FRC action: opinions please!

T

Thyme & Me

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Nov 23, 2011
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http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/314390.html

This is (was) Thyme's farrier and he is a FAB farrier. Instinctively sympathetic and quiet with horses and passionate about his job. I used and got rid of several others before I found him. (I am very picky about who works with my animals.) He was a teen tearaway (difficult background) made good by finding a vocation. Works very, very hard too and is very skilled. Of course I don't approve of drugs, but he didn't use drugs when working.... it makes it sound like he is an addict and it would have been affecting his work. But I have never seen any indication when he is working that he is under the influence of anything.

I think it's really sad. If he loses his career he'll go straight back to being jobless/lawless/future-less. And what good does that do anyone?

I don't understand why the FRC got involved in the first place? Why are problems/issues in his private life anything to do with them?

BTW I knew nothing about this before his arrest, and I wouldn't have used someone if I knew they had a history of drug misuse. But that's one of the reasons this is so sad - he won;t get any new customers because of this.

What do others think???
 
A shame but anyone who obtains a criminal record will have to inform their work and I'm sure they can be reconsidered for the role. I appreciate he's effectively self employed, but as the governing body for farriers, I dont see why they shouldn't hold him accountable in the same manner as an employee.
 
I may be wrong but as far as I know, a criminal conviction does not make doctors or nurses automatically found guilty of professional misconduct. That would only apply if the offence was itself relevant to the ability to do your job. Eg drunk driving on the way to a home visit, or stealing from a patient. I am not saying he should not face criminal penalties. I just don;t know why the FRC regard it as anything to do with them. Obviously ifd the case was animal cruelty or if he used drugs while working, that would be different.
 
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Don't know the ins and outs of which offences require to be notified under which circumstances, but I guess I just feel that its perfectly acceptable for them to hold him accountable.....reading some of the comments under that post though, makes me wonder if they hold everyone accountable in the same manner....who knows! Shame for the guy though. Hope he can sort himself out.
 
argh I was really hoping to read he might have been caught with some pot and I would have said no biggie.
Cocaine and speed are a different level in my opinion and it's so easy to slide into the mess deeper with this kind of stuff.
To be honest: getting caught with this and having an opportunity to get help and get out of it may be saving his ass in the long run.
 
hmmm difficult one, dont think i will comment...only that for other reasons lately the FRC have seriously stooped low and I have a serious lack of respect for them and what they aim to achieve....
 
Hmmm not sure about this one, If I found out my farrier was a regular drug user and had been convicted for a drug related offence, I would have to question if he is still under the influence and Id be very disapointed and I would change. it doesnt just leave the system perhaps like a pint of lager does. This is why companies undertake random drug tests for employees.

He may not 'take' them when working but still being under the influence from them also is just as dangerous, especially if he is also driving on the road under the influence.
 
KarinUS said:
argh I was really hoping to read he might have been caught with some pot and I would have said no biggie.
Cocaine and speed are a different level in my opinion and it's so easy to slide into the mess deeper with this kind of stuff.
To be honest: getting caught with this and having an opportunity to get help and get out of it may be saving his ass in the long run.
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Yeah I know. I HATE drugs.... But he was saying today he used to be much worse in his teens till he started his apprenticeship. So even though he might be on a downward spiral with it, I actually think it is the other way around. He found something of value and meaning that he loved and was good at - and that has helped him move away from that kind of life. Just not totally away. Yet.
 
the way I read it is they are giving him an opportunity to proof he's been to rehab and then he can keep his certification, right? So he's not losing anything yet. He's on probation so to speak. Did I misunderstand that?
 
what if he had made a huge error with your horse under the influence though? or killed another road user by driving under the influence? I think hes got away pretty lightly to be honest by not harming anyone ( yet ) If he wanted to undertake being a proffesional then theres rules and regulations he has to adhere to.
 
KarinUS said:
the way I read it is they are giving him an opportunity to proof he's been to rehab and then he can keep his certification, right? So he's not losing anything yet. He's on probation so to speak. Did I misunderstand that?
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No that's right. And he fully intends to comply and keep his registration. But it's the effect on business - people don't want a 'druggie' working with their horses. And I can see why. He says (and I believe him) that he was a recreational drug user. He was caught at 2am in a nightclub bust on a Saturday night. I work with addicts - he's not an addict - and I believe him when he says he never worked under the influence because I have seen him work and he is competent, patient, professionally presented, calm, skilled, focused.....

I hope it works out for him. His current customers are mostly sticking by him because of the quality of his work. And the local vet is supportive too for the same reason so it may all be ok...
 
T&M think it might well work out for the best for him as he is going to have to attend for rehabilitation & prove that he has. This could be the shock that turns him around totally & gets him well away from drugs. An glad that his customers aren't penalising him for this & wish him well in the future
 
Do seem to be some double standards operating here, especially when we have first hand knowledge of the person concerned. Although it's not good, a £200 fine for possession of class A drugs suggests the quantities concerned were pretty small. It would be interesting to know if any farriers have been threatened with having their licences revoked for having an alcohol problem.

His current customers are mostly sticking by him because of the quality of his work.
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Which means his future is probably assured if he stays clean, that counts for more than anything else for most owners.
 
I would think if he is good at his job it won't make a lot of odds.

If I found that my dear farrier (who is in his fifties) was a rapist, I couldn't care less. He does a fab job on my horse and there are loads of farriers out there who haven't!

A good farrier is hard to come by, and most people are aware of this.

Silly chap, needs to calm down and grow up, but if he has had a wake up call that can only be good.
 
Yann said:
Do seem to be some double standards operating here, especially when we have first hand knowledge of the person concerned. Although it's not good, a £200 fine for possession of class A drugs suggests the quantities concerned were pretty small. It would be interesting to know if any farriers have been threatened with having their licences revoked for having an alcohol problem.
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Yes that's what I thought. No-one presented any evidence at the FRC hearing that he ever worked under the influence of drugs or that any of his work was ever sub-standard. It was the conviction ALONE that led to the misconduct decision. Does every farrier done for drunk driving lose their registration if they don;t attend AA? Does every farrier convicted of affray when drunk, even get investigated by the FRC?
 
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