Job market information
Finding out about farriery
The farriery industry is part of the environmental and land‐based industries, represented by Lantra Sector Skills Council, which also includes the following industries: agricultural crops; agricultural livestock; animal care; animal technology; aquaculture; environmental conservation; equine; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game and wildlife management; land‐based engineering; horticulture, landscape and sports turf; production horticulture; trees and timber; and veterinary nursing. The sector as a whole currently employs 1,126,000 people (approximately 4% of the UK workforce) in around 230,000 businesses. In addition, there are an estimated 500,000 volunteers working in the sector on a regular basis. Approximately 42% of the workforce is self‐employed.
Farriery is defined in the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975. It is ‘any work in connection with the preparation or treatment of the foot of a horse for the immediate reception of a shoe thereon, the fitting by nailing or otherwise of a shoe to the foot or the finishing off of such work to the foot’. A farrier is a skilled craftsperson with a sound knowledge of both theory and practice of the craft.
Key facts:
- There are 2,432 registered farriers and apprentices in the UK.
- The majority of farriers run their own businesses or work within a small company. The number of businesses in the UK is, therefore, estimated to be almost equal to the number of farriers.
- There are estimated to be one million horses in the UK.
- It is an offence for any person to engage in any act of farriery who is not registered on the Register of Farriers nor employed under Articles of Apprenticeship.
Jobs in the industry include: approved training farrier, farriery supply business proprietor, apprentice farrier, field officer, college tutor assessor, registered farrier.
Entry and progression
To become a farrier it is necessary to qualify for entry into the Register of Farriers. To qualify individuals are required to complete a course of training and a minimum period of experience approved by the Farriers Registration Council (FRC). The approved course is an Advanced Apprenticeship, including an NVQ Level 3 in Farriery and a Technical Certificate, which is the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers. The prescribed period of experience is 4 years and 2 months. Skills needed to become a farrier include:
- Horse handling
- Technical skills (e.g. blacksmithing, operating machinery)
- Customer care
- Business skills
- Essential skills (literacy, numeracy and communication).
- No qualifications or practical experience is required for those wishing to access a Farriery course. However, entrants are required to complete a practical test, which consists of making fifteen forging exercises, as detailed in the Forging Exercise Booklet for Farriery Apprentices, and then a further two pieces during a timed assessment.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
2,432 registered farriers and apprentices. |
|---|
| The majority of farriers and student farriers are male, white and British. |
[N.B. Further data on characteristics of the workforce are unavailable. Data from Register of Farriers, 2006 and Farrier Training Agency.]
Employment trends and future prospects
Farriers are highly skilled, and have to keep their skills up‐to‐date in order to continue practising. The UK is the only country with regulation, and leads the world in the basic standards of farriery. However, this does not necessarily carry through to research and development of new techniques. As other countries introduce legislation, this may alter the relative position of the UK.
Skill requirements and shortages
The increasingly technical nature of farriery and the need to keep abreast of both new treatments and legislative requirements creates a clear need for effective job‐specific training. Arising from this is the need for greater acknowledgement of the skills, knowledge and experience of farriers gained throughout their professional life. Most farriers are self‐employed, so there is a need for business and technical skills.
Future skills needs include:
- Specific skills in the use of new technology
- Higher level business planning skills
- Marketing and communication skills
- Higher level customer service skills
- Higher level understanding of legislation in respect to animal welfare
- Higher level ICT skills
Occupational trends
An estimated 293 apprentices will need to start training each year in order to keep the number of horses per farrier constant. Approximately 100 people undertook apprenticeships in the UK in 2006/07, so there is a need to increase numbers.
National and regional data
| South West |
439 |
|---|
| South East |
409 |
|---|
| East of England |
312 |
|---|
| West Midlands |
238 |
|---|
| East Midlands |
214 |
|---|
| North West |
205 |
|---|
| Yorkshire and the Humber |
171 |
|---|
| Scotland |
162 |
|---|
| Wales |
125 |
|---|
| London |
79 |
|---|
| North East |
76 |
|---|
| Northern Ireland |
12 |
|---|
[N.B. Data from Register of Farriers, 2006.]
Salary levels
Pay scales in this industry are variable, so the following only provides an indication of the annual salaries. Salaries range from around £8,500 up to £35,000 a year for experienced farriers.
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Lantra AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
