oh Puh leeze wrote:
I think it's a huge mistake. If you have a farrier that has always done great work and is no longer accepting new clients but is still willing to do your horse, $120 a year savings is not a good reason to switch.
Good farriers = worth their weight in gold ingots.
Look how much Streetmutt has dropped on Buttercup's hooves, then get back to me on saving $120/year.

This.

Having a farrier that knows YOUR horse's feet is so critical. He knows your history, what the horse does, what the horse's feet are supposed to look like, and so on. He's semi-retired, you said? Maybe start now having the other lady do trims and such only if the regular farrier isn't available...so when he fully retires, you'll have someone to step in and take over your horse's feet! I'm sure the lady is just fine, but it's always good to have your farrier and a backup if at all possible, since hoof issues can be pretty major.

($120 a year just is not a lot of money. That's $10 a month. That's TWO DRINKS at Starbucks. Now if it was a $2000/year difference, I'd say differently...but it's just not enough to switch!)