Horse Shoeing & Farrier School
About Horse Shoeing
| It is believed that the shoeing of horses dates back more than two thousand years to the time of the Celts and the Gauls. Attaching iron shoes to the bottom of a horse’s hooves is designed to protect the feet from excessive wear and damage. It also offers the horse increased traction under certain types of ground conditions. This painless procedure can also correct certain defects in a horse’s gaits and can reduce discomfort as well. |  |
Understanding the anatomy of the horse’s feet, legs and muscles is essential to the proper shoeing of any horse. That is why it is important to let a professional with experience in horse shoeing, such as a farrier, complete the task.
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When a horse is shod the hooves are first trimmed and levelled with a tool called a rasp. The shoes are then fitted to the hoof and nails are driven into the insensitive wall of the foot to secure the shoe to the foot. |
Horse shoeing provides the horse with shock-absorbing properties, which aims to lessen the impact of harsh ground conditions and to take the pressure off the hoof and the leg.
Horse Shoeing School
| Though horses with naturally strong feet, such as Arabians and Appaloosas, often go unshod, most horse owners have iron shoes attached to their horse’s hooves. And most pay a professional shoer, or farrier, to regularly trim and properly and securely shoe their horses. Farrier schools are designed to teach horse professionals and interested horsemen all the necessary elements required to shoe a horse. Students in farrier schools have hands-on classes. |  |
Farrier schools typically offer the following courses and workshops:
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Horse Shoeing Teachers & Farrier School Instruction
All horse shoeing school teachers have been highly trained and have many years of experience with horse shoeing. The information they will provide during the workshops and courses will help horse owners learn and conduct all the elements of horse shoeing. Horse owners will benefit extensively because they will be able to shoe their own horse without having to pay someone else to do so. Horse shoeing school teachers will also offer information on the general anatomy of a horse and any problem questions will be answered.
Horse Shoeing Videos, DVD’s and Tapes
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If you do not have the time to participate in a horse shoeing course consider buying horse shoeing DVDs, tapes or videos. They can be purchased from local horse care and saddlery stores and online. The videos are usually designed by vets and farriers for people who are interested in learning more about horse shoeing, and they enable horse owners to obtain a good foundation in understanding horse care and common foot and hoof problems. |
