The American Farrier’s Association (AFA) recently announced that any AFA members certified by the Farrier International Testing System (FITS) are recognized at an equivalent level by the AFA. This reciprocity means that any FITS Certified Farriers are also recognized as AFA Certified Farriers.
Announced ahead of the first South African certification event in June 2025, farriers who have completed their FITS CF can progress to the Certified Journeyman Farrier exam in June without also taking the AFA CF exam.
“There is no doubt the FITS exam is an outstanding demonstration of education and ability, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this reciprocity to farriers worldwide,” says executive director Martha Jones in a recent AFA newsletter.
The basis of the FITS exam was written by Chris Gregory of Heartland Horseshoeing School in 2007. After hosting a clinic in Brazil, there was growing interest in a formal exam, which Gregory was asked to write. Since then, the FITS exam has been administered in countries around the world.
Robbie Miller, a FITS examiner and the first South African to complete the exam, wrote on Facebook that, “This is huge! Reciprocity between the AFA CF and the FITS CF is going to encourage many more farriers considering certification — and certainly higher certification — to step up and allow themselves to be tested by their peers. Remember, this is about personal development and growth, and the certificate is just the cherry on top. As a horse owner or trainer, wouldn’t you want a qualified farrier who’s met top international standards looking after your horse?”
The testing system offers three levels: Certified Farrier, Certified Professional Farrier and Advanced Skills Farrier. Visit the Farrier International Testing System’s Facebook page for more information on certification.
