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[RC] cost of shoeing - Judie Ricci
Holy Cow!!! I just cant believe the prices! Not that the shoers aren't worth it, I just wanted to tell my shoeing story. I'm so glad we shoe our own now that we are in the NE. I had no idea what people were paying up here . I am from SO.Ca. we were paying $65.00 per shoeing, got moved to back woods ALabama, and while in Alabama Pete and I had to go to shoeing school because we could NOT find a shoer that had been to any farrier school. They had been taught by Daddy , or Pa Pa . Never met one with a forge, The going price was $35.00 for a full shoeing, $15.00 for a trim, the problem was my horses and mules did not fit a standard 0 or 00 keg shoe, so the shoers wanted to just rasp the foot off to fit the shoe, I would have to ask them to spread the shoe, get a bigger shoe , square the toes ( absolutely never heard of that ) I had been a large animal vet tech . and did a lot of shoe pulling and paring&n
bsp;so I could take x rays, so I knew what was inside the hoof capsule, could do a decent trim and REALLY knew what needed to be done to our endurance horses feet, and the mules too; try to be a woman in the far NW corner of Al. and tell a shoer what to do ! ha , after a few disasters and many fired shoers, Pete said , You know how to trim you know the anatomy you just haven't put shoes back on, I am a rocket scientist, I build and engineer lots of integral parts, I think we could shoe our own if we go to school. We went to school, learned to shoe , of course Pete researched the H** out of every available product and proceeded to buy a forge, the best trimmers, half rounds, hammers ect.... and we do our own. sometimes we do the fronts one night and the hind the next, Pete takes a lot of time with the finnigan hoof gage , uses his rocket science "examine everything a hundred times over to be sure it goes well at launch time" attitude
, and we get it done . We have 4 in shoes, and there is no way we could pay the going fees up here in "Hunt Country" VA. So even if it takes us longer to shoe , we can afford to have what ever type of shoe we want. I recommend anyone who can take the time to go to shoeing school , even if it is a short course, go and learn, find a farrier that will let you ride along and apprentice so you can do a good job, and do your own if you are able.
Judie Ricci
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.
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