Higher Education Farriery Courses:
Myerscough College, PrestonPart-time
Farriery, or the shoeing of horses and similar
animals, is an ancient craft. It is defined in the
Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 as '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’.
Farriery is hard work, often dealing with animals that may be fractious and in distress. A farrier is a skilled craftsperson with a sound knowledge of both the theory and practice of the craft, capable of shoeing all types of feet, whether normal or defective, making shoes to suit all types of animal and working conditions, and of devising corrective measures to compensate for faulty limb action.
Modern farriers must have knowledge of the anatomy of the horses’ feet and legs, be able to work alongside vets, manage and handle horses, understand and meet the needs of clients and successfully run their own business. A farrier should not be confused with a blacksmith. A farrier works with horses but needs training in blacksmithing in order to make the shoe properly. A blacksmith is a smith who works with iron and may never have any contact with horses. Only a farrier is permitted to shoe horses.
Our Foundation Degree course is designed specifically for qualified working farriers. However, should you be interested in starting a career as an Apprentice Farrier (and carrying out your training at Myerscough College), an informative guide is available for download from the Farriery Training Agency at www.farrierytraining.co.uk Students can study at Myerscough for the Forgework Certificate which is a pre-requisite for entry to an apprenticeship.
Facilities
Farriery is hard work, often dealing with animals that may be fractious and in distress. A farrier is a skilled craftsperson with a sound knowledge of both the theory and practice of the craft, capable of shoeing all types of feet, whether normal or defective, making shoes to suit all types of animal and working conditions, and of devising corrective measures to compensate for faulty limb action.
Modern farriers must have knowledge of the anatomy of the horses’ feet and legs, be able to work alongside vets, manage and handle horses, understand and meet the needs of clients and successfully run their own business. A farrier should not be confused with a blacksmith. A farrier works with horses but needs training in blacksmithing in order to make the shoe properly. A blacksmith is a smith who works with iron and may never have any contact with horses. Only a farrier is permitted to shoe horses.
Our Foundation Degree course is designed specifically for qualified working farriers. However, should you be interested in starting a career as an Apprentice Farrier (and carrying out your training at Myerscough College), an informative guide is available for download from the Farriery Training Agency at www.farrierytraining.co.uk Students can study at Myerscough for the Forgework Certificate which is a pre-requisite for entry to an apprenticeship.
Facilities
- Three farriery workshops, each with a floor area of
approximately 200m2
- 32 coke forges and associated anvils, leg vices and
hand tools
- A full range of additional equipment for
blacksmithing, farriery and metalworking
- Omera Mechanical Flat Bar Shearing Machine
- SM40 Power Hammer for larger forging work
- Tiered seating demonstration area
- A full range of equine facilities (see page 54)
- 52 horses of various sizes, breeds and standards
