French farrier of Haras nationaux

Italian farrier at work

A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of a horse's hoof so as to fit shoes to the horse's foot. A farrier couples a subset of the blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adjusting metal shoes) with a subset of veterinary medicine (knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the lower limb) to address the care of the horse's feet. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 517 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Farrier of Haras nationaux (France) at work - Maréchal-Ferrant des Haras nationaux (France) au travail Source : http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 517 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Farrier of Haras nationaux (France) at work - Maréchal-Ferrant des Haras nationaux (France) au travail Source : http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1536 × 2304 pixel, file size: 645 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author: User:Alex_brollo An italian farrier at work File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1536 × 2304 pixel, file size: 645 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author: User:Alex_brollo An italian farrier at work File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on... horse, see Horse (disambiguation). ... The horse hoof is the distal phalanx of the III digit of the four limbs of Equus species, and it is covered by complex horny structures. ... Modern horseshoes are most commonly made of iron and nailed onto the hoof. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... A blacksmith A blacksmith at work A blacksmith at work A blacksmiths fire Hot metal work from a blacksmith A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by forging the metal; i. ... Modern horseshoes are most commonly made of iron and nailed onto the hoof. ... Veterinary medicine is the application of medical, diagnostic, and therapeutic principles to companion, domestic, exotic, wildlife, and production animals. ...

At one time, farrier and blacksmith were all but synonymous. A farrier's work in colonial America would have included horseshoeing as well as the fabrication and repair of tools, the forging of architectural pieces, etc. Today, farriers usually specialize in horseshoeing, focusing their time and effort on the care of the horse's foot. For this reason farriers and blacksmiths are considered to be in separate, albeit related trades.

A farrier's routine work is primarily hoof trimming and shoeing. In ordinary cases it is important to trim each hoof so that it retains its proper orientation to the ground. If the animal has a heavy work load, works on abrasive footing, needs additional traction, or has pathological changes in the foot, then shoes may be required.

Additional tasks for the farrier include dealing with injured and/or diseased hooves and application of special shoes for racing, training or "cosmetic" purposes. In cases of horses with certain diseases or injuries, special repairative procedures may be needed for the hooves, and then special shoes may need to be constructed and fitted. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ...

See also

• Horse hoof
• Horseshoe
• Barefoot horse
• Equine forelimb anatomy
• Horse anatomy

The horse hoof is the distal phalanx of the III digit of the four limbs of Equus species, and it is covered by complex horny structures. ... Modern horseshoes are most commonly made of iron and nailed onto the hoof. ... Barefoot trotting in Monfalcone Karst, Italy. ... The equine forelimb is the front, or thoracic limb of the horse. ... The anatomy of the horse comes with a large number of horse specific terms. ...

External links

• The Guild of Professional Farriers
• The Farriers Registration Council
• American Farrier's Association
• Museum of Horse Shoeing Tools
• On The Horse's Foot
• Anvil Magazine
• The United Kingdom Horse Shoers Union