Latest from Horse & Hound in Farriers

Massive changes to veterinary legislation will affect all who treat horses

Lucy Elder — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:51:28 +0000

Most vets are welcoming the “biggest reforms to the veterinary sector” in 60 years after the Government shared plans to overhaul the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966).

The Defra white paper, published on 9 July, outlines major reforms to the veterinary sector and paves the way for regulating others working in animal care under one overarching system. This includes farriers, barefoot trimmers, chiropractors, equine dental technicians and more.

It includes proposals to regulate veterinary and animal healthcare businesses – not just individual vets – and protect the title “veterinary nurse” so it is only used by qualified professionals. Other titles could be added to the protected list in future.

It also sets out plans for a new licence-to-practise system for vets, vet nurses and allied veterinary professionals, a veterinary ombudsman for a clearer complaints process and a fitness-to-practise system focused on current risk and competence rather than only past misconduct. It proposes to abolish the Farriers Registration Council (FRC), as farriers would be regulated by the new system.

The white paper also considers the Competition and Marketing Authority (CMA) recommendations into pricing and transparency, following the CMA report (news, 2 April). It states that time to discuss it will be secured “as soon as parliamentary time allows”.

Tim Hutchinson, president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the UK, said these proposed reforms “are even more significant for the public interest and animal health and welfare” than the CMA recommendations.

“These changes are essential for protecting animal health and welfare and for maintaining public confidence in the veterinary professions,” he said.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said she is “very positive” about the reforms, adding that this is a “crucially important topic for the wider veterinary world, not just equine vets”.

“Defra’s proposals are significant for the public interest and animal health and welfare, however as with everything, the devil will be in the detail,” she said.

“In recent years, many veterinary practices have changed from small mixed practice ‘James Herriot’ style surgeries to large, often single-species businesses, not necessarily owned by vets.

“Currently individual vets themselves and registered vet nurses are held accountable for their actions, but the veterinary practices where they work are not fully regulated, when they should be. This applies to every single veterinary business, all of which need to focus on their responsibilities to their staff and most importantly the animals under their care.

“This should apply for all animals, be they farm animals, domestic pets or horses or any other animal undergoing any form of care or treatment.”

She added that currently, the qualification of a veterinary nurse is not properly recognised and, and welcomed the proposal that this title be protected and reserved for those who “are properly trained and appropriately responsible for animals under their care”.

Dr Coumbe also said that anyone involved in looking after and treating any animal ought to be fully regulated.

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has set out an explainer on its website, breaking down what the proposed reforms mean for equine vets, nurses, students and allied professionals.

“For BEVA members, the key message is this: the white paper supports long-overdue reform, but the equine detail now matters enormously. BEVA will be working to make sure the final legislation and the rules that follow it are safe, proportionate and workable for equine practice,” said a BEVA spokesperson.

The FRC responded to the Defra consultation this year, saying that it disagrees with the reform as proposed in the consultation, but is “open to reform where it delivers better regulation for the benefit of animals and the public”. It stated that “what is proposed appears to fly in the face of Government’s own desire for better targeted, agile and proportionate regulation”.

On 17 July, a FRC spokesperson told H&H: “The observations made by the council in response to the Government consultation were valid and relevant to the issue of new veterinary legislation. That they have not been adopted in the white paper – for which no explanation has yet been offered – makes them no less valid and relevant now.”

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Farrier jailed for serious sexual offences is struck off to protect women and girls

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 22 May 2026 16:15:41 +0000

A farrier who was sent to prison for 10 sexual offences including six counts of rape over some 30 years has been struck off for serious misconduct.

The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) has published its disciplinary committee’s decision on Malcolm Sloss, who was jailed for 13 years last January.

Sloss, 72 at the time, was sentenced at Paisley Sheriff Court on Friday, 10 January, 2025. Police Scotland Detective Inspector Peter MacMillan said at the time: “Sloss preyed on vulnerable females for a number of years and subjected his victims to horrific sexual assaults. He will now face the consequences of his actions.”

Sloss had been convicted of one charge each of indecent assault, sexual assault, communicating indecently with a young child and lewd and libidinous practices and behaviour, as well as the six counts of serious sexual assault.

The FRC disciplinary committee scheduled a hearing by video link on 20 March. Malcolm Sloss did not virtually attend from prison, nor was he represented.

FRC solicitor Catriona Watt described Sloss’s offences as “of the utmost gravity”, and noted that they had been committed over some 30 years, from 1988 to 2021.

“She drew the committee’s attention to the remarks of the sentencing judge, who condemned the defendant’s behaviour ‘in the strongest possible terms’ and imposed ‘a significant prison sentence to punish [him] for his behaviour and to mark to [him] and to others the consequences which will follow this type of serious sexual abuse’,” the committee’s report states.

“She advised the committee that the defendant continued to maintain his innocence and drew attention to letters received from him (in response to the council advising him that his case was to be referred to the investigating committee) to this effect. She submitted that the committee should find the charge against the defender proved.”

The committee found that the conviction was enough to prove the misconduct charge.

Malcolm Sloss met one victim through his work

Ms Watt pointed out that “it was clear from the remarks of the sentencing judge that the defendant came into contact with one of his victims through his work as a farrier – as such, it could not be said that his offending behaviour was entirely unconnected with his work”.

“She submitted that there could be no circumstances in which a farrier on the council’s register, convicted of such a number of serious sexual assaults over such a long period of time, could be anything other than guilty of serious misconduct in a professional respect,” the report states.

“The committee considered the defendant’s conviction was in respect of offences of the utmost gravity and that there had been a clear breach of the standards and responsibilities set out in the code. The committee considered that the fact that the defender had encountered one of his victims through his work as a farrier was an aggravating factor. The committee did not identify any mitigating factors.”

Ms Watts said aggravating factors included the “nature and extent” of the offending, the fact he met at least one of his young victims through his work as a farrier and “the risk he poses to women and girls – both clients, and members of the public at large”.

“The only mitigating factor was his lack of any previous regulatory history,” the report states. “The committee considered that the seriousness of the defendant’s conviction was such that no sanction other than removal from the register was sufficient to protect the public, protect the reputation of the profession and regulator and the wider public interest. The committee considered that the defendant’s offending behaviour (as proved by the extract conviction) was fundamentally incompatible with him being a registered farrier.”

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Campaign launched to raise awareness of possible risks of inhaling hoof smoke

Lucy Elder — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:06:06 +0000

A nurse is aiming to raise awareness of and encourage research into the possible risks of hoof smoke inhalation among farriers and equestrians.

Lisa Nealen is an orthopedic scrub nurse with extensive expertise in exposure to surgical smoke. This is the smoke that can be created during certain types of surgery in hospitals, and which has recognised health risks.

Mrs Nealen, who is also a horse owner, started looking into comparisons between surgical smoke and the hoof smoke produced when hot-shoeing horses.

She said she sought guidance from the Farriers Registration Council, and has worked with four master farriers, and that her campaign has also had interest from farriers in other countries.

She found specific research involving hoof smoke and any effect it has on farriers is lacking, but that there are studies showing harmful chemicals present in surgical smoke and smoke from dehorning cattle.

Mrs Nealen told H&H that her intention is not to alarm but to raise awareness of potential risks and encourage informed decision-making among farriers and horse owners, through the EquiSmoke Awareness campaign.

She said simple, practical measures that farriers and owners could think about that may prevent exposure are working in open or well-ventilated spaces and thinking about wind direction.

“My aim is to create general awareness for farriers, and for owners as well,” she said. “Help your blacksmith out: find somewhere where you know your horse is going to be downwind, so the smoke gets blown away.”

“I don’t want to be seen as the enemy, I’m not trying to preach; this is simply about creating awareness and supporting long-term health and wellbeing.”

She also recommends regular health checks and appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) for farriers, including gloves, eye protection and – when feasible – a properly fitted respirator that meets at least FFP3 standard. She has had reaction from farriers saying that level of PPE is not always practical – and she stresses that she is not trying to tell anyone what to do, but rather to share information so people can make their own informed choices.

Farriers’ views on hoof smoke risks

Farrier Danny Bennett told H&H this is an important topic.

He added that farriery is a dangerous job, giving examples of the serious injuries that can happen when shoeing horses, adding: “But it’s the long-term effects on the body that a lot of people don’t take into consideration.”

“When you’re 30, 40, and think ‘I feel fine’ – yes, ok, but how’s your breathing going to be at 60, 65, when you actually want to retire?” he said.

“I think there’s a lot of farriers who haven’t even thought about it, let alone the horse owners, yard owners, and everyone else.

“Every farrier knows farriery is a high risk job. You’re dealing with unpredictable large animals, but this is [potentially] going to creep up on you as a long-term thing, and I think that has to be reflected in our pricing.”

Master farrier Liam O’Hara added that as farriers and horse owners “we are all aware of the injury and risk undertaken when shoeing a horse”.

“Cuts, burns, kicks, bites and hammered thumbs are all part of the short-term aches and pains of being a farrier. But what about the long term?” he told H&H.

“The point of raising awareness isn’t to scaremonger, but to help farriers, owners and paraprofessionals be aware of the risks involved. So where possible please be mindful and help your farrier where you can.”

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Farrier who ‘blamed everyone but himself’ struck off after horse welfare conviction

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:57:57 +0000

A farrier who was convicted of an animal welfare offence relating to a horse – who was put down as a result of his neglect – has been struck off.

Stephen Gardiner defended the charges brought against him in a Farriers Registration Council (FRC) disciplinary hearing by “blaming everyone else but himself” but was found by the committee guilty of serious misconduct in a professional respect.

He was removed from the FRC register on 7 November, and may not apply to be re-registered for two years.

The report on Gardiner’s case, published by the FRC, states that in August 2023, the farrier was convicted of failing to meet the needs of a cob stallion called Bimbo, for which he was fined £800. It states that in 2020, Gardiner allowed moderate chorioptic mange (“feather mites”) on Bimbo’s hind legs and severe chorioptic mange on his forelegs, leading to suppurating pastern dermatitis, infection and permanent skin changes. He also allowed Bimbo to develop thrush in all four feet, and overgrown hooves.

The report states that he caused Bimbo unnecessary suffering, failed to seek veterinary attention and that as a result of his actions, the horse was put down in 2022.

It includes the original submission about Gardiner to the FRC, made by a Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) inspector. This stated that Gardiner had failed to meet Bimbo’s needs by failing to provide adequate fresh clean water.

“His cob, along with two others Gardiner had some responsibility for, were left unattended within a field they did not have permission to use for at least four days,” the complaint states. “The SSPCA provided water until the decision was made to remove them to ensure their wellbeing. Stephen Gardiner and his cob are well known to the SSPCA and on several occasions, the SSPCA has had to provide water or contact Stephen Gardiner for him to provide water.”

The complaint adds that all three cobs were examined by a vet and Gardiner’s had a “severe skin complaint of all four limbs”.

“This cob was treated for several months but was euthanised on welfare grounds as he could not be kept pain free. The charge relating to this was accepted not guilty as part of the plea bargain, which resulted in Stephen Gardiner pleading guilty to this charge only.”

Gardiner’s former partner told the committee she and their son supplied the horses with water during the time referred to in the charge, and that “the SSPCA knew she was the owner of Bimbo but were ‘witch-hunting’” Gardiner. She then said Bimbo was her son’s horse, although she was the legal owner as her son could not be, and that he was checked by a farrier every eight to 12 weeks.

She denied Gardiner was ever responsible for providing water and did not accept the contents of a letter dated 12 May 2025, provided by his solicitor in which it was said Gardiner went to work thinking all steps for care of “his horse” were in place.

In his submissions to the committee, Gardiner said the SSPCA had “misled the court and FRC by stating that all four charges were upheld”. He said his solicitor misrepresented his position in relation to ownership of Bimbo and that he was pressured into accepting a guilty plea to the water charge. He maintained he was never the owner of nor responsible for the stallion: “He expressed deep regret at the outcome of events for Bimbo but stated he was not responsible.”

But the committee found Gardiner was responsible for Bimbo at the time covered by the charges, so had caused the stallion unnecessary suffering.

Aggravating factors considered by the committee included the injury to an animal and the fact Gardiner “visited the home of an SSPCA inspector with another male” after Bimbo’s removal.

“[Gardiner] has defended the charges by blaming everyone else but himself; this has included his former partner, alleging conspiracy by the SSPCA and now his defence solicitor,” the report states.

Mitigating factors included the fact this was Gardiner’s sole conviction, there had been no other regulatory issues and he was “experiencing difficult personal circumstances” at the time.

“The committee considered that the misconduct was so serious, removal was the only means of protecting equine welfare, the reputation of the profession and the wider public interest,” the report states.

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

Becky Murray — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 07:04:19 +0000

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.

Unlike vets and farriers, who are accountable to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the FRC respectively, there is no regulatory body for barefoot trimming. And until 2021, although a number of UK and international organisations offered trimming courses, there was no accredited UK qualification.

But progress has been made to provide “self-regulation” of the barefoot industry – and in April 2021, the Ofqual-regulated qualification was created – the LANTRA level-five diploma in equine podiatry, only available via Equine Podiatry Training Ltd (EPT).

Before this, EPT offered a diploma in equine podiatry and was among the organisations involved in the creation of the 2010 equine barefoot care National Occupational Standards.

Richard Vialls, EPT co-founder and a Equine Podiatry Association (EPA) council member, told H&H that since EPT took its first students in 2008, the aim had always been to gain national accreditation.

“We felt we needed to demonstrate that we weren’t just training people, but we were serious about quality and standards,” he said.

The LANTRA level-five diploma in equine podiatry

The part-time course, which takes around two-and-a-half to three years to complete and costs £6,250, is led by tutors in podiatry, grassland management, advanced anatomy and farriery. The course is 561 hours long, of which 200 hours is “hands-on” training, including 70 hours on trimming, followed by an exam.

Students then work on non-pathological case studies under a mentor, then six months of case studies of pathological cases, such as laminitis or navicular, before a final assessment. This comprises a three-hour theory paper, lameness video exam, pathology trimming exam on a cadaver leg and a trim on a horse. The pass mark is 80% and since 2021, 15 people have gained the qualification.

“Generally, about half the students pass first time and if they fail any one element, they have up to a year to resit it,” said Dr Vialls.

Dr Vialls said achieving the Ofqual accreditation has given the diploma the “credibility that we didn’t have when it was our own qualification”.

But he adds that other areas of the equestrian industry are “taking their time to recognise what we do and formally adopt it”.

“The actions of some other barefoot groups in the past have created suspicions, so that’s been an issue. We have this situation where vets on the ground like what we do, and on a day-to-day basis we work with vets very closely across lots of practices. But people at the top of the veterinary profession are still sitting on the fence,” he said.

“It was always going to take a long time. We’re the disruptors and we need to prove to everybody that we are credible.”

H&H asked Dr Vialls what recognition might look like. He said that the EPT and EPA would like “acknowledgement from the veterinary profession that we should be part of the process”, similar to paraprofessionals such as dental technicians and physios.

He added that he does not see “any likelihood” of a law change to incorporate trimming “any time soon”.

“We’ve been involved with working groups with Defra and the opinion of Defra is that there isn’t a problem to be solved by changing regulation at this point. They want to see good quality self-regulation,” he said.

“Defra did research 10 years ago and couldn’t find any evidence that there was more of a problem among barefoot trimmers than regulated farriers. On that basis, the decision was taken that the regulation of barefoot trimming would be kept as self-regulation for the foreseeable.”

H&H asked Defra to confirm that its research found no welfare issues and there was no case for statutory regulation – and was told “we weren’t able to determine where these statements came from”. But the spokesperson added that there are “no plans” to amend existing legislation and “we keep our approach under review”.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said a “good farrier can do everything a barefoot trimmer can do and more”.

“Although I have encountered some cooperative trimmers, who have been very patient trimming challenging ponies’ feet, I would still choose to use a properly qualified farrier for my own horse. I know every farrier has undergone a recognised apprenticeship and rigorous training and has a professional organisation behind him or her,” she said.

“The same is unclear to me for barefoot trimmers. There are concerns that in some cases, horses can suffer and complex conditions go unrecognised by individuals trimming their feet with limited qualifications, who may not understand the potential underlying pathology. I question how fully insured a barefoot trimmer may be and how responsible they will be for their actions in the event of any complications ensuing.”

Self-regulation

The EPA provides a “self-regulating professional body” for equine podiatrists and those who have completed the former diploma or the Ofqual-accredited course, and students, can apply for membership. The association has a code of conduct members must abide by, and continuous professional development and insurance requirements.

“We’re trying to provide a professional group that owners and other professionals can trust. We have high standards of entry and to maintain your entry on our register,” said EPA council member Helen Stowell.

The EPA has 43 members, and Ms Stowell estimates there to be around 100 to 200 barefoot practitioners operating in the UK. This number cannot be verified, because trimmers do not need to be registered.

“It’s quite a segmented industry; there will be independent trimmers doing a very good job – and if they weren’t doing a good job the market would have called them out by now – but they don’t come under our banner,” she said.

“When we set ourselves up, our take was that we can only regulate people whose entry standard we understand. If you were trying to regulate somebody who has trained in a different way and something goes wrong, how on earth could you regulate that person’s actions?

“I think other sectors of the horse industry would like the situation to be easier to understand and for there to be an umbrella regulator, but I’m not sure that’s plausible. We feel that we set a high standard and take care of maintaining that high standard via our own members.”

H&H asked Ms Stowell if it is a concern that people could be operating without appropriate training or support of an organisation.

“I don’t think we can say anything other than it is a concern, because that’s part of the reason we’re doing business the way we’re trying to do it,” she said. “We’re not the cowboys who do a three-day course and go and trim horses; we’re doing everything we can to ensure we are the opposite of that characterisation.”

But could regulation help the industry?

“We are in an industry that is used to having a very high and statutory standard of regulation. Vets and farriers have regulatory bodies, and we are told by the existing industry that we’re unregulated and we’re criticised for that, but I think there’s an argument about proportionality of regulation,” said Ms Stowell.

“For a profession that’s very small like ours, trying to push for a statutory regulatory approach is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. We’re operating in an era where governments’ willingness to get engaged in statutory regulation is far less than what it was.

“There are much bigger industries with much bigger problems, which would be far higher up the list to have a regulatory approach than barefoot trimming. That’s why the EPA is adopting a self-regulation model.”

Trimmer and EPA member Ellen Curnow, who holds the level-five diploma, told H&H if legislation were brought in that required trimmers to hold qualifications, “the industry would come under less scrutiny”.

“The concern is that as anyone can go out and trim, it opens the industry up for criticism because there could be people doing things that are harmful. But I believe there are people who are good at what they do who don’t have the level-five qualification. And if legislation was brought in, we could lose them from the industry, which would be a real shame,” she said.

“Regulation would have to be very robustly worded to filter out the potential ‘cowboys’ without losing the really good people, and I think that would be very hard to achieve.”

She added that being an EPA member provides structure and network support for trimmers.

“The EPA is very open to discussion for the betterment of the industry. Members are from a lot of different backgrounds and there’s a lot of knowledge that we are all able to draw on and contribute to,” she said.

“And when trimming, if you encounter something that’s a rare or complex case, it would be highly unlikely a vet isn’t involved and you’re working as part of a veterinary-led team.”

The Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry (IAEP) offers UK and European-based courses, ranging from two days to a full diploma, with further “advanced” and “master” qualifications available. To achieve a diploma in applied equine podiatry (DAEP), individuals must have completed 500 hours’ learning and passed the final written theory and practical exams.

To maintain their “active” DAEP status and be listed on the institute’s register, graduates must abide by the IAEP’s code of ethics and carry out continuing professional development (CPD). These courses do not hold Ofqual accreditation.

Karen Beaumont holds the advanced diploma and is the institute’s UK faculty member. She said the IAEP looked at trying to gain a UK qualification, but this was “difficult” as the founder, KC LaPierre is from America, and “he felt that his education program was extremely robust”.

Ms Beaumont added that the IAEP short courses are not aimed at people wishing to provide trimming services.

“Our two- and three-day courses are for people to educate themselves in horses’ feet. So when decisions have to be made that they’ve got a foundation, they’re absolutely not for them to go out trimming,” she said.

Ms Beaumont said the barefoot industry “has come a long way”, but she is not in favour of regulation and she believes owners should do their homework on who they use for hoofcare.

“Regulation I think would stop innovation, discovery and learning. We often find that there’s no one way. I feel it’s about educating the owner and I think the buck stops there,” she said.

Although there are responsible trimmers operating under membership bodies and with qualifications and insurance, these are not legal requirements and people can operate without. If a horse were injured by an unqualified and uninsured trimmer, there would be no regulatory body to hold that person to account.

The farrier apprenticeship, a level three, takes 48 months to complete and involves college blocks and on-the-job training with an approved training farrier, followed by completion of the end-point assessment.

The farriery occupational standard, approved by the FRC, involves knowledge, skills and behaviours on topics including health and safety, anatomy, physiology and equine biomechanics, understanding of diagnosis methods and lameness evaluations. The end-point assessment involves a written test, professional discussion with assessors, practical assessment of an unshod trim, and practical shoeing assessment. On completion of the end-point assessment, apprentices may apply for registration with the FRC.

A farrier’s view

Farrier Cliff Barnes AWCF emphasised that the trim is the “most important part” of hoof care and said that although there are “good trimmers and bad, as there are farriers”, he believes trimmers should be regulated.

“As farriers, the whole of what we do is about the trim, and without having the understanding of what that trim should be for the horse in question, a lot of damage can potentially be done,” he said.

“You can cause all sorts of lamenesses short- or long-term. If the trim is not balanced to that horse and you have a side-to-side imbalance, you risk ligament damage higher up. If the toe is left too long, you risk ligament and tendon damage to the back of the foot and limb. And if you trim the toe too hard, you could end up with a compromised hoof capsule, causing the pedal bone in severe cases to move.

“From what I’ve seen personally, there are very few trimmers who have enough one-to-one tuition early enough in their career to understand some of the complications around trimming horses at different stages of the year.”

British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association (BFBA) president Abigail Bunyard told H&H the BFBA “believes strongly that regulation should extend to trimming”.

“From our side, work does continue to bring about legislation,” she said, adding that the topic would be “less emotive” if trimming was regulated. “And if people want change, they should contact their MP,” she said.

“Why would the trimming industry and for that matter the wider horse community not want trimmers to be regulated? Regulation means on day one of qualification everybody is at the same level. It then insures equine protection if that level were to drop. There are fantastic equine podiatrists in this country and regulation would only improve their standing by ensuring equine welfare.”

An RCVS spokesperson told H&H that barefoot trimmers were looked at as part of its legislation working party’s review (2017–2020) – but during discussions, the party felt any regulation would be a matter of consideration by the FRC.

The FRC’s position

An FRC spokesperson told H&H it has been the council’s position for “many years that trimming [should] be subject to statutory regulation, for animal welfare and public protection”.

“This view has been expressed to successive governments,” he said. “While the council were keen to make amendments to the core of the Farriers (Registration) Act when drafting the 2017 legislation, including provision for trimming, the government of the day were only able to make available resources to amend the constitution of the council.

“Those who read your journal may take the view that extension of the act to include trimming is desirable for reasons of animal welfare, and may wish to take the opportunity to offer that view to their MP.”

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.

Suspension for farrier who held horse still to hit him in the head with a hammer

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:03:36 +0000

A farrier who struck a young gelding he was shoeing in the head with his hammer has been suspended from shoeing for six months – but there is nothing to stop him trimming other horses during that period.

The Farriers Registration Council disciplinary committee found Paul King guilty of serious misconduct in a professional respect, on 15 January after a hearing.

His owner told H&H she bought DJ as a three-year-old and Paul, whom she has known for years, had shod him three or four times before the incident, on 1 April last year.

“I was there initially and he was fine and very well behaved, so Paul said I didn’t need to be there,” she said. “I always asked him after shoeing how they’d been and he said fine, really good.

“That day, he messaged to say I needed to come up as DJ had been playing up; when I got there, Paul said he’d been rearing and striking out and he couldn’t get the shoes on. I thought that was odd as he’s a laid-back Irish Draught but he said as soon as he walked towards DJ, he reared. He said his behaviour had been escalating, and I said ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I’d have done some groundwork with him if I’d known.”

Wanting to understand what had happened, the owner watched the CCTV on the private yard. She saw DJ move away more than once, as Paul was trying to shoe a hind foot, then, after the last time, Paul walking to his head and hitting him with the hammer.

“It was the way he walked to his box, walked back, held his head still and then hit him,” she said. “He was just shuffling, like baby horses do. And then he lied to me about his behaviour.”

In the FRC report of the hearing, it states that the day after the incident, a groom noticed that DJ was showing some unusual behaviour. When she checked him, she found a swelling about 10cm in diameter.

The owner messaged Paul and told him she did not want him to shoe for her any more. They spoke on 5 April; he “apologised and said his conduct had been in the heat of the moment”, the report states, adding that he agreed to cover vet fees arising from his conduct.

The vet who examined DJ found “no clinical effect of the hammer”.

The FRC report includes Paul’s initial comments on the complaint: “…I am ashamed to say that I did hit DJ with my hammer, it was a spur of the moment out-of-character error of judgement”. He admitted hitting DJ with a hammer constituted unnecessary force.

Paul’s representative at the hearing accepted on his behalf that his behaviour amounted to serious misconduct in a professional respect.

The committee considered there was “recklessness” and an “element of premeditation, in that there was a brief time in which the committee considered that the respondent would have had the opportunity to walk away but instead held DJ’s head and struck him with a hammer”.

The panel considered in mitigation that it was a “single and isolated incident”. It was noted that he had submitted 12 “impressive” references from clients, who were all aware of the FRC proceedings, that he had a “previously unblemished career of some 38 years as a farrier”, and that he had been open and frank and at no time had tried to minimise his conduct.

He had also taken steps to reduce the risk of repetition, including having a second person there if a horse was being “awkward”, and the committee considered him sincere and genuinely remorseful and ashamed.

The committee suspended Paul for six months, during which time, under the Farriers Registration Act, he may not perform “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”.

“But he can still trim, as that’s not regulated by the FRC, as long as it’s not trimming in preparation for shoes,” his owner said. “And there are no recommendations; if I discipline in HR, I provide recommendations so in this case it might be to seek some continuing professional development in this area but there’s nothing.

“DJ was fine but if it had been my other horse, it would have been a different story.”

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‘It lights up their day’: farrier Father Christmas and Shetland ‘reindeer’ delight children with hospital visit

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 19:21:42 +0000

Children in hospital were “mesmerised” by a visit from a farrier Father Christmas and a miniature “reindeer”.

Sam Dracott aka the big man joined Sarah Woodland of Dinky Ponies with mini Shetland Tinkerbell, sporting reindeer antlers, on the children’s ward at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

Sam, who has over six million followers on social media and usually stars in shoeing and trimming videos, said: “It was a total honour to be able to make so many unwell children smile on this special morning. When we came up with the idea we weren’t sure we would be allowed to do it, but then we met Sarah and the team, the stars aligned.

“I’ve never dressed up as Santa before, but seeing the look on the children’s faces has given me a new love for all things Father Christmas. I would love to do it all again.”

Sarah was on hand throughout to ensure Tinkerbell was happy; Dinky Ponies is “dedicated to supporting mental health and wellness through the healing power of horses, visiting the elderly, children, and adults with physical, mental and learning difficulties, or those just in need of some extra happiness and positivity”.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“We are incredibly busy with visits, but we absolutely adore being able to bring joy to the children at Great Western Hospital,” Sarah said. “You can see how much it lights up their day and it makes all the hours of hard work looking after the ponies worthwhile.

“It’s a huge lifestyle commitment and both myself and Darcey (James) spend the majority of our time visiting as many people as we can. We are hoping to find some additional support in the future so we can visit more people in need.”

The Great Western Hospitals NHS Trust voluntary services organise visits as part of a “pets as therapy” scheme.

Voluntary services manager Vickie Hayes said: “The positivity they bring can be seen in almost every single interaction the animals have with our patients and our staff. We are very proud to have volunteers who wish to give their time to making a real difference to those who are most often in their lowest moments.

“Having Sarah bring her ponies to see us is always a privilege and we were especially thrilled to have Santa come along for this festive visit!”

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New trophy created with shoe belonging to The late Queen’s much-loved pony Emma

Becky Murray — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 20:32:59 +0000

A new trophy featuring a shoe belonging to Fell mare Carltonlima Emma, the beloved pony ridden by the late Queen Elizabeth, was presented at British Champions Day (19 October).

North Yorkshire cabinet maker Sam Hewitt crafted the Emma trophy for the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) best shod horse of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot racecourse. The trophy includes one of Emma’s shoes that has been “left as worn, but lacquered” – with a base turned from a piece of Yorkshire wood.

Emma, who was a successful show pony, was The late Queen’s companion for the last 13 years of her life. She touched the hearts of the nation when she was pictured standing on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle, with Her Majesty’s headscarf folded over the saddle, as the funeral cortege arrived.

On British Champions Day the WCF and Princess Anne presented the Emma trophy to Jason Gajczak, farrier to Ice Max, trained by Karl Burke and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.

“To win the WCF best shod horse on Champions Day at Ascot is amazing and to receive the Emma trophy for the first time has topped off a truly amazing season for me,” said Jason.

“I’m very lucky to shoe some of the best horses in the country for one of the best Flat trainers in which he puts his trust in me. I am only a small part of a big team.”

WCF liveryman Trevor Clarke, who came up with the idea with Major General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter, said he was “deeply grateful” to Ascot for allowing the company to hold the best shod competition for the first time at a Flat race meeting.

“The judge, Robin May AWCF, was highly complimentary about the outstanding standard of shoeing. The Emma trophy serves as a wonderful tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her enduring commitment to the welfare of the horse, which lies at the very heart of the WCF’s mission and history,” he said.

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‘Wholly inappropriate’: High Court dismisses appeal of farrier who punched and kicked pony

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 18:51:41 +0000

A decision to remove a farrier who punched and kicked a horse from the professional register has been upheld in the High Court.

Andrew Bagnall had appealed the decision of the Farriers Registration Committee (FRC) disciplinary committee, that his behaviour had amounted to serious professional misconduct and that he should be struck off, but Mr Justice Eyre dismissed it on 17 July.

The disciplinary committee had heard a complaint against Mr Bagnall last October, regarding the incident in October 2022. Mr Bagnall had been at the home of Mr and Mrs Davies, trimming the feet of their 13-year-old daughter Sophie’s pony Shakira.

Sophie and her mother were there when Shakira bit Mr Bagnall’s head. It was alleged that Mr Bagnall punched the pony, then “followed that with a further attack in which he kicked the pony several times and punched her again”. The farrier denied punching or kicking the pony, saying that other than the trimming, his only physical contact with Shakira had been as he lifted his elbow to protect himself when she bit him.

The FRC committee found the first allegation of punching was not established but the second, the kicking and punching, had happened, and that this was serious misconduct for which the appropriate sanction was removal from the register. Mr Bagnall appealed the finding of misconduct and the sanction, but Justice Eyre found that “there is no substance in the grounds whether considered separately or cumulatively and the appeal is to be dismissed”.

Mr Bagnall had told the FRC committee that the pain when he was bitten was “excruciating”, and that he had “instinctively responded” by raising his arm, which caught the pony on the jaw. He denied punching or kicking Shakira.

But the committee thought it “highly improbable” that Mrs Davies and her daughter would “collude to produce an entirely false account of the respondent kicking the pony several times and then punching the pony”.

The panel also noted that Mrs Davies called a vet “almost immediately” after the incident, to say the pony had been punched and kicked, and a vet stated that the owner was concerned about possible trauma to the pony’s belly. It was also agreed that Mr Bagnall had left the yard without seeking payment for any of the work he had done, which the committee found “indicates acceptance on his part that things had gone wrong during this appointment”.

The committee took into account the fact the incident came after Mr Bagnall had been bitten, which “triggered a wholly unjustifiable but impulsive reaction”, and accepted that he had shown insight in accepting the finding of serious misconduct “without further argument”. They noted he was “clearly a highly skilled farrier”, respected by clients and other professionals. But they found the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigation.

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‘What we’re there for’: firefighting farrier saves elderly dog in house fire

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 19:21:53 +0000

A firefighting farrier who saved an elderly dog after her home caught alight said it is outcomes like this that “make it all worthwhile”.

As if the life of a farrier were not hard enough work, Shropshire-based Jamie is also a retained firefighter for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, and was called to a fire in a bungalow in Oswestry last Tuesday (9 July).

“There was a fire in the property, which Pebbles, the poor dog was in,” Jamie told H&H.

“There was no one in; when the owner got home, he found his house on fire.”

Jamie said the 80-year-old owner managed to call 15-year-old Pebbles out of the bungalow but she ran to hide at the back of the house.

“She had been inside for about 20 minutes, bless her,” he said. “We were second pump and were helping with the fire when we came across Pebbles, who was suffering from shock and very scared. We started giving her oxygen, which we carry with us, and I’m glad she recovered pretty quickly.”

Jamie said Pebbles went to the vet to be checked but she is understood to be doing well, as is her owner.

“His wife appeared; they were so relieved and happy that she wasn’t seriously injured,” he said. “It was a good result; what we’re there for.”

Jamie said Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is “very proactive” when it comes to animal rescue; hence the specialised mask that was used for Pebbles.

“All the brigades carry them, so when you need one, you’ve got it,” he said. “When you get results like this, it makes it all worthwhile.”

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6 common hoof problems to keep an eye out for

Alex Robinson — Fri, 31 May 2024 07:00:24 +0000

They can’t tell us when they feel under the weather so it’s our job to make sure we’re constantly monitoring our horses to spot any underlying health issues. And there are a few common hoof problems for which horse owners can be on the alert at all times.

Farrier Ben Benson AWCF describes six common hoof problems to look out for next time you are cleaning horses’ hooves…

1. Bruising

Bruising is caused by direct trauma to the foot — for example, when a horse has kicked the stable door or wall. Bruises can also occur when one foot has struck into the other in the field or during work, or when a foot hits a pole.

How to spot: Look out for any unexplained lameness. Bruising will show more clearly on white hooves than black because of the pigmentation. Black feet do bruise as often and as much as white feet, but it is just more difficult to spot.

It may be that your horse is at the end of his shoeing cycle and his feet have grown out of balance. Shortening the time between farriery visits may help resolve the issue. A shorter shoeing cycle also means the feet are less out of balance, so there will be less uneven pressure on the hoof wall.

2. Thrush

Thrush is an infection which turns healthy frog into a necrotic, infected, black, slimy horn – the bacteria rots the frog as it’s the softest and most flexible horn on the horse’s foot. If the feet are not picked out thoroughly, bacteria will begin to impregnate the horn and start to break it down, creating a microclimate of warm, soft, wet horn.

How to spot: The most obvious sign of thrush is a black, foul-smelling discharge from the frog, which itself may have softer spots and appear irregular in shape. Horses with thrush often show no signs of lameness, despite the offensive smell and discharge.

The feet must be cleaned thoroughly to get rid of it completely. Cleaning the stable and disinfecting the floor and bedding is a must, and bare rubber mats should be avoided. If your horse is on straw, shavings on the floor under the bedding will help absorb the urine. Remove all droppings from the bed as often as possible and pick out the feet a few times a day. Scrub the frog with warm water and chlorhexidine (brand name Hibiscrub), then apply an antimicrobial spray. Dry for 10 minutes then apply hoof oil over the top – this helps seal the treatment and provide a waterproof barrier against anything infected the horse may stand in between treatments.

3. Sheared heels

Sheared heels are a structural breakdown between the heel bulbs that causes deep cracks in the frog’s central groove. They often result from bad cases of thrush, but can also cause such cases – sheared heels make it nearly impossible to pick the frog out properly. Sheared heels are primarily found in horses with conformational deformities, or in those whose feet have become unbalanced.

How to spot: They are incredibly painful, so lameness is expected. It can be much worse when the horse is walking or working on soft surfaces, as they tend to ball up in the feet and put direct pressure on the affected area.

Foot balance is key to managing sheared heels, and good stable management is key to treating the secondary problem of infection. If the horse is lame and uncomfortable, take your vet’s advice on pain management. Ensure your farrier or foot trimmer is aware of the issue and amends their work accordingly.

4. Rings on the hoof wall

Rings have many causes including; changes in environment where the growth of the horn slows down or speeds up, markings where the foot experiences a direct trauma leaving a mark in the horn, or concussion where one-off accidents or random footing placements cause the hoof wall to thicken.

How to spot: The rings on feet are quite often referred to as growth rings and can be seen on the hoof wall. They become visible only some time after the event which caused them, and are often superficial and will be dressed off when the feet are trimmed or shod.

If a horse is not trimmed or shod regularly then they can be more prominent. With oblique or diagonal ridges it is always worth looking to a farrier or trimmer to make sure that the foot balance is as optimal as possible.

5. Seedy Toe

Also known as white line disease, seedy toe makes the wall and white line of the hoof crumbling and “cheesy” in texture. Very wet or very dry conditions will exacerbate seedy toe, as will too long a gap between farrier visits or if the walls are allowed to grow over the shoe.

How to spot: The hoof wall will peel away or, sometimes,  a cavity within the hoof wall will be visible.

Seedy toe is a combination of a bacterial and fungal infection; most remedies treat one or the other. Preventative measures include regular trimming to maintain foot balance and shorter trimming or shoeing cycles to reduce torque from uneven landing and loading on the shoes. Topical treatments are the mainstay of the remedies, consult your vet.

6. Cracks

Foot imbalance or overgrown feet are the main reason for cracks appearing on feet.

How to spot: Daily checks on your horse’s feet will allow you to see if a split or crack has appeared. Your vet can confirm if it is superficial or something more serious.

Make sure that feet are kept in balance and toes are not left too long. Large cracks or those that appear at the coronary band must be treated as serious. Horizontal cracks generally result from a trauma or an old infection that has blown out the coronary band. Cracks should be kept clean, and it is a good precaution to apply an antibacterial topical treatment to the split to reduce the chance of infection.

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Relief for apprentice farriers as delayed exams get the go-ahead

Becky Murray — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:33:48 +0000

The delayed farrier apprenticeship exams have been given the green light as a new assessment organisation is approved.

VetSkill has been approved by the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) and Ofqual to deliver the end-point assessments, after the FRC withdrew its approval of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF). In October H&H reported that the FRC had “lost confidence in WCF’s ability to deliver the end-point assessment (EPA) with the appropriate level of assurance”. At the time, a WCF spokesman said the company was “disappointed” but “working hard to rectify the situation”.

This meant that the exams originally scheduled for 17 November and 20-24 November could not go ahead, while Ofqual, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical (IfATE), and the FRC found a new EPA provider.

In a statement yesterday (13 December) a VetSkill spokesman said the organisation was “proud to announce” it had approval.

“The first round of EPAs will take place at Myerscough College and Warwickshire College in mid-January with Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College following shortly after,” read the statement.

VetSkill director of operations Sam Double said assessors and venues have been confirmed and bookings are being taken for the EPA.

“The VetSkill team have worked tirelessly to be approved for the level three farrier apprenticeship standard, in record time. This could not have been achieved without the support of the FRC and the WCF for which we are very grateful. We would also like to thank the three training providers and the assessor team for working closely with us to achieve this,” he said.

Ben Benson AWCF, president of the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, told H&H the association was “really saddened” that the WCF lost its end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) status.

“We’re really grateful for VetSkill coming in with the support of the WCF, so that we can see this cohort of apprentices finish their apprenticeships and gain their qualification and access to the farriery register,” he said.

“We’re confident that the EPA will be the same high standard that we all expect from farrier qualifications in the UK. The farriery industry worldwide wants to see the WCF back as the EPAO for the apprenticeship and we would all like to support the WCF in their reapplication to be that.”

IfATE deputy director Joanna Moonan told H&H the organisation is “delighted” VetSkill has been approved.

“It’s really good news as apprentices will now be able to complete their assessments and progress to the next stage of their careers in farriery,” she said.

The WCF spokesman told H&H the company had no comment.

Update 19 December 2023:

In a statement issued on 18 December 2023 a WCF spokesman said the company “wish all the candidates well” in the January exams.

“The WCF intend to grant the post-nominal DipWCF to successful candidates who

will undertake their EPA exams being delivered by VetSkill in January 2024,” it read.

“Once the WCF has addressed all the FRC concerns, the WCF will be reapplying for approval in the first part of 2024. We wish to thank all registered farriers in the UK for their overwhelming support in our quest to continue running farriery examinations in the UK.”

Wet, muddy legs — and more of your farrier’s pet hates

Amanda Vlietstra — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 16:30:10 +0000

Ever wondered why your farrier is a bit, well, grumpy? The following things could have something to do with it...

1. You’re late for your appointment

Farriers have a busy schedule and someone not turning up on time throws it all out. Anyway, being late is just rude and disrespectful. Don’t do it. If you can’t make the appointment and have asked someone at your yard to hold your horse for you while he’s shod, make sure they know what time they’re needed.

2. Your horse is still in the field

See above. If the horse isn’t actually ready to be shod, it’s no different to you being late.

3. Your horse is filthy

OK, so a lot of horses live out, and yes, there’s a strong tendency towards rain and mud in the UK at this time of year. So make sure you get to the yard well ahead of your appointment so you have time to clean your horse’s hooves – brush off your horse’s legs, pick out his feet and wipe them clean with a dry towel. You wouldn’t go to the dentist without cleaning your teeth first, would you? This is no different.

4. Your horse has got wet legs

You may have thought washing the mud off your horse’s legs or giving him a proper bath before shoeing was a good idea — but farrier’s rasps are designed to work on dry feet, and wet hooves can blunt them, plus wet hooves retain moisture so the shoeing isn’t as accurate. And farriers don’t want to have to go to their next client with wet trousers! Again, the soggy British weather has a lot to answer for, but if you’re able to give your farrier a dry horse and a dry flat area to work with, you’ll be well on your way to becoming their favourite client.

5. You’ve read some articles about horse’s hooves

Maybe you’ve read something suggesting all horses are better off barefoot… or you’re convinced your horse needs remedial shoeing. Good luck with convincing your farrier that any of this is necessary, unless the advice is coming from your vet. Farrier train for years to get their qualifications, so they should be able to recommend what’s best for your horse’s feet.

6. You’ve completely ignored the helpful advice you were given at your last appointment

Your farrier thinks it would be better for your horse’s hooves if your horse came in at night instead of living out full-time. You think that’s a great idea — only what with family and work commitments, you wouldn’t actually have time to ride if you did that. So the horse stays out, and your farrier gets grumpier. Smile a lot, offer to make him/her cups of tea, and explain the problem – you might be able to find a compromise that works for you and helps your horse.

7. Your horse has just kicked him or trod on his/her foot

The first time your horse does this, most farriers will probably groan a bit and then get on with their job, while you apologise profusely. But if it happens repeatedly, then it’s time for you as the owner to work on your horse’s manners and/or confidence as appropriate. It’s not the farrier’s job to train your horse to stand politely to be worked on. And if your horse won’t do so, then you may well find yourself looking for a new farrier…

Is farriery a craft or a profession? It’s time to make your mind up!

Robbie C Richardson RSS WCF — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 12:28:15 +0000

Robbie C Richardson RSS WCF qualified as a farrier in 1975 and has been working in the industry ever since. In 1987 he opened Greatcombe Equine Clinic, a facility dedicated to referral hoof care, and since 2008 he has focussed solely on barefoot trimming

The 1975 (amended 1977) Farrier’s Registration Act has been in force now for nigh on 48 years, the idea of the act being to create a register of farriers, who had passed a qualification satisfying the relevant governing body that the applicant was a right and proper person to pursue the craft of farriery.

Was it meant to improve the farriery?

Probably, but the way act is worded, it didn’t have to, it solely exists to create a closed shop for farriers within the UK.

Has it helped farriers?

Well yes, in as much as for the past 48 years it has been illegal for anyone other than a registered farrier to permanently attach a shoe to an equine hoof in the UK.

Has it benefited the horse?

In my opinion, not in the slightest. Any standards that have improved are because of changing circumstances – in the case of hoof care management, it is the advancement in the quality of the ready-made shoe, the availability of composites for all sorts of ailments, along with education that is external to the colleges and tradition and is studied solely on a voluntary basis of the individual farrier.

To register as a farrier, you need to pass an exam which was historically set by the Worshipful Company of Farriers, but once you have done so the standard of professionalism is set by the individual farrier, although the Farriers’ Registration Council does require some evidence of continued professional development.

Does the 1975/77 act work?

Well, for the farrier it does, even though some registered farriers complain that they must pay for the pleasure of being among the only people allowed to shoe horses in the UK.

Which organisations are involved?

To understand the bigger picture, you need to know there are three main bodies involved in running farriery in the UK, with a further organisation set to join early next year. These are:

The Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF)

Whose job it was, until recently, to oversee the education and basic examination of farriers coming into the profession, plus offer further qualifications to obtain so called higher grades leading to the ability to take on apprentices or become a “fellow” of the WCF, thus reaching the top of this organisation. The WCF has recently had to hand over their examinations remit to another body, VetSkill, who is expected to be overseeing exams from 2024.

The Farriers’ Registration Council (FRC)

Their job is to enact the registration law. To make sure that each farrier is qualified enough to be put on the register and therefore a fit and proper person to perform the act of farriery, plus the overseeing of disciplinary and admin issues within the registered farriery body.

The British Farriers and Blacksmith Association (BFBA)

This association runs events, and in my view, is the facilitator of the profession, encouraging farriers to get together for trade and education reasons, the Farriers Focus industry trade fair being an example.

Is it time for a change?

For the benefit of the horse, I believe if the act is to stay in its present form, then yes, some things need to change to embrace the next 50 years of my profession.

The WCF in its present form is no longer fit for purpose. This is not their fault, the whole concept from the beginning was for the WCF to represent and uphold the tradition of the craft, including the education system.

The very competent people within the WCF that were put in charge of preserving the craft of farriery and maintaining its history must be commended for their work, but now they have lost their remit to oversee the exams, this could be an opportunity for the organisation to regroup. Either they can continue to focus solely on maintaining farriery as a craft, or they need to re-think their purpose and bring the WCF up to date to support young farriers coming into the profession by exposing them to new methods, materials, and teachings in order to produce well-informed, rounded professionals that will benefit horses and owners and hopefully go on to train more farriers in their wake.

Article continues below…

Who are considered the best farriers?

Here lies one of the biggest problems within farriery. Those who win or judge farriery competitions are often deemed by fellow farriers and owners alike to be of a high standard. The standard of shoemaking may be high, but the structure of the competition cannot relate to the needs of a live horse that is being used as a model.

Farriery is part of the Animal Welfare Act, thus “the wellbeing of the animal is paramount” – not something to be used in a competition, but something to be studied, assessed, and treated with the right materials in a caring and thoughtful way.

The best farrier practicing at present could be out there gluing on shoes, using fiber wraps, fitting boots, attaching composite shoes, using a barefoot management system – hell, they might not even own an anvil! However, they will not be thought of as a farrier because they are not making, fitting, and nailing on steel open heeled shoes, something that at present is the only way to judge ‘“who is best”.

Please remember the stone-age didn’t end because we ran out of stones, it was because we found better materials and moved on!

So, what’s next?

An up-to-date knowledge of farriery is now needed in our colleges and exams, as is being provided by some external courses that are currently on offer to farriers and students. The farriery educators of the future should be gathered not only from within the profession, but also from its connected skills.

When dentists formed their registration, they realised that through encouraging organisations and companies on the peripheral of their profession to have an input to their education system, the standard of dentistry improved.

My education, past and present, has as much to do with the development of composite materials as it has with the depth of knowledge and research done by others into the effects of boot fitting, barefoot management, composite shoes, glue-on shoes, wraps, the effects of nutrition on the hooves, management conditions for healthy hoof structure – in-fact, lots of subjects outside the present farriery education system.

How do we improve?

I believe a student should attend a college of excellence for two years before being placed with an approved training farrier (ATF) – this way both the student and the ATF gain, and new products and ideas are tested and approved by the profession.

For this to happen, farriery would have to do a total re-think about how they deal with the massive problem they are experiencing, namely that of producing farriers who are finding it hard to accept and understand the new innovations that are increasingly demanded of our profession by vets and owners.

Am I scared for the future of the farriery profession?

Sort-of, because the present bodies who oversee the future of farriery appear unwilling to embrace the eclectic knowledge that is available, unless issued with the threat of other bodies taking charge. That is not a healthy way for even a craft to proceed.

If every farrier on the register decided to use any other method but the permanent attachment of a shoe (and it is still not quite clear as to the full legal meaning of this phrase), they could chose to no longer register, and from the chaos that would ensue, horses and owners may well find that like the phoenix, some horses will rise from the ashes with better hoof care providers than they have at present.

I have had the pleasure of speaking to a great number of farriers, vets, trimmers, boot fitters and owners, and my conclusion is that if things stay the same: a, farriers will be more disheartened and feel they have little or nothing in common with their controlling body; b, vets will be turning to other professionals for help with hoof problems; c, trimmers and boot fitters already say they are picking up work that farriers could, and in some cases, should be doing; and d: owners are worried that they are the ones having to make decisions that are out of their comfort zone, and should be made by a professional.

I repeat farriers come under the Animal Welfare Act. It’s time to create a modern profession that is up to the task of caring for horses’ welfare. It’s time to look forward to a profession, rather than looking backwards at what is a noble, but dated craft.

To learn more about Robbie C Richardson’s work visit Rockfoot.com

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Wait continues for apprentice farriers due to sit exams

Becky Murray — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:23:21 +0000

The postponed farrier apprentice exams are expected to take place in January under a new provider.

H&H reported that the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) had withdrawn its approval of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF), as it had “lost confidence in WCF’s ability to deliver the end point assessment (EPA) with the appropriate level of assurance” (news, 12 October).

At the time, a WCF spokesman said the company was “disappointed” but “working hard to rectify the situation”.

The next EPAs were scheduled for 17 November and 20–24 November – but these did not go ahead. On 15 November, qualification and EPA provider VetSkill, via the FRC website, announced that the provisional date for the EPA for the current cohort of apprentices is moved to the period 15–26 January 2024.

VetSkill is still to receive official approval from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), Ofqual and the FRC to hold the EPAs.

A WCF spokesman said the company’s examination board “stands ready to support the holding of the EPA in January” and will continue to give access to its examiner pool, question bank and IT systems “as far as it is able”.

“The WCF appreciates that candidates are concerned as to whether they will still be awarded the diploma of the WCF (DipWCF) on successful completion of the EPA.

We assure candidates that as long as the examination board is satisfied that the new provider meets the standards expected by the WCF, then they will receive their diplomas upon passing the EPA.”

An IfATE spokesman confirmed to H&H that an established organisation has applied to Ofqual and the FRC to provide the EPA for the farrier apprenticeship, and that the November EPAs will be moved to early 2024.

“We are continuing to work with key stakeholders to resume industry-standard EPA as quickly as possible and support all learners to complete their apprenticeships,” said the spokesman.

An FRC spokesman told H&H the FRC had no comment to make at this point.

Farriers’ shock as organisations’ dispute leaves exams in limbo

Becky Murray — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:09:09 +0000

Apprentice farriers due to take their final exam next month are facing uncertainty after the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) withdrew its approval of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF).

On 5 October, the FRC announced that in accordance with its statutory powers as the national regulator for farriery, it had withdrawn its approval previously granted to the WFC – stating that it had “lost confidence in WCF’s ability to deliver the end point assessment (EPA) with the appropriate level of assurance”.

Apprentices must sit the EPA to complete their WCF diploma, known as DipWCF, following which they can apply to the FRC register. Farriers must be on the FRC register to legally shoe horses in the UK.

The FRC said the withdrawal was because the WCF’s IT system used for planning and its delivery of qualifications, examinations and assessment “is not supported and its functionality cannot be guaranteed”.

“This places at risk candidates being able to access the EPA on an assured basis, complete their apprenticeship and seek registration,” said an FRC spokesman, who added that it also affects potential approved training farriers (ATFs) being able to access the associate of WCF exam, known as AWCF.

The FRC added that the WCF “failed to give proper notice” to the regulator for qualifications, Ofqual, and to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) in respect of these matters. It added that the WCF had “not fully resolved matters” outstanding from its last approval visit in November 2021 regarding health and safety at examinations, reasonable adjustments for those with special education needs at assessments and access to information for candidates.

“Withdrawal of approval was necessary to safeguard the interests of learners and training providers, and to maintain public confidence. Any qualification awarded outwith the approval of the FRC may not be accepted by the council for the purpose of securing entry to the register of farriers or becoming an ATF.”

The next EPA was scheduled for 17 November (written paper) and 20–24 November (practical exam). The FRC said it is engaged with relevant stakeholders, including Ofqual and IfATE in seeking the “best possible outcomes” for those affected, and an FRC spokesman told H&H the ongoing delivery of EPAs is being considered by Ofqual and IfATE, which will issue guidance “as soon as they are able”.

A spokesman for WCF said the company is “disappointed” at the FRC’s statement and is “working hard to rectify the situation”.

“The company recognises the impact this will have on farriery students, ATFs and the colleges delivering apprenticeship training and every effort will be made to mitigate these impacts,” he said.

“WCF remains committed to the welfare of the horse and its duty of promoting, encouraging and advancing the art and science of farriery and education as it has done over the centuries.”

A WFC spokesman confirmed to H&H that a meeting is taking place tonight (9 October), and a further statement will be released in due course.

An Ofqual spokesman told H&H it is aware of this matter and “in touch with relevant parties to find a resolution”, and an IfATE spokesman added that the institute is “putting in place special measures to make sure every apprentice is able to complete their EPA to industry standards”.

A spokesman for the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, which represents and supports farriers, said the association understands “the shock and concern farriers are now feeling”.

“The welfare of apprentices and ATFs is first and foremost our priority. We are aware some of our apprentice members are close to their EPA and any delay of this will obviously cause enormous stress,” he said.

“As the voice of the working farrier, this is something that resonates deeply with all of us and we encourage anyone impacted to reach out to us. We urge all parties to resolve this matter at pace and offer our support in finding a solution for a swift resolution.”

What do you think about the FRC announcement? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to be included in the magazine

Concerns shortage of farriers in certain regions will hit horse welfare

Becky Murray — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:29:52 +0000

Welfare concerns continue in Scotland as registered farrier numbers decline – and Government funding for farrier apprenticeships remains off the cards.

Since 2017 Scottish apprentice farriers have had to pay their own fees to attend college, and in 2021 the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) told H&H many potential apprentices could not afford the training, leading to worries that there would be a lack of new farriers coming in (news, 27 May).

Farriers and horse owners in Scotland have told H&H this is the case; there is a shortage of practitioners.

Morayshire-based farrier Cliff Barnes told H&H there is “a need for more farriers in Scotland as a whole”, but particularly above the central belt.

“Local farriers are doing their best to cover the work and are working closely with trimmers to provide as much coverage as possible, while also encouraging farriers from the rest of the UK to consider moving to the areas most at risk from potential welfare issues,” he said.

“The biggest problem is that training of new farriers is restricted by the Scottish Government’s refusal to fund Scottish farrier apprentices.”

An FRC spokesman told H&H there are 2,743 registered farriers in Great Britain, of which 168 are in Scotland. FRC records show a decrease of 36 in Scotland between 2020 and 2022, which “would appear to substantiate concerns and observations raised by horse owners in Scotland”.

“The FRC is aware that owners in Scotland are experiencing difficulties accessing farriery services with lack of practitioners suggested as the reason. This raises significant concerns in respect of welfare and the delivery of equine hoof care in particular.”

In 2021 Horsescotland published its 2021–2025 manifesto, which included farrier issues, and the organisation was looking into re-establishing a full- or part-time farriery training school in the country.

A Horsescotland spokesman told H&H last week that the organisation, along with British Horse Society Scotland and World Horse Welfare, have been “moving forward” in the need to address the shortage of apprentice farriers, and have met with the Scottish Government, Scotland’s Rural College, and Lantra about farriers being added to the Scottish shortage occupation list.

“The next step is an industry survey on farriery supply and succession planning,” said the spokesman.

A Scottish Government spokesman told H&H that “given the fresh concerns being expressed” the government will “renew efforts to reinstate the previous reciprocal agreement on funding for farrier training with the department for education [DfE] in England.”

The DfE told H&H it is responsible for apprenticeships in England, its Scottish counterpart for them in Scotland; apprenticeships policy is devolved.

Farrier who hit horse with hammer in ‘barbaric attack’ loses appeal against animal ban

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:13:14 +0000

A farrier who hit a horse nine times with a hammer in a “barbaric attack” has lost his appeal against his sentence.

H&H reported in March that Scott Manson, 34, had been sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court, having pleaded guilty to animal cruelty. Manson, of Whitecross Cottages, Bridstow, Ross on Wye, was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence and a 10-year animal ban, including working with animals.

He appealed his sentence, specifically the all-animal disqualification, and this was dismissed by Gloucester Crown Court on August 18.

The crown court heard details of the incident that Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court had heard in March; that on 1 April 2022, Manson lost his temper while shoeing a client’s horse, Buddy, and hit him repeatedly with his hammer. Manson hit the horse, who was tied up, nine times in an attack lasting six and a half minutes.

At the time, an RSPCA spokesman said Manson initially claimed the horse had broken his hammer in a message sent to the owner, who checked the yard CCTV.

“The footage showed Manson adopting an aggressive stance, and striking out with his hammer in his hand at the horse’s front legs,” said the spokesman.

“Upon checking the horse, the owner could see his right front leg was bigger than usual and there were various marks on both front legs and around the shin area. The hair had also been taken off and the shin exposed.”

“[Manson] repeatedly beat the horse around the forelimbs where there is very little in the way of soft tissue covering and as such the blows were almost directly to the bone,” she said. “This would have been incredibly painful for the horse and the farrier is very fortunate not to have caused fractures of any of the limbs.

“The horse was hit nine times viciously in a six-and-a-half-minute video attack which left it with soft tissue swellings and cuts to the limbs. The attack was unprovoked, unacceptable and completely unnecessary and has caused this horse to suffer from both physical and psychological harm.”

Ms Meyer added: “At no point was the farrier trying to teach the horse to stand still, pick its feet up or any other action. The actions were simply to beat the horse out of anger, a short temper, or frustration.

“Whatever the reason, the actions were so barbaric and cruel that the farrier broke the head off a hammer on to the sensitive areas of the front limbs of the horse.”

In mitigation it was said Manson was remorseful, and that he was stressed and visiting his dying mother in Scotland twice a week at the time.

The court also heard that Manson had once thrown a dog out of a car window; the dog fractured its pelvis and had to be put down, which Manson described as an “unfortunate accident”. And he was convicted of harassing his former partner in 2019 and sentenced to a 24-week prison term, suspended for 24 months.

The ban was upheld and Manson was ordered to pay an additional £300 costs.

Horse owners reminded of the ‘bizarre’ lack of regulation of barefoot trimmers

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:42:17 +0000

Riders and owners considering taking their horses’ shoes off are reminded that barefoot trimmers are not regulated in the way farriers are – and that only the latter are legally able to put shoes back on if needed.

Should a farrier’s care fall short, the Farriers Registration Council can step in and hold him or her accountable, as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons can for vets, but there is no such provision for trimmers. There are trimming courses and qualifications on offer, including the Lantra awards level 5 diploma in equine podiatry offered by the Equine Podiatry Association, but they are not required by law.

Master farrier Ben Benson, who has worked with the World Class Programme and at championships and is president of the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, told H&H: “This is definitely something that needs to be said.

“It’s absolutely fine to take your horse barefoot, but you need to make sure you’ve got the right people around you, and that’s where farriers come in as we’re regulated and quality assured, and importantly for the horse owner, we are legally required to be fully insured. If we do something wrong, we’re answerable in a court of law.

“There are some very good barefoot trimmers, but they’re not regulated. Anyone could take a rasp and pair of nips and do it.”

Mr Benson said some farriers may not be the best at communicating, but that they will have had thousands of hours of mentored training over years, and been examined by RCVS members and expert farriers, whereas the hours and exams needed for barefoot qualifications are “varied”.

“Farrier have been trimming horses’ feet for thousands of years,” he said.

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) chief executive David Mountford told H&H BEVA agrees with Mr Benson’s points.

“From an animal health and welfare perspective, it is bizarre that anyone is allowed to trim a horse’s foot, but only a trained, registered and regulated farrier is allowed to do so if, after the trimming, a shoe is put on!” he said.

“Owners should remember that farriers regularly trim the feet of unshod young horses, those out of work, and those for whom going unshod is both desired by the owner and not detrimental. Therefore, the farrier will usually be the best person to help if an owner is thinking about keeping their horse without shoes.”

Mr Mountford added that if a profession is regulated, it means every practitioner has had to demonstrate a high standard of skills and knowledge, and must be up to date with continuing education, and that there is a system to hold them accountable for their actions.

“Unregulated individuals, including barefoot trimmers, are not bound by any of these requirements,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that every barefoot trimmer is dangerous, some are very able, but owners should be aware of what protection they have when paying someone to trim their horse’s feet.”

BEVA’s veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve, agreed, adding that some ponies and horses are fine without shoes.

“But they still require a skilled, trained and regulated professional, who is insured and can be held accountable should they perform work which is substandard and risks the horse’s health and welfare,” she told H&H.

“Maintaining an unshod foot is just as complex and demanding, sometimes more so, for both farrier and owner. Because here in the UK, and elsewhere, we keep horses in a very different environment to that which they originally evolved in, we cannot and should not expect their feet to maintain themselves. Each horse is different, [as is their] hoof shape, growth and horn quality.

“Determining whether a horse needs shoes or not should be a decision made with the relevant trained professionals, farrier, vet and sometimes nutritionist, with the owner, and this should be reviewed annually if not more often, to make sure permanent damage isn’t done due to lack of communication of those previously mentioned factors. By all means have the conversation, but listen to trained and experienced professionals, monitor carefully and be willing to change your approach if needed.”

The Equine Podiatry Association does provide self-regulation of those practitioners who are full members and hold their Diploma in Equine Podiatry, which is an Ofqual-accredited level 5 qualification. Full members must do a minimum of 40 hours of continuing professional development each year, provide evidence they are appropriately insured for public liability and professional indemnity, and follow the organisation’s code of conduct. Complaints against members are investigated and, if upheld, sanctions can be imposed including removal from the register – though this does not prohibit the individual from practising.

Myth, magic and mystery: 12 interesting facts you might not know about horseshoes

Martha Terry — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 06:02:32 +0000

Horses have been wearing nailed-on shoes for well over around 1,500 years, ample time for this simple lump of metal to amass a wealth of myth, magic and history. Here are 12 interesting facts you may not know about horseshoes. If you’re not the superstitious type, skip to point 7. There’s a whole lot of fortune attached to the humble horseshoe.

1. Most of us recognise a horseshoe as a symbol of luck and protection. It is a superstitious symbol dating back hundreds of years to a blacksmith and his dealings with the devil. Legend has it that the devil asked the blacksmith to put horseshoes on his hooves, so the blacksmith duly burned and nailed them on. However, this caused the devil excruciating pain, enabling the blacksmith to make a pact with him, only removing the shoe on the condition that the devil would never to enter a home with a horseshoe hanging by the door.

2. In medieval times, there was a belief that witches and evil spirits had a fear of horses, especially their iron horseshoes which could withstand fire. Hence they preferred to travel by broomstick than horse. Witches – if not burned – were buried in coffins with a horseshoe nailed on to prevent them from resurrecting.

3. Should you hang your horseshoe up or down? The jury is out on the correct way – in a U-shape, or with the two points facing downwards. Some say the U-shape is correct, as all the luck keeps collecting in the curve, ensuring protection. Others say if you hang it “upside down” the good luck will pour out over you – or maybe drain out. Maybe try one of each?

4. Even the traditional number of holes in a horseshoe is lucky. Shoes tended to have seven holes to hold them in place, a number which is considered lucky in many cultures as it is ubiquitous in our world: seven continents, seven colours in a rainbow, seven days in a week, seven seas, seven dwarves, 007 and so on… Nowadays, however, many farriers use an even amount of nail holes on each side.

5. Modern horseshoes are made from of a range of different materials, from steel to aluminium, or even rubber, plastic horseshoes and copper coated nails. The early shoes were made of iron, which was thought to have mystical powers due to its magnetic properties, abundance within the human body, and ability to withstand fire. More magical luck….

6. If you’re in serious need of change in fortune, the luckiest horseshoe of all is purported to be one from the hindleg of a grey mare.

7. Despite the devil’s painful experience with the blacksmith (see point 1), shoeing does not actually hurt a horse. Horses’ hooves are made from thick layers of keratin, the same protein found in human nails and hair. Shoes are nailed on to the outer layer of the hoof, where there are no nerve endings and therefore it doesn’t hurt – nor does the act of burning on the shoe to ensure the correct fit. You can recognise the smell of the briefly burnt hoof as the same as when you actually catch your hair in a candle flame! However, beneath this insensitive outer shell, the hoof itself is made up of several layers of soft tissue with blood vessels and nerves – so the horse can still feel pain in his hoof due to other causes.

8. Historians debate when the first iron horseshoe was used, and in which culture. In Roman times, horses wore a protective leather and metal sandal – rather like a hoof boot today – and within 600 years or so, farmers began nailing metal shoes on their horses’ feet. There were certainly iron shoes used during the 12th century Crusades, while bronze shoes seem to have been in mainstream use in Europe from around 1000AD. Hot shoeing became popular in Britain and France in the 16th century, and by the early 19th century and the coming Industrial Revolution, shoes were cast by machine on a large scale.

9. The word farrier was originally “ferrour” in Middle English, and has its roots in the Latin word for iron, “ferrum”.

10. Enjoy quoits? Wondering what to do with your horse’s used shoes? There’s an official lawn game called Horseshoes, which is played with either two or four people. The aim is take turns at tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, and trying to either encircle the stake or get as close as you can. There’s an official governing body, the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association, and the sport has a long history, dating from the 12th century. Rather more recently, George W Bush was an avid player.

11. The patron saint of blacksmiths (and vets and horses) is St Eligius. The story goes that Eligius was a goldsmith in sixth-century France before he was a saint. He is said to have been visited by Christ in the form of a traveller with a horse needing shoeing. Somehow, Eligius managed to chop off one hoof – some folklore says the horse was demon-possessed — then made the three-legged creature a golden shoe and the “traveller” miraculously reattached the amputated appendage. Eligius’ saint’s day is 1 December and by tradition, no Catholic farriers will shoe on that day, enjoying a festive party instead and hopefully a few tips from their clients.

12. From Catholic saints to the humble local, horseshoes are an ever-present feature. According to Pubs Galore, there are 100 pubs with the name Three Horseshoes in the UK, which ranks it 43rd in terms of popularity. Fifty-two are named simply Horseshoes, ranking 93rd. The White Horse is the most common equine moniker (eighth), preferred to the Black Horse at 19th. If you’re keen on the shoeing connection, Blacksmiths Arms pips Horseshoes, with 55 pubs bearing that name. Horseshoes were a necessary feature of travelling back in the days when people used public houses as stopovers for their horses, so it’s a fitting name. Why three horseshoes rather than four? The Worshipful Company of Farriers’ coat of arms depicts three horseshoes to illustrate their trade, and dates back to 1356.

Whether you’re superstitious, religious, a history buff or up for a new game to play on your lawn, there’s a lot more to the horseshoe than simply protecting a horse’s hooves.

Farrier broke hammer hitting horse nine times in ‘barbaric’ attack Warning: upsetting footage

Becky Murray — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:18:54 +0000

A farrier who struck a horse nine times with a hammer during a “barbaric, unprovoked and prolonged attack” has been banned from keeping and working with animals for 10 years.

Scott Manson, 34, of Whitecross Cottages, Bridstow, Ross on Wye, was sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on 20 March, having pleaded guilty to animal cruelty at an earlier hearing following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.

The court heard that on 1 April 2022, Manson lost his temper while shoeing a client’s horse and used his hammer to repeatedly strike him. Manson hit the horse, who was tied up, nine times during the “prolonged attack” that lasted six and a half minutes.

An RSPCA spokesman said Manson initially claimed the horse had broken his hammer in a picture message sent to the owner, but wondering why the usually “docile” horse would have reacted in such a way, the owner decided to view the yard CCTV.

“The footage showed Manson adopting an aggressive stance, and striking out with his hammer in his hand at the horse’s front legs,” said the spokesman.

*Warning: upsetting footage below*

“Upon checking the horse, the owner could see his right front leg was bigger than usual and there were various marks on both front legs and around the shin area. The hair had also been taken off and the shin exposed.”

Solicitor Lindi Meyer represented the RSPCA in court and described what the specialist equine vet concluded in a report having viewed the footage.

“[Manson] repeatedly beat the horse around the forelimbs where there is very little in the way of soft tissue covering and as such the blows were almost directly to the bone. This would have been incredibly painful for the horse and the farrier is very fortunate not to have caused fractures of any of the limbs,” she said.

“The horse was hit nine times viciously in a six-and-a-half-minute video attack which left it with soft tissue swellings and cuts to the limbs. The attack was unprovoked, unacceptable and completely unnecessary and has caused this horse to suffer from both physical and psychological harm.”

Ms Meyer added that “the abuse falls far below” what is expected of a human dealing with horses, “let alone a professional farrier who has been entrusted by the owners to take care of the horse”.

“At no point was the farrier trying to teach the horse to stand still, pick its feet up or any other action. The actions were simply to beat the horse out of anger, a short temper, or frustration,” she said.

“Whatever the reason, the actions were so barbaric and cruel that the farrier broke the head off a hammer on to the sensitive areas of the front limbs of the horse.”

The court also heard that following the incident, the horse was reluctant for his owners to touch or brush his legs and when a new farrier came out the gelding was given sedatives from the vet to keep him calm on two occasions. He was also reluctant to go in his stable and was wary of people for a time, but is now “back to normal”.

In mitigation it was said Manson is remorseful, and that he was stressed and was visiting his dying mother in Scotland twice a week at the time.

Manson was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence and a 10-year animal ban, including working with animals, which he cannot appeal for the full 10 years.

He was ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He must pay £400 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

A FRC spokesman told H&H the council is aware of the criminal conviction of Manson.

“The conviction shall be subject to the statutory provisions of the council; it would, therefore, not be appropriate for the council to make any comment at this time.”

Genius! Farrier designs aluminium door to aid horse’s recovery from tumour

Lucy Elder — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 20:28:28 +0000

A horse who had a large keratoma removed from his hoof is on the road to recovery with the help of a genius piece of specialist farriery.

Joey arrived at World Horse Welfare’s Hall Fam in December 2022 with his stablemate Flame and the pair have spent the last few months settling in.

On 19 January, staff at the centre noticed the 17.2hh gelding was showing signs of slight lameness, but was otherwise happy.

They spoke to the team at Vet3, and X-rays showed he had a keratoma towards the inside of his near fore.

“Our vets and farriers spoke to each other and devised a plan,” World Horse Welfare groom Holly Roe told H&H.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

John Blake, of Breckland Farriers, removed the keratoma on 7 February with the vet present and attached a tailor-made aluminium “door” to Joey’s hoof in a remarkable feat of engineering.

John told H&H he was keen to find the safest solution for both the grooms caring for Joey and the horse himself, which would also give the wound the best chance of healing.

“I wanted something to keep the wound clean and that would also be able to apply a bit of pressure, to stop it from growing proud flesh,” he said.

“So it needed something over the hoof that would hold a dressing in place. Normally, I would have a bar shoe on the foot with a plate on the bottom and there would just be a flange going up the side of the hoof wall held on with a couple of bolts.

“But this particular horse is a big horse and I was worried because of where it was in his foot that having that plate on it would be easy for grooms to get in a muddle, for them to get hurt, or the horse to hurt himself as taking the plate on and off would be a bit fiddly.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

He added that he remembered seeing something similar in the distant past, which is where the inspiration came from.

“My sons and I went away and had a think around the idea that if I could put a hinge on and a plate across the front, the grooms could dress the foot while it’s on the floor.”

The grooms need to be able to get iodine solution into the hoof daily and to change the dressing every few days, so the design had to fit those needs.John took measurements and with his team at Breckland created the aluminium device. It has three small screws in the hoof wall on the hinged side, with acrylic over the top to hold that in place. On the other side is a small rectangular plate with the bolt sticking through, which features the fly nut fastening on top.

“At the bottom, we’ve built a lip in, so it’s almost like a 3D design – it goes around the foot and back underneath at the bottom of the foot, to stop the dressing from falling out,” he said.

“Also having that shoe on helps keep the stability of the foot and everything in place.”

He added that it means the grooms can get at the wound to change the dressing when needed, and they can also get iodine into it by using a syringe through the top of the device.

“Hopefully that will stay on for about six weeks and then when he is due for shoeing again, we might have to remove it,” said John.

“Theoretically, I can take it off, clean everything up, adjust it and replace it.”

John said he last saw the horse on Tuesday with the vet for a check-up and it is “looking really good inside at the moment”, but it is a “waiting game” at this stage of the horse’s recovery.

*Warning: graphic image of Joey’s hoof post-surgery behind link*

Holly added that Joey is “coping really well”.

“It’s an amazing bit of kit,” she said, adding that they do also apply vet wrap and duct tape over the top to prevent Joey from knocking it. “From the hole, you can see the keratoma was quite large. He is still in recovery and has taken to it well for a horse of his size.

“It makes it so much easier for us to treat.”

‘We’ve got to listen to horses’: ‘MoT’ for horses proves beneficial

Becky Murray — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 18:16:21 +0000

A panel of industry experts is putting the emphasis on teamwork by hosting “MoT” days for horses and riders.

Steph Bradley, a Society of Master Saddlers master saddle-fitter and British Horse Society accredited coach, started hosting performance clinics at her yard, Whitegate Farm and Livery in Cheshire, around two years ago. Riders bring their horses and for £390 they will see Steph, orthopaedic vet Mark Andrews, veterinary chiropractor Angela Holland, farriers Russell Novelli and Sam Crompton, Baileys nutritionist Caroline Dickens and human physio Donna Strachan.

The fee includes vet assessment, chiro and physio treatment, farrier report, saddle-fitting, and rider symmetry assessment. If the horse needs any shoeing or veterinary treatment this is charged separately.

Steph told H&H the aim was to bring experts together in one place to help horses and riders.

“Sometimes a horse might have a niggle and the owner struggles to get to the bottom of it. They can end up going round the houses as they go through that checklist. So we thought if we could have a day where we all get together it would be really beneficial,” she said.

“Riders are given an appointment, but we tell people generally to block the day out to allow for extra treatment or assessment. For example if the farriers decide to try the horse with a pad and want to reassess it, or the saddle needs to be flocked and we want to watch the horse and rider again afterwards.”

Steph said they have had requests to take the clinic on the road, which they are unable to do as it is difficult to get days in the diary, but she would like to see more experts run similar days.

“When everyone can work together it really does get the best results for the horse and rider. It’s not rocket science, but it works well and we also learn from each other,” she said.

“I think there should be more clinics like these because horses, and their owners, will benefit so much from them. We’ve got to listen to horses, and it can be difficult when there’s just one snapshot and they’re seen under these different guises, whereas if we see them together it really helps.”

Steph added that although the clinics are labelled as performance, they are open to all horses and riders, and are like an “MoT”.

“We’re trying to enhance performance, but this applies to happy hackers too. People might think this is for performance horses, but it’s for everyone. It might be that a horse has a bit of discomfort, the rider is a little crooked, and the saddle is leaning to one side – and this can all be ironed out between us,” she said.

Oddly satisfying: 270 million people watch video of farrier trimming horse’s hoof

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 19:51:50 +0000

A video of a farrier cleaning and trimming a horse’s hoof was the most watched UK upload on TikTok in 2022, amassing more than 273 million views.

Sam Dracott joined the platform in April 2021, and within a month had more than a million followers. Two of his videos that year had more than 109m views each, but this year topped that by some margin.

“That was pretty wild!” Sam told H&H. “I didn’t think it would do that well – it exceeded our expectations, by millions.”

The video shows Sam removing a hind shoe, then cleaning and trimming the hoof and frog. As a registered farrier for 13 years, Sam shares footage of his daily work, which many people find “oddly satisfying”. He said his aim has always been to educate the wider public about a profession many may not have known existed.

“At a lot of yards I go to, there are people who have never seen what I do,” he said. “They might know horses have shoes but have never seen the person who puts them on, or what’s involved. I had people saying ‘Wow, that’s interesting’, so I thought I’d give this a go and see how many other people were interested.”

@samdracott_farrier Satisfying!! #samdracottfarrier #farrier #asmr #oddlysatisfying #horsetok #farmtok #horses #horse #satisfying ♬ original sound – Sam Dracott Farrier

Millions, is the answer; Sam’s 3.4m TikTok followers have racked up 48 million likes on his videos, on which comments include “So relaxing to watch, thank you” and “A proper craftsman at work”, as well as the more intriguing “Any chance you could do my husband’s toenails?”

But another theme of many comments is whether or not the process hurts the horse.

“A lot of comments are ‘what a trade’, or asking how you get into it,” Sam said. “But there are always a lot asking if it hurts the horse. I’m trying to educate people who aren’t in the industry; a generation is so far into city life, they’ve forgotten about country life, and this is just a small snippet of life with horses.

“It’s very simple; I’m not trying to teach people about bone growth or formation of the hoof capsule, just trying to educate the general public. They think it’s bad or it hurts the horse but once they understand, they know it’s fine, and it’s to benefit the horses’ welfare.”

Sam’s future plans include “keep going; keep pushing the videos out”.

“I’ve got a few things lined up for next year,” he said. “People seem to like it so I’ll keep going and the more people I can educate, the better.”

‘He was always there in good times and bad’: final farewell to British team farrier

Becky Murray — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:44:23 +0000

Brendan Murray, the farrier to the British eventing championship team for more than two decades died on 9 September aged 64, from cancer.

In 1980, Mr Murray joined The King’s Troop, where he completed 22 years of service that ended as master farrier for the regiment. An honour of his military career was being part of the cortege for Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997, where he acted as brake man on the gun carriage. He also secured the coffin on to the funeral board above the gun – no mean feat with an estimated two billion people watching.

In 1992 he was appointed British Equestrian team farrier for eventing, a position he held for 26 years, including eight Olympics. He referred to his role as a ’stewardship’ because he didn’t routinely shoe the team horses. Instead, he worked with each rider’s home farrier in the build-up to a championship. They did the preparation, then he took over as caretaker for the championship period, on standby to fix a loose or cast shoe at a moment’s notice.

At every championship, Mr Murray was a linchpin behind the scenes. He was usually part of the pre-arrival party that set up the stables and team camp, something he took enormous pride in. Every bed was prepared perfectly, every Union flag hung with precision, and everything stored in its proper place. He also made it his duty to ensure the grooms were well catered for, and he was always there to support in good times and bad.

In 2010, he carried the British flag for the opening ceremony at the World Equestrian Games. That year, he received the British Equestrian Medal of Honour for outstanding achievement and contribution to the international equestrian world. In 2016, he worked his final championship, the Rio Olympics, after which he handed the stewardship to current eventing team farrier, Greig Elliott.

Mr Murray was the show farrier at the London Horse Show, Olympia, for many years. He had a sideline in the film industry as a stunt rider and farrier, and appeared on screen as a farrier in War Horse. His name also appears in the credits for Gladiator, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Huntsman, to name a few.

Sophie Thomas, British Equestrian’s (BEF) head of performance operations and logistics, completed 13 senior championships with Brendan between 2002 and 2015 and said the equestrian community had lost one of its “good guys”.

“Every championship spent with Brendan left me with such happy memories. His dedication, tireless energy and pride in a job well done were unique – but above all else, he was just one of the nicest people around. No job was too much, no day was too long. He just carried on, always with the best sense of humour I’ve ever found,” she said.

“The fact he passed away within hours of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whom he served loyally and with utter respect, is not lost on many. On behalf of all in BEF and the World Class Programme, we send our deepest condolences to Brendan’s loved ones for their painful loss.”

He is survived by his partner Louise Edwards, and daughters Hannah and Melissa.

British rider makes her Burghley debut on a mare wearing ‘very special’ shoes

Pippa Roome — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 07:35:36 +0000

Kate Shapland makes her Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials debut this week – and her mare Uris Cavalier has personalised shoes for the occasion.

The shoes were made by Kate’s boyfriend, national apprentice champion farrier George Dey, and say “Kate and Libby” – Libby or Little Libby being the Uris Cavalier’s stable names – and “Burghley 2022”.

Kate met George in Yorkshire, where she currently lives and says: “He’s been a big part of helping me.”

The 22-year-old rider has had Libby for eight years, since she was 14 years old.

“She was literally a £5,000 buy and my older brother Chris bought her because my parents didn’t have enough money,” says Kate. “I still remember the first time I took her cross-country schooling and she took to it like a duck to water. That’s what made me believe I could get there with her.”

Kate left home “as soon as I could, because I didn’t have any facilities there”.

“I just worked as a groom wherever I could and competed on my days off and gradually made it here,” she says.

Kate worked for the Dumas family, then for Caroline Harris, then for French eventer Sidney Dufresne’s father in France.

“Then I worked for Chris Burton for a bit down on the Sunshine Tour, then came up with a Swedish client of his to Christopher Bartle’s. I really liked it at the Yorkshire Riding Centre, so I stayed there as a freelance rider,” she explains.

“Christopher has always had an eye out for me and even though we’re not having lessons every day, in the five-minute conversations you can gain so much from someone with that modesty and ability and knowledge.”

Kate Shapland and Uris Cavalier in the dressage at Burghley 2022. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Kate Shapland describes Libby as “feisty, sweet and intelligent”.

“What makes this whole experience easier of my first five-star is I know her so well, it’s like coming with my best friend and I can rely on her,” she says.

The pair scored 38.7 in the dressage and will set out across country at 1.50pm today.

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‘It’s a false economy’: owners urged not to scrimp on horse care as cost of living crisis continues

Becky Murray — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 12:03:07 +0000

OWNERS have been urged not to cut corners in essential horse care as the cost of living crisis “starts to bite”.

Concerns continue around rising costs, but industry experts have warned that with horses, prevention is “better than cure” and veterinary treatment, hoof care and saddle fittings should not be scrimped on to save money.

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) ethics and welfare committee chair Lucy Grieve told H&H horse ownership comes with a “degree of cost” that can only be “minimised so far”.

“There is a basic level of need that must be met for horses, including the obvious things like food, water, exercise and shelter. However, the needs that are addressed more intermittently are more easily “bumped’’ or postponed when money is tight, which can lead to serious problems that can be detrimental to the horse’s health and end up costing more money in the long run,” she said.

“Not keeping up to date with vaccinations puts your horse at risk from the potentially fatal disease, tetanus, and puts your horse and others at risk of an equine influenza outbreak.

“Worm control can easily get out-of-control and this is only realised when it is too late. It’s too easy to let routine testing slip and before you know it, there can be a significant worm problem that can cause internal disease and life-threatening colic.”

Ms Grieve added that routine dental care is also important to maintain.

“Dental problems are much easier to treat and manage if they are caught early. Once they are more advanced, it can be costly and invasive to treat them, and the horse can have been in significant pain before other signs, such as quidding, become apparent,” she said.

BEVA president Huw Griffiths told H&H the organisation is “keeping a careful eye” on the cost of living situation. He said owners can save money by considering things such as shared vet visits and planning routine treatment in advance.

“In veterinary medicine, prevention is better than cure – it is also much cheaper. Discuss routine treatments with your vet and create the best infrastructure for best effect, with least expenditure,“ he said. “Avoiding preventative healthcare will unfortunately likely lead to increased expenditure and reduced welfare long term.

“Most practices are familiar with clients who are struggling to make ends meet. The key to a successful outcome is honesty and communication. If you know you are going to struggle to pay the bill immediately, discuss this with your vet before the visit. It is likely they will be able to help in some way and even if they can’t, they will help you find the best outcome within your abilities.”

The Farrier Registration Council (FRC) has spoken about the importance of not reducing routine hoof care to save money.

“Extending the period between shoeing or trimmings might at first glance seem like a quick way to reduce the annual costs of foot care,” the FRC spokesman told H&H. “The average horse is generally shod approximately eight or nine times a year when on a six-week interval; increasing this to seven or eight weeks will usually save you one visit over the course of the year. This saving might equate to just around £2 a week.

“Leaving the same shoes on for longer might also increase the likelihood of a shoe being lost. This will result in a call-out from your farrier; given the cost of fuel and time, this will most likely cost more than you would have saved by delaying.

“Other pathological issues can range from corns and damaged hoof capsules all the way to tendon damage and joint issues. Routine costs are usually much less than the emergency, unexpected fees.”

Society of Master Saddlers master saddle fitter Steph Bradley of Freedom Saddlery told H&H that regular saddle fittings are one of the things that can often be overlooked by owners, and this has been exacerbated with the cost of living crisis.

“People might think, ‘I’ll leave that six months or have it done next year.’ They tend to think nothing is wrong, but it’s creating a false economy because often the things that are wrong, you can’t physically see,” she said.

“You might think everything is OK, but actually maybe something is starting to wear or some flock has gone asymmetrical. These minor adjustments can make such a big difference to the comfort, welfare and performance of the horse.

Ms Bradley, who is also a British Horse Society accredited coach, has dropped her saddle-fitting prices from £65 to £50 for three months to try to help clients – and those that book their next six-monthly appointment will also be entitled to the discount.

“I’m trying to think differently to try to encourage people to carry on having saddle fittings done because it’s an easy thing to drop off the routine management. I’m also offering an option of a 20-minute coaching session included in the price, so it gives owners a little bit more for what they’re paying.”

World Horse Welfare deputy chief executive Tony Tyler told H&H the charity is beginning to receive more calls from people seeking advice on how to rehome their horses owing to financial concerns.

“It’s more of a trickle than a stream at the moment, but that could very well change come autumn and winter. There are things owners can do to save money and still provide good care, but they should be aware of false economies – scrimping on vet, dental or farrier care is not recommended,” he said.

“We encourage owners to look at the advice produced by the National Equine Welfare Council on how to cut costs without cutting care. If an owner or someone they know is concerned or struggling, we urge them to contact us or another charity for advice.”

‘Profuse apologies’ of farrier whose inappropriate behaviour ‘brought shame on’ his profession

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 20:51:58 +0000

A farrier who “brought shame on the reputation” of his profession with his behaviour towards men and women has “extended profuse apologies” to those he offended.

The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) disciplinary committee found that Mark Nathan Caldwell made offensive remarks including offering to inspect females’ genitalia at presentations in the US and asking male volunteers to raise their shirts and show their bodies, commenting on their build.

Dr Caldwell, a fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and former member of the England farriery team, who holds a doctorate in equine veterinary science, said: “I fully accept the findings of the disciplinary committee of the Farriers Registration Council and extend my profuse apologies to those offended by some of the content of my presentations and other remarks that were made by me – and also for any offence to my fellow practitioners.”

Dr Caldwell appeared before the committee to answer a number of charges.

The committee found that in October 2019, during a presentation he gave at a farriery clinic in North Carolina, Dr Caldwell “made a comment to the effect that you had wanted to be a gynaecologist, and/or that if any women in the audience would like you to inspect their genitalia, you would oblige them”. It was found that he “made comments to the effect that the early hours of the morning were a good time for a man to ask a woman to come home with him, as she would be more willing to take off her clothes as she was so tired of wearing high heels”, and that he asked for a female volunteer, who he asked to walk around the room “and encouraged members of the audience to ‘check her out’”, and/or that he ran at the volunteer so she ran away, “at which point you commented to the effect that women often ran away from you and/or that you wished she had not run away”.

The committee found he asked women in the audience to stand and walk round, making comments about women wearing heels to make their legs and “backsides” more attractive to men, and put up a slide of a stripper or pole dancer on a pole.

A charge of commenting that the stripper or dancer was his standard for his apprentices, or “words to that effect”, was not proved, but the committee found he asked two male volunteers to raise their shirts to show their bodies, and commented on their respective builds, and asked a male volunteer to lie on the floor, and when he did so, put a foot on his stomach. It was also found that he asked for a male volunteer from the audience to come to the stage, “where you continuously kicked apart his legs and feet”.

In charges relating to a presentation at a farrier clinic in Kansas in August 2017, the committee found he used offensive language and/or swear words, commented to the effect that “if any women in the audience would like you to inspect their genitalia, you would oblige them” and asked a female volunteer from the audience to put herself in a “push up” or “all fours” position on the floor, and “commented with a sexual innuendo when she did so”.

Dr Caldwell said: “It has never been my intention to shock or offend but I fully recognise that my references were inappropriate and detracted from my sole aim of educating and informing underpinned by sound scientific theory. I have, of course, changed the content and approach of my lectures and talks to reflect the great concern that has been expressed.

“Throughout my +40-year career, I have endeavoured to uphold the highest standards both as a practitioner and as a farriery educator and I would never wish to bring into disrepute a profession it has been my privilege to serve and which, I hope, I have been able to positively support.

“All of us in this profession have a duty to encourage and mentor the next generation of farriers and I will continue to work hard to ensure that we are inclusive of all. I am very grateful to those who have continued to show their support for my work and efforts, and they can be sure that I will continue — with vigour, determination but also with humility.”

The committee found Dr Caldwell’s conduct was “inappropriate and/or offensive and/or unprofessional”, and that he was guilty of serious misconduct in a professional respect.

The committee considered that Caldwell, a highly experienced and internationally renowned farrier, was in a position of responsibility at the clinics, and would have been seen as an “informed role model”.

“The committee considered that his conduct was likely to have contributed to a less inclusive environment in the farriers’ community for women,” an FRC spokesman said.

“The committee considered that the respondent was a role model for other farriers as well as being seen as representing the profession by other professionals. His conduct was likely to tarnish his reputation, and the reputation of the profession.”

The spokesman added that Caldwell was given feedback in 2017 and “had an opportunity to reflect on and amend his conduct, but failed to do so”.

“The committee noted that the respondent admitted at the outset of the hearing that some aspects of the allegation were factually accurate and in poor taste but denied that they crossed the threshold to being unprofessional, inappropriate or offensive,” he said.

“It further noted that during the course of the hearing, the respondent accepted that most of the charges were factually correct and that some aspects of his behaviour had been inappropriate. He denied that his behaviour was unprofessional.

“The committee took into account that the respondent had offered an apology to the complainants and told the committee he has since amended the content of his presentations. It noted the many testimonials submitted by his counsel which attested to his good character and leadership in the profession.

“The committee considered that the respondent’s insight into his misconduct has developed somewhat over the course of this investigation and the hearing. It came to this conclusion having heard the respondent accepting during cross-examination that aspects of his conduct were inappropriate. However, the respondent maintained that his conduct was not unprofessional and disputed that much of it was offensive. The committee therefore considers that his insight remains incomplete.”

The committee found a short suspension was needed to “communicate to the profession and the wider public that such behaviour is entirely inappropriate in a professional setting”.

It directed that Caldwell’s registration be suspended for two months, during which he will “have an opportunity to reflect on his misconduct and its implications for the reputation of the farriery profession both nationally and internationally”.

FRC chair Tom Smith said: “The conduct displayed by Dr Caldwell was abusive towards both men and women, and has the potential to cause great damage to the inclusivity that the farriery profession continually works hard to foster. Dr Caldwell’s conduct brought shame on the reputation of British farriery; his seniority, holding the highest qualifications in the profession, and international renown should have caused him to behave as a role model, and enhance the reputation of the profession rather than tarnishing it on, quite literally, the world stage.

“Together with those responsible for recruiting and training the farriers of tomorrow – approved training farriers and college training providers – we shall ensure that abusive behaviours of the kind exhibited in this case do not deter anyone, female or male, from pursuing a career in farriery; this decision proves that those who do behave in such a way shall be held to account.”

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Connections pay tribute to late friend following Blenheim best-shod horse award

Lucy Elder — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 20:03:28 +0000

Connections of the horse who won the best-shod prize at Blenheim Horse Trials (16-19 September) have paid tribute to their late friend and farrier, whose work was recognised through the award.

The prize was awarded to Simon Grieve’s ride Mr Fahrenheit III (“Freddie”) who is currently shod by Sam Johnson following the recent passing of farrier Phil Richardson.

Simon and Sam both took the moment to remember their friend.

“It was so wonderful that Freddie was picked as the best shod,” Simon told H&H. “It made me reflect on what a wonderful job Phil has done over the years, and is also testament to Sam’s skill and talent. It was very touching.”

The late Phil Richardson, pictured, shoeing Mr Fahrenheit III. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Simon and Freddie, owned by Dr Polly Taylor, jumped clear across country in the CCI4*-L, rolling two poles in the final influential showjumping phase to finish 53rd in the 90-strong field. The 11-year-old Catherston Liberator son is out of Phoebe Buckley’s popular former five-star ride, Little Tiger, who was also owned by Dr Taylor.

Sam added they were all thrilled with the award.

“We feel it is a fitting tribute to our friend, Phil,” he told H&H. “The first time I shod Freddie, I commented to Simon on how well he was shod – the feet all landing level, and not a single risen clench.

“Having shod Freddie four times now, I look forward to continuing to the work and watching him progress through the levels.”

Farrier whose eye burst in freak accident hopes his story may save others’ vision

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 20:31:35 +0000

A farrier whose eyeball burst in a freak accident while he was shoeing says that if sharing his story saves one person’s vision, he will be happy.

Charlie Madden is urging equestrians — not just farriers — to consider wearing eye protection while dealing with horses as his loss of vision was the result of an accident that could happen to anyone.

Kent-based Charlie, who has been in his trade for 13 years, was shoeing a horse he had not met before in February when his life changed.

“No one else was there; the yard owner had said the horse would be fine and it was cross-tied,” he told H&H.

“I’d done the front feet, and the horse was a bit fidgety but not too bad, then I did the hind foot. I went to put the foot down and felt him pull back a bit, and as I turned round, he pulled right back.

“The string didn’t break but the headcollar did and the metal cheek ring catapulted off, like a shotgun, and went straight into my eyeball.

“My eye burst and all the fluid was running down my face, it was horrific.”

Within 10 seconds, Charlie said, his vision in that eye had gone completely.

“It was weird; it felt like I’d been punched in the face but then it didn’t hurt, and didn’t at all till about three weeks later, it was just sore and uncomfortable,” he said.

“My friend lives next to the yard so I phoned her and said ‘I’ve just burst my eyeball’. I’m a bit of a wind-up merchant and it was her birthday so she thought I was winding her up but I said ‘No, you’ve got to come over’.”

The friend and her parents arrived, and told Charlie he needed to go to hospital.

“They were panicking but I said ‘Let me pack my stuff first’,” he said. “They said they’d do it but I like my van to be packed a certain way, and I wanted to roll up the extension cord so no horses got electrocuted; I was more paranoid about that!”

Charlie was taken to two different hospitals in Kent and eventually transferred the next morning to the specialist Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, where he said the consultant told him it was the second-worst eye injury he had ever seen.

“The worst was a man on a construction site where a ratchet strap snapped and went into his eye, and they had to take it out,” he said. “Mine was like a burst football, and the doctor said it wasn’t good but they wouldn’t know the extent of the damage until they operated.”

Charlie underwent the three-hour surgery that day, and his eye was saved.

“The iris had started protruding out of the hole so they basically had to push it back in and stitch up the globe,” he said, adding that the eye fluid regenerated itself, and apart from some minor cosmetic issues, his eye now looks almost normal — although he only has about 5% vision in it.

“It could have been a hell of a lot worse,” he said. “If you didn’t know, you couldn’t really tell, apart from the fact I wear glasses now, and I’m just pleased I didn’t have to have the eye taken out.”

But of course the injury was life-changing. Charlie had to take months off, and is now only back at work part-time, and mainly trimming.

“I was working a lot before it happened,” he said. “I’m 32 and have been doing it since I was 18, and I was starting to feel a bit beaten up. But I was off four to five months without pay and I survived, and I thought ‘Do I really need to chase my tail six days a week?’

“It gave me a reality check; I was working hard and earning decent money, but I wasn’t enjoying it. Now I’m surviving and I’m happy.”

“Shoeing horses and being around them is dangerous; I’d always said to my mum that one day I’d get injured, kicked in the head or something, but no way on earth did I think it would be something like this,” he said.

“You don’t realise how important your eyes are till something like this happens, but now I don’t go near a horse without my glasses or safety glasses on. I breed pedigree cats too, and the other day I was building a run, and the netting pinged back and scratched my glasses, so that would have been my eye again.

“I just want to get my story out, to encourage people, not just farriers, to wear eye protection as much as possible because this could happen to anyone. It could happen just tying your horse up.”

Charlie, who thanked all the Moorfields staff for their “incredible” care and support, added that unless a miracle happens, he will nor regain his lost sight.

“But I’m happy with what I’ve got,” he said. “I’m just grateful I’ve still got my eye.”

Who’s responsible for keeping our four-legged athletes in medal-winning shoes? We meet Tokyo 2020’s forge manager…

Alex Robinson — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:39:10 +0000

H&H speaks to Emma Cornish — forge manager at the Tokyo Olympic Games — to find out what goes on behind the scenes at Tokyo, and how she bagged this coveted role…

Emma Cornish is well into her third Olympic Games as forge manager.

“I basically oversee all the farriers,” explains Emma, who works closely alongside Olympic lead farrier Ben Benson, who has been her right-hand man ever since she picked up the role prior to London 2012.

“I run the forge and work with the international farriers, as well as those volunteer farriers who have come over for the Games. The forge is a place for team farriers to touch base, too, and we provide support and assistance whenever is needed. Everything is completely confidential, so the horses can be worked on in a safe, private space.”

The stables open at 6.15am and usually shut at around 10.30pm in the evening, and Emma is on-site for the duration.

“They’re long days, but obviously horses are unpredictable so we need to be on standby,” she says.

Emma got the role ahead of London 2012 “completely by chance”. For the past seven-and-a-half years Emma has been a vet practice manager and was inspired to apply for one of the volunteer positions ahead of the London Games.

“It was something of a fluke,” she explains. “I saw an advertisement on the BBC, which said the Olympics were in need of 70,000 volunteers for the Games so they could put on the greatest show of all time. I was so enthusiastic about it all that I popped an application in.

“I had to provide details about my work experience and relevant history, and suggest everything I could possibly bring to the Olympics. And after a lengthy process they chose me for the specific job of forge manager.

“I still have no idea who chose me for the job. If things had been different I could have been standing on the side of a station ferrying spectators to their seats!”

Compared to London and Rio (2016), Emma says that Tokyo has been different, as you might expect, due to Covid restrictions.

“There was a question mark on if we’d be going for sometime,” she says. “I booked my flights just four weeks before I flew out. I landed here on the 15 July and Ben joined me out here soon after. In previous years we’ve been able to spectate at other sports if we have the time, but this year, due to restrictions, we have to stay in our venue.

“The facilities here are fantastic; they have some amazing permanent facilities, including a vet clinic, and the forge is in a large, temporary marquee-type construction. It’s well kitted out with everything we could possibly need as well as all necessary equipment and supplies. All the team farriers who’ve been around the forge like what they see, too.”

Emma’s day-to-day work is varied and depends on the demands of the day. For Emma, it’s the camaraderie of the games which makes the experience so unique.

“Everything is about teamwork,” she says. “We all have a great bond and are ultimately here with the same aim. I’ve not seen some of the familiar faces you meet and get to know at the big shows for nearly five years now, but you immediately pick up where you left off.

“We have to make sure our communication is clear and concise at all times, though. We’re working with lots of different people from different countries so we need to make sure everyone working on a horse understands everything.

“I’m extremely patriotic so any combination from Team GB get my full support. My favourite Olympic memory was undoubtedly when Team GB won the dressage gold in London; it was absolutely phenomenal.”

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‘The hot tub chat was quite quiet!’: husband and wife farriers go head to head for national title

Becky Murray — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:54:53 +0000

A farrier has been crowned national champion at the Great Yorkshire Show (13-16 July) as he fought off stiff competition from the country’s best – including his wife.

North Yorkshire-based Steven Beane took the British Farrier and Blacksmith Association’s national champion title, while his wife Sarah was fourth – and the highest ever placed female farrier. Reserve champion was Lewis Balfour and Sarah took the prize for the “best shod foot”.

Steven enjoyed a successful run at the show during which he also won three classes; open agricultural shoe-making, heavy horse shoeing, and surgical shoe-making, and was crowned the show’s champion. Sarah won the open hunter shoeing class, in which Steven came second.

Steven, who met Sarah at a shoeing competition in Ayrshire 13 years ago, told H&H the Great Yorkshire Show had been a “good couple of days” for the Beanes.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” he said. “It’s a funny thing, people ask why I do it but I just love the buzz of it. You enter competitions because it keeps your everyday standards higher. You’re putting what you do day in, day out against fellow farriers around the country. It’s the prestige of it.

“The national championship is the biggest competition we have in the UK, it’s the one everyone wants to win. Sarah’s ecstatic to have been in the top five, she wants to go on to be in the top two, and eventually wants to win it.

“We haven’t had many competitions in the last 18 months because of Covid, and even though I’m an experienced competitor I still went there thinking ‘am I still good enough to win?’. You don’t know until you go somewhere and compete against everyone else.”

Steven said there is “without a doubt” a rivalry between him and Sarah when it comes to competing.

“We’ve been training head to head and obviously we’ve kept our eye in the game by competing against each other in practice so that’s probably worked in our favour,” he said.

“I’m very competitive so I went with the aim to win. On the first day Sarah won and I was second, we have a hot tub at home and that night the hot tub chat was quite quiet!”

Steven said he believes competitions help keep standards of shoeing high.

“You have hunter and heavy horse shoeing and surgical and agricultural shoe-making; every single discipline as a farrier got tested. You can’t say ‘I have a weakness and don’t like shoeing Shires’, for example. If you want to be champion you have to be good at all of them, that’s key,” he said.

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“I never used to train in terms of fitness but now the classes and what they demand are a lot higher so since I’ve started training I’ve lost 12lbs by going to the gym, making shoes, and forging. I wouldn’t have said I was unfit before but I wasn’t as fit as I am now. You have to be really fit because the demand and standard is being pushed all the time.”

Steven has returned to work and said his success has been well received by clients.

“It’s been really nice, clients have been putting posts on Facebook. Some of the dressage yards and rehab yards I go to just know you as ‘Steven the farrier that comes here’ and now all of a sudden they’re like “oh!”. It’s nice for the clients,” he said.

14 things you should never say to your farrier

Sara Walker — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:24:42 +0000

If you have a great farrier, remember that they are worth looking after. Try not to frighten them off with these statements…

1. Sorry, we seem to have run out of teabags/milk/sugar.

2. Oh, I forgot to tell you I’d bought another horse. It’s a Shetland/Shire/unbroken, unhandled two-year-old fresh off the moors. You don’t mind doing it while you’re here, do you?

3. Sorry, I should have told you he kicks a bit. Are you all right down there?

4. I thought I’d leave them out until you got here as it’s such a nice day. I think they’re at the other end of the 80-acre field — I shouldn’t be more than an hour or so catching them.

5. I’ve got to go now, so when you’ve finished could you rug her up, put her brushing boots, overreach boots and fly spray on and turn her out into the far field for me? Thanks.

6. It must be great working outside all day! (said in the middle of winter, when your farrier’s nose is blue, they’ve got a hacking cough and are having to wave their hands in front of the forge to feel their fingers).

7. She’s lost a shoe, can you come out in the next hour? Well, this evening then? Tomorrow morning? You’re not very flexible, are you?

8. Oh, sorry, I forgot to bring you any money. Is it OK if I pay you next time?

9. Yes, I put a good coating of hoof oil on her feet just before you got here. Doesn’t she look smart?

10. Didn’t I tell you I wanted stud holes/road nails/extra quarter clips? Can you take them off and start again?

11. How funny — he’s done that to my last two farriers as well! Isn’t he a character?

12. Thank goodness you’re here! My last farrier refused to come back after the third concussion.

13. She lost that shoe a few weeks ago, but I thought I’d leave it until the rest needed doing.

14. I didn’t have time to wash the mud off, but that’s OK isn’t it?

For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Campaign to protect farriers after survey shows injury risks H&H Plus

Becky Murray — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 10:04:56 +0000

H&H finds out what a survey of farriers’ on-the-job injuries revealed, and what is being done to keep equine professionals safer while at work

A SURVEY looking at injuries suffered by farriers on the job has highlighted the risks farriers are exposed to — and will form the basis of a new safety campaign.

The British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association (BFBA) conducted the survey, which was completed by 349 farriers and apprentices.

The results showed 76% of participants reported a minimum of one injury requiring hospital treatment during their career and 32% had visited a hospital three or more times. Fractures accounted for 42% of injuries, and 56% were from a hindlimb kick. When asked to consider the most serious injury sustained 60% cited equine behaviour for the cause.

BFBA president Craig D’Arcy AWCF said the results are “concerning but not surprising”.

“Everybody realises from the very nature of the industry, it’s never going to be a job that’s without risk,” he told H&H.

“We felt we needed to look at what the assumptions were and if they were correct that farriers are getting injured on a fairly frequent basis, and whether the risk could be preventable or minimised.”

Mr D’Arcy said over time, behaviour patterns in some horses have changed for reasons such as reduced workload, or a lack of preparing young horses for being seen by the farrier.

“As a side effect, some think that’s a normal behaviour pattern for that horse. The unfortunate thing is as professionals – be it the farrier, vet or physio – we’ve got to deal with that behaviour. People don’t want their horses told off, but as farriers we want to do the job and be in one piece when we finish and I don’t think that’s unreasonable,” he said.

Farrier Mark Aikens DipWCF lost a finger when it became trapped under a horse’s hoof.

“Having sustained a career-threatening injury has made me prioritise safety at each appointment I attend; the horse’s wellbeing and an optimal shoeing/trimming for that horse is my priority,” he said.

“Communication between farrier and client is vital in reducing injury to the horse, handler and farrier and I strongly advocate that all parties are in agreement to achieve this with the horse’s welfare being the prime concern.”

BFBA plans to launch a campaign aimed at highlighting the risks faced by farriers.

“We’re looking at it as a multifaceted issue; it’s owner education, and also something as an industry we need to look at in how we train future farriers to look at risk management and talk to owners,” said Mr D’Arcy.

A spokesman for the Farriers Registration Council said the organisation had discussed the survey findings with BFBA and welcome the campaign.

“The survey, which is timely and relevant to the welfare of both registered farriers and equines, underlines the importance of careful risk management by farriery professionals, and owners taking responsibility for their animals and their temperament, and the conditions in which they are kept,” he said.

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Future welfare concerns over lack of Scottish farriery funding

Becky Murray — Fri, 21 May 2021 21:18:54 +0000

Concerns have been raised across Scotland and the industry about a possible future lack of qualified farriers. H&H speaks to governments, farriers and authorities to find out more

CONCERNS have been raised around funding for Scottish apprentice farriers, as a potential decrease in farriers and long-term welfare consequences are feared.

The topic of farriers was raised in the Horsescotland manifesto, as the organisation said one of its aims for 2021–2025 is to address farriery issues in the country. The only Scottish farriery department at Oatridge Agricultural College closed in 2009, so apprentices must train at one of three English colleges; Myerscough, Herefordshire and Ludlow, or Warwickshire.

While course fees for Scottish apprentices attending were once publicly funded, since 2017 Scottish apprentice farriers have had to pay their own fees. Those attending the colleges from England or Wales have their fees paid by the UK Government.

A spokesman for the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) told H&H many potential apprentices cannot afford the training.

“Young men and women in Scotland who wish to pursue their chosen career are being disadvantaged through lack of access to public funding, which may limit their life chances,” he said.

“There is a risk that over time, the number of registered farriers practising in Scotland will decrease to such an extent that owners may not be able to access the hoof care needed by their animals in a timely manner, with welfare consequences. There may be a requirement to import skills from elsewhere in Great Britain to manage the consequences.”

Horsescotland chairman Grant Turnbull told H&H funding for apprentice farriers is a “very significant” medium- to long-term issue.

“It’s on our radar as to how we can achieve support for apprentices and for approved training farriers,” he said.

“We’re conscious that there is an adequate number of farriers in Scotland just now, but the projection of the medium to the longer term is the difficulty.”

Mr Turnbull added that Horsescotland is looking into re-establishing a full-time or part-time farriery training school in Scotland.

“It’s interaction with the Government and possible venues that could provide this. I’m aware of three potential venues, but it’s about us being able to present a package to demonstrate that there are these facilities, and a need and thirst for the development of apprentice farriers, so we have a robust case,” he said.

Approved training farrier David Newall, who has two apprentices, told H&H not all apprentices are in a position to pay the fees and added it is another obstacle for Scottish apprentices who are being “penalised”.

“There’s going to be a welfare issue in terms of actually having enough qualified and registered farriers in Scotland doing work,” he said.

Third-year apprentice Grant Nelson, 19, who is self-funding his £15,000 fees, told H&H the cost was in the “back of his mind“ before starting his course and it could put others off.

“It feels unfair; I’m going to college and paying for it while others get it for free,” he said. “It’s tricky to get an apprenticeship anyway because there are not lots of approved training farriers, but when it’s as hard as it is and you’ve got to self-fund, some probably won’t do it.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government told H&H farrier that training at Oatridge college ceased owing to lack of demand and that prior to 2017, the Scottish and UK governments had an “informal agreement” on reciprocal funding, which allowed training to be delivered in England to Scottish applicants.

“This agreement ceased in 2017 when England adopted new guidelines for funding apprenticeships, which required those receiving funding to work over 50% of their time in England,” said the spokesman. “We continue to press the department of education to resolve this matter and reinstate our previous agreement.”

On low demand, the FRC spokesman said “this is something of the chicken and egg argument”.

“Where there is no public funding, this is likely to (or even will) suppress demand. However, given that demand may be low – and relative to elsewhere in Great Britain it may be – there is no compelling financial reason not to make public funding available to Scottish applicants,” he said.

A spokesman for the UK Government’s department for education told H&H the department is responsible for apprenticeships and funding in England, while the Scottish government is responsible for those in Scotland, adding that apprenticeship policies are devolved.

“An apprentice based in England for more than 50% of the time is eligible for funding through the English model,” he said.

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Tessa Waugh — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 11:00:34 +0000

Nigel Perrott on the thrill of championship shoeing, and the joy of hunting with his daughter

I don’t think I would have become a farrier if it weren’t for a wonderful man called Norman Crouch. He lived in Wiltshire near to where I grew up and he taught me to ride and then took me hunting with the South and West Wilts. As a child I would mess about on his farm at all waking hours.

He had broodmares, youngstock, stallions and point-to-pointers and he could do everything for those horses from repairing his own tack to shoeing his own horses. He had an in-depth knowledge of horses that is rarely seen today.

Under Mr Crouch’s tuition I rode in a few races. He had a little racing pony called Sherry who would refuse to start, but Mr Crouch had the knack of making her go. He would throw his trilby, with incredible accuracy, at the pony’s backside and then we’d be off. As long as I could sit tight we often won, much to Mr Crouch’s delight.

I did my apprenticeship with a farrier called Melvyn Baker in Essex and qualified in 1981. I have been shoeing horses now for more than 30 years and the biggest change I have seen is the internet. People will google something about their horse’s hoof and then guess at what is wrong. On the plus side, you can communicate easily with farriers all around the world.

I started working for the Irish eventing team when I was shoeing horses for David Green, the Australian event rider and gold medallist. Some of the Irish horses were kept there in the days when Ginny Elliot was chef d’equipe. The next Olympics will be my third, I’ve done four World Equestrian Games and loads of Europeans.

One of my most exciting days on the team was at one of those major events. We had a horse that was lame after the cross-country. The vet and I managed to make it sound and it jumped double clear and it came seventh in the individual competition.

My work and social life are all integrated and both are based around hunting. The majority of my work through the winter is hunters. I try not to get off if someone loses a shoe on a hunting day because there’s not a lot I can do when I’m not carrying any equipment. On the rare occasion when I’ve towed the trailer with the works van, we have popped back and put the odd shoe on.

I have hunted all over the country and Ireland, but most of my hunting latterly was with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale. I have come back to the South and West Wilts more recently.

For the past 20 years my companion on a day’s hunting has been my daughter Charlie. There are loads of days I can think of where you can say you jumped some big hedges, but one of my most memorable days was when Charlie and I were hunting on the downs when she was only four.

I unclipped the leading rein and she cantered along beside me and she carried on doing that for the next 25 years.

Another day, Charlie and I went for out with the Beaufort. There was a big hedge that hardly anyone jumped and Charlie took it on in front of me on her 15.2hh. Afterwards a lady rode up to her and asked, “How did you get here?” and Harry Meade replied for her: “She jumped it beside me.”

The most rewarding part of my job is the people. I enjoy the social contact, the people I work with and the constant opportunities to learn.

The weather and my age are the most difficult aspects of the job, but the days are gone when farriers ended their lives bent double from a lifetime shoeing horses for five shillings apiece. Everyone earns a reasonable amount out of it now, without doing it until 10 o’clock at night.

A horse called Number Nine is my horse of a lifetime. He’s an 18.1hh dope on a rope but he’ll jump a big hedge.

● As told to Tessa Waugh

This feature is also available to read in this Thursday’s H&H magazine (22 April, 2021)

Suspension for farrier who harassed girlfriend and threw dog out of car

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 18:43:14 +0000

A farrier who harassed and injured his girlfriend, and threw a dog out of a car, has been suspended from the professional register.

The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) held a hearing into the conduct of farrier Scott D Manson, of Cheltenham, late last year. Manson was charged with having been convicted, at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court, of causing fear of violence, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, for which he was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was told to undergo an accredited rehabilitation programme for 30 days, made subject to a restraining order until June 2021, and ordered to pay compensation.

An FRC spokesman said: “The FRC disciplinary committee noted that the facts underlying the conviction included violent, abusive and sinister behaviour while the guiding principles of the code of professional conduct require that farriers should uphold the good reputation of the farrier profession, and be professional at all times.

“The committee decided that Mr Manson had breached these principles, and that his behaviour, which had fallen below the standards required of a registered farrier, amounted to serious misconduct in a professional respect.”

The committee was also told of a warning issued to Manson by the FRC investigating committee over an incident in 2017, which was connected to the incidents that led to his conviction.

“When Mr Manson was interviewed by the police about the matters leading to his conviction he described picking up a dog and throwing it out of a car,” the spokesman added.

“The dog suffered a fracture of the pelvis and subsequently died; Mr Manson described the incident as an unfortunate accident.

“The disciplinary committee found the facts proved on the basis of Mr Manson’s criminal conviction.”

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In considering its actions, the committee “noted that there had been a serious departure from professional standards including violence towards a dog” and decided that the appropriate sanction was removing Manson from the register.

“The committee considered a number of aggravating and mitigating factors and decided that suspension from the register for six months was the appropriate sanction to retain public confidence in the profession. Mr Manson was suspended from the register on 22 December 2020 for six months.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Appeal against unlawful farriery conviction overturned for man caught shoeing illegally, again

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 19 Dec 2020 13:01:16 +0000

A man who was convicted of his second offence of unlawful farriery, at Appleby Horse Fair, has had his appeal overturned, and been ordered to pay thousands of pounds extra in costs.

The appeal of 27-year-old Jude Oliver Hubbard, also known as Jude Oliver and Jude Conlan, was dismissed by Carlisle Crown Court last week.

Hubbard, of The Fairway, Moorends, Doncaster, had been found guilty of committing unlawful farriery, at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on 9 December 2019. He had been stopped by the RSPCA and police while shoeing a horse at the Appleby fair on 6 June that year.

The court heard his case again, including hearing from all witnesses, on 10 and 11 December.

His appeal was dismissed; the court confirmed the guilty verdict stood, as did the original fine of £100, costs order of £5,000 and surcharge of £30. Hubbard was ordered to pay a further £7,674.72 in costs.

It was Hubbard’s second conviction of unlawful farriery in as many years. He also appealed on the first occasion, and this was dismissed.

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A spokesman for the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) said: “Horse owners, especially those in South Yorkshire and north Nottinghamshire, are reminded that Mr Hubbard/Oliver/Conlan is not a registered farrier and never has been, and he holds no farriery qualification.

“Please carefully consider the welfare of your horse and employ only a registered farrier.”

Under the Farriers Registration Act, only registered farriers, enrolled farriery apprentices, qualified and trainee vets and people giving emergency first aid can practise farriery. Unlawful practice is a criminal offence that carries a maximum fine of £1,000. The FRC can take out private prosecutions against unregistered people.

To check whether or not a farrier is registered, visit the FRC website.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Farrier struck off for ‘appalling’ violence on horse he was shoeing

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 15:45:05 +0000

A farrier who was caught on CCTV committing “appalling” violence on a horse he was shoeing has been struck off.

The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) met virtually to discuss the conduct of Michael Francis McNamara of Saltash, Cornwall, on 8 October.

McNamara had pleaded guilty to an animal cruelty offence, on 22 August last year, at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court.

A spokesman for the RSPCA, which brought the prosecution, said McNamara could be seen on CCTV “kicking the horse on the side on at least two occasions, before punching the horse in the face, and hitting the horse in the side multiple times with the end of the handles of long metal pliers”.

You may find the following video distressing:

He was given a community order, with a curfew and electronic tagging, and disqualified for three years from keeping horses.

The FRC disciplinary committee “viewed evidence showing Mr McNamara punching the horse, kicking it twice and striking it with a pointed metal object (a tool) on 18 occasions,” an FRC spokesman said. “Evidence from a veterinary surgeon stated that the conduct was not an acceptable way of reprimanding a horse, and noted that the horse had in any event not deserved a reprimand. The veterinary surgeon stated that Mr McNamara’s conduct would have caused unnecessary suffering to the horse, both physically and mentally, by way of pain, inflammation, fear and anxiety.

“The disciplinary committee was satisfied that Mr McNamara’s conduct fell well below the standards expected of a registered farrier and constituted serious misconduct in a professional respect.

“In considering sanction, the committee noted that there had been a serious departure from professional standards, the offence involved violence towards a horse, and the committee found some evidence of attitudinal problems because Mr McNamara failed to acknowledge the seriousness of the criminal conviction in the context of the farriery profession.”

The committee set a time of two and a half years before McNamara can apply to be restored to the register, and that he would need to “persuade a disciplinary committee that it it is safe and appropriate to restore him to the register”.

Both findings and sanction are subject to appeal.

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EPP3GW Wickham, Hampshire, UK. 20th May, 2015. RSPCA keep inspect a young foal. They keep a close watch on the event with the equine vets and police.The Wickham Horse Fair started today. The fair is one of just two major horse-trading events in the country and can trace its history back to the 13th century Credit: Frank Naylor/Alamy Live News (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

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FRC chairman David Hall said: “The conduct displayed by Mr McNamara was in every way appalling and has inflicted damage on the reputation of the profession of farriery. Together with our colleagues in the profession, the regulator will redouble its efforts to ensure high standards of equine welfare, such that the public may have confidence in registered farriers and the important work they do.”

McNamara told H&H last year that the horse’s behaviour was not shown in the video, and the incident ended with “cuddles”.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

All in a day’s work: The Team GBR farrier H&H Plus

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 11:35:34 +0000

Andrew Bowyer on transporting his pony in the Landy, and a life of medals, gaffer tape and chocolate sandwiches, as told to Eleanor Jones

I have a wonderful career and being part of Team GBR is the icing on the cake; the morale and sense of everyone working together to achieve a goal is very fulfilling. Every time you come back from a trip, you realise how many people it takes to keep things going, and every championships is an amazing opportunity. There are highs and lows in every competition and you share them all; everyone wins together or loses together.

I started with the Pony Club. When I was six, we didn’t have much money; for my first rally, we didn’t have a horsebox so Mum put the Shetland in the back of the Land Rover and I was in there with him. His name was Silver and he lived until he was 42. I used to ride to school, so it was all a bit hillbilly.

I learnt a lot from the Pony Club and didn’t leave until I was 18. I did A-levels, and some forge work as part of art and design, and went on to combine them.

I did my apprenticeship with my predecessor Haydn Price and then shod overseas for three years. On my return, I started my business in Devon and worked for podium potential para dressage for 10 years, then after the Rio Olympics, was asked if I wanted to transfer to podium dressage and showjumping.

The team horses’ home farriers do a world-class job keeping our horses on the road and they deserve the credit; when we go away, my role is really being a caretaker. So if something happens, I can step in, keep that horse going, and help win medals.

Farriery is my primary role but I go as part of the advance party, set up the stables, make sure it’s all ready for when the grooms and horses arrive. Whether it’s supporting the grooms, fixing water or electricity, looking after feed and forage or picking people up from the airport, I’m very busy.

When it comes to competition, I’ve taken my big flight case of farriery kit, and I have a backpack with all my tools on me, then I shadow the horses, so if anything happens, I can fix it on the spot. We do lots of yard visits beforehand, so I know the horses and what types of shoes they have, and I make sure I have any individual requirements with me, as well as sets of spare shoes.

Championships are amazing but they’re really hard work; you don’t have time to absorb anything and it’s afterwards you realise how amazing it was.

Standout moments were winning team and individual dressage bronze at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in 2018; and the Europeans last year, when our showjumpers took bronze and qualified for Tokyo, and Ben Maher took individual silver. It was such a lift and brilliant for the sport, with such a great team.

If I could look back and give myself some advice, it would always be to take more gaffer tape and cable ties as you can never have too many. You can fix most problems with gaffer tape.

You can also never have too much food; the team vet, Andre Buthe, and I love it, especially chocolate sprinkle sandwiches in the mornings. Keeping the tack room stocked with unicorn sweets for Charlotte Dujardin and Alan Davies is another challenge.

Most of the time we have a laugh. At WEG 2018, we had golf carts and the jumping grooms had, unknown to me, improved the cart’s performance by opening the throttle with a cable-tie so it went super fast! I had to take some owners back to the shuttle bus in it and we went at lightning speed, back-firing all the way. I think the owners thought I was mad and they opted to walk back the following day.

I don’t ride much now as I’m so busy but I’m sure once my daughter is old enough to be led off another horse, I’ll be back on and riding with her. She’s in the Pony Club now too – but I won’t have her pony in the back of a Land Rover.

Ref Horse & Hound; 11 June 2020

The barefoot debate: Do horses need shoes to compete? H&H asks the experts H&H Plus

Polly Bryan — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 11:00:01 +0000

Some say barefoot is natural, others argue that modern competition horses are purpose-bred and need shoes. Polly Bryan consults three farriers, a vet who is also an examiner for the Worshipful Company of Farriers, grand prix riders competing in showjumping and dressage, plus a grassroots eventer for their opinions...

There are few more heated debates in the equestrian world than that of whether horses can and should go without shoes, especially when discussing the pros and cons for competition horses. While many proponents of keeping a horse “barefoot” argue that shoes hinder a horse’s natural movement, inhibiting blood circulation, those at the opposite end of the spectrum feel that shoes play an essential role in keeping competition horses sound and performing at their best.

The answer arguably lies somewhere in between, and will depend on each horse.

“When it comes to whether or not to shoe a horse, one size most definitely does not fit all, and it has to be based on a scientific appraisal of that particular horse,” says Richard Stephenson MRCVS, who is also a veterinary examiner for the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) and former chairman of the WCF examinations board.

He maintains that going barefoot is the right thing to do with certain horses, but not because it is a “natural” approach.

“It’s important to recognise that the typical competition horse you see before you today is not a natural animal. Horses have been highly bred and selected to perform jobs that are not natural. Some horses can do well without shoes on, but it’s not a valid argument that barefoot is better because it’s natural.

“Similarly, many think that having horses shod is almost compulsory, but not all horses need shoes. You need to consider many things including the horse’s conformation, its job, the surface – even things like the weight of the rider will have some relevance to whether it can work successfully without shoes.”

There is a tendency to assume that farriers are inherently opposed to horses being barefoot, but this is disputed by Haydn Price, consultant farrier to the Hong Kong Jockey Club elite performance programme and former team farrier to the British dressage and showjumping teams, who counts Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin among his clients.

“I’m an advocate for barefoot, where it is appropriate,” says Haydn. “If your horse can comfortably go barefoot and genuinely doesn’t need or benefit from any form of application, then I am an advocate for the horse being barefoot. If a horse doesn’t need any biomechanical assistance, why shoe them?

“However, in my 40 years of being a farrier, I’ve probably only seen eight horses that have conformation conducive to being barefoot; that is, horses that can maintain stability of limb and biomechanical function without any form of support through the shoeing process. There are very few Usain Bolts, to put it in human terms.

“It is possible to take the shoes off a competition horse successfully, but there are many individual elements that have to be factored in – the biomechanical effects on the limb, the individual joint movement and loading, and range of motion.

“There is no doubt that some horses have underlying conditions and pathologies that do improve through going barefoot,” Haydn continues. “The traditional application of nails means the horn structure is definitely compromised by the shoeing process, there’s no question about that. In barefoot horses, the hoof capsule tends to be a lot better without being infiltrated by a series of nails that can separate the horn.

“However, too many people focus too much on the hoof capsule, rather than taking a multi-factored holistic overview. Careful and appropriate shoeing creates a platform conducive to a horse’s individual limb, and this can have a dramatic effect on an individual joint’s range of motion.”

Haydn points out that ultimately, most competition riders are looking to achieve an increase in the amount of power that their horse produces, whether that’s power to jump a fence, accelerate in a jump-off, or to produce advanced dressage movements.

“Shoeing, depending on application, can affect the stance time – the time during which the foot is engaged with the ground,” he explains. “Increasing or decreasing the stance time can affect the force the limb has created while engaged with the ground, which from a rider’s point of view translates into the stability of the limb and the reciprocal power that comes out in the ‘push off’. A rider is interested in power output for performance.”

Barefoot success stories

While the vast majority of sport horses do compete in shoes – and Haydn says that none of his current competitive clients are barefoot – there are barefoot success stories to be found.

French grand prix showjumper Julien Epaillard competes several of his horses barefoot at the very highest level – recently winning at the Al Shaqab CHI5* in Doha with the barefoot Alibi De La Roque.

“I think it’s better for the blood flow and the horse’s articulation; the natural action of the foot comes back,” explains Julien, who puts shoes back on his horses when he competes on grass. “One of my owners, Michel Hécart, has been doing this for two years now and we are seeing fantastic results.”

Richard agrees that going barefoot can be “fractionally better” for blood supply, but that a properly shod horse should have minimal effects to the blood flow. “A properly applied shoe should not have a dramatic effect on the physiological function of the foot. But if a horse is badly shod, it can have a dramatic effect on blood flow,” he says, adding that for some horses, it is perfectly possible to take their shoes on and off depending on demand, but warning against assuming a causal connection between going barefoot and success.

Both Richard and Haydn agree that if a horse is experiencing no issues with its shoeing, there is little need to change. But the same “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” logic can be applied both ways.

British grand prix dressage rider Serena Gordon has always kept her current top horse, the 12-year-old World Of Dreams gelding Wonderland, barefoot.

“I tend to buy my horses as foals and start them off barefoot, working on the basis that if they need shoes, we put them on, but if they don’t, we don’t,” she explains. “Wonderland has really good feet, and when we first backed him, I agreed with my farrier that we would start him without shoes. He’s now just starting at grand prix, and unless there is a problem, why would I change? It’s certainly cheaper and I don’t have to worry about losing a shoe.

“It all depends on the horse. I think a lot more could go barefoot, but it’s not for every horse,” adds Serena, who has a mixture of shod and unshod horses, who are all attended by her farrier every six weeks.

“All my hacking is off road, simply because the road I live on is very busy, and if I did do a lot of road hacking, I would rethink having them barefoot. But all the horses walk across hardcore every day to the field and Wonderland doesn’t blink at it. He has competed all over the place and I’ve never encountered a venue that has given him any problems. And it certainly hasn’t impacted his ability to train to grand prix.”

Take advice

For those interested in going barefoot, Richard advises asking the advice of a fully qualified farrier who already knows your horse and, for those horses already barefoot, continuing to use a farrier to trim and maintain the feet on a regular basis.

“A large part of a farrier’s extensive training is centered around trimming feet, and it’s not the case that you need a specialist barefoot trimmer for a horse without shoes,” he says.

Farrier Mark Aiken, who is also on the editorial panel for Forge, the official magazine for the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, also advises owners to employ a fully insured and regulated professional to care for their horse’s feet, and not to assume that a farrier will automatically discourage an owner from looking into going barefoot as an option.

“Very few farriers have a problem with horses going barefoot, if it is the right thing for that particular horse. A third of my clients are barefoot and these vary from pet animals to riding school horses and those hacking on tracks and working in arenas.”

Mark also points out that it is not as cut and dried as opting for traditional steel shoes or going barefoot – there are many variables.

“There are so many options nowadays when it comes to shoeing – I frequently use composite shoes that can allow greater flexibility during the stance phase, and there are many different orthotics available. Going barefoot actually removes a lot of options that could be beneficial – any type of shoe, once attached, becomes an integral part of the distal limb and as such can be used to manipulate the ground reaction forces that occur when loading, therefore having the capability to reduce stress on either the foot or limb.

“Shoeing is an intervention caused by the domestication of horses, and whether you’re trimming or shoeing, it is dependant upon what is best for that individual horse. Farriers wouldn’t use the same type of shoe on every horse, just as not every horse can go barefoot. There are a huge number of complex variables to consider.”

Case study: Is it possible to event with no shoes?

Those who do well barefoot tend to be dressage horses or showjumpers who primarily work on a surface. However, eventing should not be regarded as impossible, as Lisa Dalton proves with her 13-year-old coloured gelding Mr Harry Patch, who competes successfully at BE90 without shoes.

“When I got him nine years ago, he had a full set of shoes on, but as my hacking was 90% off road, I opted to take off his hind shoes,” says Lisa. “A year on, his feet were really good, and after a lot of discussion with my farrier, we took off his fronts too.

“I researched and ensured he was on a feed with low sugar, low starch and high fibre for a good month to set him in good stead, then we went for it. At first he was sometimes careful, but never footsore, and I didn’t have to reduce his workload or avoid roadwork – he took it all in his stride.

“One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed in him being barefoot is that previously I always had to use brushing boots on him, as he would knock his fetlocks, and now I don’t. His feet are rock hard – my farrier works up a sweat just trimming them!

“He shows you don’t need perfect conformation – he’s pigeon-toed and has sidebone from prior to being barefoot.”

The pair began eventing in 2014, and Lisa explains she does have to focus on maintaining balance.

“It makes me ride more correctly and be very aware of where his outside shoulder is – you can’t be sloppy when you have no studs. When I walk cross-country courses, I have to walk my lines and stick to them. Showjumping can be more of a challenge, and dressage too if the grass is too short. If there is good grass coverage it’s fine. But I have had to ride some cautious tests.”

Lisa says that eventing Harry without shoes has surprised some other riders.

“Some people tend to look at me aghast. But I will always do what is best for Harry – if my farrier advised putting shoes back on for whatever reason, I would.”

Ref Horse & Hound; 4 June 2020

Road nail study paves the way for future farriery research H&H Plus

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 12 May 2020 13:00:14 +0000

It’s believed the research into farriery effects opens the door for others to measure how remedial shoeing is affecting horses, over the long-term as well as immediately. H&H finds out more...

Research on the effects of road nails on equine symmetry is particularly noteworthy for its implications for future study, one of the professionals involved believes.

The peer-reviewed study, undertaken as part of the Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) graduate diploma in equine locomotor research, indicates that it is important to look at the effects of shoeing changes on symmetry of movement, rather than the other way round.

The researchers used gait analysis to show that using a road nail in the lateral heel of a hind shoe created asymmetry in pelvic movement.

Peter Day, who has worked at the RVC as a farrier for over 20 years and carried out the study with Lee Collins, told H&H while the results were interesting, they were almost a “red herring”.

“If I’m putting road nails in, I’ll put two in each foot, as far back as possible,” he said. “Sometimes people only have one in each foot but if someone could only afford four, I’d put two in each hind foot. The horse’s movement comes from the back end, and if you can stop that slipping, you’ll stop the front end slipping.

“I’ve proved that anecdotally, through observation, as that’s what farriers do. We might change a shoeing protocol, and the vet will say, ‘That’s made a difference,’ but you think, ‘How do you know?’

“But there are ways of measuring, and this has proved we can measure what we do.”

Mr Day says his research into farriery effects opens the door for others to measure how remedial shoeing is affecting horses, long-term as well as immediately.

“Maybe we can start nailing down a protocol that could give horses an edge,” he said.

“Whether it’s for lameness or improving performance, this is where we can really get one over, by measuring improvement. I hope we’ve unlocked the door for people with ideas to come forward.”

Course director Thilo Pfau said it was “very exciting” to see the first peer-reviewed published research from the diploma.

“We always encourage our students to create research of publishable quality and to contribute to the much-needed evidence base surrounding trimming, shoeing and farriery,” he said. “Peter and Lee have done exactly this, and we congratulate them for this achievement and are looking forward to others following in their footsteps.”

British Equine Veterinary Association chief executive David Mountford told H&H: “It is great to see farriery research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Intuitively we all recognise the importance and impact that farriery interventions have, but it is through published research that we can understand and enhance our use of those interventions and expand the key relationship between farriers and vets.”

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New farrier course is a major milestone for equine welfare H&H Plus

Becky Murray — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 11:08:50 +0000

A new farrier certification which could help almost one million working equines in Senegal — and create jobs — has been described as a “significant milestone”.

Welfare charity Brooke, which is training 100 people in different regions in Senegal, is to launch an accredited certificate in farriery from 2020.

This comes as part of the charity’s global project aiming to raise the profile of farriery in low- and middle-income countries that lack training and tools, and it is hoped other countries will follow suit by providing communities with official routes to gaining qualifications.

Brooke West Africa programme manager Mactar Seck told H&H the country has one million working equines, and an unregulated system meant untrained blacksmiths and woodworkers were trimming and shoeing horses.

“They don’t have the knowledge or the skills so generally cause harm to the animal,” he said. “Before we started the project we assessed that more than 80% of the working equines were suffering from hoof abnormalities and infections.”

Mr Seck said the certificate, which is granted after a year’s training, will be integrated into a state-funded programme.

“We hope at the end of the process we will have certified farriers who can trim or shoe animals. The farrier sector was completely overlooked before and now it’s being taken into account by the minister of professional training and the minister of livestock, so it’a good achievement.

“Farriers are welcomed by owners because they can see the difference they can make so they are happy this training is going on.”

Brooke West Africa regional representative Emmanuel Bouré Sarr said the launch of the certificate was a “historic moment” for Senegal.

“A few years ago farriery was considered as ‘low work’, but thanks to Brooke it’s now becoming a full profession. I believe this will have a greatly positive effect on the lives of working equines in this country and create jobs for years to come,” he said.

David Buckton, immediate past master for the Worshipful Company of Farriers, who attended a presentation on the charity’s global farriery project, said: “Having the ministry of training recognise farriery in Senegal must be much like it was in 1356 when the first fellowship of farriers was established in London, starting a long legacy of craft farriery within the UK.

“I was very impressed to see the plans for the project, which will not only improve the welfare of working horses and donkeys but also inspire prospective farriers and be of great benefit to families who rely on these animals for a living. This is a significant milestone and may it be the first of further successes within global farriery.”

Farrier Fatou Toure, a former metal worker who undertook the training from Brooke and its partner the Senegalese Association for the Protection of Animals and the Environment, helps mentor new farriers and has supported the charity’s work creating the certification.

“The training has been very useful to me. What really gives me contentment are the horses from my neighbourhood who are brought to my house for trimming and the owners go back satisfied,” she said.

Help! My horse is difficult with the farrier — what should I do?

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 13:25:18 +0000

Jason Webb of Australian Horse Training is a renowned UK-based horse trainer with a passion for starting young horses, solving equine problems and teaching riders of all abilities and ambitions develop and strengthen the partnership they have with their horses. Here Jason gives one H&H forum user advice on how to get her horse more settled while being shod by the farrier

Q: “My horse is difficult with the farrier: My mare has always been difficult to shoe. However now we have to sedate her which is costing a fortune. We used to give her Sedaline but this now has no effect and my farrier prefers her to be completely sedated now. He is a very experienced farrier but has not come across this sort of problem before. I think it is a mixture of her being nervous from a previous experience and also a habit to act this way. She does not kick out but snorts her head off and will suddenly pull her leg away and barge through whoever is handling her. If other horses on the yard are being shod she again snorts her head of and gets very nervous. She is fine to have her feet picked out and in all other aspects on the ground. I have tried putting a bridle on and a twitch so I wondered if you had any suggestions please?”

A: Horses that snort like this tend to be genuinely worried and can become irrational very quickly. If it is an association specifically with the farrier, then this might be more difficult to fix because it may not necessarily be a leg handling issue.

Continued below…

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This will need to be a case of desensitising your horse to the farrier over a period of time.

I would start with teaching my horse to stand while tied up. I do a tying up exercise called “standing on the tie”, which would be a really useful thing to do with her. It involves tying your horse safely on the yard (I use a resistance tie system) before moving your horse’s hindquarters over from right to left and back a few times, before asking them to stand and settle at a point of your choosing, through your body language and saying the word “stand” as her cue. Then, walk at a safe distance behind the horse to see if they stay standing. If they move off the spot, repeat the exercise until they stand without moving.

Jason Webb (Image credit: creditUnknown)

This can take a lot of patience and repetition, but it is an important training step. If you can get her good at this exercise, then whenever she gets fractious you can move her, get her to refocus and show her where to stand to be comfortable and relaxed. This will be useful when the farrier comes on the yard and she starts looking for her escape route. This exercise can be seen on www.yourhorsemanship.com.

I would practice this while other horses are being shod on the yard and I would get your farrier to come over once she is settled and just pick her feet up.

This is a starting point, but you may need some professional help to get you going. Good Luck! Jason

For more information on Jason Webb and his online training base Your Horsemanship, where you can learn a foundation in horse training with online lessons in groundwork, starting, and ridden fundamentals, visit his website

Fancy having a bunch of (naked) Australian farriers hanging in your tack room?

Madeleine Silver — Tue, 15 May 2018 12:20:59 +0000

The prospect of stripping off for a naked calendar is likely to fill most people with a sense of dread. Unless of course, you’re a farrier whose line of work involves toning those upper-arm muscles — and have a friend in need of some financial help...

When a well-respected Western Australian farrier was diagnosed with large diffuse B cell lymphoma, a form of cancer, at the age of 28, the equestrian community hatched a plan to help ease the financial strain of his treatment for him and his wife.

A group of Bryce Edwards’ friends and fellow farriers stripped off for the ‘Farriers’ Calendar’ to assist with the costs that insurance wouldn’t cover.

The calendar has been organised by horse owner Kylie Murray, who Bryce works for, and was photographed by Perfect Pony Photographics (Brooke Benbow) at the Narbethong Stud near Perth.

“The horse world in Perth, Western Australia is a pretty close knit community,” says Lin Campbell, who has been part of the fundraising effort. “Bryce is an exceptionally knowledgeable farrier for his young years, he competes regularly in competitions across Australia and is also a volunteer firefighter at Roleystone Station, tirelessly protecting people’s homes and livestock. In addition, Bryce travels to rural Australia to shoe and trim horses where there is no resident farrier for thousands of kilometres.

“Bryce had been suffering from what he thought was indigestion or perhaps an ulcer,” adds Lin. “Once initial testing was complete the news was far from expected and he was told he was suffering from diffuse large cell B lymphoma. As the cancer has already spread within the stomach it is inoperable and aggressive initial treatment requires six courses of chemotherapy.”

Take a sneak peek at the calendar…

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

In addition to the calendar, funds have been raised for Bryce and his wife Alex with an online auction (which included stallion services and a Cinderella carriage ride), a training clinic at a local equestrian centre and professionals giving over their time and facilities for a vet clinic day. The grand total raised now stands at more than $20,000 (£12,600).

To find out more and to purchase a calendar, visit bryceedwards.sandytaylor.com.au

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

This week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (10 May 2018) features our extensive Badminton Horse Trials report and analysis

Barefoot versus shoes: what’s the verdict?

Emily Donoho — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 10:15:24 +0000

“No foot, no horse,” says one of the oldest clichés in the equestrian world. It’s cliché because it’s true. No one doubts that soundness starts from the ground up, but the approach to perfect hoof health has become contentious, at times even a combative discussion between shoeing the horse or keeping it barefoot.

The barefoot approach

Horse & Hound spoke to Nick Hill and Ralitsa Grancharova, a natural hoof care practitioner and veterinarian, respectively, based in Bulgaria. As well-regarded experts in barefoot trimming and holistic horse care, they travel regularly to the UK.

Nick says: “The main reason [that I do barefoot] was that I saw the amount of damage done to the horses by the application of nailed on metal shoes, both by myself and other farriers, after observing the effects on movement, sensitivity, break up and weakening of the hoof capsule.”

Nick and Ralitsa contend that shoes alter the natural movement of the horse, inhibiting the blood circulation in the hoof.

Ralitsa explains: “Because they impede the natural gait of the equine and the physiology and function of the hoof, shoes can lead to an imbalanced hoof that cannot respond adequately to the terrain and can therefore be a predisposing factor for lameness.”

When asked if shoes provide protection and support, Nick and Ralitsa point out that hoof boots are useful for transitioning horses to barefoot. Then Ralitsa poses the question, “If a horse can cope with the weight of the rider only if it carries shoes, should that horse be ridden at all?”

The traditional approach

Graham McBurney, a farrier in Ayrshire, has a diametrically opposed view.

“In recent years there has been a number of studies and scientific research proving that certain types and styles of shoeing can help conformation issues,” he says. He calls the claim that horseshoes change how the foot hits the ground “totally false”.

He explains: “A good farrier will assess the horse in walk and trot and will aim to achieve level footfall. We can trim the foot a certain way and we can position a shoe to achieve this. In my opinion level footfall is the the most important part of shoeing a horse.”

Shoes and boots prevent excessive wear on the hoof, and he adds that corrective shoeing can treat an array of problems, “like acute and chronic laminitis, sidebone, ringbone, navicular syndrome, pedal fractures, hoof wall resections, spavin and the list goes on”. He also contends that correctly fitted shoes do not damage the foot.

The research

Both sides have valid arguments, and there is science that seems to support both sides.

Two studies from the University of Queensland of feral horses in New Zealand and Australia showed foot pathology in more than half the animals surveyed, including navicular and chronic laminitis, suggesting modelling hoof care of domestic horses on feral populations isn’t a panacea for everything.

Another study by Dr. Hilary Clayton at Michigan State University showed improvement in hoof health and morphology when seven barefoot school horses were trimmed “with a technique that levelled the hoof to the live sole, lowered the heels, levelled the toe, and rounded the peripheral wall”. But horses, unlike mice and university students, are difficult to work with in a lab setting so all the studies have been of small populations.

No studies have established direct causation between foot morphology — with or without shoes — and injury, so horse owners have to sift through anecdote, opinion, and of course, whatever keeps their horse sound. Wondering how they are making those decisions, H&H spoke to the the owners of upper level equine athletes in dressage and endurance.

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What the riders say

Lucy Straker is an international grand prix dressage rider in Wiltshire. Like most top level dressage riders, she shoes her horses. “I like my horses to be shod with a lot of length of shoe behind to help maintain stability, especially in the hind limbs and this definitely helps prevent wear and tear further up the leg as they work harder and have to take more weight behind,” she explains.

Her horses are shod every five weeks, “to keep ahead of angle changes that come with growth over time and can lead to problems especially when we are asking our horses to work as hard as they do up at the higher levels”.

The sport of endurance places different demands on the horse leading to an alternative approach from competitors. Nicola Freud has ten 160k FEI contenders and says she runs all her horses barefoot. “Finding a farrier willing to fall in with our incredibly high demands is nigh on impossible,” she says.

In an endurance race, the horses will be vet checked at least every 20 miles, and a race of 100 miles will have nine vet checks. Her horses need to be trimmed every four weeks for optimum balance and if shod, it must be done within 10 days of a major competition, which happen every weekend from November to March.

That means a farrier would need to turn up every other day to do just one horse, which is impractical.

Nicola reflects: “We cannot compromise and have found that being able to trim constantly and glue on boots when needed has produced very good results.”

Rachael Claridge, who has represented Team GB in World Championships and is a UKCC Level 3 accredited coach, competed her Crabbet Arabian stallion barefoot until he moved up from novice to open level endurance.

Because the tracks were rougher, longer, and the speed faster, she had to put wider metal shoes and pads on him. Her two-star horse also wears pads. “My farrier Joel Roberts builds them with resin which has been the making of this horse going all the way to 120km two-star,” Rachael says.

With so many differing opinions and good reasons for doing both, the best thing a horse owner can do, with the input of vets, farriers, or expert trimmers, is figure out what keeps their horses soundest and happiest, which will depend on discipline, conformation, and how the horse is kept.

It remains very much an individual decision.

Welfare warning after reports of illegal farriery

Sarah Radford — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 11:57:49 +0000

A warning has been issued to horse owners after a spate of reports of illegal farriery in the north of England.

The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) said it had received “numerous” allegations of “unregistered individuals” shoeing horses in the Guisborough, Whitby and Robin Hood Bay areas.

Since the Farriers (Registration) Act came into force in 1975, it has been against the law for anyone who is not a registered farrier, approved apprentice, veterinary surgeon or veterinary trainee — or a person giving first aid in an emergency — to shoe a horse.

Anyone convicted of breaking the law could face a fine of up to £1,000 plus costs and receive a criminal record.

“It is a black and white situation whether a farrier is on the register,” said assistant registrar Simon Entwhistle.

“We wanted to take this opportunity to remind horse owners that they can easily check if the person shoeing their horse is a registered farrier. They can use the FRC website to check themselves, or give us a call and we will be happy to help.”

Mr Entwhistle stressed that owners using an unregistered person to shoe their horses are potentially putting the welfare of their animals at risk.

“In addition to risking injury to a horse with an incorrectly fitted shoe or a misplaced nail, or by choosing not to use a registered farrier, an owner may cause long term damage from unbalanced or unskilled trimming by an unregistered, inexperienced or untrained individual.

“They could also invalidate their insurance if the horse is lamed or otherwise injured or damaged, and may be guilty of aiding and abetting a criminal act,” he said.

The Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 defines farriery as any work in preparing a horse’s foot for receiving a shoe, the fitting of a shoe to the foot, or any work in finishing the shoeing process.

The FRC says it interprets horseshoes to “include products made from modern materials, such as glue-on plastics or acrylic wraps, as well as conventional metallic shoes”.

Anyone who has information regarding any alleged illegal farriery activity, including the possible use of an illegal assistant, is asked to report it to the police or FRC on 01733 319911.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

Farrier wins unique Badminton and Grand National double

Catherine Austen — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 06:03:27 +0000

Farrier Charlie Sands has achieved a very special double – winning the ‘best shod’ prizes at the Randox Health Grand National and Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials within a 12-month period. He is thought to be the first farrier to do so.

He received the prize at Aintree on Saturday for Drop Out Joe, trained by Charlie Longsdon. Allercombe Ellie, ridden by Charlie’s girlfriend Izzy Taylor, won the award at Badminton in 2016.

Charlie said: “Both horses were wearing handmade shoes. Last year at the Grand National I was second with Pendra [also trained by Charlie Longsdon] and I really wanted to win this year.

“I put tool and fullered aluminium front shoes, which I have spent months practising making, on Drop Out Joe, and he also has lateral extensions on his hinds to help support him.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Allercombe Ellie toes-in badly, so I made lateral extensions for her in front.

“It’s a real honour to win both competitions, and nice recognition of what we do. Jim Blurton, who judged the shoeing at both Aintree and Badminton, said that he liked the fact that I can shoe horses in two very different disciplines so well.

“I also shoe [trainer] Ben Pauling’s horses, and we had our first Cheltenham Festival winner with Willoughby Court last month.”

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Jim Blurton, a former world champion farrier and lead farrier for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, said: “He shod both horses utterly appropriately and correctly for their jobs and according to their conformation.

“The fact that Charlie can transfer his skills from one discipline to another is a reflection of his ability and on the training system that the Worshipful Company of Farriers has in place in Britain.

“The competition at Badminton has been in existence for 25-30 years, but the Aintree one is more recent and was started to highlight the major part farriery plays in the welfare of the racehorse.”

Charlie, 31, qualified as a farrier eight years ago and has a large shoeing round in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Foul-mouthed farrier to be struck off register

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 05:58:19 +0000

A farrier who used abusive language towards and bullied, intimidated or harassed an apprentice should be struck off the register, it has been ruled.

A Farriers Registration Council disciplinary committee concluded on Wednesday (30 June) that charges found to be proved against Charles Stuart Craig, of Waltham St Lawrence, Berkshire, amounted to serious professional misconduct.

The committee heard Craig, a registered farrier and practising approved training farrier responsible for education, training and mentoring of apprentices, had used abusive, homophobic and very offensive language towards the complainant, also telling him he was “thick”, incompetent and lazy.

They found Craig had told the complainant he would have to learn a new word every night and that if he could not give the meaning of the word the next morning, he would have to buy lunch for Craig and the other apprentices.

On at least one occasion, the apprentice had to buy Craig lunch when he could not remember the meaning of a word.

Craig made an offensive reply, including foul language, when the complainant said his dyslexia meant he found it difficult to answer questions.

He made inappropriate comments about the complainant’s father’s sex life, and told him he would have to buy lunch “for everyone” if he was late for work.

The panel also found Craig had failed to provide necessary safety equipment and/or reimburse him for buying such items, particularly eye and ear protection and boots and/or chaps.

Craig failed to help the complainant sufficiently with his theory work and/or revision, and did not pay him for work undertaken in August 2012.

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A statement from the council read: “In reaching their determination of the facts, the disciplinary committee ‘found Mr Craig to be a witness who was at times evasive’ and that ‘the committee did not find Mr Craig to be a wholly reliable witness’.”

The committee noted that the farrier had previously appeared before it in January 2002, when it was proved he had been abusive and bullying towards three apprentices, between 1996 and 2001, and that he had committed an “act of violence” towards another apprentice in 1998.

The disciplinary committee “imposed the sanction that Mr Craig’s name be removed from the Register of Farriers”.

The findings and sanction may be subject to appeal.

Most common hoof problems – and relationships with the farrier

Caroline Bankes — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 13:00:48 +0000

Hoof abscesses are the most common hoof problem according to a new survey.

Research conducted over a month, ending 18 March, asked more than 600 horses owners about hoof problems and their relationship with their farrier.

Abscesses accounted for 47.92% of hoof issues, followed closely by hoof cracks and splits (47.74%) and loss of shoes between farriers’ visits (47.38%).

Bruising, thrush and laminitis were the other main common hoof ailments.

Only 15% of the horse owners surveyed reported that their equines had completely healthy hooves.

Finding a farrier isn’t difficult, the research by ArcEquine found, with over 80% of respondents said there were sufficient farriers in their area.

But nearly half of owners (46%) said they had had difficulties finding a farrier they can trust in the past.

When a horse owners finds a good, reliable farrier they hang on to them, the survey showed, with nearly half of respondents having worked with their current farrier for over five years.

There was no doubt as to the farriers’ expertise.

Over 88% of respondents said their farrier was ‘willing’ or ‘very willing’ to consult with the vet and over 93% said they trusted their farrier’s knowledge either ‘most of the time’ or ‘completely.’

Over 96% of owners said they would recommend their farrier to others.

The most common complaints horse owners voiced about their farriers were timekeeping, getting hold of them, being too busy for urgent visits and reluctance to change visit dates.

Over 13% of owners admitted farriers did grumble about muddy hooves and legs, but over 68% of those surveyed said they thought that their farriers wouldn’t have any criticism of them.

“We receive a lot of requests for information about how our ArcEquine Microcurrent Therapy can help with hoof injuries and associated issues, so understanding more about the most common problems and the relationship between horse owners, their farriers and vets will mean we can confidently offer the most appropriate advice,” said ArcEquine managing director Ian Thirkell.

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The ArcEquine Unit uses microcurrent therapy to promote repair and healing in the body (see H&H 12 March).

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“There was a fire in the property, which Pebbles, the poor dog was in,” Jamie told H&H.

“There was no one in; when the owner got home, he found his house on fire.”

Jamie said the 80-year-old owner managed to call 15-year-old Pebbles out of the bungalow but she ran to hide at the back of the house.

“She had been inside for about 20 minutes, bless her,” he said. “We were second pump and were helping with the fire when we came across Pebbles, who was suffering from shock and very scared. We started giving her oxygen, which we carry with us, and I’m glad she recovered pretty quickly.”

“His wife appeared; they were so relieved and happy that she wasn’t seriously injured,” he said. “It was a good result; what we’re there for.”

Jamie said Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is “very proactive” when it comes to animal rescue; hence the specialised mask that was used for Pebbles.

“All the brigades carry them, so when you need one, you’ve got it,” he said. “When you get results like this, it makes it all worthwhile.”

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Relief for apprentice farriers as delayed exams get the go-ahead

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In a statement issued on 18 December 2023 a WCF spokesman said the company “wish all the candidates well” in the January exams.

“The WCF intend to grant the post-nominal DipWCF to successful candidates who

will undertake their EPA exams being delivered by VetSkill in January 2024,” it read.

“Once the WCF has addressed all the FRC concerns, the WCF will be reapplying for approval in the first part of 2024. We wish to thank all registered farriers in the UK for their overwhelming support in our quest to continue running farriery examinations in the UK.”

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Wait continues for apprentice farriers due to sit exams

At the time, a WCF spokesman said the company was “disappointed” but “working hard to rectify the situation”.

VetSkill is still to receive official approval from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), Ofqual and the FRC to hold the EPAs.

A WCF spokesman said the company’s examination board “stands ready to support the holding of the EPA in January” and will continue to give access to its examiner pool, question bank and IT systems “as far as it is able”.

“The WCF appreciates that candidates are concerned as to whether they will still be awarded the diploma of the WCF (DipWCF) on successful completion of the EPA.

We assure candidates that as long as the examination board is satisfied that the new provider meets the standards expected by the WCF, then they will receive their diplomas upon passing the EPA.”

An IfATE spokesman confirmed to H&H that an established organisation has applied to Ofqual and the FRC to provide the EPA for the farrier apprenticeship, and that the November EPAs will be moved to early 2024.

“We are continuing to work with key stakeholders to resume industry-standard EPA as quickly as possible and support all learners to complete their apprenticeships,” said the spokesman.

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The FRC said the withdrawal was because the WCF’s IT system used for planning and its delivery of qualifications, examinations and assessment “is not supported and its functionality cannot be guaranteed”.

A spokesman for WCF said the company is “disappointed” at the FRC’s statement and is “working hard to rectify the situation”.

“The company recognises the impact this will have on farriery students, ATFs and the colleges delivering apprenticeship training and every effort will be made to mitigate these impacts,” he said.

“WCF remains committed to the welfare of the horse and its duty of promoting, encouraging and advancing the art and science of farriery and education as it has done over the centuries.”

A WFC spokesman confirmed to H&H that a meeting is taking place tonight (9 October), and a further statement will be released in due course.

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A spokesman for the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, which represents and supports farriers, said the association understands “the shock and concern farriers are now feeling”.

“The welfare of apprentices and ATFs is first and foremost our priority. We are aware some of our apprentice members are close to their EPA and any delay of this will obviously cause enormous stress,” he said.

“As the voice of the working farrier, this is something that resonates deeply with all of us and we encourage anyone impacted to reach out to us. We urge all parties to resolve this matter at pace and offer our support in finding a solution for a swift resolution.”