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

The governing body of the Company is the Court, comprising some 25 senior members appointed to meet the Company’s responsibilities.

The Company promoted The Farriers (Registration) Act of 1975, which was further amended in 1977 and in 2002. The Act was introduced to prevent and avoid suffering by and cruelty to horses arising from the shoeing of horses (and other equines) by unskilled persons. It also prohibits the shoeing of horses by unqualified persons. Farriery is defined by the 1975 Act as “any work in connection with the preparation or treatment of the foot of a horse for the immediate reception of a shoe thereon, the fitting by nailing or otherwise of a shoe to the foot or the finishing off of such work to the foot”.

The Farriers Registration Council (FRC) was established as a result of the 1975 Act to register persons engaged in farriery and the shoeing of horses; and to prohibit the shoeing of horses by unqualified persons.

A person is entitled to be registered in Part 1 of the Register held by the FRC if he/she satisfies the Council that they:

1. Have completed an approved apprenticeship or approved course of training and passed a prescribed examination.
2. Hold a qualification obtained in another European Economic Area (EEA) State, which demonstrates a level of knowledge and skill corresponding to that at (i), or demonstrate any shortfall by training with an ATF or successfully completing a prescribed examination.
3. Hold a Certificate of Experience, issued in accordance with EC Directive 99/42 which shows that he/she has appropriate professional experience in farriery in another state of the EEA (note: this equates to a minimum of six years experience).
4. Are registered in Part II or IV of the Register and possess appropriate experience in shoeing horses in accordance with EC Directive 99/42 or pass a prescribed examination.
5. Have completed a course of training in the British Army and passed a prescribed examination.
6. Hold a qualification recognised by the Council from outside the EEA and have two years subsequent experience in the shoeing of horses.

The Council recognises the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (Dip WCF) as a prescribed examination for the purposes of (i), (ii) and (iv) above. In the case of Army farriers, at (v) above, the Council recognises the Army Class II or IMFC as the prescribed examination. With regards to (vi) the WCF has reciprocal recognition of certain qualifications.

The Diploma examination is also recognised as a Technical Certificate by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). The award requires candidates to meet the standards of competence set by the WCF together with the Apprenticeship framework including the attainment of the NVQ (level 3) in farriery.