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Farriery explained
A farrier trims, balances and, where needed, shoes a horse's hooves, a skilled trade that keeps horses sound and comfortable at work.
What a farrier does
A farrier trims the hoof back to balance, addresses any flare or long toe, and either leaves the horse barefoot or fits shoes. Shoeing protects the hoof wall and can be used remedially to help a specific problem.
The work combines anatomy, metalwork and horsemanship. In the United Kingdom farriery is a regulated profession and only registered farriers may shoe horses.
Balance and the hoof-pastern axis
Good trimming aims for a hoof that lands level and lines up with the pastern, so load passes cleanly up the limb. Poor balance sends uneven force through joints and tendons and is a common root of lameness.
This is why the farrier assesses the horse standing and in movement, not just the foot in isolation.
Farriery and hoof boots
Barefoot and booted horses still need regular farriery to keep the hoof balanced; the boot protects but does not shape the foot. A fresh, level trim is also the point at which a hoof boot is measured and fitted.
Coordinating the trimming cycle with boot fit avoids the common problem of a boot that fit at the start of a cycle rubbing or twisting by the end of it.
Shod or barefoot
Whether a horse is shod or left barefoot is a decision made for the individual animal, its workload and the ground it works on. Shoes protect the wall and can add grip or correct a problem; going barefoot lets the hoof flex and wear naturally but asks more of the horn and often calls for boots on hard ground.
Neither is universally right. What both share is a dependence on regular, skilled trimming to keep the foot balanced under the horse.
Size a hoof boot
Open the HoofBootFit sizing toolMatch a fresh-trim length and width to boots that fit.Find hoof boots horse on eBayaffiliateRelated
Sources: British Horse Society ยท The Blue Cross horse advice