Farriers: When to Hire and When to Fire

Getting equine professionals to agree on everything is nearly impossible as everyone has their own program they feel works for them and their horses. There is one phrase ALL horse owners can agree on, "No Hoof, no Horse." Farriers are hard to come by especially good ones.

There are currently no regulations on farriers requiring licensing or certifications. However, some farriers choose to go to farrier schools or apprentice under accomplished farriers to gain the skills and knowledge needed to become successful.

Some states have considered requiring certification for farriers, but there are so many grey areas it is a long way from becoming a requirement at this point. In an article written in the American Farriers Journal some of the industries professionals expressed their concerns about the regulation issues.

"Regulation/licensing/etc....whatever you call it, someone will have to be in charge of all that, oversee it, and be the "all knowing" head that determines what is allowed/not allowed. That leaves way too much room for manipulation." Hedi Meyer

"Although I see the benefit of standards in our industry I have major concerns with licensing requirements. The closest model we can compare to would be the requirements for veterinary licensing. If you look up your individual state requirements you will find a great deal of bureaucratic red tape." Richard Armentrout

A main concern with regulation on farriers is the "who" will oversee it? Most likely a government official who knows nothing of the industry leaving the control to an under educated keyboard warrior who would have no clue where the horses hoof ends, and the leg begins.

"Problem is licensing always becomes about money, and does not assure good work, the attitude of the craftsman and his knowledge that determines good or bad results." Ed Smith Jr.

So how are equine trainers and competitors selecting their farriers without regulations on who can or should be considered "professional" farriers? Some horse owners have a personal requirement that their farrier be certified from a reputable school, some pick their farrier from a referral from other equine professionals, and others will use a recommendation from their veterinarian.