Consultations - Shod v. Unshod - Farriers Registry

Frances144

Frances144

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Shetland, UK
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Consultations

Shod –v- Unshod?

We are researching the percentage of the GB horse population that is shod –v- unshod. Registered Farriers, horse owners and other professionals are invited to write to us about their experiences via our ‘Contact Us’ page.

Any information based on your personal knowledge in answer to the following would be helpful:

Are you a Registered Farrier, horse owner or other – please state
As a farrier what % of the horses on your books are kept as shod, unshod or a combination depending on season?
As a horse owner, do you keep your horses unshod? Are they worked unshod?
As a horse owner, do you use a Registered Farrier for your trimming needs? If not, who does do it?
If you keep your horse unshod, have you been satisfied with the ‘trimming’ services you have received? If not, why not?
Any other relevant comments / observations

This is a chance to have your say before any Recommendations become the Law.
 
I still get a bad feeling about this. Maybe I've got a touch of conspiracyitis but I bet they would love to extend the current 'only a registered farrier can prepare a hoof for a shoe' to 'only a registered farrier can go anywhere near a hoof with a rasp'. They've already tried to get wraps redefined as shoes.

I lost all respect for the FRC the day they gave Mr Welfair such a pathetic 'punishment'.
 
Faracat said:
I still get a bad feeling about this. Maybe I've got a touch of conspiracyitis but I bet they would love to extend the current 'only a registered farrier can prepare a hoof for a shoe' to 'only a registered farrier can go anywhere near a hoof with a rasp'. They've already tried to get wraps redefined as shoes.

I lost all respect for the FRC the day they gave Mr Welfair such a pathetic 'punishment'.
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Thats because some numpty from the barefoot tossers association can put on a hoof cast and cripple the horse in weeks even days
 
I'm all for trimmers having proper qualifications and getting rid of anyone substandard (trimmer or farrier). I don't believe that the Worshipful Company of farriers having a monopoly on hoofcare is a good thing.
 
Faracat, you're right to have a bad feeling. In fact, the FRC is currently preparing for an amendment that might do exactly that, and prevent owners from trimming as well. In practical terms, what that would mean for people up here is that no-one would be able to get their horses (shod or unshod) seen to in a timely manner, as there's a shortage of farriers already. (Even more horses would be running around (or not) with long toes and underrun heels, with their soles and frogs pared away, for the poor owners then to be told that their horse can't go barefoot because its feet are sore, and for them to be told that it has navicular.) Also, there would be next to no support for proper barefoot performance trimming, since only a few farriers have any education in that direction at all. No-one would be able to advise and fit hoof-boots, as few farriers have any education in that direction as well. And a large number of excellent hoof-care professionals, that have provided top-quality care in terms of maintenance and re-habilitation, would be put out of business. All on the basis of some sort of out-dated myth that they obtained their training on a weekend course at a new-age commune.

The trimmers I know are all keen for their trade to be regulated in some fashion and for there to be some sort of registration process. But what worries me is that the WCF as a body (not speaking of individual farriers here, some of whom are highly knowledgeable and inquiring) appear to be wilfully closing their eyes to new developments and insights into hoof care, and that the motivations for this appear to have more to do with wishing to maintain a monopoly for financial reasons, than with concerns for horse welfare. The evidence of my eyes suggests that as a body, they are not currently qualified to pass judgment on the training of those concerned with the hoof care of barefoot performance horses, since their own training in this respect is inadequate.
 
Oh crap SP. :(

But what worries me is that the WCF as a body (not speaking of individual farriers here, some of whom are highly knowledgeable and inquiring) appear to be wilfully closing their eyes to new developments and insights into hoof care, and that the motivations for this appear to have more to do with wishing to maintain a monopoly for financial reasons, than with concerns for horse welfare.
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^ There's nothing new there - they've been ignoring research and ignoring horse welfare for 200 years.

Now they are getting all these email addresses and people telling them whether or not they use a trimmer/farrier/self trim/owner trim. If they pass the new regulation, will they use this information to enforce it?
 
Good post SP

Hopefully it won't come to it but no idea how they'd police owners trimming. I know of someone that shoes their own horses and I'm lead to believe that is common practice within that breed.
 
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