Tips from Hadlow College
Hadlow, Kent's premier college and one of the UK's leading
specialist colleges, has a renowned equine department.
This month - Appreciate The Farrier
'No foot, no horse' is probably the best known - and most relevant - quotation in the horse world. It follows that your farrier deserves courtesy, consideration and appreciation.
1. Make appointments at regular intervals - guided by your farrier - to suit the individual horse.
2. Always have the horse ready - dry, groomed or well-brushed-over.
3. Some farriers prefer to shoe outside, others inside. In either case, the farrier will require a clean, flat surface where the horse can be stood up foursquare.
4. Horses that are ill-mannered, nervous or badly trained take longer to shoe. The farrier appreciates dealing with a horse that has been trained to stand calmly and to pick up feet quietly and obediently. Advise the farrier beforehand if you anticipate any problems.
5. Most farriers are very good at handling youngsters and take time and trouble to give the animal confidence. The majority of farriers are men and so, when a young horse is only normally looked after by women, it's a good idea to familiarise the animal with the idea of being handled by a man well before the farrier is due to check and trim feet.
6. Some farriers like the owner to stand at the horse's head whilst it is being shod - others prefer the owner to be out of sight so that the horse concentrates totally on the job in hand.
7. Pay the farrier promptly at the end of each visit. Returning to collect the money - or having to send out invoices - takes up time and generally shouldn't be necessary.
8. Shoeing is thirst-making work and most farriers appreciate the offer of tea or coffee.
Up-to-date lists of Registered Farriers can be obtained by telephoning 01733 319911 www.farrier-reg.gov.uk
It is criminal offence in England, Wales and Scotland (excluding the Highlands and Islands) for an unqualified person to shoe a horse, pony, mule or donkey. The law came into existence to protect the welfare of horses and prevented cowboys without any training setting up as farriers. Passed in 1980, the Act stipulates that everyone shoeing horses for a living must be qualified and registered with the Farriers' Registration Council. The definition of farriery is 'any work in connection with the preparation or treatment of the foot of a horse for the immediate reception of a shoe thereon, the fitting by nailing or otherwise of a shoe to the foot or the finishing off of such work to the foot'. The exceptions to the law are Apprentices (who may carry out farriery on behalf of their Approved Training Farrier (AFT) who remains responsible for them until they are eligible for registration), veterinary surgeons and veterinary students working under supervision. The law does not apply to individuals dealing with a genuine emergency.
QUALIFICATIONS.
•DIPLOMA WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF FARRIERS (DipWCF). At the end of their four-year apprenticeship period, students take the examination that entitles addition to the Register.
•ASSOCIATE OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF FARRIERS (AWCF) relates to individuals who already hold the DipWCF and have gone on to take the detailed examination that concentrates on therapeutic or remedial farriery as required by veterinary surgeons.
•FELLOWSHIP OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF FARRIERS (FWCF). Signifying the highest level of technical competence, candidates will already be Associates. Fellows are master craftsmen of the very highest order.
As well as a range of equine-related courses up to degree level, Hadlow College also offers a wide variety of one-day and short courses useful to anyone keeping or working with horses, involved in the land-based sector or running their own business. These include: Tractor driving; Chainsaw handing; Health and safety; Food hygene, Appointed person first aid - and a lot more. Telephone: 01732 850551 and ask for 'Business Unit' for further information.
