A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary.

Did you know? Farrier is now usually applied specifically to a blacksmith who specializes in shoeing horses, a skill that requires not only the ability to shape and fit horseshoes, but also the ability to clean, trim, and shape a horse's hooves.

Farriers get to schedule their days. They can choose how many horses they want to work on in a day. Most farriers can earn a comfortable living by scheduling 5 to 6 horses to shoe per day or 10 to 12 trims. If a farrier becomes more efficient, he or she can finish the work early.

Your farrier will be able to advise you on the frequency of visits required for your horse, but generally horses need trimming every 6-8 weeks. Does my horse need shoes? Horses have survived for thousands of years without shoes, and still can, however some horses do now require shoes for various different reasons.