About Us

Welcome to The Farrier Guide! Whether you’re an aspiring farrier searching for horseshoeing schools or already a farrier just looking for some employment-related information, you’ve come to the right place.

Launched in 2012, we provide in-depth guides to horse health care, a monthly Q&A with farrier Karen McMann and insightful articles about horses, written by farriers and equestrians. 

» Learn the basics of farriery by reading through the farriery guide
» Empower yourself to make the right education decision by reading the education guide
» Research the farrier business to find out if farriery is right for you or if you’d just like some tips on running your business in the employment guide
» Scan through a wide selection of horseshoeing schools and farrier courses in our worldwide farrier school directory to find the best program for you. We provide an unbiased source of information on schools—listings can be rated and commented on by users
» Narrow down your school choices by reading through interviews of school instructors and owners to get the answers to some common questions
» Gain insights from farriers and other writers on the topics of horseshoeing schools, employment as a farrier as well as some general topics in the blog
» Check out our farrier and horse books in our book store

What does a farrier do?

A farrier is a professional whose job is to care for a horse’s hooves. He does this by trimming and cleaning the hooves as well as making horseshoes and applying them. Farriers need to be well versed in horse anatomy as well as have technical expertise operating the relevant tools. Read “What does a farrier do?” for more >>

How to become a farrier?

Believe it or not, you can earn a living by following your passion. Since a farrier’s job requires both theoretical knowledge of horse anatomy as well as sufficient hands-on experience, the best way to become a professional farrier is to register for a program at one of the many good horseshoeing schools and proceeding to an apprenticeship under an experienced farrier. Read “How to become a farrier” for more >>

Choose the best horseshoeing school for you

One size does not fit all. There are many schools out there and each one offers greatly varying course content, spanning from 4 weeks to 4 years in duration, which can make choosing one a challenge. The Farrier Guide assists you in your decision making through our education guide and thorough directory of schools and courses.

To narrow down those choices we list descriptions and offer the opportunity for past students to rate and review schools. Also, for the schools that have participated, interviews of school owners are featured along with the listings, which answer the basic questions prospective students have about farrier schools.

The growing equine industry demands professionally skilled farriers. Horse owners prefer well-trained farriers to treat and care for their horses, which makes a quality education and training so valuable. Since there’s a strong demand for farriers who can do the job right, if you really commit yourself to this profession, you’re making the right choice. All the best on your path to becoming a farrier!