farrier in Wetaskiwn area

[Lefty]

My regular farrier is a little pregnant and taking a break. Anyone use a farrier from the Wetaskiwin area that they are really pleased with?

[Redfrog]

Here's what works for me.

I have Rocky Ross come out. He has a tip table. He also has a helper. He does my dozen horses in about 90 minutes and worms them while they are on the table. After nearly forty years of chasing, begging, and bribing to get a farrier to even show up I couldn't be happier with his work. I could go on and on about the lousy farriers I've had over the years or the good ones who don't show and can't operate a telephone. If I had met Rocky years ago it would have saved me wrecking my back trying to do my own horses, not to mention all the time wasted on farriers.

Rocky shows or calls well in advance and does a very good job. No horses stressed. No owners stressed. No farrier stressed.

He does literally thousands of horses every year.

[Horn Stretcher]

x 2 for that, redfrog big ones small ones wild or quite he does them all. But he to can be hard to get, like redfrog says he does many thousands over a year.

[albertadave]

PM sent

[Rockymtnx]

PM sent

[Lefty]

Hey guys thanks for all the information. Really appreciated. I ran into a farrier today at the bank and he is meeting me in the morning to do the horses. Haven't seen him in ages and I ran into him right when I needed him. Used him in the past before, when my regular guy couldn't make it a couple times, and didn't think he was still doing it anymore. I will keep your guys in mind though.

[steve]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Here's what works for me.

I have Rocky Ross come out. He has a tip table. He also has a helper. He does my dozen horses in about 90 minutes and worms them while they are on the table. After nearly forty years of chasing, begging, and bribing to get a farrier to even show up I couldn't be happier with his work. I could go on and on about the lousy farriers I've had over the years or the good ones who don't show and can't operate a telephone. If I had met Rocky years ago it would have saved me wrecking my back trying to do my own horses, not to mention all the time wasted on farriers.

Rocky shows or calls well in advance and does a very good job. No horses stressed. No owners stressed. No farrier stressed.

He does literally thousands of horses every year.

What is a tip table?

[Cattle Dog]

Steve;

a tip table is a metal chute or enclosure that once the animal is secured so it can't thrash around,
the "table" is tipped over on its side.

for calves: the calf enters, its head is caught in the neck squeeze, and the calf cradle or table or chute (call it what you want) is tipped over; then the calf is inocculated, branded, ear-tagged, whatever.

for bulls and cows : the tippable chute is just bigger, that is all. And usually it is electric or hydraulically run to tip over; then the bull's legs are tied to secure them so they can't kick, then their hoofs are trimmed with a electric course grinder, or manually with long-handled hoof trimmers.

i am not so familiar with horses, but assume the table might be more well padded to keep horse from kicking and injuring itself. would guess some horses might receive partial sedation to keep them from kicking up too much of a fuss.

[steve]

Thanks Cattle Dog.

[Taco]

Originally Posted by Cattle Dog

i am not so familiar with horses, but assume the table might be more well padded to keep horse from kicking and injuring itself. would guess some horses might receive partial sedation to keep them from kicking up too much of a fuss.

Depends on the chute, belted layover they will fight some but a beltless squeeze type not so much. I'm a professional farrier turned cattle hoof trimmer and have shod/trimmed a few horses in a layover chute.

[Redfrog]

The horses pass through a loading chute into a squeeze. They are then constrained by the hydraulic squeeze and tipped on their side. Much easier on the horse and farrier. I only have mine trimmed. I don't know how it would work for shoeing. Maybe Taco could offer his opinion.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Here's what works for me.

I have Rocky Ross come out. He has a tip table. He also has a helper. He does my dozen horses in about 90 minutes and worms them while they are on the table. After nearly forty years of chasing, begging, and bribing to get a farrier to even show up I couldn't be happier with his work. I could go on and on about the lousy farriers I've had over the years or the good ones who don't show and can't operate a telephone. If I had met Rocky years ago it would have saved me wrecking my back trying to do my own horses, not to mention all the time wasted on farriers.

Rocky shows or calls well in advance and does a very good job. No horses stressed. No owners stressed. No farrier stressed.

He does literally thousands of horses every year.

Sorry, but how can you evaluate a horse's stance, while he is lying on his side ??? I want a quality job, my horse is hopefully going to be standing on those legs for a long time. Then, there is the animal stress factor, not to mention the physical hazard of a restrained animal in an unnatural position. Doesn't use a side grinder too, per chance?

Grizz

[Redfrog]

Have you ever had Rocky do your horses Grizz?

Read my first sentence in my first post.
At the moment I have 12 horses, from 2 years old to 30+ years old. Some with health issues who came here to eat grass till they die.
None of them have issues with the quality of Rocky's work. I dare say Rocky does more horses in a day than you have in your life.
If you are happy with your farrier that's great, but your opinion on something you know nothing about is worth.....well nothing.

As I said this is what works for me. If you don't want to do that I doubt he'll sneak into your place to do your horses just to prove a point.

[albertadave]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Have you ever had Rocky do your horses Grizz?

Read my first sentence in my first post.
At the moment I have 12 horses, from 2 years old to 30+ years old. Some with health issues who came here to eat grass till they die.
None of them have issues with the quality of Rocky's work. I dare say Rocky does more horses in a day than you have in your life.
If you are happy with your farrier that's great, but your opinion on something you know nothing about is worth.....well nothing.

As I said this is what works for me. If you don't want to do that I doubt he'll sneak into your place to do your horses just to prove a point.

I would tend to agree with Grizzly Adams, and I DO know just a little about the subject. Not saying that trimming horses on a tipping table is wrong, and it's definately much easier on the farrier. I have a friend who ran a PMU barn when that was still going. 150-200 halter broke mares, all to be trimmed on the same day, the tipping table was the ONLY way to go. But those horses weren't being used for anything other than standing in a stall making pee. For a horse that's going to be used or worked on a regular basis I would recommend getting someone who does it the conventional way, and knows what they're doing.

[Taco]

You guys are all correct. Tip tables and shoeing stocks shine where larger amounts of not so easily handled bronky horses have trimmed or shod, ie buckin' horses, pack strings, pmu mares etc, where the fine detail work is not so critical. Reiners, cuttin' horses, runnin' horses, hunter jumpers and the like? The only way to do them correctly and properly is get bent under them.

[Redfrog]

Taco,You may be on to something.

I've had my horses done both ways. I'm very happy with the way mine are done now and that's why I said this works for me. It may not be what someone else wants or needs.

It's not for me to say what is best for you especially since I don't know you, your horses or your farrier. If something works for you great.

[Grizzly Adams]

My farrier. She used to get pregnant every once in a while too , but eventually got over that She still trims a couple or three a week, but for shoeing we're lucky enough to have Sandy Lorre. They don't get any better and he even developed a program to rehabilitate foundered horses, while he was at the Olds college.



Grizz

[Redfrog]

Excellent. I've had a few female farriers but that pregnancy thing seems to disrupt the schedules.

I was on a hunt trip in the Kootenays many years ago and had a horse throw a shoe. Checked around and found, yep a pregnant farrier.
She got us going and here and her hubby became friends with us. It is handy having 'horsy' friends when you are far from home.