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Articles
Articles
Articles
18
The hoof's structure and the horse's biomechanics
Horse knowledge · 8 min
A review of hoof anatomy and horse leg positioning — the professional foundation that enables the farrier to correctly assess trim and shoe.
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Fittings: from hot to cold work
Shoeing · 7 min
A practical walkthrough of the hoof-shoeing workflow — from removal of the old shoe and trimming to fitting and nailing of the new shoe.
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The smithing work behind the fitting
Blacksmith craftsmanship · 6 min
An introduction to the pure blacksmith craft in the farrier trade — work at the forge and anvil, where shoes and metalwork are shaped and fitted in hot iron.
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Common hoof diseases and their signs
Horse knowledge · 8 min
An overview of common hoof conditions the farrier encounters — from contracted feet and thrush to hoof abscesses — with a focus on recognizing the signs and collaborating with a veterinarian.
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Hoof balance and measurement
Shoeing · 7 min
A review of hoof balance — what medio-lateral and dorso-palmar balance means how to assess it and why systematic measuring and documentation is valuable.
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Special shoes and therapeutic shoeing
Shoeing · 6 min
An introduction to specialized metalwork — the types and principles the farrier uses when ordinary work is not enough, often in collaboration with a veterinarian.
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Animal welfare and responsibility in farrier work.
Animal welfare · 8 min
The farrier works with living animals and bears a responsibility that is both professional and legally determined. This article looks at animal welfare law the boundary between craftsmanship and veterinary work and what the responsibility means in practice with the horse.
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Exterior, stance and movement
Horse knowledge · 8 min
A hoof does not stand alone — it carries an entire horse. This article is about assessing leg positioning and movement so trimming and shoeing are tailored to the horse's overall structure not just the hoof's appearance.
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Safety, ergonomics and hygiene in horse work
Work environment · 7 min
Farrier work is hard on the body and takes place close to a large animal that can react unpredictably. This article brings together the most important considerations for personal safety ergonomics and hygiene in daily work.
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The farrier's history: three thousand years of iron under the hoof
History · 11 min
Farrier work is as old as humanity's dependence on the horse. This article follows the profession from the first attempts to protect hooves through the medieval nailed horseshoe and the close connection to the blacksmith guilds to the modern profession where craft horse knowledge and veterinary collaboration meet.
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Material choice: iron steel aluminium plastic and artificial horn
Materials · 8 min
The farrier does not just choose a shoe — he chooses a material. Steel, aluminium, plastic and artificial horn behave very differently under the horse, and the training regulations require that you can make the correct choice of material for each task. The article reviews the materials' properties, typical uses and the trade-offs that determine the choice.
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Steel types and heat treatment: normalizing, hardening and tempering
Materials · 8 min
In the trade Basic Blacksmithing, the apprentice must understand the effect of heating on steel, and be able to apply annealing, tempering and hardening as well as forge welding. The article explains the three heat treatments, the role of carbon and the difference between gas and coal forges — the metallurgical foundation under all blacksmith work.
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Nail insertion, nail pressure and bruised nail
Diseases · 8 min
Three classic situations where nails cause problems: nail pricks when shoeing, nail pressure that develops over days, and foreign objects the horse steps on itself. The training regulations require that the farrier can apply knowledge of nail pricks and nail pressure, including diagnosis and treatment, and can deal with a nail the horse has stepped on — the article covers signs, examination and the boundary to the veterinarian.
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Laminitis: the farrier's role in laminitis
Diseases · 9 min
Founder (laminitis) is one of the most serious hoof diseases of all: the suspensory apparatus between the coffin bone and hoof wall fails, and the coffin bone can rotate or sink. The training regulations require that the farrier, in collaboration with a veterinarian, can perform acute treatment and shoeing for laminitis as well as follow-up shoeing for chronic laminitis. The article reviews the disease, the classic signs and the farrier's tools.
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Foal trimming and correction of limb positions
Horse knowledge · 8 min
In foals, deviant leg conformation can be corrected while the bones' growth lines are still open — but the window closes as the foal grows. The training includes a dedicated subject on tendon and leg conformation disorders in foals, and the article covers the importance of growth lines, the main deviations, and the correction techniques farriers require: trimming in the shoe, extensions, artificial horn, and glue-on shoes.
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Barefoot, boots and the limits of shoeing
Technique · 7 min
The barefoot concept and modern hoof boots are a permanent part of horse life, and the curriculum requires that the farrier has knowledge of both the barefoot concept and the most commonly used boots. The article examines when barefoot works, how the transition from shoes is managed, what boots can and cannot do — and why the rules about horse keeping apply regardless of whether the horse is shod or not.
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Your own blacksmith business: prices journal and operations
Career · 8 min
Most blacksmiths end up self-employed with their car as a workshop. The course subject Business Management requires that the apprentice can keep records of clients and horses, calculate prices and margins, know relevant insurance for the industry and plan work efficiently. The article translates the learning objectives into practice: pricing, route planning, documentation and the pitfalls that overturn new self-employed people.
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The education to blacksmith: from basic course to journeyman certificate.
Career · 8 min
Farrier is a vocational education with one school location in the country: HANSENBERG in Kolding. The main programme lasts 3½ years with 21 school weeks, and along the way blacksmithing, anatomy, pathology and business management are combined with training at a practising farrier. The article reviews the structure, the school subjects, the progression of the practical training goals and the competence goals the training regulations set for the finished journeyman.
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