Barefoot Hoofcare Practices Subject of British Government Survey to Veterinarians

A government survey of British veterinarians is taking no prisoners and leaving no stones unturned. While the clear goal of the newly-launched Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ("Defra") online survey is to collect veterinarians' comments on what they have seen and thought about barefoot hoofcare practices in the field, it's obvious that farriers are under this microscope

Australian Farriers Seek Regulation of Profession in New South Wales

A farrier revolt has been brewing for some time in the state of New South Wales in Australia.

Some--but not all--farriers there are angry and they want their state government to take action. In what seems like a counter-intuitive plea to Parliament, the National Master Farriers Association of New South Wales is presenting a draft of legislation that would regulate farriery and bring

Next Step in Re-vamp of Farriers Registration Act in Great Britain

A government report published on Wednesday takes another step toward modernizing a law governing who can shoe--or possibly trim--British horses.





For almost 50 years, the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 in Great Britain has been held high as an example of a national government's trust in the farrier profession to take responsibility for the care of horses' hooves. While entrusting the

British Government Opens Consultation Period for Reforms to Farriers Registration Act

Today the Farriers Registration Council in Great Britain announced that that country's governmental Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), jointly with parallel teams in the Scottish and Welsh Governments, have opened a period of consultation for regulatory reform of the Farriers (Registration) Act (of) 1975.






The Act or "FRA", as it is known in the consultation,

British Farrier Apprentice System Suspended as Training Suffers Negative Government Evaluation

Apprentices are traditionally part of the landscape of farriery in Great Britain. These apprentices to Jim and/or Allan Ferrie competed at the Clydesdale shoeing event at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland. (David McCrone photo, used with permission)


A crisis has emerged in Great Britain, where the future of farrier education has been endangered by a withdrawal of government funding for the

British Farrier Diplomates in Inaugural Pledge to Uphold Profession and Equine Welfare Standards

Graduate farriers in Great Britain recited the inaugural pledge to their profession.

On February 28, the Worshipful Company of Farriers and the Farriers Registration Council, held a ceremony in the Long Room of the Honourable Artillery Company, London. That day,  44 new farriers – including two women – were admitted to the Farriers Register of qualified farriers allowed to shoe horses in Great

British Barefoot Hoof Tape Controversy Escalates: Advocate Pledges Legal Assault on Farriers Registration Act, Council, and Illegal Farriery Charges

A hoof trimmer at work on a horse. Both hoof trimmers and farriers wear aprons, use hoof stands, and  carry knives, nippers and rasps. How much of the similarity ends there may be determined in court. (Photo by Jean-Pierre)


It’s just part of the horse. A few cubic inches at the end of a leg. But who’s in charge of it, anyway?

In Great Britain, the furor surrounding sovereignty over the hoof