A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adjusting metal shoes) with some veterinarian's skills (knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the lower limb) to care for horses' feet.
Contents |
Historically, the jobs of farrier and blacksmith were practically synonymous, shown by the etymology of the word: farrier comes from Middle French: ferrier (blacksmith), from the Latin word ferrum (iron).[1] A farrier's work in colonial America or pre-Industrial Revolution Europe would have included horseshoeing, as well as the fabrication and repair of tools, the forging of architectural pieces, etc. Modern day farriers usually specialize in horseshoeing, focusing their time and effort on the care of the horse's hoof. For this reason, farriers and blacksmiths are considered to be in separate, albeit related, trades.
A farrier's routine work is primarily hoof trimming and shoeing. In ordinary cases, it is important to trim each hoof so it retains its proper orientation to the ground. If the animal has a heavy work load, works on abrasive footing, needs additional traction, or has pathological changes in the hoof, then shoes may be required.
Additional tasks for the farrier include dealing with injured or diseased hooves and application of special shoes for racing, training or "cosmetic" purposes. Horses with certain diseases or injuries may need remedial procedures for their hooves, or need special shoes.
In the United Kingdom, it is illegal for people other than registered farriers to call themselves a farrier or to carry out any farriery work under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975.[2] The primary aim of the Act is to "prevent and avoid suffering by and cruelty to horses arising from the shoeing of horses by unskilled persons".
In the United States, however, farriery is generally not regulated and consumers must inform themselves of a farrier's qualifications. Three organizations, the American Farrier's Association (AFA), the Guild of Professional Farriers (GPF), and the Brotherhood of Working Farriers (BWFA) maintain voluntary certification programs for U.S. farriers. Of these, the AFA's program is the largest with approximately 2800 certified farriers. Additionally, the AFA program has a reciprocity agreement with the Farrier Registration Council and the Worshipful Company of Farriers in the UK.
Within the certification programs offered by the AFA and the GPF, all farrier examinations are conducted by peer panels. The farrier examinations for both organizations are designed so that qualified farriers may obtain a formal credential indicating they meet a meaningful standard of professional competence as determined by technical knowledge and practical skills examinations, length of field experience, and other factors. [3][4]
The Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association (BWFA) offers four levels of certification: 1. BWFA Apprentice II Certification 2. BWFA Journeyman I Certification 3. BWFA Journeyman II Certification 4. BWFA Master Farrier Certification
The American Farriers Association (AFA) offers four levels of certification: 1. AFA Farrier Classification 2. Certified Farrier (AFA CF) 3. Certified Tradesman Farrier (AFA CTF 4. Certified Journeyman Farrier (AFA CJF)
The Guild of Professional Farriers offer three levels of registration: 1. Registered Farrier 2. Registered Journeyman 3. Registered Master Farrier
Many farriers who have received a certificate of completion for attending a farrier school or course will represent themselves as being "certified".