Never did in the past.  Do now.  I know its not much but normal tip is $5.00.  Reason: the trimmer I use now does a GREAT job, travels about an hour for my two trims every 4-wks (that's just the way their hooves have always been), shows up & is usually early, trims for the best interest for the horse's body not what angle is taught in 'shoeing school', and her cost is way less than the ones in the past.  That and after becoming a LMT (massage therapist) and being in business for myself over the years I have more respect for the self-employed, physically demanding, 'service industry'.

Just sneakin in here to say, Like many others, I make up sandwiches or burritos for him and lots of ice tea or cold bottled water. I also make a point of having the horses ready and haltered at the ties BEFORE he arrives. I also am holding the animals and close by to help with tools and such.  This is the fourth farrier we have tried and he is quite good, but very picky about clients. We even had one farrier who while great on the horses, he was so unreliable and flakey we just stopped using him. He would make appts, then not show up or even call. I found out later he only wanted to work part time and then not very hard. A point should be made that your horses should stand QUIETLY for him and not lean or nip/bite/or fuss! Tips or gifts on holidays or bdays are nice touches too!

Steve

I have tipped in the past when I use to have a horse difficult to work with but finally took him to a trainer who worked with his problem and he's fine to work with now.

My farrier now is an Amish man and I don't tip him but will offer him drinks.  He's cheap and trims for $10.00 and when I have him put shoes on before I go on vacation, he'll trim three horses, put pads & shoes on all four for one horse and charges $85.00. He does a great job and is the best shoer I've worked with.

He doesn't have the cost of travel because he works on my neighbor's horses and the first person of the day picks him up and I'm the last of the day so I take him home and it's about 30 miles round trip. 

With him being so cheap it does sound cheap not to tip but I figure he can raise his prices if he wants more. With the cost of everything going up, I try to save anyway I can and started going barefoot on my horses except for vacations which I have to because of the rocks being so bad.  It's actually working well going barefoot and I started ordering and giving my own shots too.

No way, do I tip. At 135.00 for 4 shoes on 4 horses no way. I even buy my own shoes. In fact I'm so fed up with farriers, that I'm learning how to trim my own horses. If their not trying to rip you off, they don't show up for the appt. and don't even call. Their as bad as doctors where I live.....lol.

Maybe you need to find another farrier, I would be careful about my words, not all farriers fall under the same category, my personal feeling is that you are very ignorant about the industry.  And I don't mean to be unproffesional and fall into your level, but if I had a client who wanted to save a buck on a shoe, I would show you the ROAD!

I agree, not all farriers are the same, just as not all horse OWNERS are the same!  By the way, that is CHEAP to shoe 4 horses.  I pay that to get one done correctly!  Decent shoes are not cheap, you can get good quality or you can go cheap.  To be honest, it kind of sounds like you are difficult to deal with and expect Porterhouse taste on a soup bone budget.  Probably a reason it is hard for you to find a "good" farrier.  Trust me, just as folks will pass on a bad experience with a professional, they will do the same if you are hard to please or are cheap yourself, or your horses are knotheads (I am NOT saying yours are).  Just becareful what you say, because what goes around does come back around! 

1) she does an excellent job (natural trimmer, not a shoer)

2) conscientious and explains what she's doing and why

3) Gives me hell when my founder-prone pony is getting too fat

4) Arrives ON TIME EVERY TIME-calls if she must cancel (rarely)

5) I don't have to be there (ok, 50% of this point goes to my well-behaved horses)

6) She charges $30 per trim

7) She leaves me a sticky note with the next appointment, scheduled for seven weeks

8) She usually follows up with an e-mail or a phone call about any concerns she may have

9) She has to drive 2 hours to get here (granted she has more customers in the area - but still that makes for a looonggg day for a single mother)

So the last time she was here I gave her a $10 because obviously the gas prices are killing her like they're killing the rest of us. But she didn't raise her price because of it, or decide to charge a "farm call" like the guy who comes to put shoes on one of my horses.... he gets no tip....

Edited by barstow 2008-05-13 3:37 PM

This woman is a "natural trimmer." Period. She does not shoe. She's got a healthy clientèle in this area and she does a good job. I like her work and her work ethic.

Because one of my horses goes better with shoes in the front, I have to call in a farrier. He does a fine job, but I am loyal to my trimmer for the other three.

(We live in a very depressed part of Maine, sometimes known at "the other state of Maine.") So those of us that do take care of their feet regularly are coveted clients.

He'll stick around, at least for a while. There are a couple other "hoss shoe-ahs" to chose from, but I prefer this guy to them. One is a short-tempered A-rab who thinks very little of woman, and the other is a pig, who makes suggestive and sexist remarks. I'll happily keep my female trimmer and the shoer who shows up with his very pleasant wife to hand him his tools.

Juyst sneakin in....

Just curious, how many hours and miles do you ride a week?

I know here we put in no less than 40 miles a week, and maybe 8 miles a day, and the soil and rocks of the high desert will certainly do a number on most horses hooves.  Our farrier is BOTH highly skilled, and certified, as well as a very nice guy. Sooo... he gets the royal treatment from us and after three back surgerys, I no longer yearn to be a shoer!

Ours really deserves his pay.

Just my 2C'S.....Steve

In most communities, you will find a professional certified experienced farrier or two, they are covered up with work.........and they tend to hang onto the clients that are knowledgeable, good attitude, good pay, and good horsemen, with well mannered animals. 

 The other clients wind up filtering on down the food chain for the new just-out-of-school guys & gals or the weekend hobby farriers to struggle with.  Just seems that way.