How can we support farriers injured on the job?
The farrier’s trade is an ancient one, and much has changed over the centuries, but among many things that remain the same is the inevitability of injury. For those who spend their lives bent beneath the weight of hooves, it’s not a matter of if but when.
Injuries are often cumulative rather than acute. The experienced farrier’s body becomes a ledger of pain, especially if we are not proactive about the exercises and diets that will help us recover from the daily wear and tear. Backs strained from years of bending, knees and hips worn thin, elbows and wrists creaking from the relentless repetition, all come with time. Burns from hot-shoeing, cuts from sharp tools, and the odd broken finger or toe are par for the course. These injuries, are often ignored or dismissed, meaning they aren’t even tracked in the Labor Bureau’s official numbers for on the job injuries annually, and yet agriculture and animal handling are by the numbers already a high-risk industry.
Kicks and bites are a common occupational hazard, but we all know it can be so much worse. The half-ton weight of a horse can easily pin a person against a gate, wall, or fence, leading to crush injuries that range from bruised ribs to broken bones. The dangers are compounded by the fact that farriers—like grooms and stable hands—often work alone, out of sight of immediate help.
The Lone Wolf’s Dilemma
Farriers, by and large, are solitary figures, and independent contractors who rely on their ability to work under horses day after day. They don’t get paid if they aren’t under a horse. Yet the very independence that draws them to this life leaves them vulnerable when injury strikes. The majority of farriers do not have access to employer benefits like workers’ compensation or paid leave. Most do not carry private disability insurance, and those without it can find themselves in dire straits when sidelined by an injury. For self-employed farriers, the responsibility for safety and support often falls squarely on their own shoulders.
This isolation underscores the importance of proactive measures. Farriers need to develop contingency plans for the inevitable. An emergency fund is a start, but even more critical is fostering a network of mutual aid among farriers themselves. Despite the profession’s reputation as a haven for rugged individualists, there is strength in community. Farriers looking out for one another—whether by sharing work during recovery, pooling resources, or simply checking in on a lone worker—can make the difference between surviving an injury and being broken by it.
In workplaces where farriers operate as part of a team, employers have a duty of care. Lone worker systems that allow staff to check in and request help are crucial for safety and compliance with regulations in countries like the United States and Canada. These systems are not just bureaucratic boxes to tick; they are lifelines.
Clients and Memberships
It’s not uncommon in the horse world to find that many clients of farriers LOVE THEIR FARRIER. As it is said in the industry, “no hoof, no horse” and horse owners understand that without a good farrier, things can go terribly wrong for a horse. The person who facilitates good hoof care is often perceived as magical if not messianic. But do horse owners actually understand the financial hardships that many farriers encounter? Probably not.
One way farriers can receive the support they need in times of crisis is by belonging to a farrier organization like the International Association of Professional Farriers (IAPF). The IAPF in particular raises money through its Farrier Assitance Fund which provides money to farriers when they are unable to work because of a crisis. Horse owners may consider giving to organizations like the IAPF who are formed to educate, build community for, and aid in times of crisis.
A Culture of Resilience
Injury is an inescapable part of farriery, but it need not be a sentence to ruin. The key is preparation, both in the form of financial and logistical planning as well as cultivating a culture of resilience and mutual aid within the industry. Farriers must take an active role in looking out for their peers, sharing knowledge, and advocating for better support structures.
Farrier Mark Aikens, speaking from 23 years in the trade in the AFJ, noted that the average farrier will sustain a work-related injury requiring time off approximately once every five years. These odds demand respect. Farriers should see themselves not as isolated craftsmen but as part of a broader sodality, bound by the shared understanding of what it means to work under horses.
It’s up to those who take up the trade to ensure that when the inevitable injuries come, they are met with preparation, support, and the unyielding determination to get back to the forge and the hoof stand.