.  Lots more phone tag ensued, I waited and waited, and finally gave up.  Mollie was ridiculously overdue and I couldn't wait any longer.

A few phone calls to our barn's main farrier later and he came out today to do Mollie's feet.  I was bummed I couldn't get there because I'd like to meet the man who is now shoeing my horse but there's that work thing I'm obligated to go to.  Luckily everyone in the barn uses him and has rave reviews, I was able to tell him over the phone what Mollie's needs are, and she's also one of the easiest keepers ever.  Hallelujah.  Definitely excited to get out to the barn later this week and see how they look!

I am also proud to report that we have a pair of Back on Track Hock Boots on the way!! I ordered them yesterday and can't wait for them to get here and try them out.

Now please enjoy this video of Mollie begging for a banana.



6 comments:

  1. Hopefully the new farrier works out! And the begging cuteness is too much.

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    1. Me too!! And yup, I think she's pretty darn cute :)

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  2. That is super crappy, though...to stand you up and then not even just come right out and say "this is too far to travel", which would have been totally fine and understandable.

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    1. That's why I was frustrated... I've had a great relationship with this guy for 13+ years, yet totally understand if it's not worth it for him to continue shoeing her. And I would have much rather known up front that he wasn't going to come so I could have lined up a farrier ahead of time. She was ridiculously over due by the time she did get done =/

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  3. I always prefer when professionals are up front. :( sorry you had to go through this.

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