The Worshipful Company of Farriers is a City Livery Company which has its origins in 1356, when it was established as a Fellowship to oversee farriery within the cities of London and Westminster.

Six and a half centuries later, the Company still has the responsibility for securing adequate standards of competence and conduct among persons engaged in the shoeing of horses.

The Company also actively promotes and encourages the art, science, training and education of farriery.

See our news page for recent Company events.

The Master of the Company

Photo courtesy of Gerald Sharp Photography Reginald George Howe was installed as Master of the Company at Common Hall for the Livery on Thursday 24th September 2009.

Reg was educated at Haberdashers' Aske's School and London University, and then joined IBM where he spent most of his career. As well as working in the UK (National Sales Manager for an IBM division 1983-87), he also worked for several years in IBM's European Headquarters in Paris becoming Divisional Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa.

IBM sent Reg to work in a variety of other places - including Africa (Zambia and Kenya), the USA (New Jersey, Colorado and Arizona). When IBM 'restructured', selling off various divisions in the early 90's, his division became the Lexmark Corporation and he went to Eastern Europe to set up assembly lines - in Prague, Budapest and Sofia.  He also spent time working in Warsaw, Moscow, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.

Reg joined the Honourable Artillery Company in 1964 and represented Great Britain in Army Championships from 1970 to 1990.  He is a registered BHS instructor; he also has European and US patents and is a Member of the Institute of Patentees & Inventors.

Reg was admitted to the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Farriers in 1994. He was soon appointed to the Craft Committee with special responsibility for Press and Public Relations, and helped to raise the public profile of both the Company and the craft. Between 1996 and 2002 (when the event was sold), he took responsibility for the Farriery Village at the Equine Event held at Stoneleigh, and succeeded in converting the previously dis­jointed set of exhibits into an integrated unit indicating the close relationship which all aspects of farriery have with each other.

He has just stepped down as Officer Commanding the Light Cavalry, HAC (the Lady Mayoress' official escort).

Reg and his wife Copper now farm beef, pigs, sheep and poultry in North Devon and subscribe to the Dulverton West Foxhounds.