How to Become a Farrier
If you love to be around horses and are looking for a career working with them, you can become a farrier. Farriers, or hoof care specialists, are in heavy demand as every horse needs its hooves trimmed between 6 and 8 weeks. Learn how to become a farrier with the following steps.
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Instructions
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Become familiar with the anatomy of a horse, especially the legs and hooves. Trimming and shoeing a horse will affect more than the hoof; it will determine how the horse travels. Mistakes can lead to a horse being hurt or crippled.
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Find a school for farriers. There are about 50 certified farrier schools in the United States. These schools are generally a better choice than a university with farrier classes. A farrier school will be focused entirely on teaching skills needed by farriers.
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Graduate farrier school with good grades. Anyone can take a class and pass, but if you want to succeed as a farrier you should study hard and take your work seriously.
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Become a certified farrier. Take a certification test to become a certified farrier, though it is not required. Having a certification will instill confidence in your clients that you are a good farrier.
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Work with an experienced farrier before going out on your own. You can learn many things outside of a classroom from an experienced farrier. This will also give you the opportunity to learn how to handle customers.
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Build up your own set of clients slowly. Take on only as many clients as you can safely handle. Having too many clients may cause you to rush and perform a lower level of quality hoof care.
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