Hocking College offers students four equine programs to choose from and, in only four semesters, students can receive their Associate of Applied Science in one of the following categories:
- Farrier Science and Business
- Equine Health and Complementary Therapies
- Wilderness Horsemanship
- Animal Assisted Therapy (Equine track)
This blog offers more information about Hocking College’s Farrier Science and Business Program.
Hocking College's Farrier Science and Business Program
Professional farriers are responsible for the foot care of horses. They also address how hoof care affects the overall health and performance of different types of horses.
Farriers also work almost entirely outdoors and often conduct business out of their vehicles. Other farriers are employed full-time at barns, ranches, colleges, and veterinary clinics.
Most farriers are sole proprietors, meaning they own their own business and are their own boss. Many of them build a business by apprenticing with a well-established farrier after graduation and begin building a customer base. Farrier work is a specialized skill that is essential to the horse industry.
What Skills Will I Learn In The Program?
In Hocking College’s Farrier Science and Business Program, students will learn the following skills:
- Trimming, balancing, and shaping hoofs
- Running a forge
- Creating shoes
- Advanced techniques for corrective and specialty shoeing
- How to run a farrier business
In addition, optional certifications are provided by organizations like The American Farriers’ Association or The Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association. These can be used to prove further mastery of the farrier’s craft, all of which open up the possibility for more potential job prospects in the future.
For more information on Hocking College’s Equine Programs, contact Equine Science Program Manager, Bethany Siehr, by email at siehrb@hocking.edu or by phone at (740) 753-6282.
