Confessions of a Horseshoer

Insensitivity?

125 Insensitivity? Some customers are more insensitive than others. One particular gentleman called for an appointment for two shoeings. When I asked how the horses behaved, he said, “Well, you can pick up their feet.” That should have been a gigantic red flag to me,but being short of cash,I said I would come out there. I drive for an hour and a half through some delightful woods and hills and arrive right on time. The ranch is large and well kept. There is a huge barn and a lot of tractors and other farm machinery around the barn and the house. A trampoline is beside the barn. My only greeters, however, are a serious-looking Bull Mastiff who is not wagging his tail, and three barefoot children whose ages turn out to be two, four, and six, who have been jumping on the unsupervised trampoline. Two girls and an older boy. No adults in sight. I do not get out of the truck. The three children and the dog stare at me. I’m obviously some kind of novelty. I wait. Our conversation doesn’t seem to be going anywhere,and the dog has not taken his eyes off of me. I finally ask the boy to go get his mother. He gives it some thought, and finally wanders off in the direction of the house. Eventually, his mother comes back with him, and all four of them and the dog stare 126 • Confessions of a Horseshoer • at me. The mother turns out to be the daughter of the man who called me, but she knows nothing about any of this. She has no idea who I am or where her father is. I tell her I’m the shoer. I work up some courage and start rattling the door handle like I’m going to be getting out. I open the door a little, keeping my legs inside and my eyes on the dog.He continues to stare. I close the door.The mother just stands there looking at me. She doesn’t invite me to get out of the truck. The dog walks off. OK. One hurdle removed.The mother of the three kids, who was probably waiting for the dog’s judgment of me, tells me to get out of the truck and we walk over to look at the two horses. They both have brand-new shoes on. The mother said they didn’t have any shoes on a few days ago. She is vaguely puzzled. Not concerned, just vaguely puzzled. I look off into the hills for a while.Then I remember the man who called me said he also had two mini horses who needed trimming. When I gave him my rates for trimming, he said it was too much. I said if those mini horses didn’t give me too much trouble I would probably do them at a discount since I would be out there anyway. Now I decide to trim them and charge him full price . . . if the daughter will pay me.The daughter has no money. I will take a post-dated check. OK. I pick up a couple of halters and go out to get the mini horses who turn out to be Shetland ponies, one of which is a stud. They see me coming and head out over the hills. I am determined to come out of this thing with some money. I eventually entice them into the small paddock by rattling • Insensitivity? • 127 some hay in a bucket, amazed that they fall for that. While trying to catch the mare, I look over to see the two-year-old and the four-year-old girls standing right next to me. They have slipped through the fence. I tell them to please leave. The stud does not like any of this and is running all over the little paddock. The girls head toward the gate where I have left my tools. The two-year-old picks up my nippers. She could chop off a finger by just looking at those lethal things. I yell.They drop the tools and rush out of the gate. I finally catch both ponies.Their feet are fairly short and don’t really need a trim. I do them anyway. Full price. I pick up my post-dated check and leave. I do not expect a call of apology...