Farrier Advice needed please (nevermind, advised myself, lol. )

[my_gypsygirl]

My question is below, but after I wrote this, I just decided that it was best to call my farrier, and explain my concerns. Wich were alot of money, and possibly needless aggravation, and concern about questioning my farrier.

He set my mind at ease, told me that He would let me make payments, and that all this extra stuff should fix it sooner, with less aggravation down the road. So, I am a happy camper now, lol.

But thought that I would leave this post up, I am always reading complaints from farriers, and complaints against farriers, and Most of the time, I see major miscomunication, I was actually afraid to scare my farrier off with questions. I know, sounds crazy, its my horse, and my money, but there arent many farriers around here, and I just didnt dare lose him. after talking to him, I think hes a keeper,

How many others feel this way?


A little history, I will try to keep this short

I have had Jose for about 4 yrs now, and about 2 yrs ago, he had an absess blow out around the top of his Coronet <sp? band. this led to a 1" horizontal crack that slowly grew out with the hoof. I was meticulous at keeping it clean.

When the crack got around 1/2 way down the hoof, the hoof cracked, and he lost about a 1" square section of hoof off the front. It looked like a lost tooth in the front of his hoof. Again, I was meticulous at keeping it clean.

My farrier, was doing real good at keeping it trimmed around the edges, and things were finally growing out and looking good.

about 3 months ago, she did a small resection of the area. She didnt use any dremel tools or anything, just clipped off the front, and again, told me to keep it as clean as possible.

Well, I have not been able to get her out here for 3 months, Not her fault, Shes been extremely sick, and is going in for surgery today. and we are really good friends.

But because of her recovery time, I decided to get a new farrier.

The resectioned area, had grown out, but Where the hoof broke off all around that area, it didnt break off where the resection was done, so that it went out into a point. (does that make sence?) and he has a crack along side of it, that has left a crevice in the white line area? about 1" deep. but only in this section of hoof.

My new farrier, instantly started talking about white line disease, and seedy toe, at first, he said that we could try having him out every 3 wks, to keep them trimmed up. to see if that would work, but then we got to talking, about why i had moved to this area, and i mentioned that I had inherited some money, and finally bought a house.

and all of a sudden, he started digging deeper into the crack, said that he absolutely needed to do a resection, and that we needed the vet out to sedate him, and he would have to put shoes on him, and that it was going to cost a pretty penny, but it needed to be done, because He already might have some rotation of the coffin bone. I just nodded, and agreed to anything, I love my horse.

Then I called my previous farrier, just to discuss this with her, and get her feelings on it. She said that what he is doing, will not hurt him,But that there is no need for all the fus, the shoes, the vet, the sedation, the dremel. And that it isnt white line disease, its still this stinking abscess. and That there is no rotation, that he has a good heel.

Here is where my dilemna is. I really dont want to piss off my new farrier, there arent many here, and the ones that are around, tend to get really antsy, if you question anything that they say.

But I also feel like i should discuss this absess issue more with him. I had told him that there was a bad absess there, but I didnt get into detail. So He might just be jumping to the wrong conclusion.

I also am a little concerned, at how critical everything got when he found out that I had money. I dont, I used it all to buy my house. Yes I dont have a mortgage payment, or a rent payment, but taxes and ins. are about the same. I have a daughter starting school in a week, and still havent bought her school clothes. I have 5 dollars in my savings account.

Now, if i knew that this was really critical, I would find a way to borrow the money, (I still dont really know how much this is going to cost, and I wont untill its all over, thats scary) But, If i do this, its possible that I wont have electricity on next month. And I definately wont be able to buy school clothes. But I will do what I have to do for my horse.

So I guess my question is? Should I discuss my fears, concerns, and issues with my new farrier, and risk making him mad, and never showing up again. Or Just do it, and deal with it.

I would like to add, that Jose is 27 yrs old. We arent riding him right now, because it is so hot out, and he isnt Lame at all. Also, I am starting a new full time job in a couple of weeks, and wont have this money issue any more, so if its not critical, I can schedule this in about a month.