Certified Eurofarrier

Most European countries have national qualifications relating to the basic training of farriers up to a standard where they are safe to work on horses in either an employed or self-employed basis. The majority of these training schemes include on-the-job work experience with a Master Farrier, as well as theoretical training, standard setting and examination at a college. They vary in duration from one or two to four years.

In order to help with international recognition of standards, in November 2008, EFFA announced the launch of the qualification Certified Eurofarrier (CEF). Member associations of EFFA can propose a national training and examination scheme for accreditation by EFFA. EFFA's accreditation board will be invited to look at the training manuals and observe the final examination, checking the standards against EFFA's own Standards of Competence. If accepted by the Accreditation Board and confirmed by the AGM, those completing the training scheme will be permitted to call themselves Certified Eurofarriers. They receive a certificate and an annual vehicle window sticker, and are entitled to put CEF after their names.

EFFA's Standards of Competence were developed by the member associations with assistance from the European Community's Leonardo da Vinci project.

The aims of the Certified Euro-Farrier scheme are to :

  • Provide recognition for those who have achieved the necessary standards of competence.
  • Provide a means of identifying properly trained and qualified farriers from other countries. This is particularly important for horse owners in view of recent EU legislation allowing farriers to practise in other countries purely on the basis of experience.
  • Encourage countries without qualifications or with lower level qualifications to raise standards of farriery to meet the EFFA Standards of Competence.

Qualifications

Most European countries have national qualifications relating to the basic training of farriers up to a standard where they are safe to work on horses in either an employed or self-employed basis. The majority of thesetraining schemes include on-the-job work experience with a Master Farrier, as well as theoretical training, standard setting and examination at a college. They vary in duration from one or two to four years.
In order to give horse owners an indication of those individuals who have received an internationally recognised course of basic training, EFFA developed a set of appropriate standards, and has started a programme of accrediting national training and examination schemes against these standards. National associations which have been accredited as meeting these standards are entitled to recommend individuals who have completed this training, or an equivalent, for recognition as Certified Euro-Farriers.
It is one of EFFA’s Objectives to encourage all member nations to reach or exceed these standards in their basic farrier training.
Copies of the EFFA standards are available in English, French and German under the Standards available on this site.

Master Farrier

A number of EFFA member nations have seen a need for a higher level qualification in farriery to show recognition of those who have successfully undertaken further training in shoemaking, remedial shoeing and veterinary knowledge. In 2016, EFFA considered introducing a Master Eurofarrier qualification to recognise such individuals, and carried out work to develop suitable examination standards. In the end, this work was put on hold because of a lack of finance to carry out accreditation of existing national examinations or to introduce an examination run by EFFA. However, the draft standards are available to help any nation thinking of developing a qualification itself. The draft standards are available in English, German, Dutch, Czech, French and Italian and may be accessed through:

MEF