A farrier is an individual who shoes horses, but in many cases, it goes far beyond that. A farrier will likely also be someone who has a lot of knowledge about the care that horse hooves need and the injuries that they can sustain and you will find that this is a tough and demanding field that nonetheless has many rewards. Though we no long use horses for heavy labor and the position of the horse has changed in history, you will find that there is still a thriving business in horse care. The vast majority of horses these days are kept for pleasure or for leisure sporting activities and they still need to be shod!
When you are interested in becoming a farrier, take some time and consider what school you want to sign on with. There are roughly fifty schools in the United States that offer some sort of training in horseshoeing and these schools will vary a great deal on what kind of time they give it. Consider looking for a school that will give you the skills that you need as well as the hands on experience that it will take to really figure out if this is the right career for you. After you have finished your training, you will find that certification from a credible farrier organization is desirable when you want to get a job, but it is not strictly required.
If you wish to become a farrier, you will oftentimes find that the private institutions that allow you to work towards certification are going to be more invested in making sure that you are a well rounded individual. They are going to give you more hands on experience, and they will give the subject matter more attention. Compare this to a public school that simply has a segment devoted to the purpose, where horseshoeing is often considered a non-academic subject. Similarly, remember that the lower the students to teacher ratio, the better off you are going to be. Remember that you are also going to need to tour the facilities beforehand; are you comfortable with the cleanliness and the kind of space they have? Is the school well respected in the community and are you in a place where you are going to be able to move ahead with the work that you are looking at doing?
Take some time and look deeper into becoming a farrier; this is something that can make a huge difference to your future, and if you want to make this your career path, getting off to a good start is essential!
