Should I get a new farrier or just deal with it?

You probably were unlucky. :) All farriers I used were on time (unless an emergency), and out of 3 vets only one office is always running late (and he's pretty straight about the disrespect - he said I can wait for him because I need him last time I used him, so I'm pretty serious about going with a different vet).

This is how I feel too!

Sometimes my farrier is late. Sometimes he is early. Most of the time he is reasonably on time. Life happens. Horses are not a predictable thing.

He does a great job when he is there so I treat him like gold (cold/hot drinks, cookies, clean place to work, etc).

It's also important to realize that a farrier gets paid by the head. The more horses he does the more bills and taxes he can pay. It is really hard for a farrier to pass up a customer that may continue to use him and once he starts on a horse he pretty much has to finish. He may have thought that he had enough time and the horse wasn't as gentle as it should have been. Whatever the reason I would cut him some slack until such time as I became unsatisfied with his work or he made a habit of keeping me waiting.

But my understanding of situation is that's what OP has.

BTW, I agree with your arguments, just some people are never ever on time (whether there are good reasons for that or not).

I just want to clarify too that we don't drop a farrier if he is late one time - All the times we have changed there have been no shows with no call and lateness with no call.

I don't mind lateness as long as they let me know.

I guess there is not a clear answer here.... I could try another and see if they are more prompt/reliable..... but then I risk Citrus' hooves getting messed up. I think I am willing to put up with the farriers aloofness because I know my horses most important body parts will be taken care of.....

I was really wondering if farriers were all like this or did I find a bad egg.

My farrier is late every now and then, but only by a few minutes. No biggie. I schedule an appointment with him a week ahead of time, and he will warn me when I make the appointment that he might be about 30 minutes late or so if he's someplace where he knows there's a problem horse that doesn't like to be shod. He would never add an appointment right before mine and keep me waiting without notifying me. I would give your farrier one or two more chances, and if he keeps you waiting for long periods of time I would move on to a different one. You want to find someone that values your time as much as you do. Then again, if he's the best farrier around and the rest are not so great, I would try to stick with him as best as I could. Maybe schedule your appointments way ahead of time and stress to him, "I have to be here and here at such and such time, so do you think it's possible that you can fit me in?" Also, consider his time. Say to him while you're on the phone, "If such and such time doesn't work with you, that's not a problem. We can do it another time." Sometimes this can be very difficult. My farrier actually comes tomorrow, and I won't be here so my dad will be checking up on him every so often to make sure he's doing okay. I used my old farrier for so long I would leave his money hidden someplace and tell him where it was at and he would catch my horses himself! His wife was also my babysitter when I was tiny, so I've known him a very long time. He unfortunately developed bad back problems and is not able to do it anymore. :[

There's a lot of business people in the horse world that can be late. VERY late! I really don't think you found a bad egg. :]

I would talk to your farrier be nice but get your point across.

And yes I worked along side a farrier for two years and EVERY horse makes a big pay difference!

I would be careful about switching farriers often its like switching dog food every month your horse isnt going to adapt wel because every farrier does things alil different and you could end up with a very sore very lame horse

Your farrier cares about you and most importantly you horse even if it doesnt seem like it, they spend alot of time thinking of the horse the activities their doing and how and what works for them.

Mixes up happens with every one specially with farries they are doing several horses sometimes ten or more a day and are speeking with several owners and their families during that time. I think you need to speek to them first let them kno whats bothering you and then wait for results. =)