Today's Female Farrier

by Lisa Brinkworth

With many women today in the professional and recreational sectors of the horse industry, it is not surprising to find that I, as a female farrier, have a clientele made up mostly of women.

I've had to overcome professional and personal hurdles to become a farrier. In an industry that is predominantly male, the majority of my peers have been supportive, except for a few who have clung to the older traditions and don't accept change readily. When I started out as a farrier, it was considered acceptable to take out new farriers on the job, but as a female farrier I was faced with a range of excuses, such as "I haven't got insurance" and "What would my wife think". Eventually I had the good fortune to find a mentor who proved invaluable in my progress as a farrier.

One of my biggest personal hurdles to overcome was belief in myself as a farrier. The experience I gained on the job, receiving constructive client feedback and having a mentor all helped towards my confidence and belief in myself. I've always felt the need to push myself that bit more to be accepted in the trade.

It is true that females don't have the same physical strength as their male counterpart, but they certainly can have the skills required to be successful in this occupation. When considering what is best for the horse's feet and how they are to be maintained, I believe it has to be a team effort between farrier and owner. From my experience talking to women about their concerns, they can and are being too easily dismissed as irrelevant. Women in my clientele are generally keen to learn about their horses' feet, and feel confident to ask a female farrier questions without being embarrassed or intimidated.

Unfortunately there is a shortage of farriers, and it is good that owners want to learn about maintaining their own horse's feet by attending short courses, but that in itself can lead to problems. With many courses available in barefoot trimming ad some in the more traditional trade-accepted methods, many people feel that after two days they have the necessary skills required to maintain their own horse's feet. Some may, but through my experience the majority don't, and they are women. The risk of being hurt by the horse or hurting the horse is great.

"My horse doesn't like men" is a comment that is heard from time to time in the industry. Men tend to be blamed for this because of their heavy handedness, but in my experience there are horses that don't like women. A farrier can't change the experience the horse has had in the past that predisposes it to be difficult to control. Correcting this problem takes time, and I believe this is where a team effort between farrier and owner is required to gain the horse's confidence and trust, and is one of the reasons female clients like having a female farrier.

A background history of growing up with horses helps with being confident and comfortable when working on horses, and was the best start I had to becoming a qualified farrier.

Being a farrier is not an easy task for a female, it is both physically and mentally demanding and at times requires an incredible amount of patience and self control. However, through a nationally accredited trade course, plenty of practice, guidance and mentoring with a support network that I would hope is more readily available today, there is no reason why more women shouldn't become farriers. I would say that it's not an easy road, but it can be a rewarding one.