Peter Dunbar is a college student who is handy in the forge. He is interested in learning more about farriery. He wants to apprentice, but is concerned that he hasn't gone to a horseshoeing school yet.

He posted this concern about his lack of experience in the AFJ Farriers' Forum. He understands the commitment required to be an apprentice, but added the question below on the subject.

All that considered, is it worth asking around to see if a farrier would take me on or do I absolutely have to attend a school first?

-Peter Dunbar

Absolutely attend shoeing school first. A working farrier has more horses to shoe than he/she has time to explain the basics. You'll become competent much sooner with 10 weeks of school.
-Bob Broedlow

Same as with training a young horse, once you get an understanding of the basics and get good at the basics, you will be able to go farther into this business and do it faster.
-Larry Grantier, CJF

Personaly I did not go to a recognized shoeing school but that was 37 years ago. Today I think it would be very hard not to get some basics first then work with someone. It took me almost 5 yrs before I was shoeing on my own. Now this was and still is predomintley standardbred racehorses.
-Randy Minger

Share your thoughts in the comments section below...

>>Read more Q&As