farrier
Role lens
Do you enjoy working with animals and possess a strong interest in craftsmanship? As a farrier, you’ll play a vital role in equine health and performance, shaping and fitting horseshoes to ensure their comfort and mobility.
Farriers are skilled craftspeople specializing in equine hoof care. Your days involve travelling to stables and farms to assess horses' hooves, trim excess growth, and apply or replace horseshoes. This requires a keen eye for detail, physical strength, and a thorough understanding of equine anatomy and biomechanics. You must adhere to relevant regulations and best practices to ensure the well-being of the animals you work with.
- • Inspecting and assessing the condition of horses’ hooves.
- • Trimming and shaping hooves to promote healthy growth and proper alignment.
- • Designing, making, and fitting horseshoes to suit individual horses and their activities.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Metal, machinery and related trades workers — 106 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Italy, Slovakia.
Longest-running shortage: Italy, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Future Outlook for farrier
The outlook for farrier reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could farrier change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could farrier change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- advise horse owners on farriery requirements
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- analyse animal locomotion
- control animal movement
- prepare equid hooves
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as a farrier
09 09:00 · Morning assess equid footcare requirements
10 10:30 · Mid-morning attach horseshoes
12 12:00 · Midday carry out post hoof-trimming activities
14 14:00 · Afternoon advise horse owners on farriery requirements
15 15:30 · Late afternoon analyse animal locomotion
17 17:00 · Wrap-up control animal movement
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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farrier industry
The manufacturers, suppliers and specificities of the farrier industry and its history with product identification.
- forging processes
- types of metal
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prepare equid hooves
Trim and dress horse hooves using the appropriate tools and methods. Comply with the agreed footcare plan.
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carry out post hoof-trimming activities
Discuss and agree on a husbandry plan (written or verbal), which may contain information on workload, environmental conditions, devices and non-prescription topical applications being used.
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attach horseshoes
Attach the horseshoe safely, securely and in the correct position according to plan. Take all relevant information into account. Finish the hoof according to the specification, trot up the horse to confirm its soundness. Evaluate finished job and welfare of the horse.
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assess equid footcare requirements
Inspect the horse's leg, foot and hoof while they are stationary as well as in motion to check for irregularities, interference, peculiarities in gait (how the horse walks) or abnormalities in size and shape of hooves and wear of shoes in discussion with the owner and given purpose and use of horse.
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control animal movement
Direct, control or restrain some or part of an animal's, or a group of animals', movement.
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make farrier tools and supplies
Work sections of metal to produce farriery tools and horseshoes to required specifications.
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advise horse owners on farriery requirements
Discuss and agree the farriery and hoof care requirements of the equine with the responsible person.
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analyse animal locomotion
Analyse animal locomotion either by eye or using instrumentation for measuring body movements, body mechanics, and muscle activity.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does farrier fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of physical demands does this job involve?
- Farriery is a physically demanding occupation. You’ll be working outdoors in various weather conditions, often on your feet for extended periods, and frequently handling heavy tools and horseshoes. Strength and stamina are essential.
- Is there a formal apprenticeship or training program required to become a farrier?
- While formal qualifications vary, most farriers complete an apprenticeship under an experienced farrier. This provides practical training and mentorship. Continuing professional development is also important to stay current with best practices.
- What safety precautions should a farrier take when working with horses?
- Safety is paramount. Always use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and eye protection. Understanding horse behavior and employing safe handling techniques are crucial to prevent injuries to both yourself and the horse.
- Farrier — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 4 of the 7 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Finland, Latvia, Romania. 3 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Farrier — what does it pay in the United States?
- $33,470 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $26,970 to $44,210. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.