A horse farrier is a skilled craftsperson who specializes in the care and maintenance of horses' hooves. They are responsible for trimming hooves, shoeing horses, and identifying and treating hoof problems.
Farriers play an important role in keeping horses healthy and sound. Healthy hooves are essential for horses to be able to move comfortably and without pain. Farriers help to ensure that horses' hooves are properly trimmed and shoed, which can help to prevent lameness, injuries, and other problems.
Here are some of the specific tasks that a horse farrier may perform:
- Trim hooves: Farriers use a variety of tools, such as rasps and nippers, to trim hooves to the proper length and shape. This helps to maintain the balance of the horse's foot and prevent the hoof from becoming overgrown.
- Shoe horses: Farriers apply horseshoes to horses for a variety of reasons, such as to protect the hooves from wear and tear, to provide additional traction, or to correct hoof problems. Farriers must be able to select the right type of horseshoe for each horse and fit it properly.
- Identify and treat hoof problems: Farriers are trained to identify and treat a variety of hoof problems, such as abscesses, thrush, and cracks. They may also work with veterinarians to treat more serious hoof conditions.
Farriers are important because they play a vital role in keeping horses healthy and sound. By properly trimming and shoeing horses' hooves, farriers can help to prevent lameness, injuries, and other problems. This allows horses to live active and pain-free lives.
In addition to the above, farriers may also:
- Advise horse owners on hoof care and management
- Educate the public about the importance of hoof care
- Participate in research on equine hoof health
Farriers are highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals who play an essential role in the horse industry.
Farriers - United States | Farrier Associations & Publications / Education / Supplies
Alabama
- Lookout Mountain School of Horseshoeing, 400 Lewis Road, Gadsden, AL 35904-9357
- Pine Road Forge, Odenville, AL 35120-7634
California
- Cross Creek Shoeing, Loren Warner, Saugus, CA 91390
- Hunter Stallion Station, Moses Gonzales, 10163 Badger Creek Lane, Wilton, CA 95693
Colorado
Connecticut
Georgia
Indiana
Louisiana
Massachusetts
- Connor Byrnes Farrier Service, Plymouth, MA 02360
- Denson's Farrier Service, P.O. Box 1231, Sagamore Beach, MA 02562
- Neo Ruiz Farrier Services, Inc., 444 Lincoln Street, Franklin, MA 02038
- ProHoof Farrier Service, 342 Bedford St., Lexington, MA 02420
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New York
- Jerry Trapani, East Islip, NY 11730-0552
- Morgan Equine Veterinary & Farrier Hospital, 169 Tucker Hill Road, Locke, NY 13092
- Penny's Farrier Service, 204 Goodemote Road, Broadalbin, NY 12025
North Carolina
Oregon
Pennsylvania
- Chris Diehl, 1475 Fire Hall Road, Spring Grove, PA 17362
- Three D Ranch, LLC, David Bentrem, Paris, PA 15021
Texas
- Ironhorse Forge, Gatesville, TX 76528
- HoofPros, Patrick Burton, 755 N. Burleson Blvd. Ste. C1, Burleson, TX 76028
Virginia
Wisconsin
Farriers
Farrier - Publications
Farrier - Research Organization
Farrier - Associations
- American Farriers Association, 2201 Regency Road, Ste 704, Lexington, KY 40503
- British Farriers & Blacksmiths Asso., The Forge, Avenue B, 10th Street, NAC, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire CV8 2LG UK
- Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association, 14013 East Hwy. 136, LaFayette, GA 30728
- International Association of Professional Farriers, PO Box 329, Geneva, FL 32732
- The Equine Podiatry Association, 126 Weston Road, Bretforton Evesham, Worcestershire, UK WR11 7HW
- Virginia Horseshoers Association, 500 Plantation Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Farrier - Directory
Farrier - Education
- Anatomy-of-the-Equine
- Arkansas Horseshoeing School, 22285 State Highway 154, Dardanelle, AR 72834
- Butler Professional Farrier School, Crawford, NE 69339
- Casey & Son Horseshoeing School, 14013 East HWY 136 Lafayette, GA 30728
- Doug Butler Enterprises Inc., 495 Table Road, Crawford, NE 69339
- e-hoof.com, Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, CHE
- HoofPros, 755 N. Burleson Blvd. Ste. C1, Burleson, TX 76028
- Kentucky Horseshoeing School, 3612 Lexington Road, Richmond, KY 40475
- NANRIC, 133 S Main St., Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
- Oregon Farrier School, P.O. Box 17601, Salem, OR 97305
- Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School, LLC, 5225 Carbondale Road, Plymouth, CA 95669-9729
Farrier - Products / Supplies
- Anvil Brand Shoe Co., 500 S. Spencer St. P.O. Box 198, Lexington, IL 61753
- Canoga Farrier Supply, 21608 Marilla St., Chatsworth, CA 91311
- Centaur Forge, LLC, 117 North Spring Street, Burlington, WI 53105-0340
- Crossroads Farrier Supply, Crossroads Farrier Supply 67 Rollins Lane, Louisa, VA 23093
- Double Bar One, Inc., 108 N 5th Street, Leoti, KS 67861
- Equilox, 110 NE 2nd Street, Pine Island, MN 55963
- Equine Digit Support System, Inc.
- Equithotics Inc., 7580 Acacia Lane, Vacaville, CA 95688
- Farrier Product Distribution, Inc., 610 Old Mt. Eden Road, Shelbyville, KY 40066
- Farrier Science Clinic, 2996 Millville-Shandon Road, Hamilton OH 45013
- Farrier Tool Rebuilds, P.O. Box 434, Parowan, UT 84761
- Farrier's Finish, Life Data Labs, Inc., 12290 Hwy 72, P.O. Box 349, Cherokee, AL 35616
- Farriers Depot, Inc., 275 SW 60th Ave., Ocala FL 34474
- Flatland Forge, Inc., P.O. Box 60896, Midland TX 79711
- Ken Davis & Sons, Inc., 367 East Blagrove Street, Richwood, OH 43344
- Keratex Equine Hoofcare, P.O. Box 2, Brookeville, MD 20833
- Meader Supply Corporation, 23 Meaderboro Road, Rochester, NH 03867-4265
- MNC Ltd., 51 Burners Lane South, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes MK11 3HA UK
- Monetta Farrier Specialties, 3232 Highway 23, Ridge Spring, SC 29129
- NANRIC, 133 S Main St., Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
- Nature Farms Farrier Supply, Nolan Walker, Elmore City, OK 73433
- NC Tool Company, 6133 Hunt Road, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313
- Smejderiet Denmark, Finlandsgade 14, Haslev, DK 4690 DEN
- Spanish Lake Blacksmith Shop, Inc., 2793 Meyer Road, Foristell, MO 63348-1213
- Tennessee Farrier Supply, 1050 Harper Lane, Cumberland Furnace, TN 37051
- Texas Farrier Supply, 603 S. New Hope Road, Kennedale, TX 76060
- The Horseshoe Barn, 1223 Blumenfeld Drive, Sacramento, CA 95815
- Valley Farrier Supply, 21383 South Yeoman Road, Beavercreek, OR 97004
- Vettec Hoof Care, Belton, MO 64012
- Visby Products Farrier Supplies, 3101 Fairlane Farms Road, Suite #6, Wellington, FL 33414
- Water Mill Products, Inc., David Birdsall, Water Mill, NY 11976-2115
- Well-Shod, 305 N.Arthur Street, Amarillo, TX 79107
Farrier - Australia
- Steve Crosbie Farrier Services, Brisbane, QLD 4012 AUS
- Wesley Stewart Farrier Services, North Nowra, NSW 2541 AUS
Farrier - EMEA - United Kingdom
Check out the ETSY page HERE.