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I told a client their horse didn't need those fancy wedge pads | Farriers - Opinions Matter

I told a client their horse didn't need those fancy wedge pads

Had a woman come in last spring with a gelding she swore needed $80 wedge pads because the vet said he was 'off balance.' I pulled the shoes, checked his angles, and told her straight up that his feet were perfectly fine without them. She got defensive, said I was cutting corners, and took the horse to another farrier three counties over. Two months later she tracked me down at a clinic in Lexington and admitted the other guy charged her double and the horse still looked off. I'm not against pads when there's a real issue, but sometimes people want solutions that don't exist. Anyone else have a client who insisted on unnecessary extras just because someone sold them on the idea?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah9144mo ago

Hang on though, maybe that vet wasn't just selling her something for no reason. A lot of those wedge pads come from years of studying movement and joint angles, not just gut feelings. If a vet who sees hundreds of horses a year says a horse is off balance, there's probably some truth to it even if the eyes don't catch it right away. A good farrier should be able to explain why they disagree or offer a middle ground instead of just telling a client she's wrong. Sounds like she was trying to do right by her horse and got caught between two pros who couldn't talk to each other. Sometimes paying for an opinion you don't agree with is still cheaper than two months of wasted time and shoeing fees.

the_wyatt4mo ago

Nail on the head @noah914. That vet probably watches more lame horses in a week than most of us see in a year. But here's the kicker. Two pros who can't even have a five minute phone call to sort out a hoof. Classic. So she pays the vet for a diagnosis she doesn't trust, then pays the farrier to tell her the vet is wrong. Sounds like everyone got paid except the horse. Real teamwork, guys.