You get what you pay for

I’m going to vent a bit here.  After reading my SIL’s post  (thehorsetrainerswife.com check it out).  As the wife of a Certified Journeyman Farrier and Tester who’s working on obtaining his therapeutic endorsement (TE) from the American Farriers Association, it made me think of some of the other ridiculousness of being in the horse industry.

First I will say that I love horses, they are our lifestyle and our livelihood (I also work 3 days a week in an office). I usually like the majority of horse people we deal with but now and then the shit they say is mind boggling and for fear of saying what I hope my face isn’t conveying, I just stare at them.

There is a lot more involved with having horses than the farrier but the farrier should be considered an integral part of the team in the overall care of  horses, along with the owner, vet, any caregiver of the horse, etc.  While we are blessed to have several clients who understand the value of an educated farrier, I still hear so many comments that my husbands prices are crazy and how does he think he can charge that.   Well, I’d like to share why he thinks he can and does charge the prices he does.  I’m the first to say his prices are high when all you look at is price.

Here is a few things that you’re paying for for a farrier of his level:

• The years and  years and years of education and the constant seeking of knowledge to hone his craft.  Clinics, certifications, education materials, etc are not cheap and are not funded by any employer like a lot people who work for companies that pay for training.
• The ability to forge custom shoes on the spot at the horse based on needs of the horse
• The ability to look at and read an x-ray and understand what needs to be done
• The ability to look at the confirmation of the horse and how it affects the hooves
• The ability to know the nutrition the horse receives based on it’s hooves
• The ability to look at environment, discipline, age, breed and owner of the horse and build and/or apply shoes accordingly
• The ability to feel the slightest change in skin, position, tenseness, attitude of the horse all while being bent over
• The ability to read the horses above mentioned changes and know when to set a foot down, when to hold on, how to put his body in the safest position possible, when to do acrobatics to get in a position for the comfort of a horse that may be sore, arthritic, or scared
• The ability to teach the owners the proper way to “hold” the horse for the farrier.  THIS IS HUGE PEEVE OF MINE, DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT look at your phone, let your horse wander, move its head around,  eat, etc while you’re there “holding” the horse.  You need to know where and how to be for the safety of the farrier.  Unless instructed otherwise to get out of the way, YOU NEED TO BE “PRESENT”.  His life and our livelihood depend on it
• The ability work with vets, several who call on him for his expertise in therapeutic cases
• The knowledge of horses anatomy, naming all the tendons, ligaments, muscles and where they are and what they do and how to shoe for such injuries
• The amount spent on supplies and tools is well beyond what most horse owners would even guess
• The numerous competitions we go and watch on our own time so he can see his clients and their horses in action to determine if there’s anything else he can do to contribute to the betterment of the horse.  We also go to cheer the clients on as it does feel good to see your clients do well no matter their discipline

That’s A LOT of ability that you’re paying for.  I also want to touch on the time spent while not shoeing horses that he’s working in the forge, studying, talk/text/emailing with clients, missing dinner because a client or vet called with questions, spending evenings looking at x-rays trying to come up with the best course of action for a horse.  Getting up and being in the forge at 5 am to build a few pair of bar shoes for the horses he has on the books that week that may need them.  The calls, texts he receives at all hours. That’s part of the business but it’s a part most horse owners don’t think about, this is time that is NOT PAID for.  There is also  the neighbors who he’s helping for cost of supplies only so the young girl can keep her sore horse going.   There is constant laundry of filthy, stinky clothes for me.  There is the days he comes home so sore and exhausted he can hardly move.  There are days his back seizes up and he literally crawls to bed.

I hear so many comments about how it must be nice to make that much money.  Huh, I’ll let you know when the money starts rolling in.  With the exception of his shoeing van we drive 20 and 22 year old pickups and do most of our hauling with a 30 year old stock trailer.  On top of the insane amount spent on supplies, there’s health insurance to pay and retirement to save for.  There is no employer provided health insurance or retirement.  There’s no paid time off, no sick pay.  His body is breaking down after 22 years of doing this trade.  We’ve even had clients complain when we inform them we will be on vacation or out of town attending a farrier clinic or certification or family event and will be unavailable.  Had a lady actually get all upset and yelled “just what am I supposed to do if I need you”.  WTH lady, get damn grip.

I almost lose my shit when I hear some buckle bunny go on about price or whine because he’s booked 3 weeks out and she has a barrel race or whatever competition in two days but she’s forgotten a year ago or six months ago her poor horse wasn’t able to be ridden because it’s feet were a wreck or it was diagnosed with some ailment and now,  between the vet and farrier (or sometimes just the farrier) the horse is back in action.

Do people whine about price, ask for multiple patient discounts when they go to the doctor?  Don’t you want an a doctor with an education or would people prefer a doctor with just on the job training?  Do people want an experience and skilled mechanic working on their car, a plumber or electrician that’s not education and skilled?  Do they question the prices at the grocery store and whine when they check out that because they have other bills the store should give them a discount?

Now that I’ve ranted a bit I need to also explain some other things in the life as a farrier and a farriers wife.  There is clients and horses that for whatever reason we don’t get along with and we have zero problem with clients finding a different farrier that may work better for them, we even recommend farriers if we feel it’s better for all involved..  There are a few times when no matter how good a farrier you are, mistakes are made.  We are human and working on living beings means things don’t always go as smooth as you want them to.

We take great satisfaction, sometimes to the point of my and some clients tears when a sore or broken horse is moving well again.  There is immense pride when you have clients winning world championships, winning 50 and 100 mile endurance races, or camping and trail riding and their horses do well in part thanks to his abilities.  I cry when a client loses a horse because I know and understand the heartache.

We accept all this as part of the trade but it’d sure be nice to have some horse owners understand and recognize that.  I must say, we do have some clients that do understand and value us immensely.

I also am fully aware of needing to stay within a budget and my husbands prices are more than some people can afford.  I also have limits of what I can spend but if something is worth it to me, I’ll pay the price for it and sacrifice in another area.   I shop with coupons, I take cans back for the deposit money.  I would love to drive a newer pickup, I would love to take trips to tropical places, I would love to do a lot of things and go a lot of places.  My love for my horses and my desire to compete, trail ride in new places, etc override the desire for the other things.  A lot of our “vacations” are worked around a farrier clinic, event, conventions, etc.

Now go enjoy your horses or whatever your passion may be.  And please, consider the time and education the people who help in your passion have put in to be able to help you.  Every job takes skill, the better the skill the better the job, pay and satisfaction.