A farrier is a trained professional who fits shoes to horses, as well as other hooved animals. Farriers are not as common as they once were due to a decline in the use of horses as work animals, but their work requires skill with both horses and metals, so they are still highly respected. Many farriers work in rural areas, and those interested in pursuing a career in farriery can enroll in courses at schools that train farriers.
A farrier was originally just a horse doctor or a blacksmith who did farriery on the side. Farriers stopped providing general medical care to horses as veterinary medicine became its own recognized and unique medical specialty, though they are still included in treatment plans for conditions that affect the legs and hooves of horses. Farriers may also establish practices specializing in the treatment of foot diseases. This became a distinct practice as well, and most blacksmiths no longer provide shoeing.
Domestic horses require shoes as a necessary piece of equipment. Horseshoeing has been practiced since the Greek and Roman eras to protect horses’ hooves and improve their performance. Shoes must also be removed, inspected, and replaced on a regular basis. While a horse’s shoes are removed, the hooves are trimmed and the foot’s overall health is examined. A full-time farrier can easily become overworked, especially in an area with a large number of horses.
People learn about horses, metalworking, and how to recommend and fit shoes at a farrier school. A farrier must feel at ease around horses and be able to handle a variety of animals, from gentle children’s ponies to high-strung racehorses. Farriers also study anatomy and physiology, as well as the various problems that can affect a horse’s legs and feet. Many of these conditions can be avoided or treated with the use of corrective footwear.
Farriers can provide shoes to correct gaits, increase traction for sport horses, and treat medical conditions such as laminitis, among other things. Corrective shoeing is a lucrative branch of farriery because it can transform an unusable horse into a dependable and healthy mount. Some farriers specialize in a particular type of shoeing, such as shoeing racehorses, jumpers, or gaited horses, and they may be in high demand.
Horseshoes must be custom-made for each individual horse. As a result, farriers learn to shape metal using either cold shoeing, which involves beating the shoes into shape while the metal is still cold, or hot shoeing, which involves working the shoes in a forge. Improperly fitted shoes can cause serious injury to a horse, so finding a qualified, skilled farrier to shoe your horses is critical. You can also ask other horse people in your area about the best farrier for your horse. Some farriers belong to national organizations with basic membership requirements, and you can also ask other horse people in your area about the best farrier for your horse.