Who or what decides if a person is a farrier

In the government of the UK has a law that gives the WCF the AUTHORITY TO EXCLUDE those who have not passed the exams from legally practicing farriery. So the WCF qualification is by law, recognized by a lawful society, and enforced by that societies courts.

I think the best answer I ever got for why a farrier is not certified came from our friend Ray Steele - "Because it involves paying to shoe a horse for free." I have no comeback for that one.

Ray i am just pointing the fact out that it is always those without recognised certification that moan and come up with pathetic reasons not too , they have to pass a driving test to drive for example so why should they be exempt to practice on other peoples horses ?

I have to admit that I've never heard anyone with any kind of certification, AFA, BWF, AAPF, GPF, FWCF, whatever ever say "Man, am I stupid. Why did I do that?"

Regards

Chris things are different in this country, I'd take a guess at saying 9 out of 10 horse owners don't even know what certification is. I've been asked twice if I was certified in 13 years.

I get asked all the time by other farriers. IMO the only thing it gets you in this country is respect amongst other farriers.

Then you have dozens of different certifications that don't even compare to each other. A lot of 8 week shoeing school grads are BWFA Journeymans. Over here anybody can certify anything they want. There's even a dog that's certified!!!

I'm not complaining just giving my perspective.

I once had a call from a horse owner wanting to know if I did the "mustang roll." I replied that I totaled my 1966 mustang in 1982, but I didn't roll it.

I've been asked once in twenty years, and I fired her as I was setting up for the second shoeing. She was a bit late, unapologetic and bitchy.
When I earned my bwfa journeyman, after eleven weeks of school, the fellow next to me, after quicking two feet with a couple nails each, was passed also because "the horse didn't bleed that much".
I pasted the AFA CF practical the first try but never finished the shoe board in time. They only give you two years. I guess I lost interest.
A hobby I've gotten into is shoeing horses after Certified Farriers have been doing them, then enjoying the phone calls from the owners about how much better they're moving.
All that said, I would suggest a young Farrier go through the AFA certs. Lots of learning along the way.

With the exception of one of the listed credentials(because while you can buy the credential, there is no certification testing involved), as regards their value to the individual and probably, the public at large, I agree. And to that list, I would add the ELPO certifications. ymmv

Regards,
Rick too(aka: the other Rick )

I think that the AFA CF presents a good challenge to a beginner that is trying to get established and looking for an objective evaluation of how their work measures against a published standard.

The shoe display can be tricky because each farrier has a different idea about what a square toe, trailer, clip, etc. should look like. Passing the shoe display involves making the mods the way the AFA thinks they should look. Sometimes that can be frustrating - frustrating for the testers and examiners too, so they work pretty hard at trying to be uniform in their judgement.

For an experienced, well established farrier, it really shouldn't present much of a challenge at all if the candidate understands the testing requirements. But at the point you are established and confident in your skills and knowledge, it really doesn't make sense to jump through the elementary basic hoops for certification - everybody in your sand pile already knows what you can do.

My sole reason for going after the certs was to have something I could show to potential clients that indicated I was not just the next newbie in town hanging a shingle. At the time I started out there was only one other AFA certified farrier in Delaware. So I thought it would give me a marketing edge. Little did I realize how hard the AFA worked to keep their certification program a secret from horse owners. As such I have never gotten much direct business benefit from certification. Indirectly, I got a good handle on the basics and a belt buckle that may come in handy in a street fight.

Be careful at those street fights Tom, a hockey game could break out.

I agree. And for the most part, in my experience, nor do they care. It has been one of the big failings/disappointments that the main testing bodies have done such a poor job of making the public aware of the certification programs and those programs benefit the farrier, the horse owner and the horse. ymmv.

That said, IMO, if the [American]farrier undergoes the process expecting monetary gain, s/he is going to be, at least initially, very disappointed.

For a long time it was much the same for me. However of late, say perhaps the last 6 or 7 years, one of the questions I am being asked by potential new customers is whether or not I am certified. The follow-up question is , 'by whom'? So, at least the word about certification and credentials has reached some people.

Interesting. That has not been my experience. Out of curiosity, how does that question come up/get worked into the conversation?

Why do you suppose that is?

And/so?

Yeah, but he's in the BWFA.

Elsewhere in this thread, Bro Bloomer offered an interesting and IMO accurate perspective. I have not obtained his permission to re-post/quote it but I'm going to do so anyway. ( note to Tom: So sue me...... )

Considering that you are from Delaware, I realize that since the belt buckle didn't come with instructions, it probably escaped your notice that the belt buckle, when correctly installed on a belt, the resulting orthosis comes in handy for keeping your trousers from ending up down around your ankles. And I'm sure you are aware of the problems associated with up-down syndrome.......

Indeed I have thought that through to the inevitable conclusion that I would be swinging the belt with one hand and would have to put down my beer to hold up my pants with the other. Thus I try to avoid fighting at every opportunity as it tends to interfere with my beer enjoyment.

John , Ray, and others;
What makes a person a farrier ? For me it passion..... pure and simple

Passion to work and care for horses
Passion to always do a better job than the last one you did
Passion to share knowledge so others advance and give the best care to horses in their books

I come alive inside when I smell the fire
I come alive when I hear the ring of the anvil and watch the artistry of a fellow craftsman with a hammer in his hand
The feel one experience's when holding a shoe in his/her hand, sliding their fingers over the surface reading the story its telling
Reading a hoof not only with your eyes , but with your fingers and hand
I can't keep my hands or eye's off the horse while working around them, always reading what the animal is saying through it movements and attitude

I feel a strong passion of brotherhood when around other farriers.
I am grateful to those who have come before and those who will come after

In my mind a true farrier lives his trade EVEN when he is enjoying boating/fishing/or a multitude of other pass times, for being a farrier , is in a man's blood and very soul till the day he die's..

my 2 cents worth

Passion is a wonderful thing. But if you don't know which way to turn a nail to nail it, all the passion in the world ain't worth squat.

I think there are levels of farriery

According to my birth certificate I am "from" Maryland. Though I'm sure that my temporary residence in Delaware has significantly elevated the stature of the "Small Wonder" state.