{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}
Trending:

Is now the time for the barefoot trimming industry to be regulated?

Becky Murray Becky Murray

    • In our latest H&H subscriber-exclusive investigation into issues affecting the equestrian world today, H&H senior news writer Becky Murray looks into the laws governing who is allowed to trim horses’ feet, which professional organisations are involved, and whether regulation is needed...

    Going barefoot is a topic that can generate heated discussions in the equestrian world.

    Many top showjumpers compete on surfaces barefoot, and it is widely accepted that not all horses need to wear shoes. But the decision to transition to barefoot should be based on the individual horse and discussed with its hoofcare provider.

    The debate perhaps should not be whether shod or unshod is best, but who is delivering that service. In the UK, only a qualified and registered farrier can legally prepare the foot of a horse for the immediate inception of a shoe and fit a shoe by nailing or otherwise.

    But there is no regulation on who can trim a horse’s hooves, so a person does not need to hold any qualifications, registration or insurance. A person who has never been around a horse can legally offer a trimming service and charge money for this – as can a farrier who has been removed or suspended from the Farriers Registration Council’s (FRC) register.

    • Do you feel that the barefoot trimming industry should be regulated? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, and nearest town and county, for consideration for publication on our letters page.

    You may also be interested in:

    Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

    Becky Murray
    Becky Murray

    H&H senior news writer
    Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
    Becky Murray

    You may like...