Horse Jobs – Farrier

One of the first numbers on any horse owners speed dial, the farrier provides an essential service. All horse jobs are physically demanding, but this one is especially so.

Strength & Knowledge

This is a position which benefits from a physical strength, the ability to work with multiple animals, and a strong knowledge of horse anatomy. A blacksmith deals with the business end of any horse, their iron-shod feet. There is never enough experience in this line of work.

Strong problem solving skills, an eye for detail and the ability to think on your feet are important building blocks towards a successful career as a blacksmith.

Job Description

Responsible for the trimming, shoeing, health and overall well being of the feet in their charge, the blacksmith has a personal responsibility to each individual animal.

They also work closely with the trainer, barn manager or barn foreman to establish a healthy foot routine for each horse.

To clear up any confusion, a farrier works specifically with horses, although they need training as a blacksmith to learn techniques for shaping the shoes. In short, all farriers are blacksmiths, but not all blacksmiths are farriers.

There is a great deal of job security for a farrier (especially a good one), horse hooves will always need someone to trim them.

Responsibilities

• Handling a variety of animal temperaments
• Developing specific trimming schedules for many animals
• Know the movement of each animal
• Trimming of feet to encourage natural movement
• Measurement and selection of the proper shoes
• Forging and shaping shoes to fit & attaching them with nails
• Providing solutions for lame animals and preventing further injury
• Correcting bad and misshapen feet
• Educating horse owners about hoof care

Requirements

Requirements vary from country to country and many have farrier associations which offer different levels of certification programs and endorsement.

The more certification and training the better the work, this is a job which requires skill with blacksmith tools and methods, and a strong understanding of horse anatomy and foot disease. Most horse owners will agree, the more experience the better.

Resources

A few places to start if you are interested in a career as a farrier.

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• The World Farriers Association
• Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association
• Farrier Industry Assiciation
• American Farriers Association
• European Federation of Farriers Associations
• The Farriers Registration Council
• Australian Farriers & Blacksmith Association
• New Zealand Farriers Association
• Western Canadian Farriers Association
• Japanese Farriers Association

The Right Job For You?

If this isn’t your dream job, there is a long list of different careers that involve horses. Each one requiring a different skill set, schooling requirement and amount of contact with the animals.

Image from gluemoon