Is it necessary to be certified to trim minis feet?

[wendyluvsminis]

Please help settle a hot dispute. Is it necessary to complete an educational course or get licensed to trim minis feet? Not shoe, trim. I was looking on the American Farrier Association website and didn't see anything about mandatory either for farriers. Thanks, Wendy

 

[wildoak]

Not unless your state has it's own regulations. Farriers can - and should - go to school to learn their craft and be certified, but nothing is required in this country to my knowledge.

Jan

 

[wendyluvsminis]

Not unless your state has it's own regulations. Farriers can - and should - go to school to learn their craft and be certified, but nothing is required in this country to my knowledge.

Jan

Thank you, Wildoak. Several of my friends apprenticed under a very experience farrier, and now have 15 years experience...We are in IL. Is there a state law by chance, regarding this?

 

[MindyLee]

Im no expert and never went to school for farrier,

BUT i guess I would have to say I have a gift on trimming minis feet. I learned by a old drunk farrier when I was a little girl. He was the local that was known to be one of the best as long as you had at your house by 11am. Well he used to trim my big horses and always let me watch and pointed every little detail out to me over the yrs trimming my horses and the neibors horses. Well 10 yrs later and long gone from horses, I got back into them but minis instead. Called around and no farrier local would consider tuching my minis feet. So busted out some old tools I had from when I was a kid and got to work. Not even nervous, I was done in 10 minutes. I steped back and WOW! what a great job I did for my 1st time ever. My minis feet looked the best they ever did in the yrs I know him from prevous owner till me. I got more minis, and trim their feet on a regular basis and had a friend who liked how my minis feet looked and started having me trim her minis/ponys feet. She is a rescuer who in most cases ends up with many feet issues arriving at her farm. From there word got out locally that I am very good at what I do and calls started poring in as most owners didnt like who was trimming their babys feet or was turned down flat as soon as they said mini over the phone. Now I trim about 150 minis in my county alone each yr, and have seen some very bad cases which blows my mind on how bad folks let their minis feet get before having it corrected. BUT I am very proud of my jobs at the end of each trim and the owners are amazed at how good of the job is preformed and how gental i am with their minis as well. even the rowdy minis. I have saved many minis lives from my trim work as they where doomed to be put down because of being severly lame from founder and twisted hooves and vets and other farries gave up and told the owners that they needed to make a choice. Many of my clients called me in last desperation to save their minis and wanted to try 1 last time to save them before giving up. Today I have 5 minis and 1 donkey that started out on their death bed because of horribale feet and doomed to being put down because of being so lame that the only thing kind was to end their suffering. Now can run and be as normal as they can with their life spared because their owners contacted me and I gave it my all to save them. Now their feet will never be normal by no means because the damage was already done and yess a few ofthem are on pain meds to help BUT they are alive today and enjoying life to its fullest because of the ownres not giving up and having faith in me.

Now there's times where I run into a problem that I may not be able to take care of but I do the best I can for the animal and the owner. Like I said Im no pro but I do what I can to help out and It makes me feel better that I make a huge difference in some of my clients like life when it comes to my work. Old age and bad bones is whats going to stop me and I will continue to help out here where I live. I have a good reputation behind me for my work with many referances to back me up. And I will do the same for others out there just like me as well!

sorry for this being so long. Kinda feel good right now

 

[Genie]

I have not heard of this in Ontario Canada.

I would also doubt there be a requirement anywhere.

I personally think it could even be classified as part of normal grooming.

We trim our own here and were trained by a professional. He was happy to provide the training as he did not like trimming the little horses

The first while we had him coming for the trickier hooves, i.e. clubbing or unusual issues. He would critique our job on the normal hooves and gave us the "go ahead" after a short time of checking the work.

In our province as far as I know, you can even do your own "gelding" if you wish and the registries accept the change to gelding from horse with a certificate signed that states you performed the procedure yourself.

 

[albahurst]

From our experiences with farriers-

either one has a 'natural' ability to see angles or one does not-

Some 'certified' I know don't seem to always have the 'natural' ability. Some 'uncertified' do have that ability...and visa versa.

I am fortunate to have one that has both the training and the 'natural' ability.

 

[wendyluvsminis]

Im no expert and never went to school for farrier,

BUT i guess I would have to say I have a gift on trimming minis feet.

sorry for this being so long. Kinda feel good right now

Thanks so much for your comment!

 

[wendyluvsminis]

From our experiences with farriers-

either one has a 'natural' ability to see angles or one does not-

Some 'certified' I know don't seem to always have the 'natural' ability. Some 'uncertified' do have that ability...and visa versa.

I am fortunate to have one that has both the training and the 'natural' ability.

Thank you, Albahurst! We can always expect a informative, well thought out response from you, on so many subjects! A friend of mine was paying $85 per horse for some fancy farrier, who wrecked one of her youngster's feet and a performance horse. More recently, someone on my FB yesterday said I could get "in trouble" for advertising a farrier who is not liscenced. I mentioned in passing that a friend trims minis. I didn't advertise on a big billboard or anything! I couldn't find anything on-line requiring liscensing either State or Federal, so went to my favorite source for mini info. You folks never disappoint! Looks like I won't "get in trouble" after all!

 

[Knottymare]

sorry for this being so long. Kinda feel good right now

Sounds like you have good cause to feel good! I wish I knew how to do my own horses feet. I've touched them up in a pinch but I have never really gone the full distance.

 

[stormy]

I know this is not exactly an answer to your topic and I do trim my own on occasion, less now then I used to as old age is creeping up on me...was trained by a farrier while in peace corp as the local practices were a bit crude to say the least...anyway I am comfortable trimming my own but can not stress how valuable my farrier is who is certified and does continued training in the field. New research on founder, birth injuries as related to proper hoof and leg conformation, non-surgical solutions to contractions and angular limb deformaties have led to some innovative shoeing and trimming options lay farriers may not be aware of....certification may not be required but can be very valuable esp with the continued education requirement attached.

 

[MindyLee]

I know this is not exactly an answer to your topic and I do trim my own on occasion, less now then I used to as old age is creeping up on me...was trained by a farrier while in peace corp as the local practices were a bit crude to say the least...anyway I am comfortable trimming my own but can not stress how valuable my farrier is who is certified and does continued training in the field. New research on founder, birth injuries as related to proper hoof and leg conformation, non-surgical solutions to contractions and angular limb deformaties have led to some innovative shoeing and trimming options lay farriers may not be aware of....certification may not be required but can be very valuable esp with the continued education requirement attached.

I agree with you on this as well! No matter what a good farrier is always handy to have exspecially an updated one for that reason. I study the hoof where ever I can from the internet, newer published and older books, and magazines. There is a magizene out there that is just a "WOW" magizene called "The Horse" that is just amazing. PACKED with lots of wonderful info and just amazing topics that are everyday health issues and even ones that are new to the horse health world. I have learned a lot from there and keep copies in my truck so when at clients homes, they can take a look at a few of them and learn and see some of the things that can and do happen with horses. Feet is a huge subject in that magizne which has been eye openers to some folks who hear me when I tell them what could happen if they dont provide proper care... but see the fact when they see it in photos in front of them.

 

[heartkranch]

I trim my own minis. My farrier will come out and shoe the biggies. When he does he'll check the little ones.

The rescue I took in has been the only one he's really messed with.